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Our Elder Team
Fellowship Bible Church is governed by a plurality of biblically qualified elders (I Timothy 3:1-7 & Titus 1:5-9) who provide spiritual oversight and guard the doctrine, mission and values of the church.
In prayerful dependence and diligent commitment to the authority of God’s Word, the elders’ role is to determine how the Lord, who is the Head of the body, wishes to direct His church.
Back row: Tony Wood, Bill Wellons, Kevin Virden, Jeff Helton, Bob Benson, John Mays
Front row: Hunter Murray, Maridus Kinder, Bob Elrod, Richard Scott, Barry McCall
You may contact our elders at elders@FellowshipNashville.org.
Elder Mini-Bios
as of October 2007
BOB BENSON – age 45
Family Members: Mary (wife), Nick – 16, Molli – 13, Cole – 7
How Long Married: 17 years
Occupation: VP Remote Review Operations, AIM Healthcare
Hobbies: Coaching my kids, hanging out with my kids and attending their activities, tennis, travel, working out, reading, and spending time with my wife.
Originally From: Akron, Ohio
How Long at Fellowship: Since the summer of 1997
Began Serving as an Elder in: March 1999
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Met and got to know Lloyd Shadrach when he first moved to Nashville and lived in our neighborhood.
Favorite Scripture Passage: Too many to pick just one.
Anything else you'd like us to know or like to share? It is an honor, a privilege, and a pleasure to serve Christ by being an Elder and serving his body of believers at FBC.
BOB ELROD – age 50
Family Members: Marya (wife), Jordyn – 17, Robert – 16, Rachel – 12
How Long Married: 19 years
Occupation: General Manager/Service, Johnson Controls, Inc.
Hobbies: Running, biking, golf, family activities
Originally From: Greenville, SC – grew up in Vicksburg, MS
How Long at Fellowship: since 1998 – 9 years
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2001
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Neighbors recommend we try this start up church meeting at Franklin High School – after the first service we knew God wanted us here.
Favorite Scripture Passage: I Chronicles 28:20 – “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.” I Timothy 1:5 – "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
JEFF HELTON – age 48
Family Members: Lora (wife), Josh – 17, Sarah – 15, Jacob – 12, Jonathan – 10
How Long Married: 20 years (since July 18, 1987)
Occupation: Teaching Pastor
Hobbies: Reading, time with children, beginning photography
Originally From: Cleveland, TN
How Long at Fellowship: Since 1999
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2001
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Bob Benson and I were friends in Chicago. He kept telling me about a church plant that he was involved with in Franklin. I came down and met the team in 1998 and several months later we started talking about the possibilities for working here.
Favorite Scripture Passage: So many . . . in this season of my life, I find myself quoting Isaiah 30:15 a lot.
MARIDUS KINDER - age 52
Family Members: Connie Kinder (wife) - age 49
How Long Married: 29 years
Occupation: Pastor
Hobbies: reading, running, shooting, driving
Where Originally From: Nebraska
How Long at Fellowship: Since June 2000
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2003 or 04?? The same year as Wellons, Hunter, Richard and Virden.
How Did You Get to Fellowship: The church was looking for someone to oversee the assimilation of new members, and I was looking for an opportunity to use my gifts to serve the church.
Favorite Scripture Passage: Revelation 19:11-16
JOHN MAYS - age 51
Family Members and Ages: Dianne - 56 (publish at your own risk), Kelsey - 20, John Austin - 17, Denny, my Mom, lives with us too but sharing her age would bring swift and certain retribution. You don't want to get "Denny-fied."
How Long Married: 30 years
Occupation: VP A&R - Centricity Music
Hobbies: Tech stuff, history, racquetball
Where Originally From: Andrews, TX (oh don't give me that "never heard of it" thing... come on, it's 30 miles north of Odessa)
How Long at Fellowship: 1997
Began Serving as an Elder in: mmmm... now one would think that I would know that. 2002?
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Friends
Favorite Scripture Passage: Phillipians 1:6. Just always loved the reminder that it's all God's initiative, and His commitment to our process.
Anything else you'd like us to know or like to share? Life philosophy: There aren't too many problems in the world that can't be helped by a Macintosh computer, some Mexican food, or a trip to Texas.
BARRY MCCALL - age 46
Family Members and Ages: Wife- Melissa - 47 (married an older woman), Daughter - Becca - 22 Sr. Univ of Tennessee, Son - Michael - 19 Soph. Univ of Tennessee, Son - Phillip - 16 Soph. Ravenwood High School
How Long Married: 25 years - met my wife on Valentines day
Occupation: Investment Management/Financial Planning
Hobbies: Upland Bird and duck hunting, Golf, doing anything in the mountains, jogging (not running), reading
Where Originally From: Pulaski, Va. The jewel of south western Virginia
How Long at Fellowship: Since the beginning - 10 years
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2003 or 4; honestly can't remember
How Did You Get to Fellowship: College friendship with Lloyd Shadrach
Favorite Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 9:23-24
Anything else you'd like us to know or like to share? I love: dogs (especially those of the hunting variety), the smell of spent shotgun shells, crisp fall days in the woods, my wife's cooking, being with friends, Guinness or a good Merlot, the Vols, the smell of cigars, history, my kids laughter, Sunday afternoon naps, Thanksgiving, our friends in Peru, and technology that works right the first time.
HUNTER MURRAY - age 34
Family Members and Ages: Kristin - spouse, Jaden - 5 years, Colsen - 3 years
How Long Married: 10 Years
Occupation: Executive Search for companies supporting federal government
Hobbies: I enjoy lots of things including travel, fishing, studying and teaching bible and watching college and pro football with my boys. Kristin and I love to cook. I attempt to master the grill.
Where Originally From: Memphis, TN
How Long at Fellowship: Almost ten years
Began Serving as an Elder in: May 2005
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Kristin and I were looking for an expositional bible church when we moved to Nashville. We grew up in a church where the church staff did most of the ministry. We were looking for a church which equipped the lay person and then let them do the work of ministry. We didn't want to audit the faith, we wanted to live it and fellowship fit that for us.
Favorite Scripture Passage: That is very difficult because there are so many and they mean more to me in various seasons. I love 2 Timothy 2:2 and Colossians 1:28-29 and they are verses that I live by on a steady basis. For this season, I will say that 2 Chronicles 16:9 has meant a great deal to me.
Anything else you'd like us to know or like to share? God greatly gifted me when he gave me my wife, Kristin. She is his perfect provision for me and God has used and continues to use her to mold and shape me into His image. Kristin is generous with her time and that allows me to serve this body. My dad discipled me and modeled what it looked like to walk before the Lord as a husband, father, business man and friend. He had a great love for studying the bible from a Jewish perspective and he enjoyed teaching what he was learning. I picked that up from him and enjoy studying and connecting with guys to take them deeper into the Word of God.
RICHARD SCOTT - age 42
Family Members and Ages: Kari (wife), Levi (13), Jacob (12), Okland Grace (9), Samuel (6), Aaron (22 months), Tosin Ruby (3 months)
How Long Married: 15 years (4-4-92)
Occupation: Senior Partner, Recruiting Firm
Hobbies: Cycling, Watersports, Traveling
Where Originally From: Dickson, Tennessee
How Long at Fellowship: 8 years (10/99)
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2003
Favorite Scripture Passage: Lamentations 3:22-24
KEVIN VIRDEN - age 47
Family Members and Ages: Carole, 44 (2/28/63); Britton, 14 (10/28/93); Annika, 11 (7/13/06)
How Long Married: 19 Years (2/20/88)
Occupation: Human Resources Director, CIGNA HealthCare
Hobbies: Reading, Military History, Europe Travel, Soccer
Where Originally From: Seattle, Washington
How Long at Fellowship: 1998
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2005?
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Visited in 1998
Favorite Scripture Passage: Psalm 45
BILL WELLONS - age 33
Family Members and Ages: Wife – Hillary; Daughters – Lily (7) and Emma (6); Son – Witt (2)
How Long Married: 10 years
Occupation: Pastor
Hobbies: Golf
Where Originally From: Little Rock, Arkansas
How Long at Fellowship: 8.5 Years
How Did You Get to Fellowship: Long-term relationship with Jeff and Lloyd from Fellowship - Little Rock
Favorite Scripture Passage: Phil. 3:12
Anything else you'd like us to know or like to share? Go Hogs Go!
TONY WOOD - age 46
Family Members and Ages: wife - Terri (45) ; daughters – Leslie (19), Meredith (17), Erin (15), Jordan (13)
How Long Married: 22 years
Occupation: songwriter
Hobbies: reading, fishing, tennis, travel
Where Originally From: Chase City, VA
How Long at Fellowship: 10 years
Began Serving as an Elder in: 2005
How Did You Get to Fellowship: looking for a church that valued expository teaching
Favorite Scripture Passage: Psalm 1:1-3 - Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
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