Dr. David Kemp started college as a music major, but God changed his interests and he switched to Bible and pastoral ministry. He taught Bible at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga for 18 years, right up to the day the school closed its doors. Since the first Sunday of 2016, he has served as pastor of Hickory Valley Baptist Church in Chattanooga. And over the years, he has still had plenty of opportunities to serve the Lord with music! His favorite Scripture verse is Psalm 145:3. He and his wife of 40 years, Carolyn, have three children – Melody, Angela, and James – and three grandchildren.
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.
Psalm 145:3
I have known Dr. Kemp since my college days when he was my professor for New Testament and Bible Doctrines. I consider him to be one of my mentors. He is a good example of faithfulness. His zeal for the Word of God is infectious. I will never forget sitting under his teaching, learning about the timeless universal truths we find in Scripture.
Pray for this man, his family, and his ministry.
At REvive Ministries we know that no ministry or minister is perfect. However, we desire to rejoice in and encourage all those that are actively doing the work of the ministry. Featured ministers or ministries are ones that our ministry thinks the Lord can use to bring revival to the church in America.
My mother wrote this about my Grandad Dillon. I can personally say this is exactly what I have seen in his life. He stands today as a testament to the fact that his motto will serve anyone well.
My dad’s Motto: Start small, work hard, get good, don’t quit! Many years ago, he started small. My dad surrendered his life to the Lord, and he began by being a faithful worker in his church. Over the next several years, my dad worked hard. He surrendered to preach and decided to go Tennessee Temple Bible College. While he was relocating to Tennessee and getting funds together for school, he started small again – his first church in an old store building. He worked hard with his wife alongside. He spent many Saturdays out visiting all day even after working all week at a full time job. It was hard; he had many struggles but he continued forward by the grace of God. Today, Echoes of Mercy is still meeting in Cleveland, TN. My dad also held meetings in nursing homes, low income projects, and had a “bus” (it was actually a van) ministry. He got good and did not quit! Finally, my dad was able to go to school to study to become an even better preacher. Having never completed high school, he started small, it was hard, but with God’s grace, he went forward. He became “gooder” and “gooder” at English and Speech; He didn’t quit! Once he graduated, he immediately started small again; he started a church in his hometown of Smyrna, TN in the house where he lived. He, with mother alongside, worked hard and went out visiting people every Saturday, sometimes all day long. Eventually, he built (most of it with his own hands) a church – Bible Baptist – on Seminary Road. He got good and had many revival meetings and wonderful services. Today, there is still a thriving church on Seminary Road.
Start small, work hard,
get good, don’t quit!
-Bill Dillon
Getting on in years, and facing many difficulties, my dad continued to start small, work hard, and get good. And he certainly did not quit. He began another church on Rocky Fork Road, and today there is a Spanish Pastor who has an outreach to Spanish people that was made possible partly due to the hard work of Bill and Debbie Dillon and their generosity in transfer of the property to the Spanish people. Alzheimer’s had hit the home of Bill and Debbie Dillon so preaching was not his role; now he was caretaker! But, he didn’t quit. He continued to work hard and get good at doing everything his wife had once done. He cleaned the house, washed the clothes, and even cooked them a few meals. He took care of his wife in a wonderful way until the day she passed to glory! He worked hard, he got good at it and he didn’t quit. Now he deals with Parkinson’s, dementia, and poor eye sight. But what does he do…………he continues to walk when it is difficult, he continues to dream about starting another ministry. He still passes out tracts and tries to tell others about the Lord. It is only by God’s grace that any of this happened; God allowed Bill Dillon to live out a motto that he never even used or thought of until he was old. He started small, he worked hard, he got good and he did not quit his entire life!
Dr. Brooks Green is passionate about leadership, developing others, and helping the church to build God’s kingdom. He currently serves as the Lead Pastor at Sequoyah Baptist Tabernacle, an independent Baptist church located in Hixson, TN. In addition to 18 years of pastoral ministry, he also founded and serves as president for Building His Kingdom Ministries, a non-profit organization focused on providing resources and support to groups and individuals engaged in Christian ministry. Brooks and his wife, Roseanne, have three children: Cadence, Claire, and Gabriel.
I’ve known Brooks for several years. He has worked hard for the ministry of the gospel and has been faithful to the ministry God has placed him in. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus says “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Dr. Green wants to see God’s people encouraged to do just that.
Pray for this man, his family, and his ministry.
At REvive Ministries we know that no ministry or minister is perfect. However, we desire to rejoice in and encourage all those that are actively doing the work of the ministry. Featured ministers or ministries are ones that our ministry thinks the Lord can use to bring revival to the church in America.
As we go through our lives we have mentors along the way. And, sometimes, these people are way ahead of us in reaching their eternal home. Today I think back to a childhood hero who was also my pastor. He mentored me and encouraged me greatly.
When we think of individuals like this we don’t seek to glorify the person. But we do glorify the Lord for how the person was used to be a blessing to us and others.
Pastor Bill Perry was my pastor when I was a teenager. He pastored Victory Baptist in Rossville, GA. The church is still going strong, though Bro. Bill has been in heaven for many years now.
I’ll never forget Pastor Perry taking me on visitation with him. He taught me so much! And, he lined up several opportunities for me to preach, whether in his pulpit, at the nursing home, or on his TV show.
His courage when grappling with a debilitating stroke was a testimony to his faith. Seeing him preach with half a body was twice the blessing of hearing anyone else.
Pastor Perry was a blessing to a lot of people for a long time. He touched the lives of so many who will never forget his influence. I was privileged to know him.
I have been blessed to have many mentors in my life. But, Pastor Perry will always hold a special place. When I ask myself why I am a minister today, he is part of the answer.
I’ve known Pastor Hinkle for over twenty years. He is a good pastor, and a great friend. He loves his wife and three children. They live in Ohio where he pastors Faith Baptist Church. He has ministered there since 2004.
Pastor Hinkle attended Tennessee Temple University with me back in 2000-2004. He pastored Wayside Baptist Church in Graysville, Tennessee, while in college. I pastored Wayside from 2004 to 2018. Over the years he has been a mentor to me, reaching out to check on me regularly.
Pray for this man, his family, and his ministry.
At REvive Ministries we know that no ministry or minister is perfect. However, we desire to rejoice in and encourage all those that are actively doing the work of the ministry. Featured ministers or ministries are ones that our ministry thinks the Lord can use to bring revival to the church in America.