Leadership

Pastors & Staff

Travis tyler

Pastor

Pastor Travis came to Grace Baptist Church in October 2013. After confessing Jesus as his Lord and Savior he was baptized in 1993. While attending college he served as a youth and children’s pastor in Kingsport, Tennessee. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Pastor Travis moved to Louisville, Kentucky to work towards his Masters of Divinity at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. During his first semester he met his beautiful wife Becki Tyler. They were married in the spring of 2005, and he graduated from Southern in 2007. 
Pastor Travis has pastored in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. His passion is for preaching the gospel and seeing lives transformed by the Word of God. He graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2007 with a Master of Divinity. In December 2017 he graduated with a Doctorate of Ministry specializing in church revitalization from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 
Becki and Travis have been blessed with three beautiful children: Asher, Adalynn, and Alexander. Their kids enjoy family devotions, the lake, swimming, football, video games, basketball, and time together as a family. 
Pastor Travis also serves as a volunteer Chaplain at Sycamore Shoals Hospital. In the Fall, he leads Griefshare support group . He finds great joy in coaching his son’s basketball team, fishing, and “Football Time in Tennessee!”. 

danny birkner

next generation minister

Danny was born and raised in a Christian family at Grace Baptist in Elizabethton, TN. He professed his faith in Christ and was baptized at the age of eight. He was highly involved in Bible camps as a camper and later as a counselor. He attended Clearwater Christian College in Florida where he majored in Elementary Education. There, he met his wife Becky and together they went on to teach school in Florida and Tennessee and grew their household from two to five. 
While teaching school, an opportunity opened up to be the Youth Minister here at his home church. That was in October of 1992. Yeah, he’s been here a while.
At church, his favorite things to do are spend time with the teens and to teach out of God’s Word. He has been on numerous mission trips, his favorite being the three trips he took to Haiti. Even though he’s known as the youth minister, at times he’s taken on several other secondary roles. He serves where he is needed. 
When Danny isn’t at the church, he is the assistant coach for the boys and girls high school soccer teams. He also substitutes once a week on his day off at the junior high and high school. 
He likes to remain active by walking and jogging with his wife. He started running 5K’s and recently added running Spartans and Tough Mudders to his repertoire. When inactive, he would prefer to watch NASCAR (go Chase Elliott!), Football (go Vols & Titans!), Doctor Who, or any other show he can spend time watching with his wife. 

constance ferguson

church secretary 

Constance has been the Church Secretary since June 2019.  She graduated from ETSU in May 2007 with a BS in Communications. Prior to working at GBC, her professional career revolved around marketing and recruitment.
Constance is married to Phillip and they have a little boy named Samuel. They have been at Grace Baptist Church since November 2013 and became members of GBC in October 2015.

jackie slagle

financial secretary

Jackie was born and raised in Carter County.  She is a graduate of Elizabethton High School and East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Office Management.
 
She married Charlie in 1985, and they have a wonderful daughter Ashton and a fury daughter named Daisy. They all are members of Valley Forge Christian Church, where she is the Church Secretary. Her husband, Charlie serves on the board as an Elder.

She started working at Grace Baptist in the fall of 1994(a long time ago) as the Wednesday Night Cook, which she still does at the present time. She started working as Financial Secretary here in the fall of 2012. Jackie’s hobbies include crafts, sewing, and crocheting.  She is a member of Stitched in Grace.

laura seagroves

music ministry coordinator

Laura Seagroves started as Music Ministry Coordinator at Grace Baptist Church in 2019. She leads the Sanctuary Choir, Abounding Grace and leads music for the 9am service.

michael birkner

common ground worship leader

Michael Birkner leads worship for the 11am Common Ground service in the Oasis.