GET TO KNOW OUR leadership

 

ELDER

CHRIS HENDRIX

I was born and raised in Houston. I was blessed to have a family that attended church growing up, but didn't recognize the culmination of my sin, God's wrath towards my sin, my need for a Savior, and the Lordship of Jesus until I was 8 years old. At this point, I repented and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. God brought people who taught me the Bible through my adolescent years, but there were areas in my life that I still pursued after my own desires. These were revealed clearly once I started attending the College of Biblical Studies in Houston. 

Through the next few years, God’s mercy and discipline was evident in my life, as He drew me to seek him and to kill sin in my life. After these years, I met my incredible wife, Kristan, and we married in 2009. Right after this, I completed my Bachelor’s at the College of Biblical Studies and then went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where I received the M.Div. Through these years, the Lord put men who loved the Lord in my life for discipleship and gave me opportunities to serve the church in various capacities, from youth ministry to filling the pulpits to being a Deacon in the church. It was at this time my love for the local church grew!

The Lord instilled a passion in me and my family for serving those who find themselves out of their native context and labeled as internationals. This led us to Italy in 2017 to co-plant and co-pastor in Rome for a season. Afterwards, the Lord called us to VBC in Vicenza to co-plant and co-pastor. We arrived in 2019 with the prayer that God will be glorified through the internationals and nationals in the local church of VBC, who is a family of men, women, and children that know and worship the triune God in spirit and truth, with minds and hearts shaped by the Scriptures. Kristan and I have 7 wonderful children. Our family enjoys camping, hiking, playing board games, reading, and taking naps (well, at least a couple of us!)

 

DEACONS

ANDREW BLAKEMORe

I grew up in Chicago, Illinois where my father and grandfather pastored a small non-denominational Bible church. After repenting of my sin and coming to Christ in my early 20s, I attended a variety of schools and worked professionally in the medical community before eventually joining the military in early 2008. Since then, God has graciously allowed me to grow in my faith and dependance on Him while further giving me a wife and two wonderful children. We have been attending VBC now for about a year and a half and look forward to seeing what God has in store for our church, our community, and our family in the years ahead.   

 
 

MICAH WELLMAN

I was born in Sidney, Ohio and was raised there until my highschool years when my family then moved to Piqua, Ohio. This is where my father started and pastored a small Baptist church which was called Cornerstone Piqua. Although it is now named Piqua Baptist Church. Despite having Christ-centered and loving parents, I never truly repented of my sin until I left home and joined the Army. It was there when I realized my truly helpless state and embraced my need for a savior. I turned to scripture and recognized the magnificence of Christ and my own lowliness. In humility I repented of my life of sin and committed to a life serving Jesus. 

Post conversion, I have lived in various places due to my occupation in the military. I lived in Arizona where I met many loving brothers and sisters who encouraged me in my new life in Christ. In March of 2023 I moved here to Italy! By God’s grace I met Chris and Vicenza Bible Church. Since then he has been discipling me and has lead me to the office of Deacon. Since my adoption in Christ back in 2021 the Lord has been so kind in growing me ever closer to him, and in this sanctification I have grown more and more in love of who God is, and what he has done. 

I hope to continue in serving VBC in this capacity and Lord willing someday serve as Elder. But now in the present, I strive to serve the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Looking evermore to the day when our King returns! Soli Deo Gloria!