Get To Know The Team
Daniel & Lynda Sweigard
daniel@ocalachristianchurch.com
Daniel and his family joined the OCC in July of 2025 joining the team as our new Lead Pastor. Before joining us in Ocala Daniel served as both the Teaching Minister and the Lead Pastor of Meadowbrook Christian Church. He also previously served as the Youth and Family Minister at South Lake Christian Church. Daniel holds a degree from Dallas Christian College in Practical Ministries and Bible.
​
Lynda holds a degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University and is a homeschooling mom of four girls. She brings experience in Children's Ministry after serving as the Children's Director at both Meadowbrook Christian Church as well as South Lake Christian Church.
​
Born and raised in Pennsylvania the Sweigard family flew south to Florida in 2014. In 2022 they followed God’s call to Michigan but the opportunity to join a family like OCC and return to their adopted home state was too good to pass up. Daniel and his wife Lynda have been married for over 20 years and have four daughters.
​
When talking with Daniel, you might hear him say a few things repeatedly:
​
“God is mad about you”
“We can do both”
“Let’s make heaven crowded”
​
They aren’t original sayings or overly clever, but this is what he wants the people of Ocala and Marion County to hear. God desires you to come home, he isn’t mad at you, he is mad about you and has made a way for you to be restored. As Christians we can do both, we can stand firm on the truth and still open our arms to the lost and hurting of this generation. It will be hard, but we don’t have to choose. Finally, remember the great commission to go and tell all people of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that none might perish in ignorance.
​
Nuncy Spayne
nuncy@ocalachristianchurch.com
Brian & Lesa Brown
Lesa (pronounced Lisa) was born and raised right here in Florida. She was born in West Palm Beach and moved to the Ocala/Belleview area at the age of 1 and she is the youngest of 9 children (4 boys /5 Girls). Lesa met and married her husband Brian of almost 30 years here in Ocala and they have one child-Richard. She has an Associate in Science degree in Health Information and currently works for a local printing company.
Lesa and Brian have been members of Ocala Christian Church since 2009. She started singing on the worship team within a year of coming to OCC. Her love of music has been with her since childhood and singing is something she does all day. According to her family she sings in the car, while cooking dinner, cleaning the house, the list goes on.
God has given her this opportunity to lead worship for a reason and if she can do something she loves to do and help people to hear about God and his love through song then that makes it all worth it.
​
Brian K. Brown was born on September 10, 1959 in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was born into a committed Christian family. His father is Richard A. Brown who has served as an Elder at Homosassa Christian Church, North Citrus Christian Church and Orange Park Christian Church. His grandfather Virgil Elbon was one of the founders and Elder of Central Christian church, Ocala, First Christian Church, Dunnellon, Homosassa Christian Church, Homosassa, and Citronelle Christian Church. Brian was Baptized on April 26, 1970 at First Christian Church, St. Petersburg, Florida by Danny West. Brian has served as a Deacon at North Citrus Christian Church. Brian is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Brian Married his wife Lesa on Nov. 6, 1993 and they have one son Richard. Brian, Lesa are members of OCC since July 2009. Brian has served in many areas at OCC from set-up captain to communion captain and is a member of the Men’s Accountability group and a faithful participant of the Wednesday night Bible Study.
Gary Barrett
Gary graduated from FSU with a degree in Finance. For 36 years he worked for SunTrust Bank and retired in 2003 as a Senior Vice President. However, he did not really retire because, prior to retirement, he purchased Northside Plaza and Self-Storage in Belleview, which he sold in 2021.
In his youth, Gary attended Methodist and Baptist churches in southern Alabama. He would actually drive a farm tractor or ride a horse to church services.
As an adult, Gary was a member of the First Christian Church of Ocala for twenty years. He served as a deacon, an elder, and as finance chairman and property chairman. After his marriage to Debbie, he was a member of Central Christian Church and served on the Finance Committee for several years.
Gary is one of the original members of Ocala Christian Church and has served in leadership roles since it’s inception, which includes serving as a member of the leadership team, being an elder, and serving as the past Treasurer. He considers it an honor and a blessing to be a member of and serve as Elder Emeritus to this congregation.
