2025: The Gospel

After early careers as a singer, then as a professor of English Literature, followed by three years with the National Security Agency, including service in Vietnam, Dr. Joe Nesom responded to the Lord’s call to the pastoral ministry.

In addition to teaching Systematic Theology and Christian History at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for five years, he held pastorates in Mississippi and Louisiana. He is the longest serving pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Jackson, Louisiana (organized in 1835) having served there for over forty years. Dr. Nesom has also maintained a preaching and teaching ministry outside the local church, in the United States and abroad. He is also the author of several books and theological articles published in Great Britain and the United States.

Dr. Nesom is a native of Laurel, Mississippi.

Don Elbourne has served as pastor of Lakeshore Baptist Church in Bay St. Louis, MS for 30 years. Don is a alumni of Mississippi College and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, BA, M.Div, ThM, PhD (ABD). Don operates a mission trip destination camp on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, has a passion for expository preaching and mercy ministry, and is currently overseeing a church re-plant of a sister-church in their county. He and his wife, Courtney, have two children and an awesome 2 year old grandson.

Adam has served at Reformation Church, Baker, LA, for 12 years and as one of their Elders for the last 3 years. Adam and his wife, Gretchen, of 23 years have homeschooled their 5 children for 11 years and counting. He is passionate about Church history, youth education & discipleship, and ministry opportunities wherever the Lord leads.

Rusty is pastor of Reformation Church (Formerly Friendship Baptist), in Baker, LA. He is married to his wife Kayce. They have two grown Children and three grandsons.

Mark is the Teaching Elder of Grace Fellowship Baptist Church of Robertsdale, Alabama. A native of Minnesota, he was called to faith in Christ through the Navigators ministry in 1980. He worked as a software engineer for 20 years, leading a men’s Bible Study Fellowship class before being called to full-time pastoral ministry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies degree from Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and has served 20 years as pastor for churches in Mississippi, Kansas, and Alabama. Mark and his wife, Deb, have been married nearly 40 years, and they have two children and two grandchildren. When he is not preaching, Mark enjoys tinkering with computers, website development, Alabama football, and his grandkids!

Pastor Todd Wilson has served as pastor of Grace Covenant Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, since August 2005. He received his MDiv from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in December 2000. Before entering the ministry, he worked as a Computer Engineer/Network Analyst for 8 years. Todd and his wife Lori were married in 1987 and have two daughters, Bailey (b. June 1990) and Kirby (b. March 1992) and two granddaughters. They are also involved with the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home & Pathways Ministries in the ministry of foster care. Pastor Todd enjoys the ministry at Grace Covenant and leading in the work of missions. He is committed to short term international missions, going and leading groups each year. He has had the privilege of ministering in Kiev, Ukraine; Guilin, China; Niteroi & São José dos Campos, Brazil; southeastern Turkey; Irapuato, Mexico; La Poza, Mexico; Punta Gorda, Belize; Northern and South Africa; Spain; and Portugal. Pastor Todd also serves on the planning committee for the Deep South Founders Conference and is co-director of the Portuguese Speaking Pastors Project.

Pastor Thomas is a native of Laurel, Mississippi. He helped plant Grace Baptist Church as a Pastor/Elder in 1999. In 2001, he became the main preaching pastor. After graduating from NOBTS, he began full-time ministry in 1981, and served numerous churches in Mississippi. He continued his studies at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. He is married to Lawanda Wells Winn, of Laurel, and they have three daughters and a son. They are all married, and have given them 13 grandchildren.

Hal Hood is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Collins in Collins, MS. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Pastoral Leadership from Andersonville Theological Seminary in Camilla, GA. He is passionate about and devoted to leading those entrusted to his care in the verse-by-verse exposition of God’s Word. He and his wife, Hollie, live in Collins with their two children, Madison and Parker.