ABOUT US
Our Team
David Scott
Lead Pastor
David was born and raised in Georgia—also known as God’s Country. He proudly graduated from the greatest school in all the land, the University of Georgia, with a degree in Speech Communication—so yes, he talks for a living. He later obtained a master’s degree from Asbury Seminary to make it official.
David has been doing ministry since 1998, which means he's been around long enough to remember overhead projectors and WWJD bracelets. He helped launch Highlands Marietta Church and has been passionate about helping people embrace God’s love, their neighbors, and the good works created in Christ for them to do.
Married to the amazing Jane since 2001, he's also Dad to Samantha, Emma, and Will. When he’s not pastoring, you’ll find him dominating Two Birds Trivia or belting out karaoke wherever there’s a microphone and low standards.
Kristi Stofer
Executive Pastor
Kristi has been active in ministry since the late 90s - participating in campus ministry at UGA, attending seminary in Pasadena, CA and volunteering at their beloved church in Washington, DC. In 2019, she, her husband John, and their four children moved to Marietta and soon joined the Highlands family. Kristi joined the staff in July 2023. Her primary role is to execute the Lead Pastor’s vision and ensure sermons are always at an appropriate length. 😊
Core Values
RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP
if our church had a "program" this would be it. We believe that transformation and discipleship happen best along relational lines and our call to be disciples and make disciples is clear. Relational Discipleship is engaging in every relationship purposefully, to encourage growth and to grow. Our hope is that this will drive much of our context, equipping, and interaction.
FAMILY OF GOD
The New Testament language for describing our relationship
with God and others who follow God is familial. God is our father. Jesus is our brother. We are children and brothers and sisters. We see this type of relationship as a primary example of how those in the Body of Christ are to interact. We don't think we are primarily friends, a team, or even a community to "do life together." We see the Bible describing a family. Proverbs 17:17 says "friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." We think that our primary responsibility to each other is to help, encourage, and provide when it feels like there is no way out of where we are. We can also be those other things mentioned above, but those are secondary bonuses. We dream of a church known for helping each other in adversity and not just because they like each other or look alike.
CITY ON A HILL
This is the concept that that people of God are supposed to be a light that can serve as an example to the world around them of how to interact, respond, and process, especially in difficult and dark times. We see a church that is very interactive in the community - building bridges, loving thoughtfully, making a way when the world would say there is no way. We dream of a church that makes people say "I don't like church, but we as a community would be less than without THAT church."
TRANSFORMED BY THE SPIRIT
We believe that it is the Holy Spirit who transforms hearts and lives so we root our mission in prayer and the power of God, not in human strategies.
Transformation Network
The Transformation Network is a voluntary association of local churches committed to the transformation of the Northwest Metro Area. The Network’s primary strategy to accomplish this vision is church planting.
Currently, the Network has eight participating local churches — Sojourn Church, Stonebridge Church, Riverstone, RiverCity, ARISE:Life, Vintage 242, Common Church, and Highlands. Highlands was planted out of Stonebridge Church in 2019.