You can send all the elders an e-mail to the following address: elders@thirdavenue.org

Greg Gilbert – Senior Pastor

Greg grew up in a wonderful Christian family, with two parents who love the Lord very much and made sure that he heard the good news of salvation at every opportunity.  At 9 years old, he professed faith in Christ as his Dad shared the gospel yet again and he was baptized shortly thereafter.  For the next few years, he grew as a Christian, still attending church, and then went to Yale University for undergrad studies.  Those were good years spiritually, mostly because he had to learn like never before how to defend his faith.  It was also during those years that the Lord began to call him to Christian ministry.  After Yale, Greg spent some time serving in a few different churches, went to seminary, got married to Moriah, and had three awesome kids: Justin, Jack, and Juliet. Greg was called to serve Third Avenue Baptist as the Senior Pastor in 2010.

Ben Birkholz — Associate Pastor

Ben had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home, where God used the godly example of his family to bring him to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In September of ’99 Ben married his beautiful wife (highschool sweetheart!) Stephanie, and is father to three boys Samuel, Jacob and Luke. Ben is a graduate of Southern Seminary. He was called to be the Associate Pastor of Third Avenue in 2011.  Ben’s passion in ministry is to know Christ and make him known.

Riley Byers — Pastor of Children’s Ministry and Outreach

Riley grew up in Muleshoe, Texas, where he was surrounded by famous landmarks including the National Mule Memorial and the world’s largest mule shoe.  After graduation, he attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.  He was converted during his junior year at Tarleton after beginning to read the Bible for the first time.  God quickly gave him a passion for sharing his faith and that turned into a desire to take the gospel to the nations.  From 2002-2004, Riley served as a Journeyman with the International Mission Board in East Asia.  He met his wife, Laurel, in East Asia where she was also serving as a Journeyman.  After getting married and living in Tampa, Florida for two years, they moved to Louisville in 2006 so Riley could attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  They joined Third Avenue Baptist Church in 2006 and consider Third to be the real reason God brought them to Louisville.  Riley has served as a deacon, missions coordinator and lay elder before joining staff in 2013 as an Associate Pastor of Outreach and Children’s Ministry.  Riley and Laurel have two young daughters, Libby and Amelia.  They love living in Louisville and are thankful that God brought them to Third Avenue.

Josh Morrell

Joshua and his wife Jennifer moved to Louisville in 2004. After visiting many good churches in the Louisville area they joined 3ABC early in 2005. Since that time their family has grown by three and their love for the gospel and the local church has been multiplied many times more as they have enjoyed a rich fellowship in a community bound together by a deep love for Jesus. Joshua’s passions are serving the community of believers who bring him much joy and leading his family toward Christ.

Scott Croft

Scott grew up here in the Louisville area before heading off to college and then settling in Washington, DC for the next fifteen years.  In his adventures away from Louisville, Scott became a Christian, married his lovely wife, Rachel, became a father to William, served on staff with a church, got a law degree, practiced law and eventually served as a lay elder in a church in DC.  Scott and his family moved back to the Louisville area at the beginning of 2011, joined 3ABC, and give thanks every day for the Lord’s good gift of their brothers and sisters in this body of believers.  Scott’s prayer as an elder is that he would serve faithfully, and that the Lord would use 3ABC to cause people to come to Christ, grow in Christ and build their lives around the word of God and the local church.

Bruce Keisling

Phill Crust