STAFF TEAM


Rev. Brad McMullen

Lead Pastor

 

 

Rev. Mark

Coleman

Executive Pastor

 

 

Rev. Jesse

Caro

Pastor of Discipleship

 

 

Cord

Doss

Minister of Worship and Communications

 

Rev. Joe

Elmore

Pastor of Visitation

 

 

Ruth

Boyd

Church Office Secretary

 

 

Jennifer

Davenport

Director of Connections & Hospitality

 

Douglas

Kellogg

Director of Young Adults

 

 

Jon

Shepherd

Director of Student Ministries

 

 

Erin

Colbert

Director of Children's Ministries

 

 

Christina

Tilley

Executive Director of Child

Development Center

 

Kelly

Shepherd

Preschool Director

 

Jaime

Lewis

CDC - Director of Infant & Toddler

Justine

Kiger

Director of Senior

Ministries

Beth

Francis

Business Manager

 

Kristen Moore

Director of

Feeding Ministries

 

Cody

Flynn

Digital Media & Communications Coordinator

Irish

Furbush

Audio Video

Technician

Samantha Adams

Children's Ministry

Assistant

Jessica

Reynolds

Children's Ministry

Assistant

Zack

Bohatec

Student Ministry

Assistant

Jenny

Tibbs

Nursery Coordinator

 

Taylor

Kennedy

Worship Leader

 

George

Brown

Custodian

 

Mark

Shepherd

Maintenance

 

Martha

Williams

Traditional Pianist

 

Megan

Gingery

CDC Enrollment and Finance

Coordinator

 

Jenn

DelaCruz

CDC School Age Leader

 


ELDERS

G.W

Hall

Elder Team Chair

 

Laurel

Johnson

Elder Team Secretary

 

Jennifer

Beeker

Staff Parish Chair

 

David

Polk

Trustees Chair

 

Robin

Grier

Finance Chair

 

Kim

Lancaster

Missions Chair

 

Jim

Thomasson

Elder

 

Susan

Brandt

Elder

 

Jacob

Watson

Elder

 

Christine

Schram

Elder

 

Mark

Coleman

Executive Pastor

 

Brad

McMullen

Lead Pastor

 


Timberlake Leadership

Language Update

We have changed the name of “Church Council” to “Elders.”

Please read below for the Biblical rationale.

The History of the Language of “Council”
The name “Church Council” was prescribed by the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which offered the alternative “Administrative Board.”  It has been historically used by Timberlake, without much critical analysis but more so out of habit.
 
In the Bible, the term “council” is used in three primary ways, none of which refer to local church leadership.  “Council” is used to mean
• The Jewish ruling body, such as Pharisees and Sadducees (John 3:1)
• One-time assemblies for the purpose of establishing church law and theology (Acts 15)
• The saints and angels gathered around the throne of God (Psalm 89:7)
 
The Biblical Language of “Elder”
On the other hand, the Bible’s word for local church leaders is “elders.”  Elders are those who lead, guide, teach, pray for, and encourage the congregation in the way of Jesus.  They are decision-makers, but more importantly they are leaders, examples for spiritual maturity, and shepherds for the sheep.  Paul instructed the leaders in Ephesus, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [elders].  Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).  While the UMC uses the term elder to designate ordained clergypersons, the Bible uses the term to mean the multiple leaders from within each congregation, not merely the clergy (Acts 14:23, I Peter 5:1).
 
The Role of Elders
The Bible is clear about the expectation and role of elders in Titus 1:4-9:
“To Titus, …I left you behind in Crete so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: someone who is…
blameless… not accused of debauchery and not rebellious… not arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled.
hav[ing] a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.”
 
…In summary, according to Titus 1, elders lead through
• Administration and strategy
o “you should put in order what remained to be done,”
• Holy living
o an elder is “blameless, a lover of goodness, hospitable, self-controlled”
• Biblical teaching and transmission of the faith
o “hav[ing] a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.”
 
Therefore…
This change from “Church Council” to “Elders” is…
• Biblical, reflecting the appropriate use of the words as in the Bible
• Practical, reflecting the actual work of our Timberlake leaders
• Spiritual, reflecting the faith leadership to which our leaders are called
 
A note on the Role of Women
The Bible affirms the leadership role of women, therefore so does Timberlake.  Here are a few examples…
• Phoebe, Priscilla, and Junia were leaders in the early church (Rom 16:1-7)
• The Spirit of God was poured out on the whole church, including women (Acts 2:17)
• Miriam, Deborah, and Anna were prophets, judges, and temple officials (Ex 15:20-21, Judges 4:4, Luke 2:36-37)
• The first people to proclaim the resurrection were women (Luke 24:9-10)
 
On the Nature of Shared Ministry Leadership in the Bible
The Biblical model for organizing a local church calls for shared leadership, and for multiple men and women to pastor the people.  Contrary to what is practiced in many churches, the work of ministry is not mainly what the pastor does, but what all the people do, led by those who are gifted and called for leadership.  No person can or should try to pastor everyone.  It is a shared effort.  Likewise, our leaders have spiritual gifts for pastoring, teaching, discernment, wisdom, administration, exhortation, evangelism, and so forth.  Using the language of “elder” sets up our leaders for fruitful ministry by claiming God’s call and gifting, and by communicating to ourselves and our congregation the particular role our leaders exercise for the ministry of Timberlake.