Pastor Elias Wilterding, his wife Katrina, and their three kids arrived in Colorado in April 2025. Elias and Katrina have been faithful members of similar churches for many years. They are excited to be here and look forward to working with the church.

Pastor Elias is originally from Anchorage, Alaska, where he was born, raised and spent most of the first 35 years of his life. His parents were active members of the First Missionary Baptist Church before he was born, and he was raised in church from an infant. On Wednesday, October 11, 1995, at the age of 7 years old, he recognized he was a sinner, repented of his sins, and acknowledged Jesus the Christ, the Son of God as his savior. Nearly a year and a half later, on Wednesday, March 26, 1997, he was baptized and became a member of the First Missionary Baptist Church of Anchorage, Alaska.

He remained as a member of the church and in his teen years began bringing weekly devotions to share with the church. As he grew within the church, he taught the teen boys Sunday School class and helped out around the church as needed. 

In 2010 the church in Anchorage called a new pastor after the resignation of longtime pastor Leonard Ford. This change prompted Elias to make a concerted effort to understand what he believed and why he believed it. The change also allowed him to meet his future wife, Katrina. After a long-distance relationship for more than a year, Katrina moved to Alaska, joined the church and they were married in June 2012.

Over the years he increasingly felt the call to do more within the church but didn't know what that was or how to do it. Finally, after years of prayer and a conversation with his pastor, he recognized that God was calling him to the ministry in February 2022. 

Within a few months of announcing his call to the ministry, he became very ill with COVID-19 and pneumonia and after recovering from the illness, the family experienced a house fire. Elias and Katrina recognized that God was allowing them to experience trials to strengthen their faith. Throughout this time, they were feeling an increasing call to leave the state of Alaska but did not know where to go. 

In June 2024, after attending a Bible conference at the Old Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Spokane, Washington, Elias and Katrina were convicted that they needed to move from Anchorage and join the Spokane assembly. They returned to Alaska, packed up their belongings, and within a month were on the road driving from Alaska to Washington. One week after arriving in Washington, they attended a fellowship meeting in Missoula, Montana and became reacquainted with long time Bethel Missionary Baptist Church pastor Will Spilman and his wife Elizabeth.

Shortly after the meeting in Missoula, the church in Arvada invited him and his family to come in view of a call of Associate Pastor. After meeting the church and preaching in view of the call, the church called him and his family to move to Arvada, Colorado and take on the role as Associate Pastor. He arrived in April 2025 and accepted the role of Associate Pastor. In October 2025, Pastor Will Spilman resigned and the church requested Pastor Elias to take on the role of Pastor. He accepted the role as of November 1, 2025.