Ransom Hawthorne
Ransom Hawthorne serves as the Pastor of Children and Families, overseeing ministry for children from birth through fifth grade and supporting the families who guide them in faith. Since January 2023, Ransom has led this ministry with a deep sense of responsibility and care, serving as both a shepherd to children and a trusted resource for parents. His role includes administering programs, preaching and teaching, leading children’s worship, selecting curriculum, recruiting and training volunteers, and ensuring that ministry spaces are well supplied and thoughtfully prepared.
Ransom’s approach to ministry is shaped by Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:37–40, which call believers to love God with their whole heart, soul, and mind, and to love others as themselves. These commandments form the foundation of how children are taught and how ministry is lived out—through consistent care, intentional teaching, and Christ-centered relationships.
At the heart of Ransom’s ministry is a passion for seeing children grow with God. He is keenly aware of the lasting impact early formation has on a person’s faith, knowing that much of adult spiritual work involves undoing what was learned, experienced, or internalized as a child. Because of this, he views it as a sacred privilege to offer children sound teaching and to model Christian love in the way they are treated and in the way volunteers are supported and cared for. Creating opportunities for children to put their faith into action—early and often—is a core principle of the ministry. Children are encouraged to learn Scripture, respond personally to God from the heart, and share His love in both planned and everyday moments.
Ransom sees children’s ministry as a partnership with families and the broader church community. The goal is not to replace spiritual formation in the home, but to walk alongside parents, supporting them in raising their children in the way they should go. Together, the community works toward a shared purpose of nurturing faith that is lived out with sincerity and love.
Ransom is married to his wife, Beka, and together they are raising four children—Stewart, Wally, Ivan, and Emily. Their home also includes a dog named Dorothy, six Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and an assortment of farm cats and chickens. Outside of ministry, Ransom enjoys playing board games with his family, drinking tea, reading, watching something lighthearted, and cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent three formative years living in Mexico during middle school, where he once learned to raise, roast, and eat crickets.
A passage that continues to shape Ransom’s faith and ministry is 2 Corinthians 3:16–18, a reminder that when people turn to the Lord, the veil is removed, freedom is found, and the Spirit faithfully transforms lives—making them more and more like Christ.