Rod Hairston is a leader with a passion for healing and strengthening the family through ministry in the church, to impact the world for Christ. In 2005, he and his wife Sheri founded Messiah Community Church in Owings Mills, MD.They had a vision to develop every member into faithful disciples of Christ. After a tragic eye injury as a child and then through a close friend, God captured his attention and he surrendered to the Lord. He obtained a B.S. in Finance at Va. Tech, but left the banking industry for ministry in 1990.He ministered for 15 years to college athletes and coaches traveling across the country from Washington, DC to Los Angeles and back to North Carolina, where he joined the teaching faculty of The Communication Center, a ministry designed to train effective public speakers. For ten years, Pastor Rod has served as a chaplain and consultant to the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, helping them to build a winning organizational culture. He has been honored to care for the spiritual needs of executives, coaches and players in the NFL and was privileged to be a part of the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV victory. Pastor Rod's life and ministry are built on the belief that God's word - the Bible -- taught, received, and applied in context can transform any life and any circumstance. He believes the Bible should be taught with clarity and relevance to everyday life. And he is committed to helping people from every walk of life experience a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ by developing a lifestyle of worship, service, outreach, and faithfulness to Christ.

Sheri Hairston is a dedicated wife and mother, with a keen eye for excellence, a spirit of discernment, and a tremendous gift of hospitality.  She has modeled to women all her years in ministry what it means to invest in their children, partner with their husbands, and create an inviting environment for kingdom work.She has been a mentor to the wives of high profile athletes, coaches, and executives helping them to navigate and excel in their multiple roles.She is a trusted teacher and faculty member of the Roland Park Country School, a private day school committed to developing young women for leadership.A native of the Caribbean island Trinidad, Sheri came to faith in Christ at the age of nine through a tent revival in her community.Her family later moved to the U.S., providing her the opportunity to study Zoology and Chemistry at Howard University, where she graduated with high honors.A gifted, cum laude student on the path to medical school, she heard the call of God to vocational ministry.Sheri is a gifted teacher who makes the wisdom of Scripture simple, practical, and applicable to everyday life.Together, she and Rod offer marriage and family counsel to women and couples of the Baltimore Ravens and Messiah Community Church, where Sheri serves on the Board of Directors.Sheri lives by the conviction that obedience to God's word brings great blessings.Rod and Sherri have shared 17+ years of marriage and are parents to four beautiful children.