Our Story

Desert Springs was founded in September, 1998, by Pastor Gary Berry and his wife Carol. Carol was a native of Tucson and the area had always intrigued Pastor Berry with its rapidly growing population. The Berrys moved to Tucson from Southeast Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Pastor Berry had been on staff for the previous ten years as Associate Pastor.

In any new church plant, there are always going to be problems. Very few church planters have to face what Gary and Carol Berry did however. In the first five years of Desert Springs' existence, Carol fought through breast cancer. Ultimately it claimed her life and she went home to be with her Lord. As can be imagined, this had a traumatic effect on Pastor Berry and their four children. For two years, Pastor Berry tried to be both church planting pastor and single father. In June, 2004, he felt led to resign from Desert Springs and to accept a call to be Senior Pastor at Southland Baptist Church in Belton, Missouri.

Desert Springs also felt the impact from the loss of Carol Berry. A dearly loved friend to all, the church suffered with her through her illness and mourned her in her death. It was with great understanding and compassion that they accepted Pastor Berry's resignation and bid him Godspeed in his new ministry.

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