A group for lead pastors with minimal or no staff who often rely on lay leadership in their church. For more information contact Mark Alexander. PastorMark@westernhillsep.org

 

Dr. Mark Alexander, Chair

Dr. Mark Alexander currently serves as Senior Pastor of Western Hills United Methodist Church in El Paso, Texas. He has over 20 years of experience in ministry. Currently, his Church has established a new faith community in the growing northwest edge of El Paso with another Asbury Seminary graduate, Rev. Bill Case. That congregation is now looking to plant another church in the northeast area of the community.

When asked about his call to ministry, he responded, “After spending almost seven years with the Exxon Corporation working in oil and gas production, I left Exxon to attend school and answer a call to ministry, that I received about five years into my Exxon career. A long and prayerful search with God about my purpose in life led to an experience of being called to preach. It was a dynamic and foundational experience, as well as a great surprise to almost everyone, except my wife, Teresa. Since answering the call there has not been one day that I have doubted or would deny that experience and sense of calling.”

He has been married for over 30 years to Teresa and together they have three children and three grandsons.

 

Rev. Carolyn Moore, Vice Chair

Rev. Carolyn Moore has been an ordained elder in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church since 1998. Born and raised in Augusta, Ga., Moore graduated from the University of Georgia in 1985 and Asbury Theological Seminary in 1998.

She served for five years as an Associate Pastor in Athens, Ga. where she helped create a weekly college worship experience in a downtown theatre. In 2003, she was appointed home again to the Augusta area, where she and her family were given the joy of starting a new congregation called Mosaic.

She is married to Steve Moore, a social studies teacher. Together they have one daughter, Claire Marie.

 

Dr. Tommy Artmann

Dr. Tommy Artmann received his Master of Divinity in 1979 and his Doctor of Ministry in 1998 from Asbury Theological Seminary. For the last 10 years, he has served as the Pastor of the Heritage United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, Miss.

When asked about his call to ministry, Artmann responded, “It was one of those very clear, near audible calls that I could not deny. My initial call was to youth ministry. I was a youth pastor for 11 years after I completed my Master of Divinity from Asbury Seminary. When we were expecting our third child I realized that God’s calling on my life as a husband and father necessitated that I be home more than youth ministry would allow, so I began the move into a more traditional pastoral role. This was basically an extension of my initial call.”

He and his wife Paula have three grown children.

 

Rev. Jeff Gage

Rev. Jeff Gage is the Associate Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Bryan, Texas. He has lived there since June 2006. Along with the regular duties of pastoral care and occasional preaching, he oversees the hospitality and new-member ministries and the missions committee.

When asked about his call to ministry, Gage responded, “I am a second career pastor.  I was a pharmacist in my first career. It was during pharmacy school that I actually began to receive a call. During that time is when I truly gave my life to Christ and became very involved with my church. As my level of involvement increased, so did my love for serving the church. After many hints from friends and my wife, countless conversations with pastors and mentors, I eventually admitted my call, quit my job, and moved to Kentucky. Looking back, I realized the call had been there all of my life. I just wasn’t listening for it.”

He has been married to his wife Donna for more than 14 years. They have two children.

 

Dr. David Grout

Dr. David Grout is the Senior Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church, in Bowling Green, Ky. Christ United Methodist Church has a growing vision for mission work and outreach in the church, involving foreign mission trips and local Habitat for Humanity efforts.

When asked about his call to ministry, Grout responded, “I was in Youth/Music ministry in Canton, Ohio, when God clearly used Margaret Brabon, and a few others, to communicate the need to come to seminary. Like many, I was very certain about the front door but had no clue where the back door was going to lead. Conversations with my father led me to understand a call back to my home Rio Grande Conference and to Spanish-speaking ministry. So I went through the ordination process and we served seven years there before returning to Asbury Theological Seminary to be part of the Beeson Program. That year opened doors to us for ministry in Kentucky. God has used me to help launch the Hispanic ministry of the United Methodist Church in Kentucky.  I view my call as ongoing because there are still several possible ‘doors’ ahead of us. Each door has taken us by surprise and been the passageway to incredible blessing.”

He is married to Pam Grout and they have one son, Michael.

 

Dr. Lynn Moore

Dr. Lynn Moore is a 1982 graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary. In addition to his studies in Family Ministries, he was intricately involved in the Ichthus Music Festival, volunteering all three years and serving as Program Director in 1981. He also taught across the street from Asbury Seminary at Asbury University in the Christian Education Department.

Moore served the youth of Wilmore as the Director of Youth Ministries for Wilmore United Methodist Church under David Seamands. On campus, Moore worked at various times in the President’s Office, the admissions office, and the development office with Dr. J.C. McPheeters.

Moore and his wife, Jill, currently live in Fort Worth, Texas where he pastors Edge Park United Methodist Church. Their three grown children are serving the Lord, and their two grandsons are “growing in stature and favor with God and man.”