Born and raised in East Tennessee, John Nichols was brought up in a loving, moral, Roman Catholic Home. As would be expected he was captivated by the rituals of the church and even seriously contemplated the priesthood. It was not until he was in his senior year in high school that he truly understood the gospel. In the back of a little church in the Rocky Branch community in Walland, Tennessee, he bowed his head while standing in the pew during the invitation and called on God to save him. It was then a work was started in his heart – a work that will last through eternity. Sometime later he began attending a different church in the same community with his future wife, Audrey. It was at this church where he felt the call of God to preach (and where he was married to Ms Audrey Butler on April 30, 1993). He began going with the pastor of the church to services in several East Tennessee prisons and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to preach to these men.. Later on, he was cumbered with doubts about his salvation; as he'd looked to the priest and the outward performance of the mass in his youth, he began to look outward – at his experience – to see if he'd done things the right way. After many inward struggles, late one night after his wife and oldest son went to bed, he knelt beside his fireplace and placed his finger on the open Bible in front of him at John 6:37 and read: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. It was through this verse that God gave him the assurance of salvation. Another passage became especially dear to him, Hebrews 10:11-12: And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Christ had satisfied the wrath of God when He paid man's debt for sin with His own blood. His one sacrifice satisfied God forever.

     Born and raised in East Tennessee, John Nichols was brought up in a loving, moral, but Roman Catholic Home. As would be expected he was captivated by the rituals of the church and even seriously contemplated the priesthood. It was not until he was in his senior year in high school that he truly understood the gospel. In the back of a little church in the Rocky Branch community in Walland, Tennessee, he bowed his head while standing in the pew during the invitation and called on God to save him. It was then a work was started in his heart – a work that will last through eternity. Sometime later he began attending a different church in the same community with his future wife, Audrey. It was at this church where he felt the call of God to preach (and where he was married to Ms Audrey Butler on April 30, 1993). He began going with the pastor of the church to services in several East Tennessee prisons and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to preach to these men.. Later on, he was cumbered with doubts about his salvation; as he'd looked to the priest and the outward performance of the mass in his youth, he began to look outward – at his experience – to see if he'd done things the right way. After many inward struggles, late one night after his wife and oldest son went to bed, he knelt beside his fireplace and placed his finger on the open Bible in front of him at John 6:37 and read: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. It was through this verse that God gave him the assurance of salvation. Another passage became especially dear to him, Hebrews 10:11-12: And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Christ had satisfied the wrath of God when He paid man's debt for sin with His own blood. His one sacrifice satisfied God forever.

     Also during this time, he completed his college education, having a desire to attend medical school, earning a bachelor's degree in chemistry. It was during his senior year that the Lord made it clear that going to medical school was not His will for his life. He had struggled with going to seminary before getting his master's degree but did not seek God through fasting and prayer as he should have. He completed his M.S. in Education and began teaching in one of the local high schools in Blount County. Looking back, it appears he had missed the Lord's will; however, God was gracious: After he'd taught for a few years, he was able to enroll in a local church Bible college in Knoxville, Tennessee under the authority of the Antioch Baptist Church where David F. Reagan was pastor and head of the college. Working at the school during the day and going to classes several nights a week, he completed his B.A. in Bible here and taught several college level courses as well.
     Having pastored a few small churches in East Tennessee, the Lord graciously and miraculously opened the door for him to come here to the Victory Independent Baptist Church in Greenfield, Indiana. Having learned previously from his past failure, he sought counsel amongst Godly men while seeking God in prayer and fasting. It was toward the end of his time of seeking the Lord that God showed him from Ezekiel 34:8 that it was His will to take the church. On November 2, 2013 the church voted unanimously to call him as pastor. At the end of December 2012, he resigned his job in Tennessee and began to relocate to Indiana. He now has the privilege of pastoring a wonderful body of believers and is rejoicing to be in the center of God's perfect will for his life.
     So much more could be said, and some important details have been omitted; however, God's guiding hand has been gracious to allow his family to serve here. He and his wife have been blessed with five wonderful children, Caleb, Joshua, Hannah, Sarah, and Charity, who are becoming actively involved in the work of the local church.