Dr. Jon
VERMILION
Dr. Jon Vermilion is a pastor and professor passionate about teaching Scripture and shaping a biblical worldview. At NEBCS, he equips students and church members with Christ-centered, theologically rooted instruction.
Philosophy of Ministry
My philosophy of ministry is rooted in the Great Commandment (love God and neighbor-Mt. 22:37-39), the New Commandment (love one another-Jn. 13:34a), and the Great Commission (go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature-Mk. 16:15).
I would consider my ministry to be Evangelical, Christ-centered and Bible driven. The Bible is our guide and if we will take it seriously, God will bless our lives and our churches. God’s Word is powerful and Jesus Christ is the great transformer through the power of His Holy Spirit who guides and leads us.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking, gourmet cooking, tennis, rollerblading, travel, BMW motorcycles, the ocean, etc...
Our son Mason and wife Jenna and new grandson, Conrad, live in Highpoint, NC. It is our hope, if it is God’s will, to one day serve closer to them. For now, God has us serving in Maine where we have been for over two decades.
Educational Background
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Certificate in Anglican Studies. Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA.
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Doctor of Ministry, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA. Graduated May 2003. Emphasis: Ministry to Postmodern Generations. G.P.A: 4.0.
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Master of Divinity Degree, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC. Graduated May 1995. G.P.A: 3.5
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Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with emphasis in photography, The Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH. Graduated December 1989.
Academic and Administrative Experience
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2015 - Present: Professor, (Part time) New England Bible College and Seminary, Portland, Maine. Currently teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Courses that I have taught include 1. Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics. 2. Christian Apologetics. 3. Comparative Religions. 4. The Protestant Reformation/Theology of the Reformers. 5. Hermeneutics-the Science of Biblical Interpretation. 6. Church History Survey. 7. Christian Faith and the Arts. 8. The Theology and Practice of Worship 9. Introduction to Christian Theology 10. Ministry Management
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2016: Self Published, In 2016 “Whose God is God?” was published and is distributed through Amazon. This work examines the salvation claims in the five major world religions with emphasis given to the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in salvation. This investigation does not claim to be an exhaustive study, but is rather an inquiry into their claims and an interaction with some of their leaders. The book contains interviews with a Muslim Imam, two Buddhist Priests, a Hindu Swami and an orthodox Jewish Rabbi (216 pages).
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2018: Self Published, “A Quest For Truth: First Century Lessons, For Twenty First Century Life” Volume 1 was published and is available through Amazon. This work is a series of truths taken from the author’s sermons based on Romans chapters one-eight (276 pages).
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2023: Self Published, “Saints Still Acting Like Sinners.” Volume 1 published through Amazon KDP. This work is based on the first 6 chapters of 1 Corinthians (131 pages).
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2023: Self Published, “Wisdom From the Disciple Jesus Loves” Amazon KDP. This work is based on the first 4 chapters of the Gospel According to John (162 pages).
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2013 - 2018: Two Sabbaticals in Southern France (Full-time). Spent three months preaching and teaching, discipling and way of life evangelism at the International Baptist Church of St Paul, Nice and The Monaco Christian Fellowship.
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9/2021 - Present: Senior Pastor (Full-time), Midcoast Christian Fellowship, Damariscotta, Maine is an evangelical, Biblical and Christ centered church of around 100 people. MCF is a new church plant that by God’s grace I planted with other likeminded leaders in September of 2021.
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2007-08- 2021: Senior Pastor (Full-Time), The First Baptist Church of Waldoboro Maine is a multi-staff, evangelical, Biblical and Christ centered church, pre-covid average 400-600 each Sunday.
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2004 - 2006: Senior Pastor (Full-time), International Baptist Church of Saint Paul, France. Mission church on the French Riviera. (Returned after 2 years as the church needed a fully supported missionary)
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1998 - 2004: Senior Pastor (Full-time), Unity Bible Church of Lewiston, Maine.
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1997 - 1998: Interim Pastor (Full time), Yellow Branch Baptist Church, Rustburg, VA. Yellow Branch is a rural church outside of Lynchburg, VA.
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1997: Senior Pastor (Full time), East Bavaria Baptist Church, Ehenfeld, Germany. Sponsored by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. The work was a two-year commitment through the ISC program. The church was made up primarily of United States military personnel and their families.
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1993 - 1995: Pastor of youth and young adults (Part-time), DuRaleigh Korean Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, North Carolina. DuRaleigh is a Korean-American congregation.
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1995: Campus Minister (Part-time), Campus Crusade for Christ, Duke University, Durham, NC. Ministry to college students.
Missions Experience
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2007 - Present: Short term missions trips, I frequently travel to Budapest, Hungary, Nice, France, the Czech Republic to preach/teach and disciple. We have a sister church in Budapest, my former church is in a suburb of Nice and we have a three missionaries our church supports in Czech.
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Summer 1989: The Paris Project, Campus Crusade for Christ, the University of Paris, Paris, France.
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Summer 1988: Northstar, Campus Crusade for Christ, Russia.
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Summer 1987: Mission work, Campus Crusade for Christ, Yellowstone National Park.
Conversion and Call to Ministry
I was raised in a Christian home, with a very loving mother and father and grandmother who lived close by. My mother was a homemaker and artist and my father was a musician and a conductor of bands and orchestras. Church music was very important to my parents, but for the first 9 years or so, we went to a very formal Protestant church where the Gospel was not really preached. It was not until my father accepted a job as a professor at a Christian college that we started attending an evangelical, Christ centered church. It was there that I heard of the work of Jesus Christ for the first time and placed my life and faith in Him.
Through my teenage years I wandered from the faith. God would use my father who was dying with cancer to draw me back to Himself. On his death bed, my father who had a very close relationship with Jesus said: “Jon whatever you do with your life, make sure that you live it for Christ.” From that point on, the Lord called me to place Him first in my life. After several summer mission projects, I sensed God calling me to go into ministry full time. God blessed me with a great wife Robin who loves the Lord and 3 wonderful children, Mason 28, Addison 24 and Lily 17.
