Reliance Leadership

Jacob Morris has been the preaching pastor of Reliance Fellowship since 2013. After earning his Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he and his family moved to Tri-Cities, Washington, to plant a church, supported by New Life Fellowship in Arlington, Texas. He is dedicated to engaging with young adults by teaching Bible classes at Pacific Northwest Christian College.

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jacob is passionate about helping people embrace the gospel and live meaningful lives. He and his wife, Beth, have been married since 2002 and actively contribute to their community through various activities, including soccer coaching, sports booster clubs, fostering, adopting, and neighborhood outreach. They have six children who add excitement to their lives.

Pastor Jacob Morris

Lead Pastor, jacob@reliancefellowship.org

Gregg Deacon has served in worship ministry for over 20 years and joined Reliance as full-time staff in 2021. He desires to see the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed through Scripture, song, and worshiping hearts. He also oversees the vision and teaching of our youth ministry. Gregg acquired his M.Div from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2024.

Gregg professed his faith in Christ at a young age and has seen the LORD’s faithfulness through lots of joy and suffering. After spending much of his childhood on the western side of Washington State, Gregg lived in northern Colorado for over 20 years. He and his wife Catie have been married since 2008 and have four wonderful children.

Pastor Gregg Deacon

Worship & Youth Pastor, gregg@reliancefellowship.org

Jim Follum has been a deacon at Reliance since 2024. He and his wife, Felicia, have attended Reliance since 2014, following a move from Wyoming to take a job as a researcher at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory studying the electric power grid. Jim and Felicia have been married since 2009 and their son, Luther, was born in 2021. Jim enjoys kayaking, board games, comic books, science fiction, and donuts. At Reliance, Jim serves as a small group leader, R Kids teacher, and as a member of the missions board. As a deacon, he oversees the process of welcoming new members. He loves meeting new people, so come say hello!

Jim Follum

Deacon

Nathan loves Jesus and is here to serve. He has been at Reliance since 2019 and is
blessed to be a part of this church community. Currently he works as the deacon who
serves small groups. This ministry gives Nathan the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with the families of Reliance, and he is thankful for them all.

Nathan is a native of the Tri-Cities area. He grew up on a small local farm and continues
to work there full-time with his family. He married his wife, Sarah, in 2010, and they have
four beautiful daughters who bring joy and sanctification every day. He has a B.S. in
English from Corban College and a Master of Divinity from Gateway Theological
Seminary. Nathan loves books, is a sports fan, and enjoys walks in the park with his
family. If you haven’t heard him reference Wendell Berry, talk about a Seattle sports
team, or encourage you to visit the Demonstration Garden, just give it time.

Nathan Tennis

Deacon

Sheila Bader and her husband Kent have been blessed to be part of Reliance Fellowship for over 10 years. The Lord got ahold of Sheila during college at the University of Nebraska through the ministry of a Baptist student group. After that she served in Spain for 2 years as a Journeyman (short-term mission program through the International Mission Board), got a Masters of Divinity at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as a campus minister in Vancouver, B.C, until marrying Kent and having two daughters together. Sheila loves hiking, bicycling, gardening and spending time with family and friends. 

Sheila Bader

Deacon

Tim Armstrong serves at Reliance Fellowship as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and small group leader. He is married to Dianne Armstrong, and they both love seeing people of all ages come to know Christ and grow in their relationship with Him. Tim also enjoys encouraging others to know God personally. He is recently, and currently, enjoying retirement. 

Tim Armstrong

Deacon