On October 29, we install Joe Henson as our new missions pastor. Pastor Henson will transition into Pastor Dave Smith’s role as missions pastor. (More about Pastor Smith’s transition here.)

Pastor Henson presented his missions philosophy to us on September 17.

Joe grew up in a pastor's home on the island of Guam, in the south Pacific. He attended Harvest Christian Academy and was active in his local church. Later he graduated from Bob Jones University with a BA in Bible and a minor in Creative Writing. Following his undergraduate studies, he studied at both Northland International University and Bob Jones Seminary and earned a MA in Pastoral Studies. It was during his college years—while working at The Wilds of NC—that he trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior and met his wife, Kristi, who also graduated from BJU with a BS in Elementary Education and an MA in Biblical Counseling. Over the years, Pastor Joe and Kristi have served the Lord together in camp ministry, Christian education, itinerant evangelism, and pastoral ministry.

For the past 12 years, Joe and Kristi and their three daughters (Karis Grace, Elissa Faith, and Raena Truth) have served the Lord by leading and serving a church replant in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Early in 2023, the Lord directed them back to the Greenville area where Joe now serves as the Chief Relations Officer for Bob Jones University. Though they moved to town to work at BJU, their heart is most burdened for and anchored to the work that God is doing in the world through His church. They understand that the greatest role they will ever play and ministry they will ever have is with, to, and through the local church.

L to R: Kristi, Karis, Raena, Joe, and Elissa Henson

By God’s grace, the Hensons seek to engage the people of God in Christ-centered, Gospel-motivated, Word-saturated, Grace-dispensing, Disciple-making, and Mission-focused ministry. Pastor Joe strives to consistently exposit the Scriptures and to faithfully preach the vital need for…

  • A proper understanding of, dependence on, and submission to the truth of God’s Word;

  • A humble, faithful, and passionate walk with Christ;

  • An active and intentional obedience to the will and commands of our God;

  • A fervent desire to know and demonstrate the glory and majesty of God; and

  • An increasing burden for and commitment to reaching and making disciples of the lost and dying in the community and the rest of the world.

It is their utmost desire that…

  • God would be glorified in everything that He does through them,

  • God’s people would be shaken from the all-too-common state of complacency that plagues the church of Jesus Christ today,

  • A “culture of grace” would flourish in every aspect of the church’s ministry to saved and lost alike, and

  • The church would be mobilized to Look to Christ, Learn the Word, and Live on Mission locally, regionally, and globally!

Joe is also a hymnwriter. You can find some of his hymns and articles at DeclaringGlory.com.