Rev. Jon D. Payne
Senior Pastor
The Rev. Dr. Jon D. Payne is the organizing pastor of Christ Church Presbyterian. He has served as Senior Minister since 2013. Rev. Payne previously served for 10 years as the senior pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Douglasville, Georgia, near Atlanta (2003–2013).
Jon and his wife, Marla, a graduate of the College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina (Physical Therapy), met in Charleston in 1997 while Jon was playing soccer for the Charleston Battery. The Paynes have been happily married since 1998 and have two children, Mary Hannah and Hans.
Rev. Payne is a graduate of Clemson University (B.A. '93), Reformed Theological Seminary (M.A.T.S '98 /D.Min '04), and the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), New College (M.Th. '02). He serves as Executive Coordinator of the Gospel Reformation Network, and is on the council of the Twin Lakes Fellowship. These two networks seek to cultivate theological and ministerial faithfulness within the Presbyterian Church in America, and beyond. Rev. Payne is also on the Board of Trustees for Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Newcastle, England, and the Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Rev. Payne is series co-editor of and contributor to the new Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Reformation Heritage Books, 2012––), and author/editor of several books including John Owen and the Lord’s Supper (Banner of Truth, 2004), In the Splendor of Holiness: Rediscovering the Beauty of Reformed Worship for the 21st Century (Tolle Lege, 2008; translated into Spanish, Burmese, Chinese, Portuguese, & Italian), A Faith Worth Teaching: The Heidelberg Catechism's Enduring Heritage (Reformation Heritage Books, 2013), and A Faith Worth Defending: The Synod of Dort's Enduring Heritage (Reformation Heritage Books, 2019). Rev. Payne also frequently contributes to numerous publications including TableTalk, Gospel Reformation Network, and the Banner of Truth Magazine
Colton Dempsey
Pastoral Intern of Outreach and Administration
Colton serves as Pastoral Intern of Outreach and Administration for Christ Church Presbyterian. He is responsible for connecting with visitors, integrating new members, teaching middle/high school Sunday School, assisting with MUSC & Twenty-Somethings, and managing church communications, bulletins, and schedules, among other things. Colton is a graduate of Anderson University (SC), where he received his B.S. in Business Administration and Human Resource Management in 2014.
He served as Assistant Pastor and Interim Pastor for 4 years for Grace Bible Church of Barrington, NJ, from 2015 to 2019. Colton recognized his need for formal biblical training to guide and inform his pastoral heart to best serve Christ’s Church. Due to this, he worked to transition pastoral office of Grace Bible Church to a qualified minister before departing and moving to Charleston, SC to join Christ Church Presbyterian.
He is enrolled with Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Taylors, SC, where he is studying for his Master of Divinity in preparation for the ministry. Colton grew up in Haddon Heights, NJ, the youngest of 5 children. He is married to Hillary and they have 4 children - Toryn, Gabriel, Owen, and Cora - and reside in Goose Creek.