Personal

I was born and raised in the small town of Mayfield, Kentucky, just south of Paducah.  I spent most of my youth anticipating a career as a musician, playing the trombone, marching in the band, and attending music and broadcasting conventions at a university nearby. My conversion to Christ at age 17 changed all of this, followed by the call to ministry through the love a little church of fifteen members in western Kentucky who invited me to preach every Sunday beginning midway through my junior year in high school.

I went on to college, and after graduating, I interned at a church in Birmingham, Alabama where I met a beautiful blonde from L.A. (Lower Alabama), Ann Yarbrough.  She said “Yes,” and I “married up-hill.”  We have been married 24 years and have two precious daughters, Katlyn (19) and Erin (16). 

We live in Knoxville, Tennessee, in southern Knox County at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. I am a professor at Johnson Bible College (see below), and Ann is a homemaker and Occupational Therapist at Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center.
When I'm not working, I enjoy voice artistry (voice over and quartet singing) jogging, listening to music (all kinds - Christian, Brian Crain, Allison Kraus, Giovanni Gabrielli, Chicago, Irish, Solo Piano, Empire Brass), and watching the History Channel. Our family loves spending time with our friends at church, hiking in the mountains, going to first-run movies, or just sitting at home and watching our favorite television programs.

My Passion

To blend practical ministry experience, authentic spirituality, and rigorous scholarship into teaching, preaching, and consulting that equips churches and church leaders for greater effectiveness.

Teaching Ministries

Professor of Church Leadership and New Testament, Johnson Bible College, Knoxville, Tennessee (2001-Present)

• Managing Conflict and Change in Ministry
• Leading Established Churches
• Congregational Ministry
• Ministry Relationships and Communication Skills
• Gospel Narratives
• General Epistles and Revelation
• Christian Perspectives / Worldview (L.A.M.P. Program)
• Christian Theology / (L.A.M.P. Program)

Adjunct Faculty

• Harding University Graduate School of Religion, Memphis, Tennessee (1997-Present)
  Courses: Congregational Ministry, Church Health and Transformation, Managing Conflict in Ministry
• University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Department of Communication Studies (2001-Present)
  Course: Business and Professional Speaking
• Faulkner University, Montgomery, Alabama (2000-2001)
  Courses: Conflict Management, Introduction to the Counseling Profession

Church Ministries

• Interim Preaching Team, Farragut Church of Christ, Knoxville, Tennessee (2008 - )
• Interim Preaching Team, Laurel Church of Christ, Knoxville, Tennessee (2005-2007)
• Interim Minister, Farragut Church of Christ, Knoxville, Tennessee (2002-2004)
• Preaching Minister, Vaughn Park Church of Christ, Montgomery, Alabama (1999-2001)
• Preaching Minister, Laurel Church of Christ, Knoxville, Tennessee (1990-1999)
• Preaching Minister, Darby Drive Church of Christ, (now Cross Point CofC) Florence, Alabama (1986-1990)
• Preaching Minister, Cordova Church of Christ, Memphis, Tennessee (1983-1986)
• Associate Minister, Highland Street Church of Christ, Memphis, Tennessee (1982-1983)
• Preaching Minister, Deason Church of Christ, Shelbyville, Tennessee (1979-1982) 

Academic Background

Degrees

• D. Min. (Doctorate of Ministry), Abilene Christian University, GraduateSchool of Theology, Abilene, Texas (1993), concentration in Preaching and Church Leadership
• M. Div. (Master of Divinity), Harding University Graduate School of Religion, Memphis, Tennessee (1988), concentration in Ministry and New Testament
• B. A., Lipscomb University, College of Bible and Ministry, Nashville, Tennessee (1982); attended Freed-Hardeman University, Henderson, Tennessee (1977-78)

Post-Graduate (Conflict Management, Organizational Leadership, Counseling, Research)

• University of Tennessee, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, Knoxville, Tennessee (1994-1995)
• Murray State University, College of Business and Public Affairs / Organizational Communication, Murray, Kentucky (1989-1990)
• University of Memphis, College of Education, Memphis, Tennessee (1988-89)

Advanced Training
In addition to formal education, I have received training or certification from the some of the leading scholar-practitioners and organizations in my fields of interest. Some of the more recent of these are:

• Academy for Spiritual Formation, Academy #27, Bon Secours Spiritual Center, Baltimore, Maryland (ongoing since October, 2007)
• Society for Church Consulting, Charter Member
• Certified Specialist in Human Behavior Consulting, Certified Human Behavior Consultant, Personality Insights Institute, Robert A. Rohm, Ph.D.
• Certified Christian Conciliator - Institute for Christian Conciliation / Peacemaker Ministries
• Certified Church Health Consultant, Church Central / Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Chuck Lawless and Dr. Thom Rainer, Rainer Group
• Trained Facilitator, Healthy Congregations Workshops, Dr. Pete Steinke
• Certified Facilitator, Listening Laboratory, Dr. John Savage, LeadPlus Consultants
• Authorized Inscape Publishing Distributor
• Certified Human Behavior Consultant, Uniquely You, Mels Carbonell, Ph.D.
• Interim Ministry Advanced Training, with Interim Ministry Network
• Managing Organizational Transitions Consultant's and Trainer's Seminar, Dr. William Bridges
• Spiritual Strategic Journeys for Congregations, The Columbia Partnership, Dr. George Bullard
• Creative Training Techniques, Train-The-Trainer Bootcamp (Participant-Based Learning), Bob Pike Group
• Transformation Experiences: Change, Transition, and Conflict in Congregations, The Columbia Partnership, Dr. George Bullard
• Negotiation and Mediation Skills, Dr. Bob McElvain
• Conflict Management in Congregational Life, Mr. Speed Leas, Alban Institute
• Advanced Mediation Skills and Managing Conflict and Change, L. Randolph Lowry, Pepperdine University Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
• Conflict Management and the Resolution of Corporate Pain, Dr. John Savage, LeadPlus Consultants
• Models for Facilitating Change / Roles and Skills of the Church Consultant, Dr. John Savage, LeadPlus Consultants
• I have also completed trainings sponsored by Leadership Network, Willow Creek Association, Rick Warren and Saddleback Resources, Dr. Gary McIntosh and Church Growth Network, Inscape Publishing/Carlson Learning Company (qualified distributor), and many others.

Preaching, Seminars, Workshops, Consultations
I maintain a regular schedule of preaching by appointment, conducting seminars and workshops, and consulting. Virtually any area of my experience in practical ministry or academia can be translated into useful resources for churches and church leaders. Please click here to go to the area of my website that describes these offerings.

How To Contact Me