ROCK CREEK
BIBLE CHURCH
Rock Creek Bible Church strives to be faithful to what the Bible teaches about church leadership. We are a non-denominational, autonomous, local body of believers, led by a plurality of elders. According to God's Word, we believe the role of pastor and elder is to be filled by men who meet the criteria in 1 Timothy and Titus.
MICAH GELATT | PASTOR/ELDER
Micah is the Lead Pastor at RCBC, and serves on the elder board. He and his wife Johanna have been married for 29 years, and God has blessed them with 7 children that they affectionately call The Magnificent Seven. Together as a couple, they have spent the last 26 years in ministry, as a Youth Pastor, missionary, summer camp & conference speaker, and as a Lead Pastor in Alaska and Kansas. Johanna grew up at RCBC, where her father was the pastor for 22 years, and for 5 years early in their marriage they directed the youth ministry at RCBC.
Micah has a passion to get people deeply rooted in the study of God's Word, and to see men and women engaged in multi-generational discipleship. The Gelatts love the outdoors, including hiking, camping, or in the woods cutting firewood. When not at church or in the outdoors, you'll likely find him listening to a Royals baseball game.
ROCKY BARTLOW | ELDER
Rocky has served as an elder for over 35 years, with a few short sabbaticals. He also serves on the Communication Committee, teaches Sunday School, and is the church Clerk. He and his wife Kathi have been active in almost every aspect of RCBC church life. God has blessed them with two daughters, Kellie and Karli, as well as two grandchildren.
Rocky is retired from the communication utility field, and enjoys a variety of passions, including the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, the Civil War, history, genealogy and sailing with his wife Kathi aboard their yacht "Dreamboat Annie."
Above all of these interests is his love for Jesus, and his passion to study God's Word. He has a strong desire to see multi-generational discipleship become a reality in the local church. An impactful verse for him is 1 Pet. 4:19: "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."
KEVIN SOWARDS | ELDER
Kevin currently serves as an elder, and in the past as a deacon at RCBC. He and his wife Kim serve on our greeting team, and they have been actively involved in so many aspects of church life at RCBC over the many years they have attended. Both Kevin and Kim are born and raised in Northeast Kansas, have been married since 1995, and God has blessed them with twin daughters, Haley and Nicole.
Kevin is the Area Director for Man in the Mirror ministries, whose mission is to equip men around the world to engage in meaningful relationships that change lives and build the kingdom of God.
Kevin's favorite Bible verses are Ephesians 2:8-10, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith. And it is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
LEVI TARWATER | ELDER
Levi grew up at RCBC, and since he was 2 years old has been involved in just about every aspect of church life: nursery, Sunday School, Awana, youth group, worship, deacon, treasurer, and now elder. He and his wife Erin have been blessed by God with 6 children, from age 3-17. They are high school sweethearts, married nearly 19 years, and homeschool their children on their small farm near Hoyt.
The Tarwaters love just about every outdoor activity, including camping, hiking, swimming, hunting, sports, gardening, cutting firewood, and raising animals. They run their family's farm and home business, and Erin is a nurse, though she currently enjoys her role as homeschool mom.
Levi's favorite verses are: "It is finished." Luke 19:30 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." Isa. 40:8
RICH TARWATER | ELDER
Rich currently serves as an elder, sings on the worship team, and teaches a Sunday School class. He and his wife Lisa started attending RCBC in 1989, and have been married since 1984. God has blessed them with 3 children (Megan, Levi, and Isaac) and 14 grandkids. Recently retired, Rich enjoys camping, working outside, and gold whenever he can find the time. The Tarwaters love to travel, and see God's beautiful creation.
His favorite Bible Verse is Philippians 2:3-8 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
