Pastor

Testimony of Pastor Joe Nelms

Pastor Joe Nelms was born and raised in the little country town of Tunnel Hill, GA in 1976. He is a graduate of Northwest Whitfield High School. He was a faithful, lifelong member of Nellie Head Memorial Baptist Church in Tunnel Hill, GA. It was in their annual youth camp at Standing Stone State Park that he was saved at the age of 13. After graduating high school, he sadly spent many months in a sinful state of rebellion before surrendering to the will of God and the call to preach at age 21. He spent 12 years working alongside his pastor teaching Sunday School, serving in Youth Ministry and filling the pulpit as needed while working public jobs. In 2008 at the age of 33, the Lord sent him to pastor here at Family Baptist Church in Lebanon, TN. He came into national prominence in July of 2011 when he prayed a unique invocation for a NASCAR race at Nashville Superspeedway. He has been married to his wife Lisa for over 20 years. They have two biological children, Eli and Emma. Eli was saved at the age of five in the back seat of their minivan in the first few months of surrendering to serve in Lebanon. Emma was saved at youth camp at the age of eight. The Lord has called Eli to preach and serve alongside his dad as he leads singing and fills the pulpit as needed. He also serves in the local nursing homes. Emma is faithful to serve cleaning the church and posting live services via Facebook. The Lord blessed with a third child as they adopted Keenan through the fostering system. He is currently 12 and loves others. We expect the Lord to save him very soon! As the examples that God had given Pastor and Mrs. Lisa, there are no plans to move on or seek a bigger or better ministry in which to serve. They plan to continue to be faithful where God has placed them until the Lord returns.

Testimony of Lisa Nelms, Pastor’s Wife

I was born May 19, 1977.  Until my teen years, I lived with my mom, my dad, and one younger brother.  On weekends here and there I was able to see my two older brothers from my dad’s previous marriage.  My mom and dad didn’t go to church when I was younger and I went with my aunt and uncle when I spent the night with them.  I thank God for my Uncle Harold and Aunt Linda who wanted God in my life.  They brought me to church when they were able and I was saved when I was almost six years old (March 20, 1983 at Whitfield Baptist Church in Dalton, GA).  I was in Sunday school and my pastor’s wife, Mrs. Connie Cofield, lead me to the Lord.  We sat in the floor at the end of the Sunday school hall, and she showed me from the Word of God how to be saved.  I remember that day and the thought of not being saved and how I didn’t want to go to Hell.  What a change that took place in my heart!!!

I also had the opportunity to ride a church bus during my young years to Pleasant Valley Baptist in Ringgold.  A Godly man that worked construction with my dad invited us and was always asking my dad to come.  I’ll never forget those rides on the church bus and the joy it was to be an honored guest at that church.  When I didn’t spend the night with my aunt and uncle, I still was able to attend a church that loved me. 

My dad was always a good man in the sense that he took care of his family and was good to others.  He’d do anything for anyone, but would never go to church.  He always said he couldn’t live it.  My mom was finally talked into going to an Easter drama at Whitfield Baptist Church with my aunt and uncle which finally got her into church.  She became faithful and even became an assistant in the two and three year old Sunday school class for a long while.  She became very involved and went on the ladies retreats at every opportunity.  She also went to Peru with me twice on a mission trip.  Upon return home from our second mission trip, mom and dad got a divorce.  As a result, my mom had to work whatever day of the week that her schedule told her and she got out of church.  She attends church now and again but has never gotten back in with both feet.

I continued to grow as a Christian.  I was blessed with a youth pastor that would preach his heart out to us every time he saw us.  The impact Bro. Tony and Mrs. Stacey Howeth had on my life grounded me and gave me focus to see that my life must glorify God.  The teens years are very critical years and they were life changing for me.  I was blessed with a church that taught me the things of God and Whitfield Baptist will always be a pillar of strength for me. 

I had graduated high school and had a good job so I took the step out into the world on my own.  I moved into an apartment no too far from my work.  I could drive myself to church and did so that I could serve God and grow spiritually.  My best friends were there and I couldn’t imagine life without it. I had the opportunity to take the job as church secretary at Whitfield Baptist.  This was an answered prayer for me.  I had prayed for a job that would be daily beneficial for eternity and not just for society. I wanted to be in the ministry daily.  Little did I know God was just preparing me for today!  I was taught by a Godly pastor so many things and I thank God for the influence Bro. Wayne Cofield and Mrs. Connie has had in my life.  He started that church and continues to serve God there!  I beg God that He would allow us to stay where we are planted for  a lifetime!

I continued in my church and begged God for His will for a mate ‘cause I knew I’d be there until God moved me.  We had a missions conference and Joe was asked to come and meet me by one of the guest missionaries.  He didn’t really want to come, but he came.   I kept an eye on him all service to see if he actually liked church and enjoyed it  He ended up calling me the next day at work and asked me out for a date.  We dated for a year and then were engaged for six months.  We got married on Nov. 24, 2001.  I had to transition from my home church to Nellie Head Memorial Baptist Church at which he was the youth pastor.  We were content serving there until God saw fit to give Joe a church to pastor.  He knew God wanted him to pastor and so we continued there and begged God for the right place and the right time.  I love Bro. Herschell and Mrs. Linda Hicks, and I am so grateful that God allowed me to be under them for a short while to serve. Our two children were born into that church and we had friends and family there.  It was a sweet time, but that was the hardest time of waiting I had ever had in my life. 

God saw fit to plant us here in Lebanon, TN.  We love it here and are at home here.  Since our first drive in, we have been excited to be here and expect to serve here until the Lord’s return.  I continue to want my life to daily be beneficial to eternity.  I’m grateful that God has allowed me to serve here as a pastor’s wife, and I am making a Christian heritage for my children.  We daily have to make decisions as to how to live our lives in which to give glory in honor to God.  I continue to pray God’s will in my life and to have God’s leadership. 

You have to live your life and make your own decisions for God.  You must decide within yourself to be what God would have you be. 

I longed to be a good Christian lady and had awesome examples of faith and Godliness in my teen years and continue to have ladies to look up to in my life.  My daily goal is to be that Godly lady with those Godly children following in the footsteps of their parents. I’ve seen second generation missionaries…and I’ve seen second generation preachers that followed after the lives of their parents.  They were a part of the ministry.  They weren’t just preacher’s kids that were waiting to get out on their own to live their life.  I pray they see this is life!  This Christian walk is making God happy and this is pleasing to God.  I want to show them that this life is the only true life to live and the only reason to live.  Even though I am still young, I have learned to trust and wait on God.  He has taken care of me and provided for me.  I have a place of ministry in which I see no end.  There are so many things to do that will take years to do, and I plan on being here until the Lord returns and takes us Home.  I have kids to influence and many more on Sunday to show God to.  I am happy and content for God to continue to take care of me and my family.  I continue to know I can “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thine ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  Pro. 3:5-6