Our story starts in Memphis, TN, where we met, fell in love, and got married in 2013. Church has always been a big part of our lives. We actually met as kids at the same church, lost touch for a while, then reconnected years later at a different church. Since then, we’ve jumped into serving at several churches, using our talents wherever we could.

In 2014, after getting married, we moved our young family from Memphis to the Alabama Gulf Coast to be part of a church plant in Gulf Shores, AL. Four years later, in 2018, I jumped into full-time ministry at Orange Beach Methodist Church. Over the past six years, I’ve worn just about every ministry hat imaginable—from overseeing facilities to leading Sunday services. Most recently, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the associate pastor. This role has been an incredible journey of growth and preparation, giving me the opportunity to lead in various areas of ministry, from pastoral care to staff development. These experiences have sharpened my leadership skills and deepened my understanding of what it means to shepherd a church community.

Lauren has also stepped into a leadership role as Children’s Ministry Director, which has been such a rewarding experience for both of us. Doing ministry side by side has taught us so much and stretched us in countless ways.

Over the past two years, we’ve felt a growing pull toward something new for our family. We weren’t sure what that was at first, but the feeling kept growing and we kept praying!

Then in the summer of 2024, we were presented with the opportunity to start a new church in Biloxi, MS. From the moment we heard about it, we knew this was the next step God had been preparing us for. Suddenly, everything started coming together in ways we couldn’t have planned ourselves.

This is the story of Coast City Church. God has been writing His story in Biloxi, MS, long before we arrived, and we are so excited to be part of what He’s doing in Coastal Mississippi!

Peace,

Pastor Shawn

About Us: Shawn and Lauren live in Ocean Springs with their four boys: Zion, Pax, Scout, and Haze.