CJ & Amanda Keister
Senior Pastor
Pastor CJ and his wife, Amanda, recently celebrated 10 years of marriage and share life with their two beautiful daughters, Baylee and Hadley. Family is a big part of who they are, and they love getting to share life and ministry with the people of Friendship.
Get to know CJ, and it probably won’t take long for the Boston Red Sox or UNC Tar Heels to come up in conversation. He’s always happy to talk sports, and an invitation for sushi is an easy way to get his attention! Amanda enjoys settling in with a good book and spending time behind the camera. Her love for photography gives her a way to capture the people, moments, and memories that make life special.
At the heart of their ministry is a simple desire: to help people find and follow Jesus.CJ loves seeing people understand God’s Word and discover how its truth speaks into everyday life. He wants Friendship to be a place where you can ask honest questions, grow in your faith, and build friendships with people who will walk beside you through both celebrations and struggles.
For CJ and Amanda, church family means knowing people beyond a handshake on Sunday morning. They want individuals and families to feel welcomed, cared for, and encouraged to take their next step with Jesus.
Their hope is for Friendship to shine as a beacon of light and hope in Baxley and around the world—a church rooted in Scripture, generous in love, and committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
Get to know CJ, and it probably won’t take long for the Boston Red Sox or UNC Tar Heels to come up in conversation. He’s always happy to talk sports, and an invitation for sushi is an easy way to get his attention! Amanda enjoys settling in with a good book and spending time behind the camera. Her love for photography gives her a way to capture the people, moments, and memories that make life special.
At the heart of their ministry is a simple desire: to help people find and follow Jesus.CJ loves seeing people understand God’s Word and discover how its truth speaks into everyday life. He wants Friendship to be a place where you can ask honest questions, grow in your faith, and build friendships with people who will walk beside you through both celebrations and struggles.
For CJ and Amanda, church family means knowing people beyond a handshake on Sunday morning. They want individuals and families to feel welcomed, cared for, and encouraged to take their next step with Jesus.
Their hope is for Friendship to shine as a beacon of light and hope in Baxley and around the world—a church rooted in Scripture, generous in love, and committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
David & Kaylynn Young
Youth/Kids Pastor
David and Kaylynn Young share a full house, a love for people, and a passion for helping the next generation know Jesus. They’re the proud parents of five children—Bub, London, Maverick, Easton, and Analie—so life usually comes with plenty of noise, laughter, and someone needing a snack!
David serves as Friendship’s Youth & Kids Pastor and loves helping children and teenagers understand the Bible for themselves. The preaching and teaching of God’s Word are central to his ministry, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is at the heart of everything he and Kaylynn do. They want every child and teenager to understand that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and that salvation is God’s gift of grace through faith in Him.
Whether David is preaching, leading a game, or having an honest conversation with a student, his desire is to help young people know Christ personally and learn to follow Him in everyday life. Together, David and Kaylynn want students to develop a faith rooted in Scripture that continues to grow beyond their years in kids and teen ministry.
Kaylynn shares that heart for children and families. She enjoys teaching children about Christ, reading a good book, painting with watercolors, and a glass of sweet tea. David enjoys riding motorcycles and dirt bikes, fishing, camping, and getting a workout in. Together, they love making memories with their kids and sharing life with the people God places around them.
As parents themselves, David and Kaylynn understand that raising children brings both wonderful moments and difficult questions. They want parents to feel supported, encouraged, and equipped to teach God’s Word at home. Their hope is to build a strong partnership between church and home, helping families talk about Scripture, pray together, and point their children to Jesus throughout the week.
They want Friendship Kids and Friendship Teens to be places where young people can laugh, build friendships, ask honest questions, and open their Bibles. Games, activities, and events create opportunities to connect, while faithful Bible teaching gives those relationships direction and purpose.
For David and Kaylynn, ministry is personal. It’s learning names, listening to stories, showing up, and walking alongside families—with God’s Word as the foundation and the gospel as the message they’re eager to share.
David serves as Friendship’s Youth & Kids Pastor and loves helping children and teenagers understand the Bible for themselves. The preaching and teaching of God’s Word are central to his ministry, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is at the heart of everything he and Kaylynn do. They want every child and teenager to understand that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and that salvation is God’s gift of grace through faith in Him.
Whether David is preaching, leading a game, or having an honest conversation with a student, his desire is to help young people know Christ personally and learn to follow Him in everyday life. Together, David and Kaylynn want students to develop a faith rooted in Scripture that continues to grow beyond their years in kids and teen ministry.
Kaylynn shares that heart for children and families. She enjoys teaching children about Christ, reading a good book, painting with watercolors, and a glass of sweet tea. David enjoys riding motorcycles and dirt bikes, fishing, camping, and getting a workout in. Together, they love making memories with their kids and sharing life with the people God places around them.
As parents themselves, David and Kaylynn understand that raising children brings both wonderful moments and difficult questions. They want parents to feel supported, encouraged, and equipped to teach God’s Word at home. Their hope is to build a strong partnership between church and home, helping families talk about Scripture, pray together, and point their children to Jesus throughout the week.
They want Friendship Kids and Friendship Teens to be places where young people can laugh, build friendships, ask honest questions, and open their Bibles. Games, activities, and events create opportunities to connect, while faithful Bible teaching gives those relationships direction and purpose.
For David and Kaylynn, ministry is personal. It’s learning names, listening to stories, showing up, and walking alongside families—with God’s Word as the foundation and the gospel as the message they’re eager to share.