Houston Ministers

John Mark Benson

Pastor​

I am Pastor John Mark Benson. I have been in full time ministry for over 50 years. For 34 of those years, I have served as a Worship Pastor. I have served full time in churches in Florida, Oklahoma and Texas. I have been in the Houston area for the past 34 years serving at the Metropolitan Baptist Church in the northwest and presently at the Sagemont Church for the past 24 years in the southeast, where I serve the 55+ community.

My wife, Lori and I celebrated our 48th anniversary in June of 2025. We have 2 awesome children and 4 wonderful grandsons! We love our family, traveling, boating and mainly anything we can do together! It is one of my greatest joys that she serves alongside of me in all the aspects of our ministry.

For the past 34 years, I have had the great honor and privilege of presiding over many funeral services. It is always my goal to love on and minister to the needs of families walking through the valley of the shadow of death and some of the hardest times they will ever have to walk through. Sharing the meaningful events of their loved one’s life is my desire.

James Clark

Pastor

James Clark has a unique and special ministry to families that do not have traditional avenues for obtaining a minister, by working in conjunction with funeral directors to perform the service for their loved one. In this role, he functions like a chaplain assisting families from a large variety of spiritual backgrounds. He considers it a sacred trust and honor to be invited into a family’s life at such a critical moment.

Currently he is serving as the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Tomball, Texas. Prior to Tomball he has served as the Senior Pastor of churches in Houston, Dallas and New Mexico. As a leader in our community, he has served on boards for many organizations and Christian ministries. He enjoys speaking and writing for numerous conferences, academic institutions, and publications. With academic credentials in both Business Administration and in Theological Studies, he brings a combination of strategy, spirituality and professionalism into all he does.

If asked, James would say that everything pales in comparison to the blessing of his wife of 41 years, the raising of two wonderful children, and the partnership he shares with his black lab. (The family cat continues to teach him patience). Without hesitation he would credit all of the accomplishments of his life to becoming a Christian during his college years.

Sammy Crosby

Pastor

I am Minister Sammy Crosby, and I have been in ministry for almost 40 years. I’ve held many positions during that time from student minister to worship leader, to life groups pastor. I have also assisted church staff members with funerals throughout the years and realized this was the direction God had for my life. I started a ministry 13 years ago called Lifelong Grace Ministries focusing on officiating funerals, weddings and counseling couples. This is my passion and my calling in life.

 In my calling I comfort families in their time of loss with compassion, love and direction, and plan a unique service for their family member. Many times, a family prefers a Celebration of Life type of service which I provide as we honor their loved one. My purpose in this ministry is to bring a calm, comforting and gentle spirit that guides a family through the funeral service process and delivers a message tailored to their needs.

On a more personal level, I am married to my amazing wife Wendy and have four children and eight grandchildren who mean the world to me. I enjoy spending time with my family, listening to 70’s music, golfing and watching college football.

Mario Gutierrez

Pastor

I am Pastor Mario Gutierrez, and I have been in ministry for 25 years. I am an Ordained Minister and endorsed as a Chaplain with the Assemblies of God. I served as a full-time senior pastor from 2006 to 2023 in La Marque, Texas and I currently serve as Pastor of the Spanish-language congregation at Dominion Church in Dickinson, Texas. I am also a licensed funeral director in Texas City, Texas.  

My wife, Yolanda, and I met when we were students at UT Austin.  We have been married for 30 years and have two daughters.  One lives locally and the other serves as a missionary abroad. Yolanda is retired from a career in education, and we enjoy spending time with our daughters, extended family and friends, travelling as often as possible, and Gulf coast living.

Ministry and funeral service came full circle for me in 2016.  My call brought me to my vocation, and they go hand in hand.  I particularly enjoy being able to minister to and communicate with Spanish-speaking individuals and families.  I find that bridging a communication gap makes people feel personally tended to and more at ease amid the difficulty of losing a loved one.  When families experience a loss, the service that follows includes some of their first steps in getting through the valley of the shadow of death.  I have had the privilege of ministering to many families from all walks of life in their time of loss.  My desire is to help families find hope and strength through God’s Word that will lead them toward the other side of that valley.

Scott McKay

Chaplain

I am Chaplain Scott McKay, and I have been in ministry for 38 years. During that time, I served as a full-time pastor from 1988 to 2021, and today I serve as a military chaplain in the United States Air Force.

It is my desire that families and service members alike experience God’s tender care and deep love for them as they navigate the pain and grief of death. During times of loss, my role as a minister is to serve others by providing light, hope, and compassion amidst their sadness. 

On a personal note, Stephanie and I celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2025. We have five children and grandchildren. My joys are my wife, my family, music, the outdoors, and athletic pursuits.

Lester Shannon

Reverend

I am Reverend Lester Shannon, I have been in ministry for over 30 years, I served as Associate Pastor for 24 years at Grace Church International. I have recently been called back to our home church to assist my brother Pastor who are preparing to step down as Pastor of New Mt. Carmal Baptist Church.

I retired from the City of Houston Police Fleet Department in 2019; ministry is my passion. My most dominant gifts are Evangelist, Teaching and now Pastoring. It is my desirer to share Christ with as many souls as possible. Walking people/families though difficult times in their lives is what I am called to do. I’ve witnessed God restore relationships, mend broken hearts and give hope to those even in times of bereavement.

I have been married to my lively wife for 35 years, 3 plus 3 come along lovely adult children that makes us grandparents 11 times (praise the Lord!). Fishing, hunting, and grandkids is my favoring pass time.