West Franklin family,

As most of you know, Matt Pearson has been called to a new church. Like you, we were sad to hear this news, but we certainly wish Matt and his family well in his new opportunity, and we’re excited for the work the Lord is calling him to do there. While this news is not what we would have wanted, we want you to know that as soon as we became aware of this, we began preparing and planning for the future. We’re excited about what God has in store for West Franklin, and we’re reminded in transitions such as these of the benefits and shared support that the larger Brentwood Baptist family provides. We hope to share an update soon, which will include more details about the process for identifying and confirming the next Campus Pastor for West Franklin.

John Joseph
South Region Lead Campus & Teaching Pastor


Frequently Asked Questions

Who is our Campus Pastor right now?


Our South Region Associate Executive Pastor, Matt Purdom, will work closely with your campus staff regarding day-to-day campus operations during the interim period. John Joseph, our South Region Lead Pastor, will ensure that your staff is cared for and supported as they continue to provide leadership in each ministry area of the church.

Who is on the Team tasked with searching for our next Campus Pastor?


Both John Joseph and Matt Purdom will provide guidance to a search team that’s comprised of West Franklin members and select Staff Resource Team (SRT) representatives:

    • Art Tennille (Trustee Representative)
    • Hunter Moss (Staff Resource Team Chair)
    • Caleb Herndon (Staff Resource Team Member)
    • Justin Hall (West Franklin Campus Advisory Team)
    • Megan Kyle (West Franklin Campus Advisory Team)
    • Sarah Cooley (West Franklin Campus Advisory Team)


How does the search process work?


John Joseph will ultimately direct the search, and candidates will advance through several steps:

  • Initial screening and phone interview.
  • Answer a series of written questions related to theology and ministry practices.
  • Complete the PLACE and StrengthsFinder Assessments.
  • Evaluation of sermons either in person or by video
  • Meet with the full search team.

Once a final candidate is selected, they will be reviewed/approved by the full Brentwood Baptist Staff Resource Team and ultimately hired by the Board of Trustees.

During the process, the search team will provide monthly updates to the congregation.


What is the difference between a Campus Pastor and a Senior Pastor?

The Senior Pastor serves the Brentwood Baptist Church and its campuses, under the direction of the Trustees, by providing spiritual leadership and vision to the entire church. The Senior Pastor works with all campus staff and church leaders to align strategies and ministries to accomplish the church’s vision.

The Campus Pastor is responsible to the church, under the direction of the Lead Region Campus Pastor (South Region), for aligning the overall mission, vision, objectives, and goals of Brentwood Baptist Church with the campus. The Campus Pastor oversees the day-to-day operations of the campus, acts as liaison to Brentwood Baptist both for central support and ministry, and provides preaching, pastoral care, equipping for daily Disciple-Making, and leadership for all of the campus.


What can I pray for during this time of transition?

    1. Pray for Matt Pearson and his family. Pray that God will use Matt in his next ministry opportunity to be fruitful for God’s Kingdom.
    2. Pray for your campus staff during this transition and for church leadership to have wisdom and unity of heart and mind during this search process.
    3. Pray for the next Campus Pastor. Pray for him and his family as God stirs their hearts to come to us. Pray for their transition to us and their future ministry with us.


What is the search team focusing on when looking for a Campus Pastor?


We primarily look for a pastor who can articulate a sense of calling and confirmation to this specific ministry assignment and how God has been preparing him for this moment. We want to identify someone who desires to develop and lead the campus staff and provide pastoral leadership to the congregation as much as they feel called to preach and teach. An ability to cast vision for reaching this community with the gospel is essential, as well as the ability to implement that vision among the staff and congregation.

What is the timeline for the search?


While there is no definitive timeline for the search, we believe the Lord will guide us quickly to what He has in store for us next and allow for a timely but measured transition to occur in 2025.

Have Questions?

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