Clay Bowers

Clay has been leading Rittenhouse Baptist Church since December 2000.  Clay and his wife, Belva have been married for 24 years and are the proud parents of Justin and Olivia who are now both adults.  He enjoys working out at the gym and spending time on the lake with his family in their boat.  Clay has a desire to see Rittenhouse help transform the community of the near north side into a place where negative behaviors are changed, lives are improved and people’s influence in their world is increased.

Phil Baker

I was born in Southwest Houston and have lived here all of my life

with the exception of one year I spent at Blinn Junior College. My

family was members of Westbury Baptist Church from the time I

can remember, and I attended Westbury High School as well.

Though I was raised in the church, it wasn’t until the age of 16

that I became a Christian. In the years following, I pursued a

secular music career, but ended up discovering that avenue

was not right for me.

By the age of 19 I began leading worship for the Youth group

at Westbury Baptist, and over the next 5 years became a

part-time worship leader for several different churches and

denominations across the Houston area. After a month-long

mission trip to Swaziland, Africa in June of 2004, I became

the Student Pastor at Memorial Drive Baptist Church. During

this time I graduated from Houston Baptist University with a

double major in Christianity and Psychology.

Around July of 2006 I began feeling called away from

Memorial Drive, and also to enroll in a Masters program

at Fuller Theological Seminary. I still maintained a strong

love for youth, so when Anthony Surber informed me of

the open Student Pastor position here at Rittenhouse, I knew

 immediately I needed to speak to Pastor Clay. I grew up in

a multicultural neighborhood and so I’ve always wanted to be

in a church that resembled my upbringing and was passionate

about reaching out their community. I believe to have found

that in Rittenhouse Baptist and could not be more excited

about serving here!

Maxine Sarver

Proverbs 3:5-6

Maxine Sarver has served on staff at Rittenhouse Baptist

Church for the past 9 years fulfilling many capacities and

she has been a member of Rittenhouse Baptist Church for

24 years. She has a long history of service in ministry with

the GA’s (Girls in Action Missions Training).

Each year, she serves as Director of the Girls’ Mission Camp

and currently, she is serving as the Union Baptist Association’s

GA Consultant. Maxine is a native of Humble, TX and enjoys

good, local Tex-Mex cuisine.