Brad Walker

Senior Pastor

Brad was born and raised in Sparta, TN and grew up in FBC Sparta. His maternal grandfather was a Baptist minister, and his parents and church taught him the gospel from an early age. Despite being raised in the church, being baptized at an early age, and claiming to be a Christian, it wasn’t until college that Brad surrendered his life to Jesus and made Christ the Lord of his life. After becoming a Christian at age 19, he immediately had a desire to pursue ministry. Brad attended Tennessee Tech University, where he played basketball and majored in English Literature. Through life on life discipleship and being involved with a college ministry, Campus Outreach, Brad grew deep roots in his walk with the Lord.


It was during this time that Brad met his wife, Elicia, who was involved in Campus Outreach at Southeast Missouri State University. He and Elicia were married and then served on staff with Campus Outreach in Murray, KY for a short season. While doing so, Brad became convicted of his need for formal theological education. So, they moved to Louisville, KY in order for him to pursue a masters of Divinity at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In God’s kind providence, it was there in 2006, that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As the Walker’s pursued the Lord and tried to discern what life and ministry with a chronic illness looks like, Brad put his formal education on hold. In the following years, Brad served in various ministry roles at SBTS, and in churches in KY & MS. It was in 2015 that God called the Walkers to serve at FBC Sparta. 


Brad’s main passions are evangelism, discipleship, leadership and preaching God’s Word. His desire for FBC Sparta is for her to be a Kingdom Outpost, where Christ is exalted and the gospel is central in all aspects of the church’s life and mission. Brad’s most beloved hobby is spending time with his amazing wife (date nights, Netflix binges, etc.) and his sons (reading great books, dance parties, wrestling matches, board games, and acting silly etc.). For fun, he loves to read, play and watch sports (especially the Vols), and to do anything outdoors (hiking, fishing, boating, etc). Elicia works part-time as a speech teacher at WCMS, and they have four sons; Will, Jack, Benjamin, and Jude.


Contact Pastor Brad — brad@fbcsparta.org


Jon Rushing

Pastor of Worship & Discipleship

Jon Rushing grew up in Southeast Arkansas and doesn’t remember a time when his family was not involved in the church.  He began to sing and play piano at an early age, finding a place to express himself musically within his musical family.  Jon’s mom taught piano and played and sang with his grandparents at church and community events.  His dad ran sound and supported them in every way.  Around the age of 5, he began singing alongside them.  Christ saved Jon at the age of 11 in VBS at his local church.  After high school, he attended Ouachita Baptist University and received a BA in Music with a Minor in Communications.  It was there where God brought the gift of Suzanne into his life.  They sang together during their college years in an 8 member ministry group called The Praise Singers.  It was there that God began to cultivate a love for the local church in both their hearts.  They served for a short time at Lakeside Baptist Church in Hot Springs, AR before marrying and moving to Nashville, TN.  In Nashville, Suzanne landed a job teaching middle school and Jon pursued a music career.  During those first few summers, God gave them multiple opportunities to lead worship at Summer Camps and local churches around the region.  In the summer of 1997, they followed God into full-time itinerant worship ministry.  God was continuing their journey with His Bride, the local church.  Their first son, Elijah was born in 2000 and their second son, Josiah was born in 2004.  As Josiah’s birth approached, God was stirring their hearts toward serving in one location for an extended period of time.  He was teaching them about His Shepherd’s Heart and calling them to join Him in shepherding His church.


In the spring of 2005, Jon joined the staff of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville (their home church since 1996) as the Associate Minister of Music and Worship.  He served there until the fall of 2008.  In June of 2009, he joined the staff of Trinity Baptist Church in Southaven, MS as Worship Pastor.  God brought Jon, Suzanne, and their boys to FBC Sparta in January of 2017. They look ahead with expectation, knowing that God is calling and equipping worshiping disciples to make worshipping disciples, whose hearts are being captured by the joy of knowing God and a longing to see others captured by that same joy.


Contact Pastor Jon — jon@fbcsparta.org


Kevin Weldon

Next Generations Pastor

Kevin was born and raised in Lapeer, Michigan before moving to Sparta, TN as a middle school student. He did not grow up going to church and describes his life before Christ as one pulled in many different directions. Like many teenagers, he was confused (in darkness), following many false things (spiritually blind), and his life was characterized by worldliness (sin). It was during his High School years that he began attending church with some faithful friends who exposed him to the Gospel. It took some time to learn all that Christ accomplished on the cross, and even more time to count the cost of following Jesus as Lord, but as a Junior Kevin was completely overcome with his need for Jesus. Broken over his sin, and convinced that only Jesus could save him, Kevin repented and was born again the summer before his senior year. 


Kevin met his beautiful wife Debbie in college. They have been married since 2005 and have 4 amazing children (Enock, Reddy, Max, and Marcus)! 


Kevin has a passion to see God transform hearts and lives, just like he has been transformed. He has been in full-time gospel ministry since 2003. He has served as a Youth Pastor, Worship Pastor, and Senior Pastor at churches in TN and KY before joining the team at FBC Sparta. 


Contact Pastor Kevin — kevin@fbcsparta.org