Pastors (Some of our Team)
Two things we're learning to believe more fully is that…
- Jesus is our "Senior Pastor." He is the Head of the church, which He purchased with His blood.
- Every member is a missionary, equipped with the gospel and the Spirit to do the work of the ministry (ie follow Jesus on the mission of the gospel to live and love like Jesus).
Practically, that means our "team" at Fellowship equates to every follower of Jesus in our church family. Our joy as pastors is to equip God's people to go live out their gospel identity in their everyday lives as His people.
Team Leadership Model
We believe God designed life—including leadership—to be done in community. So our pastoral team functions in light of what we see in God's Story. Two helpful grids that are shaping our leadership are:
- APEST: Jesus administers these gifts to leaders, to equip His people to do the work of the ministry. We're learning to build a leadership team around the five-fold gifting of apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd and teacher (see Eph 4:11–16).
- Prophet, Priest, King: Jesus perfectly fulfilled all three of these perspectives. The 'prophet' perspective sees life through the lens of calling God's people to live in His ways. The 'priest' perspective sees life through the lens of caring for and helping God's people live in His ways. And the 'king' perspective sees life through the lens of what kind of organization, systems, and structures must be in place to continually develop God's people to live in His ways. In summary, the prophet yells "charge." The priest says "slow down and make sure the wounded and weak can come with us." And the king says "if that's where we're charging, we're going to need this and this and this to get everybody there."
Chuck Gschwend
Directional Leader, Pastor & Elder, Church Planter
A Jonesboro native, Chuck spent a number of years practicing law in Little Rock, earning a Master’s at DTS, and ministering in Mobile, AL. Thrilled to be home, he longs to establish a gospel-centered church that makes disciples who make disciples in Jonesboro, Northeast Arkansas, and the nations. Chuck's wife Lindy provides leadership to Fellowship Kids, helping parents disciple their kids (Infants–6th). In addition to teaching, Chuck provides directional leadership for Fellowship, our elders, and Mission Arkansas—our church-planting residency in conjunction with Acts 29. Chuck and his wife Lindy have three kids, Charlie, Billy, and Kate, and together they lead a Missional Community seeking to make disciples of the Twin Oaks neighborhood.
Contact Chuck
- Phone: 870.897.1566
- Email: chuck [at] fellowshipjonesboro [dot] com
- Twitter: @cgschwend
Robby Fowler
Pastor & Elder, Church Planter
A native of Frisco, TX, Robby is also a graduate of DTS. Along with a variety of skills ranging from music, computers, and graphic design, Robby brings a heart that longs to see followers of Jesus live out the mission of the gospel in community. Robby oversees our Missional Communities and MC Leaders, as well as leading our efforts to plant an expression of Fellowship seeking to make disciples on the campus of ASU (The Turn). Robby also shares the teaching responsibilities with Chuck and helps lead Mission Arkansas—our church-planting residency in conjunction with Acts 29. Robby and his wife Kelly have three kids, Colby, Cade, and Carson, and together they lead a Missional Community seeking to make disciples of college adults at ASU.
P.S. Robby will also answer to his 'street name'…Raw-B.
Contact Robby
- Ph: 870.587.6229
- Email: robby [at] fellowshipjonesboro [dot] com
- Twitter: @rfowler
Jay Allen
Elder
Born and raised in Paragould, Jay serves on our elder team and helps oversee the vision, direction, progress and doctrine of Fellowship. Jay is married to Lesle, and they have five children: Jessica, Daniel, Grace, Anna Joy and Mary Leigh. With a particular passion for college adults and Internationals, the Allens help lead a Missional Community seeking to make disciples of Internationals at ASU.
Contact Jay
- Email: jay [at] fellowshipjonesboro [dot] com
Slade Mitchell
Elder
Slade is a gifted, humble leader who serves on our elder team and helps oversee the vision, direction, progress and doctrine of Fellowship. He and his wife Mallery also have a particular passion for discipling children and help provide specific direction for Fellowship Kids (Infants–6th Grade). Slade and Mallery have two girls and a boy, Susannah, Anders and Rhett. Together, they lead a Missional Community seeking to make disciples in their downtown Jonesboro neighborhood.
Contact Slade
- Email: slade [at] fellowshipjonesboro [dot] com
Jared Pickney
Mission Arkansas Church-Planting Resident (Paragould, Ark), Provisional Elder
Jared is a native of Paragould and comes to Fellowship with a passion to see a new gospel work begun in his home city just up the road from Jonesboro. He and his wife Meagan are working with Fellowship to plant Missional Communities in Paragould that will result in another expression of Fellowship in Paragould. Jared is currently in the assessment phase of Acts 29. The Fellowship Expression in Paragould will lay the foundation for Mission Arkansas—our church planting movement aiming at saturating our entire state with the gospel. Jared is one of three resident Mission Arkansas church-planters seeking to plant a church in Arkansas. Jared and his wife Meagan are expecting their first child in January. Jared and Meagan lead a Missional Community seeking to make disciples of East Paragould. Additionally, Jared oversees the other Paragould MC seeking to make disciples in the Carriage Hills neighborhood.
Contact Jared
- Phone: 870.476.2001
- Email: jaredapickney [at] gmail [dot] com
- Twitter: @jaredpickney
Troy Harvey
Mission Arkansas Church-Planting Resident (Pocahontas, Ark), Provisional Elder
Troy has pastored for several years, and is more excited than ever to plant gospel-centered churches in Arkansas. A builder by trade, Troy and his wife Robie are called to make disciples in the rural settings of Arkansas, and having recently moved to Pocahontas, they are seeking to plant Missional Communities that will flourish into another Fellowship Expression serving their city. Troy and Robie have three children, a married daughter and two boys and lead a Missional Community seeking to make disciples in their new neighborhood in Pocahontas.
Contact Troy
- Phone: 870.318.9087
- Email: harveytroy [at] yahoo [dot] com
Chad Rogers
Mission Arkansas Church-Planting Resident (Fayetteville, Ark)
Chad was born in Arkansas and is returning back to his roots in order to see a new gospel work begin in Fayetteville. After serving in the military, Chad pastored in Georgia before coming to Jonesboro for a church-planting residency. Chad is in the Assessment phase of Acts 29. He and his wife Jenn have five children and a heart to encourage God's people to enjoy and grow in the gospel and to make disciples.
Contact Chad
- Phone: 901.605.8836
- Email: chad.restoration21 [at] gmail [dot] com