Pastor Wheeler is a native of Cleveland, Ohio.  He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and has done his religious studies at Moody Institute and the Southern Baptist Seminary.  He and his wife Barbara and their family moved to Columbus in 1994.  He pastored a Southern Baptist Church in the state of Arkansas before moving back to his home state.  Pastor Wheeler has served as the former police and fire chaplain for the City of Columbus, as well as the Vice-President of the International Conference of Police Chaplains.  During the tragic September 11th disaster, the Governor called on Pastor Wheeler to give the inspirational message from the statehouse to touch the lives of a hurting nation.  In the words of Pastor Wheeler, " We must tell a dying world about a living Savior!"

The Mountaintop Journey

Mountaintop was framed in the mind of Pastor Wheeler in 1997 as he shared his vision while preaching at the Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church in East Cleveland, Ohio.  He informed the church where he was the current pastor, The Reeb-Hosack Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio, that he must answer his call.  In November of 197, he prayed with his wife Barbara and their children and set out on the ministry of Mountaintop.

In January of 1998, the church was established as the pastor opened the first bank account with two hundred dollars.  Richard Finkel, a friend who felt if the pastor had the vision to start this good work, he wanted to support him and gave the pastor one hundred dollars.  The church relocated from the pastor's home to Sharon woods Park, to Gables Elementary School, and to The Savko Company.

Pastor Wheeler bid a dollar for some land in Northwest Columbus that was for sale starting at 1.3 million dollars.  The people did not bid on the land because they did not want to go against the man of God and his one dollar.  The Savko family eventually purchased the land and gave another parcel of land to Mountaintop.  The church sold the land because it was not enough acreage to build a building.

In June of 2001, Mountaintop moved to the New Market Mall and remained there until Ralph and Brenda Newkirk met Pastor Wheeler and within four days, gave him the land for Mountaintop and The Lighthouse Project at "No Charge."  Only because of state laws, the church had to pay the one dollar.  The official day of this kind giving was April 6, 2006.  The official day of transfer was April 17, 2006; the official day of the signing is May 13, 2006, the Pastor's birthday.  What a gift to the Glory of God.