Shane Montgomery (pictured here with his wife, Debi) has been in the ministry since 1990. He and his wife, Debi, were married in August 1980. Pastor Montgomery has always considered his wife the greatest asset to his ministry. They have three grown children and seven grandchildren. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1984 with a B. S. degree in Aerospace Engineering. He worked for Boeing in the Seattle area until 1988. During that time he was called to preach while they were actively serving at Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Washington under Pastor Ken Blue. Shane studied at the Open Door Baptist Bible College during that time.
In 1988, he tranferred to Burlington, Vermont as manager of a software engineering department and they became active at Trinity Baptist Church in Williston, Vermont under Pastor David Stertzbach. Shane finished his Masters Degree in Theology in 1991 through Bethany Theological Seminary in Dothan, Alabama. It was in March, 1990, that the Lord called them to New Zealand as missionaries. They began deputation in September, 1990 when Shane left his job. They visited 180 churches in the next 18 months and the Lord provided their needed support and their permanent visa to New Zealand.
They served at the Rotorua Bible Baptist Church in Rotorua, New Zealand for over twelve years, and saw the Lord build one of the largest independent Baptist churches in New Zealand, with the addition of Timothy Baptist College. This church was instrumental in the establishment of four other independent Baptist churches in New Zealand. The web site of that church can be found at:
They started Casa Grande Baptist church in June 2005. Our Pastor's vision has always been to see people saved, baptised, taught the Word of God, and trained to serve the Lord Jesus Christ here and around the world.
Dr. Clell Newell (pictured on the right) has been in the ministry for the past 40 years. He and his wife Mary were saved at the age of 47 in 1969. In 1972 God called them into the ministry. They attended an independent Baptist Bible College and went into the ministry in 1974. His wife Mary went home to be with the Lord in April 1999.
God called Dr. Newell into the role of being an assistant to Pastors. It has been a very rewarding ministry and he has served as an assistant Pastor to Pastor Bill Dowell SR., Pastor Ken Blue, and Pastor Steve Andres. While serving under Pastor Ken Blue he earned his Master’s and Doctorate in Religious Education in 1987. In these 40 years he has served as Visitation Director, Sunday School Director, Bible Institute Director, and as a Staff Evangelist. After making a missions trip to India and Korea, God called him to the mission field. Pastor Shane Montgomery in his prayer letter was seeking for someone to come and direct Timothy Baptist College at Rotorua Bible Baptist Church in Rotorua NZ. He answered that call and served two years as his Director of Timothy Baptist College.
A quote from Dr. Newell, "Pastor Shane Montgomery, being a church planter, has returned to Casa Grande AZ to build a local New Testament Church. Knowing that I had intended to return to the USA, he asked me to join him as his assistant in building Casa Grande Baptist Church. At the age of 87, I am very excited to see a new church being started where the Word of God is preached, taught, and lived; then to see souls saved, families growing from spiritual infancy to maturity, and serving the Lord. This will be a joy to my heart."
Dr. C. A. Newell
Assistant Pastor
