Jay Stephenson ('99)
Church Planter, Manor Community Church, Mason, Tenn.
When the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board announced its initiative to plant at least 40 churches in Ford’s planned BlueOval City area, Jay Stephenson felt God leading him to step away from his role as Next-Gen pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church and into the work of church planting.
Soon after, the TBMB identified a potential church property in Galloway, just two miles from Stephenson’s home in Mason. A simple family move years earlier strategically positioned him for this new ministry opportunity.
Now a year into their work at Manor Community Church, Stephenson and his family are hopeful about the future despite recently announced delays from Ford.
“We have a church. We are ministering to the people that are here already,” he said. “We have seen there are a lot of people already in the area that are looking for a church home and people that need to hear about Christ.”
The process has not been easy, but Stephenson said the challenges strengthen his sense of calling.
“It’s been very challenging, but the difficulty is a good reminder that what we’re doing is worth it. The work is important,” he said.
Stephenson entered Union as a business major, soon adding a minor in Christian studies, and upon graduation, he entered ministry and began seminary, a path that would lead him to more than two decades of full-time ministry.
He continues to see the lasting impact of his time at Union. “Those relationships formed almost 30 years ago at Union are the very ones helping me plant a church today,” he said.
With support from the TBMB and the relationships he built through Union, Stephenson remains focused on the people and the purpose that first drew him to ministry: helping others know Christ.
