Redeemer Fellowship is an Elder-Led Congregational church.
Mason Neltner, Teaching Elder
Mason has been married to his wife, Emily, since 2018. They are blessed with two children, Levi and Ellie, and have another son on the way.
He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of the Cumberlands, intending to attend med school, before unexpectedly stepping into vocational ministry. He also received a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries from the University of the Cumberlands and has been teaching there as an adjunct New Testament professor since 2021.
He has served in various ministry roles and now serves Redeemer Fellowship as the primary teaching elder. His greatest passion is teaching others the Word of God and seeing them become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Nathan McCartney, Elder
Nathan has been married to Leandra since 2010. The Lord has blessed them with two children, Rhett, their oldest, and Livie Grace, their youngest.
After graduating from the Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Nathan served on active duty for 7 years. He was stationed in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi. Nathan earned a Master of Business Administration at Ole Miss and started his own business in Mississippi before moving back to work with his father at Arctic Food Equipment in Springfield.
Over the years, Nathan has served in various ministry capacities. His practical skills have enabled him to assist or lead the finance teams of the churches he has served in, but his heart has always been connecting with and mentoring men. Nathan has also served previous churches as a small group leader and groups director. At Redeemer he serves as an elder and the church treasurer. He desires to help men grow as the spiritual leaders of their homes and to help families connect to each other in deep and meaningful ways.
Dylan Nugent, Elder
Dylan has been married to his wife Jessica since 2005 and they have 5 children. Eugene is currently studying ceramic engineering at Missouri S&T while Darby, Asher, Tobias and Naomi are still being educated at home.
Dylan received a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology from Stetson University in 2004 where he and Jess met as underclassmen. He later obtained his Doctor of Medicine from the University of South Florida in 2009 and after a year of general surgery internship at the University of Florida Gainesville he went on to complete orthopaedic surgery residency in 2015 at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville FL. During the latter half of residency God rekindled a desire to serve in long-term overseas medical missions and after graduation Dylan and Jess moved to Kenya with their 4 boys where Dylan served as clinical and teaching faculty at a large mission hospital. During their two and one-half years on the field, the Lord added to their family with the birth of Naomi and Dylan trained and mentored a group of East African orthopaedic surgery residents while caring for some of the world’s neediest patients. Despite leaving the field sooner than expected, many of the relationships begun in Kenya continue to this day and are a source of joy and partnership in the gospel.
After returning to the US, Dylan completed a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma in Greenville, SC after which he took a job in Springfield in 2020. While he continues to have a passion for medical missions, Dylan’s role in ministry has shifted from medical training and discipleship to small group leadership, and now pastoral ministry as part of the eldership at Redeemer.
Joe Nugent, Elder
Joe has been married to his lovely wife, Marilyn, since 1976. God has richly blessed them with 9 children (8 boys and 1 girl) and 20 grandchildren, so far.
Joe has a wide array of practical biblical education and ministry experience. Some of his experience includes teaching Sunday school, leading small groups, being a volunteer chaplain in the Arizona Department of Corrections, participating in short-term mission trips to Mexico, Grenada, and Haiti, and leading short-term mission trips to Mexico and Kenya. He served as an elder in 2 local church bodies in Florida before moving to Missouri, where he now serves as an elder of Redeemer Fellowship.
Joe has a heart for children and the vulnerable in this world to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and then serve and magnify Him all the days of their lives.