Aspire San Marco
Our Story
After the Great Fire of 1901, Jacksonville residents migrated across the St. Johns River, establishing South Jacksonville. The First Baptist Church emerged, growing in a wood-framed building by 1910. The completion of the Acosta bridge in 1921 fueled growth, leading to the creation of San Marco Boulevard Baptist Church. In 1939, both churches merged into Southside Baptist Church. Post-World War II, with the Main Street Bridge opening in 1941, Southside Baptist expanded, featuring an iconic spire and bell tower. Today, the steeple remains a landmark in San Marco, symbolizing resilience. As Aspire Church continues its mission, it echoes a legacy of turning ashes into beauty over 120 years after the fire, reaching unreached communities and expanding God's kingdom.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Our Pastor
Since 2008, Gary has served as the senior pastor of Aspire Church San Marco. A Jacksonville native and graduate of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Gary holds a degree in Music Education from Jacksonville University. Married to his high school sweetheart, Sheri, since 1993, they have raised four children. Gary heeded the call to ministry at 16, starting as an intern at Southside Baptist Church and later serving as a part-time worship and youth director in Ponte Vedra. He earned a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry from Beeson Divinity School in 2015. Gary has also been an associate pastor at Milford Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia, and Rivertree Church in Huntsville, Alabama. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, theater, and has participated in community productions, including directing the Jacksonville premiere of Shadowlands. Gary and Sheri are ardent arts supporters and co-authored their first book, The Music of Christmas, a devotional commentary for Advent.
