Our Team

John Ballinger
President & CEO

John Ballinger, a risk and crisis management expert, has helped many organizations navigate troubled waters. He is dedicated to helping commercial and nonprofit organizations get back on course and continue moving toward the goal and mission to which they have been called. His extensive knowledge into leading people, risk management, and navigating complex legal matters has earned him the respect of his business colleagues as well as those in the legal profession. John is also a decorated veteran with over 20 years of service in the United States Army and holds more than a dozen awards and certifications in aviation safety and risk management.

Leah Courtney
Vice President of Operations

Leah serves as the Vice President of Operations for NACA/Fort Bluff, bringing over 13 years of dedicated experience to the organization. Her journey began as a summer staff member, working in various hands-on roles such as lifeguard, camp counselor, and dining hall staff, which provided her with a deep understanding of operations from the ground up. Since joining the team full-time in 2018, she has progressed from Office Manager to Operations Manager and was ultimately named Vice President in May 2025.

A lifelong athlete raised in Guthrie Center, Iowa, Leah developed a strong work ethic and team-first mindset through her extensive competitive career. In high school, she competed in four sports, earning numerous academic and athletic honors, and continued her career at the collegiate level in cross country and basketball.

Leah holds an Associate of Science in Athletic Training from Iowa Lakes Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from MidAmerica Nazarene University. She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist and business owner.

What Leah values most about NACA is its unique mission to use sports as a platform to share the gospel. She is passionate about creating Christ-centered environments where coaches and athletes can grow and be transformed far beyond the game. Outside of her work, Leah enjoys traveling—particularly through Europe—exploring health and wellness, and focusing on leadership growth and development.

David Christian
Campus Pastor

Rev. David Christian has served as the Campus Pastor for FBC/NACA since February 2025. He is deeply committed to the mission of FBC/NACA, where he finds fulfillment in teaching and acting as an encourager to both children and adults. In addition to this role, he also serves at Spirit City Church in Ooltewah, TN.

Rev. Christian’s life of service began at age 24 when he was ordained as a deacon at Oaklawn Baptist Church in Kernersville, NC. He was later ordained to the ministry while serving as the Senior Adult Pastor at Roswell St. Baptist Church in Marietta, GA. He frequently shares that serving God and others has been the greatest joy of his life.

Complementing his pastoral experience is a distinguished 35-year career in the Chemical Distribution industry, during which he held numerous management positions for various distributors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1982, with a concentration in Logistics and Transportation Management.

Rev. Christian has been married to his wife, Brenda Smith Christian, for 17 years. They have a blended family including two stepsons, a stepdaughter, and four grandchildren.

Josh Gilbert
Worship Leader & AV Tech

Josh Gilbert currently serves as the Campus Worship Leader at Fort Bluff/NACA, a role he officially began on May 12, 2025, after previously leading worship for various campus rallies and events. With over 20 years of experience in music and ministry, Josh has a rich background serving multiple churches and denominations with a wide diversity of musical styles.

In addition to his work at Fort Bluff, Josh is a touring musician and solo artist who has performed more than 2,000 times across the United States, including over 150 events in the last year alone. His career as a working musician reached national recognition with Billboard charting songs on National Christian radio between 2015 and 2017. Josh also serves as the Community Coordinator for The Union Chattanooga, a ministry for worship leaders and Christian creatives that he helped conceive in 2016.

Josh’s professional expertise is backed by an A.S. in Media Technology and extensive formal training, including Classical Voice Scholarships and choral experience from grade school through the collegiate level. He is deeply committed to mentoring and raising up the next generation of creatives, noting that his favorite part of his work at Fort Bluff is hearing young people lift their voices to follow and honor Christ.

On a personal level, Josh is a devoted husband to his wife, Jennifer, and a father to three daughters: Indigo, Amethyst, and Lydia. He is an avid "Lord of the Rings" fanatic with a deep knowledge of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, a dedicated collector of vintage and classic Legos, and an enthusiast of hiking and the outdoors.

Creative Team