Ben Carver
Lead Pastor
Ben grew up in Shelby and is passionate about his hometown. He believes that the local church is the hope of the world & the local church was meant to be for its city & its world.
Ben earned a BA from the Bible & Theology Department at Malone University. He has worked in full-time ministry for the past 17 years and started as Lead Pastor at Core in 2015. He is blown away every day that he has the opportunity to be a part of the only-God story that is being written at this place. He believes with all his heart that the best is yet to come!
He enjoys spending time with his wife, Krista, his two sons, Beckham & Brantley, and their Chocolate Lab, Sulli. In his spare time, he enjoys playing, or watching any sport and is a loyalist to all the hometown sports teams (even the Browns).
He strongly believes there is nothing better than a Shelby High School basketball game on a Friday night in the winter or a cup of Paul’s homemade vanilla in the summer!
Annette Musick
Kids Ministry Director
Annette has resided in or around Richland County almost her entire life. She strongly believes that you don’t have to travel far to serve those in need, that there is plenty to do right where you are.
She has been involved in Kids and Student Ministry for almost 30 years. Annette believes in the adage that it takes a village to raise a child and desires to equip and support parents to become the spiritual leaders that they are called to be.
Spending time with her family & friends is the thing that fills her up the most and between her husband Rob, four daughters, son-in-laws, and ten grandchildren there is never a shortage.
For Annette, sitting on the beach with a cup of coffee and watching the sunrise would be the perfect way to start the day.
Krista Carver
Worship & Global Impact Director
Krista was born and raised in Shelby, Ohio. She has always had a passion for music. She is extremely humbled and excited to have the opportunity to help usher others into the presence of Jesus through song. In addition to music, she also grew a desire early on in life to reach the lost and hurting around the world. Africa will always hold a special place in her heart.
Krista graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She worked as a teacher for ten years and loved the opportunity she was given to pour into the lives of so many children. Krista has a strong desire to come alongside people wherever they may be in their journey and point them to a God who gives them their value and worth.
Spending time with her friends and family is one way that Krista feels most filled. She also enjoys taking long bike rides, hiking, and being outdoors whenever possible.
Michael Gonzales
Creative Arts Director
He spent many of his formative years serving as a volunteer in the local church in Shelby before moving to Mansfield and transitioning to vocational ministry. With about 10 years of experience leading teams in worship and production, Michael is excited to be back in his hometown to share what God has taught him over the years and to lead people closer to Jesus.
Michael loves to spend time with his wife, Aliyah, and their cat, Coco, and he is passionate about finding and creating community. He also enjoys watching and playing sports, particularly basketball and running, and is a die-hard fan of all the hometown teams. He loves to go for walks, travel to new places, cook with friends, and play his guitar. He enjoys going to coffee shops “for the vibes” even though he doesn’t drink coffee, and he believes it is important to appreciate the little things in life.
Mose Hostetler
Student Ministries Pastor
Mose was born and raised in Shelby. His ministry passion is helping students experience the God that loves them beyond measure and help them understand what that means in their life at that time. Small groups are very important to him. Mose worked full-time at a church in Mansfield prior to taking the Student Ministry Pastor role at Core.
Mose graduated from Ohio Christian University with a Bachelor’s degree in Youth Ministry. After his time there, Mose and his wife, Hannah, moved to Mansfield where he would continue schooling at Ashland Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in December of 2025.
Hannah and Mose have two young boys and a growing farm that occupies their time. When he has free time, Mose enjoys fishing for trout, salmon, and steelhead, hunting, or finally finishing a half done project around the farm.
