home about the staff

Tom Fillinger, President
Tom is the Senior Pastor of SouthEast Community Church in Columbia, SC (SBC). This ministry is a Turnaround Congregation that has transitioned from old paradigms to new. Tom is a native of northern Ohio. He served in the US Navy and was a participant in the 1962 Cuban Missile Blockade. He completed his undergraduate studies at Cedarville University in Ohio, his seminary training at Grace Seminary in Indiana, and did his doctoral studies at Denver Seminary in Colorado. He has ministered in Africa, Canada, Europe, Haiti, India, Japan, Mexico, Mongolia, Russia and South American.

Tom and his wife, Peggy have been married for more than forty years. They have three children and eleven grandchildren. He is also a jogger and an avid reader.

Tom Weber, Director of Transformation Partners
Tom Weber is a native of central Pennsylvania. He served pastorates in New York and Pennsylvania. He also served as President of Source of Light Ministries in Georgia before coming to Columbia, SC in 2005. Tom completed his undergraduate studies at Baptist Bible College in Pennsylvania and his seminary training at Trinity Theological Seminary in Indiana. He has ministered in India, Europe, Japan, Singapore, Mexico, and South America training pastors and their churches in discipleship and life transformation.

Tom and his wife Karen have two married children and are grandparents.

Kiel Cooper, Mentor
Kiel is the Synagogue Leader of Melech Yisrael in Manhasset, New York. Melech Yisrael (King of Israel Messianic Synagogue) is a congregation of Jews and Gentiles who believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Jewish Messiah foretold in the Torah, promised in the prophets and revealed in the New Covenant. Melech’s ministry is specifically designed to reach the Jewish people of Long Island, providing the cultural sensitivity and structures necessary to share the good news of Messiah. Kiel is also the Interim Pastor of Bellerose Baptist Church in Bellerose, New York.

Kiel grew up in Michigan and earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1984 from Michigan State University and a Master of Divinity degree in 1989 from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois. Kiel ministered at Adat HaTikvah (Congregation of Hope) and planted Etz Chaim (Tree of Life Congregation), both in the suburbs of Chicago, before moving to Long Island in 1999 to lead Olive Tree Congregation and in January of 2004 began planting Melech Yisrael.

Kiel and his wife, Tauna, have been married for ten years and have two sons – Joshua and Caleb. Kiel enjoys windsurfing, wood working and studying Hebrew.

Bobby Earls, Mentor
Bobby has served as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Icard, North Carolina since April of 1990. He previously served as Pastor of churches in South Carolina and Texas, as far back as 1981.

Bobby is experienced in leadership development and discipleship, having worked with the North American Mission Boards in Canada, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Bobby trained pastors in inner city evangelism, continuous witness training and simultaneous revivals. He worked with the North Carolina Baptist State Convention for several years as Field Consultant in Personal and Church Evangelism. He also spent four years as a Regional Director and trainer with T-Net International, where he trained church leaders throughout the southeastern US and in Ghana. He has also been a leader in other mission efforts in Russia and Europe. He has been trained by Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Church model.

Bobby graduated from Wofford College in South Carolina with a B.A. in religion in 1979. In 1982, he received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas.

Bobby is in love with his wife of 22 years, Penny. They have three children – Joshua, Jessica and Jordan.

Gary Scott, Theologian & Author
Gary is the Senior Pastor of New Hyde Park Baptist Church in the greater New York City area. Gary has pastored for thirty-fifty years in Ohio, Georgia, New York, Illinois, and South Carolina. He has been involved with church planting efforts and has pastored established works. Gary now pastors a Suburban church of about 400 people which is affiliated with the Baptist General Conference. Gary has been a frequent conference speaker and Bible teacher. He has been involved with short term mission trips for the last 25 years. Gary's greatest strength is his love and devotion to the Word of God. He has continued the disciplines of studying God's Word and his ministry is characterized by careful Bible teaching.

Gary became a Christian at age four when God was pleased to reveal his Son in him. He is married to Ann, a wonderful wife who has supported him throughout his ministry. He has three grown children, and five grandchildren. Gary is a woodworker, golfer, and chess player. He is also an avid reader and student.

Gary received a Bachelor of Religious Education degree from Baptist Bible College in Pennsylvania, and a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, where he has completed all but his dissertation requirements toward a Sacred Theology Master.

The heart of my ministry has been the declaration of what God has done to save sinners through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. At the heart of the atonement is the power of reconciliation. In Christ, God has removed alienation by bringing reconciliation. I trust that God will glorify himself in through the ministry of IgniteUS by strengthening local churches and bringing a breath-taking unity that will command the attention of a skeptical world.