Staff and Leadership
Pastor Joel Arwood is the Lead Pastor of Purpose Church
Joel Arwood
Lead PastorJOEL ARWOOD – LEAD PASTOR
Pastor Joel Arwood is a distinct voice in the kingdom of God. He is a trailblazer, leader, and the lead pastor and founder of Purpose Church. Pastor Joel grew up in the mountains of East TN. He recognized the call of God on his life from a very young age. Growing up with a learning disability that made it very difficult for him to read, Pastor Joel had many setbacks but had a strong will to fulfill his purpose for God. He was saved at age 8 and baptized in the Holy Ghost at age 15.
Before starting Purpose Church, he served as a State Evangelist for the Church of God . He also served as the chairman of the Tennessee Evangelism and Home Missions Board. Pastor Joel communicates the gospel in a very relevant way that people can understand and discover their purpose. Pastor Joel is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God , Cleveland, TN.
Pastor Joel and Theresa were married in 2000 and they have four children together.
CO-PASTOR AND WORSHIP PASTOR – THERESA ARWOOD
Pastor Theresa is a beautiful woman of God. She was born and raised near Columbia, SC. Pastor Theresa was saved and at age 20 the night she met Pastor Joel. Just a few short weeks later she was baptized in with the Holy Ghost during prayer as she intensely sought God for His will for her life. Just like her husband, she is a powerful voice in declaring the Word of God. She is Co-Pastor and Worship Pastor at Purpose Church. She is also the founder of Purpose Homeschool Academy and Co Op. Pastor Theresa is an Ordained Minister with the Church of God Cleveland, TN
Theresa Arwood is the Co-Pastor and Worship Pastor at Purpose Church
Theresa Arwood
Co-Pastor and Worship PastorSupport Pastors and Administration
Discipleship Pastor
Robin Merritt-Preston
Robin was raised in a Disciples of Christ pastor’s home. He was saved at the age of 10. He has a passion to fulfill the mandate of the Great Commission as outlined in scripture to “Go make disciples.” He teaches our Foundations Group every Wednesday night at 6:30. Foundations Group is for folks that have a desire to learn more about Purpose Church, discover their spiritual gifts, learn about Life Groups, and meet the leadership of Purpose Church. He and his wife, Melinda, have 6 (yes, 6!) children.
Elementary Age Pastor
Shannon Johnson
Shannon serves as the Elementary Age Pastor at Purpose Church. Her husband, Levi is in charge of security and safety. They have a passion for God and love serving people! Levi & Shannon have 4 boys and a girl! To get to know them better look them up on Facebook.
High School Pastors
Josh & Caley Morgan
Josh and Caley serve as the High School Pastors for high school students at Purpose Church. They not only have a great passion for God, but also for the high school students in our city.