OUR PASTOR
Jason Hayes, Lead Pastor
Jason and Carrie Hayes have been married 10 years and are the very proud parents to their sons, Hayden, Henley, and Hyatt. Jason is a native of West Knoxville. Carrie is from South Carolina but moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee. It was there where Jason and Carrie met and began their lives together.
After spending the last 7 years in Nashville, Jason and Carrie have recently become increasingly attune to God’s call back to Knoxville. Per His prompting in 2011, they began exploring the possibility of starting a new church. As they sought the Lord, He clearly opened doors they could not dismiss.
Jason holds a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he most recently served as the National Young Adult Ministry Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. Jason’s primary role was to serve as a speaker, church consultant, and writer. Jason has spoken at churches, conferences, camps, retreats, university chapels, and various other venues around the country. He is the author of Blemished and Follow Me. He is also the co-author of Lost and Found, featuring research cited in news outlets such as USA Today and CNN.
Prior to coming to LifeWay, Jason served at Long Hollow Baptist Church in north Nashville with a focus on teaching and spiritual growth. In addition, Jason led in the design of creative environments and in the worship planning process. Long Hollow is a wonderful church that has experienced tremendous growth and life-change over the last several years. Jason and Carrie have remained active leaders at Long Hollow even while Jason was serving in his role at LifeWay.
Before leaving Knoxville, Jason served as the Minister to Students at First Baptist Concord in Knoxville, Tennessee. He also gained early, valuable ministry experience through positions at Second Baptist Church, Griffin, Georgia, and Youth Ministry Resources, Inc.
Jason and Carrie love raising their boys, hanging out with friends and family, and being outside. They both love the Church and believe it is the vehicle that God has ordained to spread His love and fame to the ends of the earth.
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