About Us
Our Pastors
Rev. Michael Perkins is the Pastor of Oakland Church of the Nazarene. He, along with his wife, April, are the founders of Firebrands Global, which was founded in 2022 to spread revival fire across the nation. They have also pastored churches for nearly 13 years in Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, and Kentucky, where they planted River City Hope Church.
Michael’s calling is to raise up a generation of Burning Ones who incite global change and transformation through the releasing of the Kingdom of God and to equip The Body of Christ to live a lifestyle of revival by walking in day to day intimacy with The Lord. Michael and April are burdened to help others see The Kingdom of God manifest in their lives and churches.
Michael and his wife, April, were married in 2003. They live in Cedar Rapids with their son, Ethan (18), their daughter, Wonder (2), and their goldendoodle, Duncan.
April is wildly in love with Jesus. She desires to see people activated into a Kingdom Lifestyle of devotion and proximity to The Father. It is her heart’s cry to witness others experience transformational breakthrough by way of face-to-face encounters with God, that reveal His beautiful nature.
April is also the founder and director of Kingdom Identity “A Supernatural Women’s Conference” where women from around the country come to engage in prayer and become equipped in what it is and looks like to go deeper in intimacy with Jesus and live a Kingdom lifestyle that is Presence conscious.
Worship Pastor
Connor Haskell grew up in Cedar Rapids and has been attending Oakland since he was a child. He has felt a very close connection to the Lord when in a time of worship and prayer since he was young, and after many years of struggling with his identity in who he was, found his identity in Christ and was called into worship. He is passionate about helping people enter a place where they can feel they are worshiping, connecting, and entering the presence of their creator and father through worship, and because of this, he has been called to be the Worship Pastor for Oakland Church of the Nazarene.
Connor is on fire for the Lord, and is hungry for the outbreak of revival in this city he has called home nearly his whole life. He wants to see a younger generation that is full of hurting, confusion, and worldly desires come to find their identity in Jesus.
Connor is married to Madi Haskell (the Youth Pastor for Oakland), and is a proud Dog Father to, Jasper (Brittany Spaniel) and Willow (Shih Poo).
Youth Pastor
Madi Haskell grew up in Cedar Rapids attending a local church. When she was 17, she attended a Discipleship Training School with YWAM in Perth, Australia focusing on music. Madi has felt called into ministry since her early teenage years. In obedience to a calling, she became a Paramedic and worked in EMS for 4 years. The Lord called her out of this in the past couple of years, and called her into Youth Ministry and instilled a passion for young people.
Madi’s heart is heavy for this generation, desiring to see young people transformed and dive deep in their relationship with God. She wants people to know why they believe what they believe at an age where they are making big decisions in their lives.
Madi is the wife of Oakland’s Worship Leader, Connor Haskell. They have two dogs, and Baby Haskell is due to arrive in July of 2024.