Our ministry staff at Summit Woods Baptist Church, exists to help administrate and assist our members in carrying out our purpose as a church.
Bret Capranica Pastor-Teacher
Bret was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. He became a Christian at age 14 after being exposed to the gospel and its profound effects in his family. At age 18, Bret was called to be an associate pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church, just outside of Amarillo. At age 20, he assumed the pastorate of the church. He received a Bachelor's degree from West Texas A&M in 1993, a Master of Divinity degree from The Masters Seminary in 2001, and a Doctorate from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2010. While in seminary, he was the pastor of First Baptist Church of Granada Hills. Just before graduation in 2001, he met Kelly and was married, September 1st 2001. They have three children, Brie, Emi, and David. In 2002, the Capranicas moved to San Jacinto, CA to become a pastor at First Baptist Church and enjoyed eight years of fruitful ministry. Bret joined the leadership team at Summit Woods Baptist Church as Pastor-Teacher and as an elder in October 2010.
Campbell Bortel Pastoral Assistant
Campbell was raised in Midland, Michigan about two hours north of Detroit. He grew up in a Christian home where he heard the gospel often through his parents, church, and school. Campbell accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age and began growing in his faith. His walk with God really exploded in high school when he transitioned to public school. This provided him an opportunity to take his faith seriously, grow in evangelism, and develop spiritual disciplines that were contrary to many of those around him. He served his church in various ways ranging from missions trips to playing piano and percussion for the musical worship at his church. Campbell went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Cedarville University in Ohio. There he developed a great passion for apologetics and preaching through his studies and various opportunities to serve in his church and school. Upon graduation Campbell felt called to pastoral ministry after seeing his love for shepherding, discipleship, and preaching. He began attending Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Masters of Divinity with emphasis in biblical langauges and a Masters of Theological Studies with emphasis in preaching and pastoral ministry in 2022. He serves SWBC in areas of church planting and targeted discipleship ministries. Campbell loves basketball, fishing, camping, and banana pancakes.
Dawson Bryant Associate Pastor
Dawson joined the staff of Summit Woods Baptist Church in the spring of 2006, and provides oversight for a number of church-wide ministries. He had attended Summit Woods, alongside his family, since it began. By the Spring of 1999, God had graciously used the preaching of His Word and the prayers of his family and church to highlight his sinfulness and desperate need for Christ and salvation. Dawson and his wife, Carrie, were married on July 15th, 2000, and they have four children, Pryce, Sophie, and twins Tate and Owen. Dawson was born and raised here in Lee's Summit, MO and is a graduate of Lee's Summit High School. Dawson received a Bachelor's degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance in 2000, and a Master of Divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2003.
Elizabeth Clevenger Administrative Assistant
Elizabeth has been a member of Summit Woods since 2017 and on staff since 2023. She realized her sinfulness and believed in Jesus as her Savior while memorizing verses for Awana at 3 years old. Originally from the Kansas City area, she has also lived in Italy where her parents have been missionaries since 2000. With a bachelor’s degree in music (Calvary University, 2013) and a master’s in biblical counseling (CU, 2019), Elizabeth enjoys serving the church through music, discipleship, and any other way she has opportunity. She is profoundly grateful that God brought her to Summit Woods and for the spiritual flourishing that has resulted. Elizabeth looks forward to the good works that God has in store both for the church and for her in the future, particularly regarding missions and church planting.
Philip Fulmer Ministry Assistant
Philip grew up in southeast Missouri in a Christian home. At an early age, the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to understand his sinfulness before God and need for forgiveness and salvation through Jesus’s sacrifice in his place on the cross. After moving to central Arkansas, his faith grew and matured as he was exposed to expositional preaching and the doctrines of grace at his church. In late high school, he began to desire training in the Word and pastoral ministry in order to serve others in their path to and in Christ. In 2022, he received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Central Baptist College and married Tiffany. That summer, they moved to Kansas City for Philip to pursue his Master of Divinity degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. They also began attending Summit Woods, where Philip has served as a ministry assistant since 2023. In this role, he helps oversee custodial
Calvin Plank MINISTRY ASSISTANT
Calvin grew up in the Wichita Kansas area and was blessed with godly parents who taught him the gospel and raised him to love the scriptures. At an early age he was convicted of his sin and need for Christ to be his savior and responded to the gospel in faith. In junior high and high school he had the opportunity to participate in children’s, camp and nursing home ministries. After graduating high school he attended Hesston College hoping to pursue a path in coaching basketball and earned an associate degree before transferring to Cedarville University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Bible in 2020. Cedarville was a tool God used to grow and mature his faith and at the end of his time there he began to consider vocational pastoral ministry. After spending two years being mentored by the Church he grew up in (Newton Bible Church in Newton, KS) he moved to Lees Summit in 2022 to begin his MDiv at the Expositors seminary and to participate in the internship program at Summit Woods. Calvin began serving as a Ministry Assistant in 2023 and helps oversee custodial duties, Church events, and assists with children’s ministry.
Dalton Vansell Associate Pastor
Dalton was raised just outside of Harrisonville, Missouri on a small farm. At the age of 19, after living a life of people-pleasing self-righteousness and secret sin, he recognized his utter sinfulness and trusted in Christ as his Lord and Savior. During the next year, with much prayer, study of Scripture, a growing desire to proclaim God’s Word, and counsel from the pastors at his local church, he enrolled at Calvary Bible College to pursue pastoral ministry. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Advanced Biblical Studies in May of 2015. During this time, he met his wife Hailey and they were married on June 28, 2014. They now have four children: Rylee Rae, Jackson Owen, William Scott, and Jane Marie. Shortly after getting married, Dalton and Hailey came to Summit Woods and were immediately gripped by the centrality and supremacy of God’s Word. Dalton currently serves as an Associate Pastor for a number of church-wide ministries at Summit Woods. He graduated in May of 2019 with a Master of Divinity from The Expositors Seminary.