Who We Are – Northwest Baptist Church

Brian Wilson

Lead Pastor

Pastor Brian is passionate about helping people discover the life-changing hope found in Jesus Christ. Called to ministry at the age of seventeen, he has spent more than twenty years faithfully serving the local church in various roles, including student pastor, campus pastor, and lead pastor throughout the Southeast and Midwest.

Since late 2023, Pastor Brian has had the joy of serving at Northwest and has grown to deeply love the Gainesville, Florida community. His heart is to help those who are far from God FIND and FOLLOW Jesus by pointing them to Christ and then helping them experience the transformational power of their new life in Christ.

Pastor Brian holds an undergraduate degree in theology and earned his Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University. Pastor Brian is a devoted husband to his wife, Sonja, and a proud father of their three children. When he’s not serving in ministry, he enjoys watching college basketball, spending time on the golf course, and making memories with his family. He’s also a fan of a good documentary or podcast and always enjoys opportunities to learn something new.

Pastoral Staff

Sean Foret

Worship Pastor

Sean has a lifelong passion for authentic worship that uplifts the God-given essence within every believer.

He is deeply committed to leading others into meaningful, Spirit-led encounters with God through music and worship—a calling he has faithfully pursued his entire life, trusting God to use him in drawing people closer to Himself.

Sean began serving in music ministry at the age of five, using his instrumental and vocal gifts at his local church, and has been actively leading worship since he was sixteen. In 2006, he was ordained into the Gospel ministry by the Central Florida Baptist Association and Bartow First Baptist Church. Sean holds a degree in Worship Arts from Baptist University of Florida, a degree in Business from Southeastern University, and multiple degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from Santa Fe College.

Josiah Haglund

Student Director

Josiah was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, where his parents served as missionaries, and grew up alongside his three older siblings. It was there that he accepted Christ and his passion for ministry first began, and it continued to grow during his middle and high school years after moving to Gainesville.

Josiah is currently in his third year at the University of Florida studying Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Law. After serving two summers on camp staff, he discovered a deep love for investing in students and felt God calling him to pour into the youth of Gainesville. That calling ultimately led him to Northwest, where he’s excited to walk alongside students as they grow in their faith and is known for bringing comic relief to the team.

When Josiah isn’t hanging out with students, he is invested in recreational sports at the university, searching for great food, or sharing music recommendations—topics that can easily keep him talking for hours. One of his favorite verses is Ephesians 2:4–5: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” Josiah is passionate about helping students see that same life-changing grace in their own lives.