Nikolai X. Greaves, MBA, Mdiv
Senior Pastor

Nikolai Xavier Greaves was born and raised on the island of Barbados. At a young age, his family moved to the United States and eventually moved to Berrien Springs, Michigan. There he attended Ruth Murdoch Elementary and Andrews Academy. He attended Washington Adventist University. During his time at the university, he was a student-athlete in NCAA Division II Track & Field. Additionally, he served in various roles in student government and was voted in as Executive Vice-President of the Student Association by his peers. He was inducted into honor societies Sigma Beta Delta and Omicron Delta Kappa, for honors in business and exemplary leadership respectively. It was at Washington Adventist University where he met the love of his life, formerly Abigail Wankyo. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Pre-Law (Cum Laude) and he and Abigail were subsequently married on August 5, 2012.

 
The Lord led him in serving at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and volunteering at The White House during the financial crisis. Additionally, he served in higher education, human resources, and finance. Additionally, he was involved in international evangelism, and community outreach that addressed issues of homelessness and poverty, and he was heavily involved in serving at the local church level. In 2013, the Lord led him to complete his Master of Business Administration from Washington Adventist University. Sensing the call to pastoral ministry, he attended Andrews University Theological Seminary where he received his Master of Divinity in 2016. Furthering his education, he received an Executive Leadership certificate from Cornell University in 2019 and he is currently pursuing his Doctor of Business Administration in Strategy and Innovation from Capella University.

Pastor Greaves began pastoral ministry serving in a three-church district in Champaign, Peoria, and Decatur. Some notable achievements of his ministry include spearheading a large-scale debt-free church renovation project, developing a vibrant children’s and young adult ministry program, and creating innovative means of evangelism. Additionally, he organized community workshops in the areas of personal finance, mental health, leadership, strategy, and decision making.
 An international preacher, the Lord has used him to reach hundreds for the kingdom of God in Cuba, Barbados, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and across the United States. Furthermore, in a 2021 Week of Prayer at Andrews Academy, 18 people made the decision to be baptized. 
In 2018, he was called to serve on the Finance and Investment Committee of the Lake Region Conference. He is also the founder and host of The Unpreached Truth: God and Money podcast. In June 2020, he was also appointed by the mayor to serve as the 5th District Representative for the Advisory Committee on Police and Community Relations for the City of Peoria. On November 20, 2021, he was ordained to the gospel ministry. In February 2022, he was called to serve as the Senior Pastor of the Straford Memorial SDA Church in Chicago, Illinois. 
 
A husband and father, he and Abigail enjoy serving together and have been married for almost ten years. Abigail ministers in the healthcare field as a respiratory therapist for over twelve years, and has served in various leadership roles. She holds an Associate in Respiratory Care, a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from Washington Adventist University, a Master of Global Public Health with a concentration in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Relief from University of South Florida and she is completing her Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management from Fitchburg State University in May 2022. She has also served in multiple roles within church including Youth Leader, Pathfinder and Adventurers Director and establishing Children’s church. Additionally, she is the author of the children’s book, “My Name is Z and I Want To Be” and the founder of the Health For the Healthcare Professional podcast. Nikolai and Abigail have two amazing boys, Zion and Zanwe. Zion enjoys school, basketball and telling jokes. Zanwe enjoys creating, building things and making science projects. They also have two dogs, Maximus and SKyfall. 

A husband and a father, Pastor Greaves enjoys sports, comedy, music, chess, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Most importantly, he believes that Jesus still has the power to save and transform lives.