20 under 40: Nathan Marsh
In his role as lead pastor, Nathan is responsible for the short-term and long-term planning of the church, church administration, leading staff and volunteers, and leading all ministry teams.
Prior to joining First Baptist Church of Topeka in 2019, he was associate executive minister for the American Baptist Churches of the Central Region, and senior pastor of the Ada/Minneapolis Baptist Churches.
Not one to be left on the sidelines, Nathan serves on the Executive Committee of Topeka JUMP, a volunteer for Upward Sports, and frequently volunteers at the Topeka Rescue Mission. When the coronavirus pandemic became a reality in Topeka, Nathan gathered a team of volunteers at First Baptist Church to set-up the church as a meal drop-off location to ensure children would not go hungry.
Nathan and his wife are proud parents to two children, Shamonique and Tyson, who they adopted through the Kansas Department of Children and Family Services. Since finalizing the adoption, the family continues to serve as advocates, supporters and local resources for the Department and adoptive families.
What was a life-changing moment for you?
When we found out my now daughter, Shamonique, needed a loving home. She was in my wife’s second grade class when we moved to Topeka. She didn’t know we were wanting to adopt her (at least I didn’t think so) at the time. I went with her class on a trip to the Topeka Zoo. Midway through the trip she turns to me and says, “So, are you going to adopt me or something?” Being completely stunned I said, “Would you like us to?” “Yes,” she replied. Then I said, “Good. We’re working it!”
What did the adoption process teach you?
It taught me that kids have a wonderful resilience despite the circumstances they may have grown up with. Like any family, adoption comes with its fair share of challenges, but it’s a beautiful process of blending together individuals to become a family unit.
Who is your role model?
My mentor and role model is Richard Copeland. Richard is the senior pastor at First Baptist Church in DeSoto, Kansas. This was the first church he served out of seminary, and he has been there for over 50 years serving as pastor. Richard has served with grace, humility, and has done great service in the DeSoto community.
What is something you strive to do every day?
Every day I try to be an encouragement to people I interact with, so they know they are loved, encouraged, and supported.
