Daniel Sweigard

Daniel and his family joined the OCC family in July of 2025 joining our team as our new Lead Minister. Previous to joining us in Ocala Daniel served as both the Teaching Minister and the Lead Pastor of Meadowbrook Christian Church, and as the Youth and Family Minister of South Lake Christian Church.  Daniel holds a degree from Dallas Christian College in Practical Ministries and Bible. Born and raised in Pennsylvania the Sweigards flew south to Florida in 2014.  In 2022 they followed God’s call to Michigan but the opportunity to join a family like OCC and come back to their adopted home state as Daniel puts it “was too good to pass up”. Daniel and his wife Lynda have been married 20 years and have four daughters.

When talking with Daniel you might here him say a few things over and over again:

“God is mad about you”
“We can do both”
“Let’s make heaven crowded”

They aren’t original sayings or overly clever, but this is what he wants the people of Ocala and Marion County to hear.  God desires you to come home, he isn’t mad at you, he is mad about you and has made a way for you to be restored.  That as Christians we can do both, we can stand firm on the truth and still open our arms to the lost and hurting of this generation, it is hard but we don’t have to choose.  And finally, remember the great commission to go and tell all people of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that none might perish in ignorance.

John 10:10 (ESV)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.