April 11, 2021 – For Immediate Release:
Legacy Christian Academy of Bowling Green is pleased to introduce Rev. Jerry Gifford as its new principal. A Bowling Green native, Gifford has served as pastor of five Kentucky churches, currently as Senior Pastor of LifePoint Church in Franklin. Throughout his ministry, Gifford has displayed giftedness as a catalyst for church revitalization, leading numerous building, educational, missions, and outreach projects. More broadly, he has served as a member of multiple area boards, including Habitat for Humanity of Simpson County and Children’s First, Inc., of Frankfort (an orphanage in Haiti) and as part of the Haitian Baptist Convention, as well as several Kentucky Baptist Convention denominational roles (notably as chair of the church
revitalization team).
In the Spring of 2020, Gifford led the joint effort to consolidate Anchored Christian School and Bowling Green Christian Academy into Legacy Christian Academy of Bowling Green. Legacy officially launched in the Summer of 2020 and meets on the campus of sponsoring church Glendale at Cave Mill (1807 Cave Mill Road), currently enrolling nearly 220 students from across the region, where he has also served as chair of the school’s Board of Directors for the past year.
Academically, Rev. Gifford holds a B.A. in Communication from Western Kentucky University, an M.A. in Religion from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and is currently completing his dissertation at WKU to receive a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Gifford has taught adjunctively for WKU, Liberty University, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as Anchored Christian High School. Called into vocational ministry under the spiritual influence of Rev. Richard P. Oldham (who pastored Glendale Baptist Church for over 57 years, baptizing thousands and training more than 250 pastors, missionaries, and teachers, known
collectively as Swordsmen), Gifford also holds the distinction of being the first graduate of Anchored Christian School. Finally, he has received advanced certification in scuba diving, a fact that often results in a deep (pun intended) conversation with him.
Gifford and his wife, Tammie, are proud parents of two sons, Daniel and David, and even prouder grandparents.
Legacy Christian Academy of Bowling Green welcomes Rev. Gifford into this new leadership role and is now enrolling for Fall 2021. More information, as well as a full listing of Gifford’s vitae, can be found online at lcabg.com.
Leadership In A Christian Academic Setting By Rev. Jerry Gifford:
My goal in writing this brief introductory letter is to provide you a personal snapshot of my life and ministry that goes beyond my curriculum vitae.
My spiritual journey began at Providence Baptist Church in Clayhatchee, Alabama. Later my father transferred from Fort Rucker to Fort Campbell, Kentucky to finish his military career. Within a year, we began attending Glendale Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Over the next several months I came to realize my need for salvation. While considering the truth about salvation, I attended a church-sponsored youth camp where I heard the late Dr. R.G. Lee preach. That night, August 14, 1975, I gave my heart to Christ and became a Christian. My Pastor, Rev. Richard P. Oldham, baptized me into the church fellowship at Glendale Baptist Church. Theologically, I identify as an evangelical in harmony with the Baptist Faith and
Message 2000 of the Southern Baptist Convention.
As I continued to grow in my young faith, I began to sense that God wanted something more of my life. Although uncertain about the direction of God’s leading, I surrendered to vocational Christian service in 1977. Since that decision, I have pursued both practical and professional development to become the minister that God desires.
I graduated from Western Kentucky University with a major in communication. While my first seminary classes were taken through New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s extension campus in Birmingham, I finished my Master’s degree with an emphasis on church growth from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. I’m currently writing my dissertation in pursuit of the Doctor of Education degree from Western Kentucky University. My dissertation is a quantitative exploration of the relationship between Transformational Leadership Theory and church revitalization. Given that the majority of American churches are either declining or plateaued, the need to prepare the next generation of leaders in revitalization skills seems extremely important to any Christian ministry. I anticipate graduating in August of 2021.
For the past 35 years I have served as a Pastor in Kentucky. With one exception, I have ministered in “turn-around” churches. Those experiences have helped me develop the administrative and leadership skills necessary for successful ministry. Christian Ministry demands numerous skills such as administration, interpersonal and corporate communication, compassion ministries, conflict resolution, the administration of the ordinances, church discipline, fund-raising, event planning, and public speaking. These are the type of skills that a long ministry has taught me.
As seen in the attached vitae, I’ve been teaching online and on-campus classes at the
undergraduate level for the past several years. The three classes listed include: Pastoral Ministry, Public Speaking, and Bible Study Methodologies. Each of these courses has required extensive use of educational technologies including applications such as Blackboard.
Curriculum Vitae
Gerald Dean Gifford, Jr
Education
Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
(ABD) Ed.D
Dissertation: The Role of Leadership in Church Revitalization
Teaching Credential: Communication, Leadership, and Religion
09.2021
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA
M.A. in Religion
2004
Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
B.A. in Communication
Areas of Concentration: Speech Communication
Minor: History
Teaching Experience
Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Adjunct Instructor – Communication 145: Public Speaking
Teaching, grading and counseling students in the discipline.
Fall 2014-present
Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
Adjunct Instructor – PLED 325 “Theories and Issues in Pastoral Ministry”
Online course.
Fall 2013-2017
Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
Adjunct Instructor – RLGN 325 “Elements of Bible Study”
Fall 2015-2017
Southern Baptist Convention Seminary Extension, Nashville, TN
Instructor – “New Testament Foundations”
Teaching, grading and counseling students.
1998
Anchored High School, Bowling Green, KY
Teacher, High School
Full-time History teacher. Developed course objectives and
curriculum for each class. All grading.
1988
Employment Experience
LifePoint Church, Franklin, KY
Senior Pastor
Primary communicator of vision and theology; Staff
supervision; Budgeting and administration; Pastoral care.
2015-Current
First Baptist Church, Franklin, KY
Senior Pastor
Primary communicator of vision and theology; Staff
supervision; Budgeting and administration; Pastoral care.
12.2007 – 1.2015
Grapevine Baptist Church, Madisonville, KY
Senior Pastor
9.2004 – 11.2007
Valley Station Baptist Church, Louisville, KY
Senior Pastor
8.2001 – 9.2004
Calvary Baptist Church, Bowling Green, KY
Pastor
1991-2001
Publications and Papers
“Casting the Divine Design”
Published in Proclaim! magazine
2003
“Ten Commandments for Relocating”
Published in Growing Churches magazine
1997
“Finding Meaning Beyond the Monotonous”
Published in The Tower, newsletter of Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary
2002
“Joseph and God’s Molding Process”
Published in Proclaim! Magazine
1996
“Ten Commandments for Spiritual Success”
Published in Proclaim! Magazine
1998
“Jonah: Returning to God”
Published in Proclaim! Magazine
2000
“Life Questions”
Published at Proclaim Online
2008
“God in the Face of Disaster”
Published at Proclaim Online
2001
Memberships
Board Member, Habitat for Humanity of Simpson County (KY)
Board Member, Children’s First, Inc., Frankfort, KY (Orphanage in Haiti)
Administrative Board Member, Kentucky Baptist Convention, Louisville, KY
Chair, Church Revitalization Team, Kentucky Baptist Convention, Louisville, KY
Partner, Pwen Lavi Church and Haitian Baptist Convention, Port au Prince, Haiti
President, Legacy Christian Academy, Bowling Green, KY
Member, 2020 Census Team of Simpson County, Franklin, KY
Personal Philosophy of Ministry and Teaching
I. My ultimate purpose.
As a Christian I believe my ultimate calling and ministry is to know, magnify, model and declare the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible repeatedly reminds us to exalt Christ in all we do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 states “do all for the glory of God.” Colossians 1:18 adds, “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” In Philippians 3:10 Paul wrote, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (See also 1 Peter 4:11 and Romans 8: 29)
II. Ministry and educational objectives.
Education involves more than that accumulation of facts and information. As a Christian, I have an obligation to teach from a Biblical worldview in all subject matter. Specifically, the truth, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, provides the foundation for all knowledge and living. To fulfill that end, the instructor should aspire to accomplish five educational objectives.
- The mastery of relevant information to the course being taught.
- The development of personal character that reflects a Christian ethic and worldview.
- The practical application of knowledge to life situations with a strong emphasis on making a positive contribution to the civic and religious community.
- The development of relationships within and outside of the educational setting.
- The promotion of a global perspective through exposure and appreciation for diverse cultures.
Ministry and Educational Process.
Education does not occur by accident. Instead, education is the end result of a defined
and determined process which includes three primary variables.
- Excellence in instruction in the discipline by the instructor.
- Interaction between the teacher, student, and class.
- Effective evaluation of the course content
IV. Career contributions to the Christian mission.
While most lasting ministry occurs on an interpersonal level as we invest in the lives of those that we encounter, it has been my privilege to lead churches which have been highly committed to improving their communities and advancing the kingdom of God.
The highlights of my pastoral ministry include:
- Missions participation: Trained and led over 200 volunteers to participate in over 60 mission teams to Mexico, Haiti, Canada, Brazil, Arizona, Cuba, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Eastern Kentucky.
- Church planting: Planted LifePoint Church of Franklin, a six-year-old Baptist congregation that currently averages 375 people in worship. Planted a new church, Pwen Lavi Baptist Church, in Croix de Bouquets, Haiti. Partnered with City Church in Clio, Michigan as church restart. Partnering with 8th Baptist Church of Santiago de Cuba in the construction of a new church campus. We also led Calvary Baptist Church of Bowling Green, KY, through a relocation and construction of new facilities.
- Ministry creation: Initiated and lead local jail ministry, free food ministry center, Deacon family ministry, nursing home ministry, servant evangelism ministry, and church-wide prayer ministry.
- Civic engagement: Served as Board Member of our local Habitat for Humanity, participated in home construction with Mountain Missions of Cumberland College, serve on Children’s First, Inc. Board of Directors, partner with our local Boys & Girls Club, partner with our local schools to help struggling students.
V. Anticipated contributions to the Christian mission in an educational setting.
As part of a team within an academic setting, I would hope to contribute to advancing the vision and mission of the school by the following activities.
- Training the next generation of Christian leaders. This would include exposure to the broad diversity of ministry contexts within the local community.
- Leading students and interested faculty to engage the local community through partnerships with organizations, religious and civic, that address the needs of the disadvantaged.
- Challenging students to grow into ethical and global citizens.
- Teaching students to live God-honoring lives that reflect the life and teachings of Jesus.
- Developing partnerships with local churches to provide ministry experience to students who intend to pursue vocational Christian ministry.
