Gwen and Denis’ relationship is a classic, “opposites attract” love story – with a twist! Although they both grew up in Canada and ended up meeting and falling in love at a Bible College, the path that led them there was entirely different.

For the first thirteen years of Denis’ childhood his parents were far from God and lived very dangerous and dysfunctional lives. His parents were drug dealers, criminals and con artists and this lifestyle meant that the family was frequently on the move. From kindergarten through 8 th grade, Denis attended a different school every year – and sometimes multiple school’s in a single year.

All of that changed when his parents were radically saved through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement. At the same time that his family was experiencing this radical transformation, Denis, as a teenager, began to feel a very strong call of God on his life. During his senior year of High School, he led four of his classmates to Christ and the Holy Spirit’s anointing on his life became obvious. Ultimately, this led him to enroll at Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario where he would meet the love of his life…Gwen Wood. Unlike Denis, Gwen grew up in the epitome of a stable, loving and godly home. Her parents were dairy farmers and lived in a small community that was almost entirely made up of people that she was related to in one way or another. From the time that she was an infant, Gwen attended church with her family and at a young age accepted Christ.

Even though the family tradition was to stay on or near the farm, Gwen sensed that God was calling her to something different and despite her initial fears, she left the farm and enrolled at the same Bible College as Denis.

It was there that they would meet, see the Holy Spirit work in some miraculous ways and become thoroughly convinced that they loved one another and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together pursuing God and ministry work. Gwen completed her Bachelors of Religious Education degree at that same College and she and Denis married on August 18 th , 1990. After their marriage Gwen enrolled in Nursing School and Denis began a career in the marketplace.

Their first ministry opportunity came in the form of directing Christian camps for the first several summers of their marriage. This experience allowed them to develop their leadership and communication skills.

Once Gwen completed her nursing degree, they decided to make the big move from Canada to the United States. In 1993, they moved to Lima, NY for Denis to finish his college degree and for Gwen to begin her nursing career. It was in NY that their first son, Isaac, was born.

Upon completing his degree from Elim Bible Institute, they moved to Virginia Beach, VA. where Denis pursued a Master's Degree in Pastoral Ministry at Regent University and Gwen would continue her nursing career. After completing his Masters Degree, Denis was offered a position as Associate Pastor of a Church in Vienna, VA. – a suburb of Washington DC. While in Virginia, the Roy family would add two more kids as Joshua was born in 1997 and Emily was born in 2000. After serving as the Associate Pastor for several years, Denis was selected to become Lead Pastor after the founding Pastor retired.

Eventually, Denis and Gwen felt God leading them into a season of transition, so Denis resigned from his Pastoral position and together they partnered with a group of close friends and planted Love the World Fellowship – which was a church to the homeless and immigrant community. Some of the Roy family’s most treasured memories was the time they spent developing relationships and serving the needs of those who are so often and easily overlooked.

During this same season, Denis obtained a Doctorate of Leadership from Christian Leadership University. In 2006, Vanguard Ministries, a church-planting organization, approached Denis and Gwen with an opportunity to leave the DC area and move to the midwest and plant a church. Even though neither Denis or Gwen had ever been to Indiana and didn’t know a single soul in Brownsburg, they felt God was leading them to answer the call. On May 28 th , 2006, the Roy Family packed two large moving trucks and two car trailers and began the move to Brownsburg. Unbeknownst to them…they had chosen to move to the Indianapolis area on the same weekend of the Indy 500 – an event that they’d later learn was kind of a big deal!

During the first several years of living in Brownsburg the kids enrolled in Kingsway Christian school and began to make friends, Gwen started at new job at IU West Hospital and Denis got involved in the community through substitute teaching at the High School, serving as a Chaplain for the Brownsburg Police Department and coaching youth sports. The first iteration of Brownsburg Vineyard Church started in the Roy’s living room with a group of people who wanted to learn more about the Holy Spirit. Denis and Gwen led them into a deeper understanding and personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. Eventually, those friends served as the core group that helped with the official launch of Brownsburg Vineyard Church on September 9 th , 2009.

For the next nine years Brownsburg Vineyard Church was a mobile church, meeting in a Middle school, elementary school, Catholic church and finally the Fire Department Conference Building. Those nine years tested the faith and commitment of Denis and Gwen and their leadership team. Despite seeing God move in miraculous ways, amassing so many great testimonies and building a very healthy church culture, there was absolutely no viable financial pathway to ever acquiring a building for a permanent location…or at least it appeared that way, until God decided to show off!

Throughout the nine-year history of BVC, baptisms were always done at Journey Church, a local congregation that made their building and baptismal available. In the Spring of 2018, BVC, once again, used the church for baptisms. The following day, Denis received a call from the Pastor of Journey Church who shared something that God had spoken to him. That message was simply: “It’s time to retire and I want you to give the building to Denis and his church!” Within a matter of a few weeks the keys to the building and all the contents within it were miraculously gifted to Brownsburg Vineyard Church.

Since that time, the congregation has more than doubled in size, a small mortgage on the building has been paid off, and is now owned debt free. In March of 2024, an adjoining lot was purchased for future growth and expansion.

To all the people who along the way have blessed and served BVC – Denis and Gwen say thank you! What makes this church so wonderful are the people and staff who are committed to seeing God's kingdom come and His will be done, week in and week out.

Denis and Gwen are honored to love, lead, and serve as your Lead Pastors. Together, we will change the world with Jesus.