Adam Garber
Pastor
The story of my life is about the goodness of God. From birth, my parents invested spiritually into my life, helping me to know the God of the Bible and how to serve Him. This is the greatest gift they could've given me. My parents had professional careers. My father worked for a telephone company, and my mother was a registered nurse. Though these were their professions, the Lord was their life. Their godly example made a profound impact upon me.
At age 16, God made it evident to me that He wanted me to be a preacher. I received my formal training at the Crown College in Powell, TN and was privileged to continue my education in the Crown Seminary. It was there that Andrea and I were married (July 6, 2002) and began our family. After graduation, we served the Lord on staff at the Second Baptist Church in Festus, Missouri, and in 2008 God allowed us to begin serving the Lord in El Paso, Texas, where we worked with military families at Hillcrest Baptist Church. In 2015, God called us to the NorthSide Baptist Church and Academy. We love serving with the families of the Fort Cavazos area. Acts 5:42 defines the ministry of NorthSide Baptist Church: "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Every day at NorthSide Baptist Church, people are being taught the Word of God through various ministries.
If the Lord would allow it, my wife and I would love the opportunity to meet you. Our desire is to help you take the next step in your life to follow God. Thank you for taking time to discover more about us. We hope to meet you very soon. If you any questions, reach out to me pastor@northsidetx.com
Nick Leopper
Head of School
I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord at NorthSide Baptist Church. The Lord has blessed me with a beautiful wife (Sarah) and three wonderful children (Lauren, Adam, and Henry). It is the joy of our lives to serve the Lord together as a family! I have the privilege of serving as the Head of School for NorthSide Baptist Academy, and I assist Pastor Garber with church administration and finance. My wife and I have chosen Deuteronomy 6:6-8 as a directive for our lives, not only with our own children, but also with the children the Lord has entrusted to us in His work. We feel a tremendous responsibility to teach the truth of God’s Word to the next generation, and with God’s help, we know it can be accomplished! If I can be a help to you, please contact me at nleopper@northsidetx.com.
Jacob Balakitsis
Student Ministries Director
The Lord gave my wife, Darlene, and me the wonderful opportunity to serve at NorthSide directly after our wedding in 2017, and we have enjoyed serving here ever since! We have been blessed with three children: Caleb, Audrey, and Micah.
As the Student Ministries Director, I have the privilege of working with families in a variety of church ministries from age 5-18. My responsibilities include Sunday School Bible Study, youth group, Vacation Bible School, print and web design, Children’s Bible Broadcast, and Bible Clubs. My wife directs our Nurseries. If you have any questions about our ministries for children, please ask. jbalakitsis@northsidetx.com.
Gabriela Aiello
Church Secretary
I’m so grateful to be serving as Pastor’s Secretary here at NorthSide Baptist Church. I first joined the NorthSide family in 2019 as a teacher at NorthSide Baptist Academy. From the very beginning, this church felt like home—that’s also where I met my husband, James.
After a season away serving as camp directors, the Lord brought us back in 2024, and we’re thankful to be home again. We recently welcomed our daughter, Rosie, and are enjoying this new chapter as a family.
My husband teaches the College and Career Sunday School class. We love investing in this age group and walking alongside young adults as they seek God’s will for their lives. It’s a blessing to watch him invest in that ministry and to support him as he teaches and leads.
It’s truly a joy to serve the Lord and His people here at NorthSide. The Lord has been so faithful, and I’m excited to see all that He has in store for the days ahead.
Feel free to reach out to me at nsbcadmin@northsidetx.com for any questions regarding church events, make a meeting with Pastor, or information about our bible studies.
Steven Flippo
Maintenance Director
I serve as the Maintenance Director of NorthSide Baptist Church. I enjoy this labor because it allows me to work with my hands, but most importantly, because it is what God has given me to do. My main responsibilities include buildings, grounds, and vehicle maintenance. If you’d like to find out how to get involved, contact me at sflippo@northsidetx.com.
My wife, Brianna, assists me in teaching the Homebuilders Sunday School Class. She and I enjoy the fellowship of other young couples in this class, many of whom are also raising their children for the glory of the Lord. The Lord has currently allowed my wife to be a stay-at-home mother and to invest in the lives of our children – Gracelyn and Isaac.
Zach Nolen
Maintenance
I serve with others on the maintenance team under the direction of Steven Flippo. My work allows others to enjoy coming to the house of God. I know God is glorified by this. It’s a privilege to get to serve the Lord full-time. I also serve in the children’s ministry and other ministries of the church.
God hears and answers prayer! The Lord has never failed me. I hope we’ll get to meet sometime so I can share with you my testimony of God’s goodness.
Brian Yeager
Church Planting Director
The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful, godly wife who constantly directs me to the Lord. Kaylea and I are high school sweethearts and were married after Bible college in 2021. Kaylea teaches second grade at NorthSide Baptist Academy and assists me in everything that I do.
I serve as the Church Planting Director at NorthSide Baptist Church and assist Pastor Garber with outreach in our region. I am humbled and thankful to serve the Lord and see Him at work. If you’re interested in church planting, I’d love to hear from you at byeager@northsidetx.com
Clay Garber
Music/Assistant to the Pastor
Jessica and I met at Lake Texoma Baptist Youth Camp in the summer of 2022. After many months of trusting the Lord together, we graduated from The Crown College of the Bible in May 2025 and were married just one month later. I now serve on staff here as the Assistant to the Pastor, fulfilling the roles of Church Music Director, Academy Secondary Choir Director, Bus Ministry Director, and assisting in the youth ministry. My wife, Jessica, is the 1st Grade Teacher at NorthSide Baptist Academy and is truly the greatest part of my earthly life. We count it a joy to serve the Lord together.
Having grown up here, I always assumed the Lord might lead me somewhere else across the country. But after much prayer and seeking God’s will, Jessica and I are thrilled that He has led us to be part of this Christ-centered ministry. We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside our church family and are excited to see all that the Lord will continue to do here.
If you have any questions about the music ministry or the bus ministry, you can reach me at cgarber@northsidetx.com.