Meet the elders
Pastor Thomas Waters
Thomas grew up in Wayne County where he has also served twenty-six of his thirty-eight years in the pastoral ministry. As a child and young man, Thomas was privileged to have his father as his pastor. Years later, he and his dad served together as fellow-elders and eventually, he served as his dad’s pastor. Thomas graduated with an A. A. in Psychology from Gordon College and a B.S. Ed. from Georgia Southern University. He studied theology and pastoral ministry at the Log College and at Trinity Theological College and Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana. During the course of his ministry, Thomas has traveled to Eastern Europe on several mission trips and has written numerous articles which have been printed in various publications. He served as an Editor of the Banner-Herald, and the Quarterly update for the ARBCA missions report, Chairman of ARBCA Publication Committee, the Minister’s School, and the Program Committee of the Southern States Bible Conference, also, he has served on the Administrative Council of the Georgia Association of Confessional Baptist. Currently, he is an editor with Veritas Heritage Press. Thomas is married to his high school Sweetheart Gail, and they have been blessed with three children and six grandchildren. In addition to his pastoral and editorial duties, his farm keeps him busy, but when he can, he enjoys a game of chess or a night at the river and a bit of fly-fishing.
Pastor John Hubbard
John is a retired United States Army veteran, with twenty years of service. During his time in the Army, he met and married his wife while they were both stationed at Fort Drum, New York. Shortly after being savingly brought to the Lord Jesus Christ in February of 2003, John felt the call to the gospel ministry. Following this pursuit, John enrolled at Liberty University. John was called to his first pastorate during the winter of 2007 and has over fourteen years in the gospel ministry. John has earned a Bachelor of Science in Religion from Liberty University, an Associates of Science in Firearms Technology from the Sonoran Desert Institute, and certificates for Tax Preparations Specialist, Mill Operator, Lathe Operator, and Basic Shielded Metal Arc Welder from Savannah Technical College. He is currently serving on the administrative council of the Southeastern Association of Confessional Baptist Churches. When he is not studying for sermon preparation or engaged in other pastoral duties, John enjoys relaxing with his wife and pursuing his hobbies of farming, gunsmithing, and fly-tying. He and Tonia, his wife of twenty-nine years, have two adult children and one grandchild.
Pastor Tyler Melton
Tyler grew up in nearby Blackshear. As a college student, he began attending Emmanuel Baptist Church in Jesup, GA. While attending Emmanuel as a visitor, he heard for the first time the gospel message proclaimed with clarity and power, and by God’s grace he was converted in the Spring of 2009 at the age of 20. He earned his B.B.A (Bachelor of Business Administration) from Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, GA in 2011. Tyler later completed graduate studies at Liberty University, earning his M.A. in Marriage and Family Counseling in 2014. After graduating from Liberty Tyler worked in the foster care field for 9 years in a variety of roles. Tyler has also completed the M.A. in Pastoral Studies from Covenant
Baptist Theological Seminary (CBTS) in Owensboro, KY in 2023. Tyler is continuing his studies at CBTS by pursuing a Master of Divinity degree with the hopes of being more thoroughly equipped for the work of the gospel ministry. Tyler currently leads a weekly bible teaching ministry to the men at Healed 4 Real Emancipation Center, which is a local inpatient addiction recovery ministry. He currently serves EBC as
one of her pastors and is married to Rachel. Tyler’s hobbies include reading, fishing, sight-seeing, and sports.