Administration

Pastor George Pirt grew up in Bushnell, Florida. As a teenager, he was brought to church through the bus ministry of St. Catherine Baptist Church of Bushnell. He was exposed to the Gospel and received Christ at a youth rally when he was thirteen years old. It was also at St. Catherine that he met his wife Michele. Right after high school, Pastor Pirt joined the US Marine Corps, and honorably served from 1996 to 2000. He and Mrs. Pirt were married in September of 1997.
In 2000, Pastor Pirt returned to St. Catherine and served in various roles, helping the church to grow. In 2006, St. Catherine Baptist Church called this former bus kid to be the pastor. From 2006 to 2010, the church experienced great growth.

In March 2010, Pastor Pirt accepted the call to become the pastor of West Gate Baptist Church. During his first two years, West Gate Baptist Church has seen tremendous growth in the Sunday School as well as the bus ministry. Pastor Pirt has a strong desire to reach the Tampa Bay area, our country, and the world, for Jesus Christ. West Gate is blessed to have a pastor who continues West Gate's tradition of Bible preaching, local church planting, and a love for souls.

The Pirts have four children: Matthew, Hannah, Jonathan, and Levi.

Dr. Keith Shumate

Executive Vice President

Acaedmic Dean

"Doc" Shumate was born in Ohio on July 3, 1932. Shortly after graduating from high school, he met and soon married his wife Barbara. When the Korean War began, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was sent to Alaska. Doc Shumate was saved during a revival service at the First Baptist Church of Anchorage in November of 1952. Shortly thereafter, God called him into the ministry. With no church background, he didn't know what to do so he just began preaching anywhere he could. Doc would preach on the streets, in hospital wards, in nursing homes and children's homes or in missions. With direction from a new pastor, he went to Bible Baptist College in Springfield, Missouri, where he graduated in 1965 with a Graduate in Theology degree. Later while serving on the staff of Temple Heights Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baptist Christian College. Calvary Baptist College of Melbourne, Florida, awarded him an honorary degree of Doctor of Theology in May of 1996. Doc Shumate has pastored churches in Springfield, Missouri; Decatur, Illinois; Stuarts Draft, Virginia; and Red Oak, Texas, where he served for 25 years. He has also served on the staff of two churches: Temple Heights Baptist Church, Tampa, Florida, and Ridgeview Baptist Church, Stuarts Draft, Virginia.

David Frauenhofer

Dean of Students

David Frauenhofer was saved at Bible Baptist Church in Atwater, California in 1980. When he finished his term in the military, the Lord led him to Bible Baptist College in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduation, he began working at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Holbrook, Massachusetts. He served as both a teacher and administrator. In 1992, the Lord called him to take the Gospel to Moscow, Russia. He also served in Budapest, Hungary, until 2008 when the Lord led him to West Gate Baptist Church and Florida Baptist College. Bro. Frauenhofer and his wife Lori have thirteen children, several of which are currently serving the Lord full-time.