Dr. Mike Luper – Dean of School of Christian Ministries
I came to Emmanuel College in 1997, along with my wife Cindy, and two boys, Rob and Dave. At that time I felt a clear call of God to come and be a part of Emmanuel College and the School of Christian Ministries. In the over two decades I have been here, that sense of God’s call, and the certainty of the choice to come, have been confirmed. Over the years it has been exciting to see the Lord at work in the lives of so many students who have come into the School of Christian ministries with the call of God upon their lives, and a desire to be trained for ministry. We are blessed with faculty who have the academic, as well as practical experience to provide the best training available anywhere. Perhaps more importantly, we have a faculty that has a heart for students, and a desire to see them grow not just mentally, but experientially as well. I believe it is this commitment to our students and their training that has made our graduates so highly sought after for positions of ministry. I am excited about what the Lord is doing in the School of Christian Ministries currently, and continue to look to the future with expectation of what he will continue to do.
Dr. Scott Ellington- Professor in School of Christian Ministries
Scott Ellington is an ordained minister in the Church of God and, together with his family, he severed for fourteen years as a missionary educator in Mexico, England, and Germany. He is currently a professor of Christian Ministry at Emmanuel College, having joined the faculty in 2008. When not teaching, Scott enjoys travel, acting, and writing poetry. He has a particular interest in prayer in the Bible and his first book is entitledRisking Truth: Reshaping the World Through Prayers of Lament. Most recently he has contributed the chapter on ‘Lamentations’ in The Oxford Handbook of the Writings of the Hebrew Bible.
Dr. Mark Trump – Professor in School of Christian Ministries
Greetings to you all. My official name and title is Mark L. Trump, Ph.D., Rev., Associate Professor of Christian Ministries at Emmanuel College. But really, I am just someone on the journey of faith who has chosen to try to make the most out of, and be faithful with, the interests and abilities that God gave me. I enjoy teaching. I think that it is what God has created me to do. I also enjoy being around learning environments where people want to wrestle through the issues of Christian faith, theology, and practice. I also thoroughly enjoyed the 12 years that I served as a pastor in various ways.
I began my college career in art school first at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and then at Savannah College of Art and Design before finishing my undergraduate degree, after a change of major and submitting my life to Christ, at Messiah College. I received a BA in Biblical Studies and a minor in Art. Academics was my gift, as was pastoring people, so I knew that I always wanted to keep these two worlds together. So after spending several years as a youth pastor, I returned to school and completed two Masters Degrees, one in Biblical Studies and the other in Theological Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. For some of my time at Asbury, I also served as a Youth Pastor at a church outside of Detroit Michigan and then taught Hebrew and Greek at Asbury Seminary before completing my education (a Ph.D.) in Religious Studies with a concentration in New Testament at Marquette University. Yet even while I was working on my Ph.D., I served as the Lead Pastor of two United Methodist churches in Racine and Union Grove Wisconsin. I came to Emmanuel in 2012 with an interest in training up the next generation of leaders for God’s Kingdom.
When I am not teaching or grading, I am doing a lot of things. I paint and design sets for my son’s theater company, I enjoy riding my mountain bike, I occasionally run (the latest adventure is preparing to run my first 5K), and I really love fishing for trout in the North Georgia Mountains. That is probably the best way for me to “recharge.” Basically, I love being outside in creation, it is the Sacred Pathway that I use to connect with God and to relax. I also spend a great deal of time with my wife of over 20 years and our two children.
Rev. Jason McCary – Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries
Jason has been married to his high school sweetheart (Marcia) since 1995 and is father to, Reagan (2002) and Gabe (2005). Jason served in youth ministry for a number of years before serving as campus pastor at Southwestern Christian University in Oklahoma City in the early 2000’s. In 2003 Jason and Marcia moved back to their hometown of Greenwood, SC to pastor REALife Church, where they ministered from 2003-2016. In 2016 Jason accepted a full-time position with the Upper South Carolina Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church Discipleship Ministries Director and Director for the Upper South Carolina Conference School of Ministry. Jason holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies and Master’s of Ministry from Southwestern Christian University in Oklahoma City, a Master’s of Theological Studies from Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, TN, and is presently a Doctoral Candidate at Southeastern University in Lakeland Florida. In Fall 2019 Jason accepted a full-time faculty position for Emmanuel College’s School of Christian Ministries. He is especially passionate about guiding those who sense a particular call to vocational Christian ministry.
Pastor Chris Maxwell – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
Chris Maxwell served 19 years as lead pastor in Orlando, Florida, after five years of youth ministry. He’s now in his 16th year as Campus Pastor and Director of Spiritual Life at Emmanuel College. He speaks in churches, conventions, and schools, and is the author of ten books, including “Pause With Jesus,” “Underwater,” and “a slow and sudden God: 40 years of wonder.” His latest book is his 2nd collection of poems—“embracing now: pain, joy, healing, living.” Chris loves books, sports, time with students, and time with his family. He and his wife Debbie have three sons and daughters in law, and eight grandchildren.
Pastor Tracy Reynolds – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
Tracy Reynolds has been in pastoral ministry for over forty years vocationally, serving lengthy tenures in three local churches. By day, he serves as Discipleship Pastor at Grace Fellowship, a thriving church near Athens, Georgia. By night, he is an adjunct professor at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, GA. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Richmont Graduate University since Spring 2017. He holds a Doctor of Strategic Leadership from Regent University as well as masters and bachelors degrees in Music Education. He is a lifelong learner in all areas of leadership, discipleship, and organizational development. Tracy Reynolds has served as a John Maxwell EQUIP Associate Trainer for the past 18+ years in the Philippines. He has traveled extensively across the islands training leaders in Manila, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan City, Urdaneta, Naga, Baguio, Dumaguete, and other regions of the Philippines as well as Ukraine, Brazil, and Jamaica. Dr. Reynolds has also served as a Leadership Coach and Trainer with Dr. Tim Elmore’s Growing Leaders, Inc. His wife, Lisa, and he have been married over forty years. They have two grown children and three granddaughters. He loves jazz, Starbucks coffee, and training the next generation of leaders! Most people affectionately refer to him as “Pastor Tracy” or simply “PT”. Campus Pastor, Chris Maxwell, and Tracy Reynolds publish a weekly podcast entitled Next Step Leadership.
On-Line handles:
https://nextstepleadership.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: C. Tracy Reynolds
Twitter: @ctracyreynolds
LinkedIn: Tracy Reynolds
Email: treynolds@ec.edu
Patrick Ballington – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
My passion and purpose is to help people discover and maintain a meaningful connection between faith in Christ and everyday life. A primary way I fulfill that purpose is helping current and emerging Christian leaders in local churches, businesses, and non-profit organizations become more effective leaders. I provide leadership education, training, coaching, and mentoring that integrates best practices and is practical, culturally relevant, theologically conservative, biblically based, and academically sound. I provide consulting services to pastors, executives, churches, ministries, and Christian non-profit organizations through Better Church Leader LLC, a company I founded in 2015. I have also served as the lead pastor of The Bridge Church in Cleveland, GA since 2007. My wife, Krista, and I were married in 1994 while leading a church youth retreat (she literally married into the ministry!) and we have 4 awesomely children: Isabelle, Isaac, Ireland, and Israel.
Dr. Richard Pettigrew – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
I was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I came to faith in Christ Jesus at the age of 9 and my family began to be mentored by the Navigators, the parachurch organization that provided much of the follow-up ministry for the Billy Graham Crusades. The Navigators’ headquarters were in Colorado Springs, and we found great discipleship under their leadership. When I was 16 the small Christian Missionary Alliance Church we were attending at the time became baptized in the Holy Spirit. This was very early in the Charismatic Renewal that began sweeping the nation. We were asked to leave the CMA denomination because of this change in our lives, so a non-denominational church resulted. I felt a calling at that time to teach God’s Word and I began to take positions of lay leadership in every church I attended. I currently serve as the Chairman of the Elder Board at Grace Fellowship in Athens, Georgia, a church I helped plant. I teach weekly Sunday School classes and home Bible studies in addition to my Bible teaching at Emmanuel. My greatest joy as a teacher of God’s Word is to see the “lights come on” in my students when the Spirit makes real to them the Truth that is in Jesus.
I have a B.A. in geology from Whitworth College, an M.A.C.M from Erskine Theological Seminary and I have been ordained with the American Evangelistic Association since 1969. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for over 50 years. We have 5 children and 17 grandchildren. We just recently were blessed with our first greatgrandchild and another one on the way. I own a physician’s billing company in Athens and have been an adjunct professor of the Bible at Emmanuel since 2010.
John Wood – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
As an alumni of Emmanuel College, what a priveldge and opportunity to return the investment that was invested in my life to students today. As Global Mission Adjunct Professor since January 2019, it has been a new honor to invest and train students. I started serving in Latin America in 1983 after attending a Spanish Language Institute for nine months. I met my wife Margarita in Costa Rica and now we have three children and three grandchildren. We live in Nicholson, Ga. I having been serving as Care Pastor at The Grove in Maysville, GA and serving in missions and leading teams all over the world since March of 1998. I have had the priveldge to serve with John Maxwell’s Equip ministry in Kenya, Uganda, Turkey, Argentina, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala and mainly in Honduras.
Robby Brown – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
Pastor Robby began teaching in the SCM in 2010. He is a graduate of Emmanuel College (BS Religion) and Southeastern Baptist Seminary (MDiv). He is currently completing his D.Min. at Mid-America Seminary in Memphis, TN.
Pastor Robby is married to Tina and has served as the lead pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Danielsville since 2000. Pastor Robby and Tina also lead the college ministry at Trinity. Prior to coming to Trinity, he spent 10 years as a student pastor and minister of education in churches in North Carolina and Georgia.
Pastor Robby’s passion is to equip families and students to experience life the way God intended by expounding to them the truths of Holy Scripture. Emmanuel College provides him with further opportunity to equip students to discover the “boundless riches of Christ” revealed in God’s Word. (Eph. 3:8)
Dr. Keith T. Marriner – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
Keith T. Marriner has formally served in Christian higher education for nearly two decades. Currently, he serves as an adjunct professor of Christians Ministries at Emmanuel College and as an adjunct faculty member at Liberty University Online, School of Religion. Besides teaching students, Keith is the Executive Editor of One Accord Resources, which produces Sunday school and small group literature. He also serves as an elder of his local church. Keith holds degrees from Emmanuel College (B.A.) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M., and Ed.D.). He is the author of Following the Lamb: The Theme of Discipleship in the Book of Revelation (Wipf & Stock, 2016), as well as the author of articles, book reviews, and Sunday School literature. When he is not teaching students and editing literature, Keith enjoys spending time with his family, playing disc golf, and watching sports, especially college basketball. He and his wife, who met at Emmanuel College, live in Northeast Georgia with their two daughters.
John Case – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
John has been involved in ministry for 25 years with various roles ranging from youth pastor, worship leader, and senior pastor. He graduated from Emmanuel College with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry in 2008 where he received the J. H. King Theology Award. After earning a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Regent Divinity School in 2017, he started as an adjunct at Emmanuel College shortly thereafter. He lives in Elberton, Ga with his wife Brittany and 3 daughters: Savannah, Kinsley, and Lexi. He currently serves on staff at Celebration Outreach Center in Elberton, GA and his interests include intimacy with God, studying the Bible and theology, and Christian education.
Chris Bailey – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
My name is Chris Bailey and I serve as an adjunct professor at Emmanuel College in the Christian Ministries dept. I also serve on the pastoral staff at Crossroads Community Church in Athens, GA, leading worship, teaching and preaching. Emmanuel College is in my blood. My mother graduated from E.C. in the 50’s, and my father moved my family from Raleigh, N.C. to join the staff at E.C. in 1971. So, I have either had an immediate family member working at Emmanuel, I was in school here, or I have taught here continually for 51 years! I had the privilege of attending Emmanuel and graduating from the School of Christian Ministries in 1991. Following that, I attended Regent University, in Va Beach, VA (M.Div. ’94). I began teaching as an adjunct at EC in 1995 and have continued ever since. One of the main areas of focus for me has been teaching Bible classes to students who may or may not have a history with the Bible. What a joy to share God’s work in a unique academic environment! My hope and prayer is to instill understanding, appreciation, and love for God’s Word in this generation and for our students to clearly see how relevant and applicable God’s Word is for their lives today!I’m blessed with a wonderful wife, Kelly and three children, Jackson (EC ’22), Jordan and Avery Jo.
Andrew Gilmore – Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries
Andrew has served in the church in a variety of leadership roles since 2008, and currently is the Director of Discipleship and Children’s Ministries at First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, TN. He and his wife have been married for 13 years and have an 8-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. Andrew holds a BA in Biblical Studies from Messiah University, a MDiv and MA in Biblical Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a ThM in Old Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary. During his time in graduate school, he also studied in Israel. He has taught at various colleges and seminaries since 2008. Andrew’s passion in ministry is helping to create pathways where people can encounter God and develop their faith. In addition to serving in the church and teaching, Andrew is a big fan of the US Men’s soccer team. He also enjoys coaching his son’s soccer team, walking his 2 dogs Katniss and Sunny, as well as playing with his kids.
