Barry Ellis,  Pastor

Photo by Hamilton Photo

Barry Ellis came to Haywood Hills in February, 2009. He has previously served churches in Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, he received a Bachelor of Music degree from Furman University in Greenville in 1982. In 1986, he received a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  He and his wife Carol married in 1985. Carol is from Warren, Michigan, and also graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, but with a Masters of Christian Education. Carol works for LifeWay Christian Resources as an editor for the Youth Sunday School Division. Barry and Carol have two children, Jason, 22, and Amy, 20.

Photo by Hamilton Photo

Lance Wamble came to Haywood Hills in June of 2010. Lance previously served in a traditional church setting as a Youth Pastor; in an outdoor adventure Christian ministry as a Lead Instructor on backpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing trips; and in parachurch ministries that reach out to college and high school students. Although Lance grew up in Nashville, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana in 2005. Lance continues to work toward his Master’s of Divinity through The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Lance married his wife Stacy in 2007. Coming from an Army family, Stacy traveled around a lot as a child but claims Northern Virginia as home. She has a heart for youth ministry and has served with Lance since they met. She is currently teaching high school English with Rutherford County, and working toward her Master’s of Education. 

Read Lance’s blog

Mary Jackson,   Assistant Director of Preschool

Photo by Hamilton Photo

Mary came to Haywood Hills in April, 2011.  She previously worked in the Independence, Missouri school district’s before and after school care while attending Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.  Prior to, and during the time she was in seminary, Mary worked for Lifeway as a Centrikid and Centrifuge staffer for three summers.  She has worked with preschoolers and children in several churches that she has been a part of.  Mary is originally from North Little Rock, Arkansas, but lived in Bolivar, Missouri for several years before moving to Lebanon, Tennessee before her junior year of high school.  Her family eventually moved to Gallatin, which is where she currently lives.

Mary received a Bachelor of Science  in Elementary Education from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee and is currently working in Sumner County at Hendersonville High School in Special Education.