The ARMENTAS
Pastor’s name: Jose Armenta
Wife’s name: Carolyn
Church: Rio Grande Mission Church
City (of church): Church Hill
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Carpenter
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Sharing God’s Word with lost people.
How do you juggle the role of being a pastor along with your other job? My other job understands that I am a pastor first.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Jose: The conference gives us time to relax, to grow as a pastor and to fellowship.
Carolyn: The conference gives us a chance to be with people who understand us and love us.
The CARVERS
Pastor’s name: Jonathan Carver
Wife’s name: Brooke
Church: Shepards Chapel Baptist Church
City (of church): Rogersville
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Information Technology support specialist; Brooke is a nurse practitioner.
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? I believe seeing restoration in the lives of individuals is every pastor’s favorite part.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Jonathan: This has been a wonderful conference, with great singing, inspirational messages, motivational sessions. It has been refreshing to fellowship and share with other pastors that face the struggles of balancing life, family, work and pastoring!
Brooke: The entire conference has been a blessing, from the fellowship with our brothers and sisters to the uplifting messages we have heard. The worship is powerful. This was our first experience of coming to the retreat. We will definitely plan to return next year.
The COGGINSES
Pastor’s name: Mark Coggins
Wife’s name: Cathy
Church: Sugar Tree Baptist Chapel
City (of church): Holladay
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Self employed Construction and Home Remodeling
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Serving the Lord is, of course, the most rewarding, and I enjoy seeing people experience the true, living God and I am blessed enough to watch them grow.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Mark: Each year, we look forward to being refreshed and the encouragement we receive while here. The preaching and teaching we receive is a much-needed experience and time for me, personally.
Cathy: It’s nice to come and feel encouragement from others. To be able to share and pray with others who are going through the same things means a lot (to us).
The HARBINS
Pastor’s name: Bradley Harbin
Wife’s name: Jennifer
Church: Enterprise Baptist
City (of church): Morristown
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Electrical Engineer
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Seeing others grow in Christ.
How do you juggle your duties as a full-time pastor and the responsibilities of your “other” job? Not very well (sometimes), but God leads!
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Bradley: (One of my favorite parts was) spending time with just my wife. (I also enjoy) the great preaching and the (overall) refreshing.
Jennifer: (I enjoy) the time in the Word and the fellowship with the other wives in the ministry.
The HICKSES
Pastor’s name: Tecky Hicks
Wife’s name: Linda
Church: First Baptist Church, Surgoinsville
City (of church): Surgoinsville
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Cattle Farmer
How do you juggle your duties as a full-time pastor and the responsibilities of your “other” job? God first, family second, church third, and God giving the increase.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Tecky: It provides for me more insights I need from men of a like faith.
Linda: A retreat from the busy everyday life. (And I) enjoy seeing old friends and hearing all the dynamic preaching.
The MARTINS
Pastor’s name: Barron V. Martin, Sr.
Wife’s name: Andrea
Church: One Faith Christian Center
City (of church): Millington
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Refrigeration/HVAC technician
How do you juggle your duties as a full-time pastor and the responsibilities of your “other” job? I prayed and asked the Lord to balance my time and my wife fills all the gaps.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Barron: The conference has solidified my wife and I as a team.
Andr’ea: The Conference has given me the time I needed alone with my husband. It has given us or reminded us of who we are to each other. I enjoyed the preaching, the Shepherd Family, and the wives’ groups.
The McCREARYS
Pastor’s name: Hobbie McCreary
Wife’s name: Kathy
Church: Grace Baptist
City (of church): Johnson City
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Fiscal director
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Sharing the gospel, providing messages that equip the church, developing relationships and encouraging others.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Hobbie: (It) provides encouragement, time to refocus, time to draw closer to God and wife. I enjoyed the preaching, worship together (great to hear all the pastors singing together) and meeting other pastors and their wives to discuss family and ministry challenges.
Kathy: I enjoyed the conference greatly. The preaching, fellowship, and I really like the women’s meetings — discussing the challenges of being a pastor’s wife and the blessings. Good time of fellowship.
The MURRAYS
Pastor’s name: Bill Murray
Wife’s name: Kristie
Church: Greenwood Baptist
City (of church): Johnson City
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Contractor
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Being able to both serve God and draw close to Him and at the same time help others do the same.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Bill: The fellowship with the other bivocational pastors across the state as well as the encouragement.
Kristie: This conference encourages us to continue in our God-given call to reach the lost and make disciples. I find this to be a place where you can be real and share your struggles.
The NICKELLS
Pastor’s name: Ronald Nickell
Wife’s name: Rhonda
Church: Pine Orchard Baptist
City (of church): Oakdale
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Bodyshop office
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Meeting the physical and spiritual needs of God’s people.
How do you juggle your duties as a full-time pastor and the responsibilities of your “other” job? I try to do my best at both (jobs). But yet focus on the things that are a priority in my life.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Ronald: (It’s a time of) meaningful fellowship and messages that encourage and challenge me.
Rhonda: It renews the soul and you have a chance to meet new friends.
The SIMMONSES
Pastor’s name: Josh Simmons
Wife’s name: Bethany
Church: College Grove Baptist
City (of church): College Grove
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Service manager at equipment dealer
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? I love talking to people and discipling men. Time spent outside the four walls, living out Jesus’s commandment to love one another is time well spent.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Josh: Hearing different peers’ perspective and someone else’s preaching fills our souls. Our commitment is renewed in the prayer times and our emotions are stirred by the beautiful music.
Bethany: So often we spend all of our time pouring into others. Being a pastor’s wife can be lonely and exhausting. This retreat has given us a renewed spirit! It has been encouraging and a wonderful time to focus on us and our relationships with Jesus.
The WEBBS
Pastor’s name: Travis Webb
Wife’s name: Christina
Church: Westview
City (of church): Morristown
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Food City, Lighting
How do you juggle your duties as a pastor and the responsibilities of your “other” job? Priority is a must: Jesus first, everything else second. It’s easier said than done, but when I do, the balance is right.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Travis: This conference is great and allows me to be refreshed in the ministry. I learn something new every year.
Christina: This conference has always been great and enjoyable. It gives us a chance to be with other ministry couples and catch up. We hear good preaching and always come home with new ideas.
The YOUNGS
Pastor’s name: Matthew Young
Wife’s name: Janna
Church: Laurel Bank Baptist
City (of church): Friendsville
Other profession (in addition to pastor): Rosenberg Assistant Professor of Practice at University of Tennessee
What is your favorite part about being a pastor? Watching people mature in the faith as they recognize the sufficiency of God’s Living Word.
Quoting the couple about the conference:
Matthew: It was helpful to have a few days to get to know the TBMB staff. (Also) fellowship with other bivo pastors and wives was encouraging.
Janna: Being new to being a pastor’s wife, it was great to meet other wives from our association and surrounding areas.
