Our new Pastor & His Wife

Pastor Don Woody was born in Southern Idaho and grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Northwest Montana. He married his high school sweetheart, Rachel, in 1991. Shortly after graduating from high school and getting married, both Don and Rachel left for basic training in the United States Army.

During his time of service in the Army, Don surrendered to God's call to Gospel ministry in May of 1993. In 1998, he accepted a call to serve as Youth Pastor at Sunrise Baptist Church in El Paso, Texas. He was later called to pastor the First Baptist Church in Glenns Ferry, Idaho, where he faithfully served for 13 years.

In 2011, Don and his family moved to Pennsylvania, where he served as pastor of Greencastle Baptist Church for seven years. After seven years in Greencastle, God called Don and Rachel west again to Emmanuel Baptist Church in Hyrum, Utah, where they served for the next eight years. Their years in Hyrum were a fruitful and blessed season of ministry filled with wonderful friendships, changed lives, and many memories they will always treasure.

Pastor Don holds a Bachelor of Science in Religion from Liberty University as well as a degree in Secondary Education from the College of Southern Idaho. Throughout his years of ministry, he has also served his community in a variety of ways, including coaching Track & Field and Basketball and serving as a law enforcement chaplain. He also holds an official Chaplaincy endorsement through the Southern Baptist Convention.

Don and Rachel have three wonderful children, Rebecca, Chelsea, and David, and they especially enjoy being grandparents to their six grandsons. When Don isn't preaching, studying, or spending time with his family, he enjoys history, hiking, camping, overlanding with his Jeep & board games!

After many years of ministry in Pennsylvania and Utah, God has now brought Don and Rachel back to Southern Idaho and to Emmanuel Baptist Church in Mountain Home. They are excited to begin this new chapter of ministry and look forward with great anticipation to what God has in store for Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Mountain Home community.

Above all, Don and Rachel have a heart for people and a desire to see individuals and families come to know Jesus Christ, grow in their faith through God's Word, and discover the joy of serving Him. They are thankful for the opportunity God has given them to serve the Emmanuel Baptist Church family and are excited to see what He will do in the years ahead!