Our Church Staff
Leadership Team:
At Highlands, we are blessed to have a very experienced team of pastors, ministry directors, and lay volunteers to provide effective and anointed leadership to our church family. These are our awesome team members:
Pastor Mark Reese, Senior Pastor
Pastor Mark is our Lead Pastor at Highlands. He has a deep love for people, a passion for worship, and the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. He grew up in the Columbus, Ohio area and began ministry as a youth pastor in inner city Columbus. While attending Boyce Bible College, he began ministering as an Evangelist, spending a decade traveling and recording as the Lead Singer for nationally known recording artists like The Mercy River Boys, Nashville, TN, The Kindlers, Nashville, TN. and a solo recording stint with Music City Gospel and Cedar Hill Records, Nashville. Pastor Mark still has a great love for music, and ministers in our Highlands Praise Team ministries. His pastoral life developed as the Senior Pastor at the Goshen Run Church of God Chillicothe, Ohio, and Associate Pastor of Evangelism & Outreach at the Brookside Church in Chillicothe. He also served as a church planter and Lead Pastor with the Southern Hills Community Church in Kingston, Ohio before coming to Highlands. Pastor Mark and his wife Sally have two grown children, Emma Reese Baker who is married and lives in the Lancaster area, and Mark Anthony Reese, who attends East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. You will enjoy the ministry, experience, vision, and passion of Pastor Mark.
Pastor Roger Dempsey, Associate Pastor of Congregational Care
Pastor Roger is our Congregational Care Pastor at Highlands. He comes from the great state of West Virginia originally, and you will know this when you meet him. Everyone loves Pastor Roger, and for good reason. He began ministry in the Association of Free Will Baptists, serving as an interim pastor for several churches, then as a church planter in the central Ohio area. He served more than 30 years as the Senior Pastor at the Harvest Time Free Will Baptist Church in Sunbury, Ohio before coming to join us in ministry at Highlands. Pastor Roger is a passionate preacher of the Word and helps in the care and development of our congregational life and spiritual drive at Highlands. He has a special relationship with our congregation and church family. He is bold for the kingdom of God. Our young people say, “Nobody tells a story like Pastor Roger.” He has two grown children: Glenn Dempsey, and Christina Dempsey Madden, and five grandchildren. You are going to love the care, experience, drive, and passion of Pastor Roger Dempsey.
Sue Laney, Director of Worship, Praise Team, & Music Ministries
Sue Laney is an awesome blessing to us at Highlands. She is originally from the state of Pennsylvania. Everyone loves Sue and her love for worship. She is one of the most encouraging people of faith that you will ever meet. Through her leadership over the past two years, Highlands has developed an anointed and talented contemporary praise team and live worship band. Our praise band and worship team includes members at piano, drums, bass guitar, two lead guitar players, and 3-4 vocalists each Sunday in worship. Sue Laney attended the University of Central Arkansas and attained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education. She and her husband Dan have been a formidable team in church music ministry and performance over the past three decades. They live in nearby Pickerington. Being a professional Artistic Director and Piano/Vocal Instructor of more than 30 years, Sue is very accomplished in her calling. We believe Sue is a tremendous musician, vocalist, producer, and a great spiritual leader that we thank God for here at Highlands. You will love the ministry and personality of Sue Laney.
Dan Laney, Elder & Director of Highlands-Connect Small Group Ministries
Dan Laney is the latest addition to our Elder Leadership Team at Highlands. He is originally from southern California. Dan is also a Computer IT Engineer in his day-to-day professional life, and a very seasoned leader, and man of faith and worship in our church ministry. Dan Laney attended the University of Central Arkansas and attained a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. Dan is a highly decorated professional musician, having performed as a member of the University of Oklahoma Orchestra, and various traveling music teams and ministries. Dan is a talented musician, playing many instruments that include Violin (fiddle), Stand-Up Acoustic Bass, Bass Guitar, Rhythm Acoustic Guitar and others. Dan is now also serving as our Director of Highlands-Connect Small Group Ministries. We believe Dan is a man of wisdom, calm assurance, and important vision in areas of church growth and worship. You will love the ministry and talent of Dan Laney.