Our Team

Daniel Burbage is a local guy. He was born in Beaufort and spent his childhood in Sheldon, here in the Lowcountry where his family has deep roots in Beaufort County journalism.

He graduated in 2000 from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, with a degree in religion. Following graduation, he was a youth minister and parish administrator as well as the Christian formation director at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Columbia, SC. After serving in that capacity for several years, Daniel heeded a calling to become a pastor and attended Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC, where he received a Master of Divinity, followed by his ordination in 2010. Prior to The New Bluffton Worship becoming an independent church, Daniel was the Bluffton Campus pastor for St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC located on Hilton Head. He has a heart for local and world missions and has lived abroad doing mission work.

Daniel’s background has made him knowledgeable about the growth of our area, and the historic foundations of the community and of many faith traditions. His messages are insightful, challenging, often lighthearted, and offer practical ways found in scripture to live out your faith.

His love for local families is seen not only at The New Bluffton Worship, but also through the many hours he spends coaching youth baseball and All-Star baseball teams. Daniel and his wife, Kelley, have three children who attend area schools.

Monica Barricks was born in Fairfax, VA, and graduated from George Mason University in Fairfax with a degree in psychology. She has served churches in many capacities including directing youth and children’s ministry. Currently, she is enrolled in seminary pursuing her Master of Divinity and ordination.

Monica’s role at The New Bluffton Worship is to oversee all functional and administrative activities of our community of faith including programs so that we accomplish our vision of worshipping, learning, and serving Jesus Christ.

Her vision is for our congregation to be a place where everyone is welcome and can feel comfortable together no matter where they are on their faith journey. She is not fond of shoes, but Monica loves cleats and the baseball teams she coaches. Her goal is to make sure the teams are positive experiences for children. Monica and her husband, Jim, have two boys who like playing football, baseball and being part of The New Bluffton Worship’s Youth Ministry program.

Mary was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and was raised in Atlanta, GA. When her family moved to Bluffton to start a new chapter, the community quickly became “home” and where their son (now in elementary school) and their daughter, a preschooler, were born. Mary’s natural love of children grew even stronger as she worked for a pediatrician, and it sparked her interest in teaching. She is currently the director and lead teacher at Playcare, a week-day program located at Lord of Life Lutheran. In her spare time, she loves going to movies and creating arts and crafts.

“My faith is central to everything I do,” says Mary. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to work with the Children’s Church, our First Fridays and other programs at The New Bluffton Worship where I can teach children about the word of God and see their spiritual growth.”

Born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, BJ Johnson’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and heart. Raised by his grandmother and later adopted by his high school guidance counselor, BJ’s life has been shaped by the power of faith, mentorship, and community.

A few years ago, BJ made Bluffton his home—and he’s been making a difference ever since. Whether he’s on the field coaching baseball, training young athletes, working with students as an elementary school behavioral specialist, or now leading the youth at The New Bluffton Worship, BJ leads with passion, integrity, and love.

His journey is a testament to God’s redeeming grace and the impact one life can have when it’s rooted in purpose. BJ is excited to help the next generation grow in faith, character, and confidence—both on and off the field.

Our worship band is a unique blend of well-known local musicians, some with their own popular entertainment bands. With a variety of instruments (even violin and banjo), they play contemporary worship songs as well as some familiar hymns with a modern vibe. Members of the group include Spike Ivory, Tim Horan, Sloane Holley, and on occasion, Melody Gray. John Brewster is our Worship Band Leader. We often say streaming just isn’t the same as experiencing our music in person, so we encourage you to come visit any weekend and worship the Lord through song.