John Tunnell
Preteen Director
John Tunnell has served as Preteen Director at FBCWF since 2020, joyfully investing in the spiritual lives of kids on the edge of adolescence. Growing up as a pastor’s kid, John was surrounded by ministry from an early age. Though he felt called to vocational ministry in high school, he initially ran from it, dreaming of becoming a football player or coach. But God never let go, and when John surrendered, doors opened wide—including the one leading to Kids Ministry at First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls. He graduated from MSU Texas and plans to begin seminary at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the spring of 2026. His favorite passage, Revelation 21:3–7, beautifully captures the heart of the gospel: that God desires to be with His people forever, where death is defeated and all things are made new. John married his wife, Dakota, on May 18, 2025. She serves as Campus Missionary and Coordinator at the MSU Texas Baptist Student Ministry, discipling college students with boldness and grace. Together, they enjoy Chick-fil-A picnics, road trips, campfires, crime documentaries, and worship music. John’s hobbies include reading (especially the first chapters of books), Texas Longhorns and Cowboys football, Texas Rangers baseball, and making people laugh—especially Dakota. He’s also an aspiring writer and passionate about sharing his worship playlist. What John loves most about serving at FBCWF is seeing God move in powerful ways, especially when children respond to the simple, life-changing truth of the gospel.
John Tunnell
Preteen Director
John Tunnell has served as Preteen Director at FBCWF since 2020, joyfully investing in the spiritual lives of kids on the edge of adolescence. Growing up as a pastor’s kid, John was surrounded by ministry from an early age. Though he felt called to vocational ministry in high school, he initially ran from it, dreaming of becoming a football player or coach. But God never let go, and when John surrendered, doors opened wide—including the one leading to Kids Ministry at First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls. He graduated from MSU Texas and plans to begin seminary at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the spring of 2026. His favorite passage, Revelation 21:3–7, beautifully captures the heart of the gospel: that God desires to be with His people forever, where death is defeated and all things are made new. John married his wife, Dakota, on May 18, 2025. She serves as Campus Missionary and Coordinator at the MSU Texas Baptist Student Ministry, discipling college students with boldness and grace. Together, they enjoy Chick-fil-A picnics, road trips, campfires, crime documentaries, and worship music. John’s hobbies include reading (especially the first chapters of books), Texas Longhorns and Cowboys football, Texas Rangers baseball, and making people laugh—especially Dakota. He’s also an aspiring writer and passionate about sharing his worship playlist. What John loves most about serving at FBCWF is seeing God move in powerful ways, especially when children respond to the simple, life-changing truth of the gospel.
