PASTOR OF DISCIPLESHIP

Wendy and I are excited to announce that I have accepted a position as the Pastor of Discipleship at First Baptist Church of North Augusta, SC. Over the past several years, my passion for leading worship has been increasingly outpaced by my passion for making disciples through teaching, writing, speaking, and preaching. This transition is something I have prayed about for a while and God has given us clear direction.

After our family finishes out the school year here in Texas, I will begin as a member of the Strategy Team at First Baptist Church of North Augusta. As Pastor of Discipleship, I will be responsible for overseeing all discipleship efforts of the church. FBC North Augusta is a thriving church that has grown to be one of the largest churches in South Carolina. They are also part of the top 10% of reported baptisms in their church size category.

FBC OF NORTH AUGUSTA

A RENEWED RELATIONSHIP

I am looking forward to working with Dr. Ryan Pack again. I served with him in North Carolina before he was called to First Baptist Church of North Augusta as Senior Pastor. Ryan is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He also completed his Doctor of Ministry degree in pastoral leadership at Columbia International University. Ryan is the author of Why Me?: Finding Hope When Life Hurts, a contributor to The Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook 2016, and has also served as a state representative for the Executive Committee of Southern Baptist Convention.

DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY – Ph.D.

The next season of my life will also include pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at Dallas Baptist University. Less than 20 people were accepted into the program this year. This Ph.D. program is designed to be completed in four years while maintaining a full-time job and can be done from any location. I have had the goal of completing a Ph.D. for years and believe this research based doctorate will help me continue to make an impact in higher education. I am currently teaching Apologetics 401 and 402 online for Fruitland Baptist Bible College and my book, Prove It, is being used at two Bible Colleges/Seminaries as part of their apologetics curriculum.

In addition to on-campus classes in the Fall and Spring, the DBU Ph.D. program includes three Summer Institutes comprised of 7-10 day intensive sessions. The first Summer Institute will be held this summer in Dallas, Texas and focuses upon personal growth, professional development, and leadership courses. The second Summer Institute includes a trip to Washington, D.C., with a special emphasis on political leadership. The third Summer Institute is based in Oxford, England, with a concentration on global and cultural leadership issues.

THE GREATER AUGUSTA REGION

Wendy and I are also very grateful that we are headed to a part of the country that is close to our family (only 2 hours from Wendy’s parents). The Greater Augusta Region includes parts of both Georgia and South Carolina separated by the Savannah River. Augusta is also the home of the Masters Golf Tournament, one of the four major championships in professional golf.

Although Wendy and I lived in South Carolina for many years, we have never served in a South Carolina church, so this will be a new experience. Wendy and I will live just across the Savannah River in Georgia where she has accepted a job as an elementary school teacher at Riverside Elementary School. I was born in Atlanta and much of my family heritage is in Georgia. However, I have never lived there as an adult, so this will also be a new experience. We have put a contract on a new home there that has plenty of room for our family, including my mom who currently lives with us and will make the move with us.