Speakers

For five decades, Jim Arnett and Linda, his wife of 59 years, have been members of the Brentwood Hills Church of Christ where they have both served in a variety of ministries (24 years as an elder). Jim’s professional career was spent at Lipscomb University where he served 31 years as Professor of Biology and 16 in administrative roles. Following decades of responsibility in church leadership roles and multiple mission efforts, Jim remains heavily invested in teaching adult Bible classes, community outreach, mentoring and visitation.

Dr. Mark Adams serves as Preaching Minister at the Tusculum Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee. He previously preached in Arkansas and Texas and has taught graduate courses in ministry at Lipscomb University and Harding School of Theology. Mark writes and speaks on church leadership, faith formation, and the intersection of Christian theology with modern culture, and he shares resources at kingdomupgrowth.com. His passion is helping congregations grow in both depth and mission, equipping leaders and everyday disciples to live faithfully in a complex world. He and his wife, Carolina, have two children and make their home in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Gwen Barker serves as a Women’s Leader and Spiritual Mentor in Nashville, drawing from a successful career in sales and marketing. Her husband, Rex, has been an elder, worship leader, and children’s minister, and together they share a deep passion for ministry and for helping others grow in their faith and purpose. Gwen finds her greatest joy in helping people realize their true potential, discover meaningful job placement, and find creative ways to serve the Lord. With warmth and wisdom, she encourages and equips spouses of church leaders to thrive in their unique calling and walk faithfully alongside their husbands in ministry. Gwen and Rex have three children and six grandchildren and currently attend North Boulevard West.

Frank has been a shepherd at Donelson Church of Christ since 1993. He is founder and owner of Frank Batson Homes, board chair of Goodpasture Christian School, and has directed the Donelson church youth camp for 50 years.  Before serving as a shepherd, he was associate minister at Donelson for 23 years. He and his wife Judy have 7 children and 17 grandchildren.

Leslie Chapman is originally from Ripley, MS.  He graduated from Freed-Hardeman with a B.A. in Bible in 1981 and from Harding Graduate School of Religion with a M.Th. in New Testament in 1986. Leslie has served churches in Covington, TN (1982-1990), the Northside Church of Christ in Nashville, TN (1990-2018), and the Hendersonville Church of Christ just north of Nashville since 2018.  He is married to June and they have two sons—Robert (Amy) and Kyle (Andrea)—and three grandsons—Grant, Luke and Garrett.

Dr. Dennis M. Crowder is a native Nashvillian. He attended Fisk and Tennessee State Universities. He gave his first sermon at age twelve and served as minister for Jackson Street for 41 years. Additionally, he worked with MNPS before retiring in 2018. Dennis served as an elder at the Northside Church for 3 years. Currently, he serves on the board of the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort Inc., preaches online with South African ministry teams, ministers at Riverbend Prison, and is a disciplinary hearing officer for MNPS.

He is married to Ethel; has three children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Prior to retirement in 2024, Dan Dozier served five decades on church staffs in various roles (youth and family minister, associate minister, and preaching minister) in Georgia, Missouri, and Tennessee. Currently, he serves as a shepherd at Fourth Avenue Church of Christ in Franklin, TN. His passion in leadership is fostering encouraging and mutually edifying relationships within the local church. He also enjoys mentoring younger men to help them develop their leadership and service potential. He and JaneLee live in Brentwood, TN and will soon celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary. They are blessed to be the parents of three wonderful children and the grandparents of eight marvelous grandchildren.

Charlie Herndon graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in 1976 and served in full-time youth ministry for the next 18 years.  He transitioned to the financial services industry for most of the next 30 years, which broadened his perspective on the challenge of living by faith in the world. He served 13 years as a shepherd with the Donelson Church of Christ before transferring to Northside in Madison in 2018, where he is one of the six shepherds.  His focus in shepherding is Jesus’ charge to Peter: “Take care of my sheep.” Charlie and Marsha enjoy their two children and six grandchildren.

Dr. Evertt W. Huffard, Professor Emeritus of leadership and missions at Harding School of Theology, was a professor and administrator for 32 years before retiring in 2019. He was an elder for a decade and has served elders and leadership teams in churches for thirty years as a partner in Hope Network Ministries. He contributed chapters titled “From Quick Fix to Healthy Assessment” in the book Doing God’s Work (2013) and “Leading by Consensus” in Navigating the Storm: Resources of Hope for Church Leaders (2017), both published by Hope Network. Evertt and Ileene have three children and ten grandchildren.

Blake Parker serves as Executive Minister and Worship Minister at Hendersonville Church of Christ. With more than three decades of worship ministry leadership across congregations in Middle Tennessee, he is known for cultivating worship that is both reverent and engaging. Having a passion for a cappella worship, Blake honors the church’s rich history of hymns while integrating a balance of contemporary selections. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Lipscomb University. Blake and his wife, Angela, make their home in Brentwood, Tennessee

Mark Powell became lead minister of the Donelson Church of Christ in fall 2024. Before coming to Donelson, he was dean and professor of theology at Harding School of Theology in Memphis, where he taught for 22 years. Mark has served as a shepherd, and in preaching ministry, urban ministry, church planting, and adult education for churches in Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee. He and his wife Debbie have been married for 29 years and have three adult children.

Dr. Phil Smith earned both his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degrees from the University of Tennessee. He has been practicing dentist in Gallatin, Tennessee, for 48 years. A devoted member of the Hartsville Pike Church of Christ for 51 years, Phil has served as a Bible school teacher, deacon, and elder for the past 16 years. His passion for service extends beyond his local community—he has participated in 17 medical and evangelistic mission teams in Panama, Nicaragua, Peru, and the Philippines. In his free time, Phil enjoys kayaking, teaching and creating stained glass art, and restoring classic cars.Description goes here

Jason Thompson has served as Executive Minister at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ in Brentwood, Tennessee, for more than 20 years. He also partners with Hope Network Ministries and The Carpenter’s Plan, guiding churches and nonprofits in strategic planning, leadership transitions, governance, and fundraising. His ministry has reached across the U.S. and internationally, helping faith-based organizations strengthen leadership and advance their mission. Jason earned degrees from Faulkner University, Harding School of Theology, and a Doctor of Education from Lipscomb University. He and his wife, Megan, are blessed with three children—Kelsey, Ella Grace, and Will Hudson.

Aaron Tremblay has served as preaching minister at the Smyrna church of Christ in Tennessee. for more than nine years. For ten years, he served as the preaching minister for the Leominster church of Christ in Massachusetts. He has gained experience working alongside elderships in congregations of various sizes and cultural contexts. He is also one of the organizers of the "Greater Together" collaboration effort between congregations in Middle Tennessee for the last four years.  He is passionate about unity and collaboration in leadership at the congregational level as well as between congregations.