For many PCA pastors, they know how to preach the gospel and minister to people, but they haven’t been taught things like how to build a leadership pipeline, how to establish a strategic vision, or practical church finance skills.

The joyous celebration was, in the words of planting pastor Chris Talley, a remembrance of God’s faithfulness. “It wasn’t to celebrate ourselves but to worship Jesus and tell the story of what He’s done among ordinary people.”

"Events like this which seek to care for and keep church planters cared for and on mission is one of the reasons we chose to be a part of this movement.”

The hope is that over time, we’ll see more church planters and pastors identified, equipped, trained, and supported and ready to reach the lost and renew communities.

Chris is our first learning hub coordinator and the newest team member of the Tennessee Valley Presbytery Church Planting Network.

As Lakeway Presbyterian Church in Morristown, TN, prepares to particularize next year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the Lord’s faithfulness to this church plant over the last six years.

It’s been several years since we’ve had the pleasure of announcing a new church plant in the Tennessee Valley Presbytery, but this fall, we’re delighted to announce that Rob Herron and his wife, Mary Lee, are planting Mercy Presbyterian Church.

The Nashville Presbytery’s desire to plant churches has been growing for a while, and this year, that momentum began to be channeled intentionally through a partnership with the Tennessee Valley Presbytery.

Pastor Alton Hardy and Tristen Bryant of Urban Hope Community Church and Manifold Vision joined Tennessee Valley Presbytery’s church planters to share about their ministry in Fairfield, AL. As Alton said, the answer to each community’s problems is: “You must preach the gospel. Most of the churches in Fairfield are not even remotely preaching the gospel.”