Staff & Leadership

The Rev. Dr. Tim Moore has served churches in the greater Charlotte area for over 30 years, most notably as pastor of Sardis Baptist Church for nearly 20 years, where he still holds the title Writer-in-Residence. He is the author of Practicing Midrash: Reading the Bible’s Arguments as an Invitation to Conversation (Wipf & Stock, 2018) and the editor of Taking on the Cross: Reimagining the Meaning of Jesus’ Life and Death (Nurturing Faith, 2022). He is a contributing writer for the Smyth & Helwys devotional guide, Reflections, and for their Bible Study curriculum, Formations.

With a love for the Church, Tim has been heavily involved in Baptist denominational work and institutions. Currently, he serves on the board for Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School and on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina’s Helping Pastor’s Thrive advisory council where he also mentors cohorts of young pastors. In the past, he has served on leadership boards for the Alliance of Baptists, Baptist House at Duke Divinity School, CBFNC, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and Mars Hill University. Locally in Charlotte, he was a founding member of the Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice and served as the co-chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Interfaith Advisory Council.

He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary (D.Min.), from Andover Newton Theological School (M.Div.), and Mars Hill University (B.S. in Business Administration).

Tim’s wife, Magay Shepard, is a CFP and Vice-President for Stifel Investment Services. They live in Charlotte and are the proud parents of three young adult children. When he is not writing or serving congregations, he enjoys hiking, playing tennis and basketball, traveling with family (especially national parks), and attending Charlotte FC and Carolina Panthers games.

Rev. Marina Luckhoo was raised in England and Guyana and worked as a Registered Nurse for 25 years before she felt called to ministry. As a student at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Marina served as an intern at MPBC during a time of Supervised Ministry with Rev. Joe Aldrich and Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell.

During the height of the pandemic, Marina was a key leader of our Health and Wellness team that provided regular updates on the rate of infection and direction on how best to respond to keep our community safe.

Marina was ordained at MPBC in 2021, began working as a Hospice chaplain, and is currently working on a doctorate at Union Presbyterian Seminary. Marina is married to Kent and has two daughters, Ella (24) and Eva Rose (19.)

David Tang has led a diverse career as a conductor, musician (sacred and secular), and producer. As a choir conductor, Mr. Tang directed the semi-professional choir VOX, Carolina Voices, the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, and the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte (now the Charlotte Master Chorale).

He served on the conducting staffs of the Charlotte, West Virginia, and Quad City Symphony Orchestras, and guest conducted Memphis Symphony Orchestra performances; opera productions with Opera Carolina and CPCC Opera Theatre; and ballet performances for the North Carolina Dance Theatre (now Charlotte Ballet) and Ballet Memphis. He also served on the music faculties of Davidson College and West Virginia University, and as the Director of Music at Sharon Presbyterian Church from 2013–2023.

David Tang holds degrees in conducting from the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Music. He conducted the North American premiere TV broadcast by Russell Watson, presented numerous radio programs for WDAV Classical Radio, and is an Emmy Award–winning producer of a limited series for WTVI Public Television.

He lives in the Cotswold neighborhood of Charlotte with his wife, True; daughter, Mary True; and two dogs, Penny and Phoebe.

For 20 years, Dane served as the Minister to Students at Wingate University, where he not only guided students spiritually but also spearheaded initiatives in Career Development, Service Learning, and Fundraising.

Academically, Dane is exceptionally well-prepared for this role, holding a Master of Theological Studies from Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Wingate University. This strong educational background, combined with his extensive practical experience, ensures a faith-centered, relational approach to ministry that fosters meaningful connections and lasting impact for our youth.