Aaron Welch
Lead Pastor

Since January 2018, Aaron has ​served as Lead Pastor at Northside, where his passion is to walk intimately with Christ and alongside others as they learn to do the same. His
desire is to help Northside grow as a genuine community, one that is fully surrendered to the Lord and marked by grace, authenticity, and love.

Aaron holds an M.A. in Counseling and an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling from Cincinnati Christian University, where he also earned his B.S. in Christian Ministries with an
emphasis in Preaching. Before coming to Northside, he served as Program Director of Christian Counseling and Dean of Men at Central Christian College of the Bible in
Moberly, Missouri. Over the years, Aaron has been blessed to serve the Lord as a preacher, teacher, counselor, writer, and coach.

Raised as a “preacher’s kid,” Aaron came to understand the wonder of God’s grace in early adulthood, much like the prodigal son discovering that even at the end of a
rebellious road, the Father still runs to meet His children. Since that time, his life mission has been to walk closely with the Lord and to be a “gateway to grace” for others.

​He walks this journey with his beautiful wife, Michelle, a gifted teacher and loving mother to their three children: Eddie, Joshua, and Emmalee. They are now joined by
two wonderful daughters-in-law, Ciara and Samantha, and two beloved grandchildren, Orlando and Johanna. In his free time, Aaron enjoys strong coffee, reading, cheering on
the Cincinnati Reds, and hiking the trails of Pine Mountain. 

Colton Johnson
​Student Pastor

In October, 2025, Colton joined the Northside team as the Student Pastor. Having completed courses at Highlands College, he has been certified in Biblical and Theological studies with an emphasis on youth ministry. With a deep church background and 5+ years of leadership experience, Colton has been well equipped to serve not only youth, but the congregation of Northside as a whole.

Growing up as a pastor's kid, Colton wasn't really interested in full time ministry as a career. In fact, from a young age, his goal was to play football at the collegiate level. But thankfully, God had other plans. After attending a youth camp in the summer of 2021, He received the call into full-time ministry and hasn't looked back from that moment. 

With the perks of being a “hometown kid”, Colton has been able to create relationships with a multitude of students and families around the Columbus, Harris County, and Phenix City area and is looking forward to growing and cultivating an eventful, enriching, and discipling student ministry!

Janet Burden
​Administrative Assistant

Janet's path to Northside Christian Church has been a winding one, but one with a spiritual connection throughout. Earlier in her career, she worked as librarian in an Illinois church and as pastor's assistant in a Columbus church. 

She took a hiatus from church work to build a corporate career that spanned more than 21 years at a local insurance company and is now eager to return to the mission to which God led her years ago.

Already sensing God's spirit moving in Northside's congregation, she hopes to put to work her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership/Servant Leadership to support Northside's mission to lead one another and others on the path towards Christ.

"And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places
into level ground."