Meet the Team | Ahava Baptist Church

Mike Holland

Preaching Elder

Bro. Mike has been the Senior Pastor here at Ahava for the last 33 years! He and his wife, Charlotte, have been diligent in their work to shepherd God's people.

Philip Rowlette

Lay Elder

Our family found a church home here at Ahava Baptist in May 2020. In the midst of the confusion of the Covid pandemic, we were immediately inspired by Pastor Mike’s expository preaching and his clear and unequivocal proclamation of Bible truth. We also received a warm welcome from all of the brothers and sisters in Christ here at Ahava. Our family moved into the Tampa area in 2008 so I could continue serving the U.S. Air Force at MacDill Air Force Base. I retired from the Air Force in 2017 after 25 years of service and now I’m a 787 First Officer at United Airlines. My wife Holly and I have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of 3 adult children, Grant, Peter, and Grace.

Although I have no formal seminary training, I was brought up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord at Kapa’a Missionary Church on Kauai, Hawaii. After wandering away from regular Biblical instruction during my early years of military service, I finally came to my senses in 2001 while struggling as a new father but providentially finding Biblical truth and encouragement in the radio program “Renewing Your Mind,” courtesy of Ligonier Ministries. As an adult disciple of Christ, my journey of sanctification and Christian service has been a long and winding road. We’ve been a part of various congregations and I’ve served in a variety of ways in each of them. I am now honored to serve the members and visitors of Ahava Baptist Church to the glory of God! We look forward to seeing your smiling faces at a future worship service!

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:9-10

Fred Wright

Teaching Elder

Welcome to Ahava Baptist Church a wonderful place of worship and grow in your faith as you consistently hear the truth of God’s precious word preached faithfully by our Senior Elder Mike Holland. My name is Fred Wright and I have the privilege of serving as a Teaching Elder. I am an ordained Southern Baptist Minister who has served our Lord for over 42 years. The Lord saved me in 1977 and almost immediately afterward I knew he had a calling on my life to serve Him in the gospel ministry. I surrendered to His call in 1979 and was licensed in that same year. Then in 1980, while attending Luther Rice seminary for my undergraduate work I was called as a Senior Elder to my first church, where I was ordained. Though God’s leading has taken us to many wonderful places for ministry preparation and service, Valrico, Florida has been our home for many years. My wife Irene and I have been married for over 47 years and she is the love of my life. She is caring, loving and gifted for teaching, mercy, administration and hospitality. Irene and I were raised in Tampa, Florida where we met during our high school years. We have six grown children and 15 grandchildren. My formal education includes Luther Rice Seminary, Jacksonville, Florida, Bible Training Centre for Pastors, Tucker Georgia, and Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, Kentucky. I am a conservative, evangelical minister who teaches and preaches doctrinally sound exegetical messages from the never changing absolute truths of God’s Word, in an ever changing, relative world system and post-modern culture. My strongest desire is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and one day hear “Well done good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of the Lord.