Our Counselors
Oak City Biblical Counseling is made up of qualified counselors from a variety of of educational and ministerial backgrounds. We are all certified--or in the process of becoming certified--with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. As a ministry of Oak City Church, our aim is to serve the city of Bartow and surrounding communities.
Director/Biblical Counselor
Sarah Puebla
​Sarah Puebla grew up in a Godly home where the Word of God was lived out in a beautiful way on a daily basis. God called her to do hard things from a young age.
​
She has been married just under 30 years and has walked through many hard times in those years. She and her husband have 4 adopted children who are now young adults. She has been involved in special needs education for the last 5 years. She has been educated in the school of life in the area of trauma, parenting, and striving to trust God in dark times of trials. She received her Biblical Counseling certification through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors in May of 2021. Since then she has been serving in her local church to give hope, healing, and joy through the teaching of the Word of God to women in the context of counseling.
It has been a pure joy to see how true and lasting change can occur through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether there have been cycles of sin in one's life or sin perpetrated against one, Jesus is the hope that brings life to the lifeless.
Biblical Counselor
Christopher Boll
Chris has always had an affection for stories. For as long as he can remember, he has loved the written word, film, and music for the stories that they tell about the artist and the artist’s interpretation of the world around him. But along with those story-telling mediums, he has had an interest in the stories that people live out every day. Much like artistic expression, a person’s story is filled with moments of triumph and tragedy, joy and sorrow, failure and redemption. What’s more, Chris enjoys discovering how each person’s particular “sub-story” falls into the great, overarching story that God is presently writing.
This love of stories led Chris to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing at the University of South Florida. Following graduation, he left for Philadelphia to continue his studies at Westminster Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Counseling degree. He is currently working on completing his certification with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.
Until recently, Chris was a career bachelor. He has recently married Kris, and now has 4 step-children and 2 step-dogs.
Biblical Counselor
Brian MacDonald
Pastor Brian MacDonald has served in full time ministry for over 22 years. He is currently the pastor/church planter of Oak City Church in Bartow, FL.
He has been married to Ella since May 2000 and they have been blessed with six children: 5 boys and one girl ranging from college down to elementary.
​
Brian is a Certified Facilitator with Prepare and Enrich whose mission is "to equip marriage champions, couples, and families with evidence-based skills and insights to foster healthy relationships." Likewise, Brian is currently working on his certification with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors [ACBC].
​
Brian is passionate about walking alongside couples who are considering tying the knot, struggling in their marriage, or just need a healthy "tune up."