Meet the Team

pastoral team

tj tims

Lead Pastor
T. J. is Lead Pastor of Immanuel Nashville. He and his wife, Jessica, have been members of Immanuel since 2012. They have four young kids—Charlotte, Maggie, Cleo, and Goodwin. T.J. holds a PhD in systematic theology from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and a theology degree from King’s College London. He was ordained into the Christian ministry in 2008. T.J. is also a council member of The Gospel Coalition, for whom he occasionally writes.

sam allberry

Associate Pastor
Sam grew up in England, where he became a Christian and eventually a church pastor. He is the author of several books. Outside of Immanuel Sam serves as a Canon Theologian for the Anglican Church in North America, and as a Fellow at the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. Sam joined the staff of Immanuel in 2023 and lives in south Nashville. He loves helping people discover the welcoming heart of Jesus Christ.

Barnabas Piper

Assistant Pastor
Barnabas grew up as a pastor’s kid, graduated from Wheaton College, and spent 14 years working in Christian publishing. He began attending Immanuel in 2017. In 2018 he began to sense God’s call on his life to pastoral ministry. He joined the staff of Immanuel in 2019 and was called as a pastor in 2020. He loves investing in and shepherding this community of believers who welcome hurting and weary people and walk with them to Jesus. Barnabas is the author of several books and lives in the north suburbs of Nashville with his wife and two daughters.

Vince Greenwald

Assistant Pastor
Vince lives in West Nashville with his wife Caroline and their three little ones, Bear, Lila, and Grace. Caroline and Vince "adulted" at Immanuel starting in 2016 after graduating from Baylor University. Vince especially loves watching youth and college students at Immanuel steep in the good news of Jesus Christ, experience a culture shaped by the gospel, and find a sense of belonging in the Church. 

leaders in residence

ray ortlund

Pastor to Pastors

Russell Moore

Minister In Residence

Scott Thomas

Minister In Residence

Gavin Ortlund

Theologian in Residence

elders

Spencer essenpreis

Jim Daugherty

kyle kerrigan

Bill Kottas

Travis Lester

Stephen Maples

alex lewis

David Thomas

Stege Wheeler  

Jeff Ross

tom cox

Tom

staff

Kent Lapp

Executive Director

Jessica Waterman

Music Director

Taylor Cheek

Director of Immanuel Kids

Vince Greenwald

Director of Student Ministry

Hunter Braden

Executive Assistant to Lead Pastor

Jason Cheek

Director of Services / Bandleader

Brian Bobel

Director of Design

Tony Shepherd

Director of Assimilation & Communications

Deacons

Ashley Edwards

Jeremy Thompson

chris o'cull

Matt knowe

Dave bURKE

Grahm Hoffart

Candace Surface

Andrew cHRISTENBERRY

Aymone Kouame

Charissa Tosh

Mark Hodge

Rose Palley

Victoria Packer

Ryan woodson

Alexa Roncancio

REBECCA MCELRATH