Ron Barnes

Ron Barnes

CEO and General Director

Dr. Barnes began pastoral ministry age 19 in Horseheads, New York, while in Bible College and began church planting in Pennsylvania until 1993, while he completed his Masters of Divinity. In 1996 the Barnes were appointed to the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism and served for 17 years with his wife and three children in church planting, discipling national church planters and pastors, theological education, and field administration. They served in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and throughout Asia.

In 2012, Ron was invited by the board of Source of Light Ministries International, in Madison, Georgia to become it’s President to oversee SLM’s ministries in 40 branches worldwide of evangelism, discipleship, theological education, church planting and a large publication ministry, printing and distributing material in over 100 languages.

Brian Thigpen

Chief Financial Officer

Brian Thigpen is a husband and father of two. God’s path took him from math teaching to international education to international ministry partnerships. As his love for working alongside diverse believers grew, so did his wife’s health issues. Those developing limitations brought the Thigpens back to the US in 2007. For the next decade, Brian taught high school math in a public school. On a missions field trip for their two homeschooled children, God brought them to the Source of Light. The plan was to stay two hours, but the Thigpens are still here three years later! Brian serves as the Chief Financial Officer, using God’s preparation in his life to serving SLM missionaries around the world.

Phil Winder

Phil Winder

Director of Operations

Phil is the Director of Operations. He joined Source of Light after years of owning and managing businesses in Florida. The Winder family has a storied heritage in church ministry and missions with several family members serving in ministry.

Bruce Dare

Director of Publications

Bruce Dare is a follower of Jesus, husband to Danielle, and father of three children who serves Source of Light as Director of Publications. Raised in a multi-generation Christian family, Bruce trusted Christ at a young age and answered a call to full-time vocational ministry at a children’s missions conference. He seeks to couple past ministry on a pastoral staff with experience in warehouse management in support of global discipleship and cross-cultural resources. His heart has grown over the years for least-reached places, recognizing the best use of Christian heritage is to share with less-equipped peoples what they need in getting the Word where it needs to go. Bruce holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Church Ministries from Northland Baptist Bible College and a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary.