Our Team
Rusty Arwood - Elder
Rusty Arwood - Elder
Rusty Arwood is a native of Tennessee. He began to experience life “in ministry” at the young age of 5 when his father became a full time pastor. He graduated from Kingsport Christian School in 1988 and received his degree in Communications from Toccoa Falls College in 1992. He has been married to Lori since 1998. Rusty and Lori have three children. Rusty works for the Knoxville TVA Employee Credit Union in their Business Services Department. True Life has benefited from his leadership in areas of children’s ministry, finance, and with our small group ministry. Hobbies include basketball, golf, softball, and spending time with his family and friends.
Preston Ford - Elder
Preston Ford - Elder
Preston was born and raised in Morristown, graduating from Morristown West High School in 2000. He completed his Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in 2004. The following year, He married his teenage sweetheart Mandy, who is a Michigan native, and they moved back to Morristown in 2006. Soon after, they became members and began to serve at True Life. He has been a small group leader for over 5 years and has also served in the greeting ministry, stewardship team, and various areas within the church. He shared publicly in January of 2012 that God was calling him into pastoral ministry, and in January 2013 he was officially ordained as an Elder at True Life. Preston and Mandy have three children.
Roger Griffith - Elder
Roger Griffith - Elder
Roger Griffith serves True Life Church as an Elder. He is actively involved in the oversight of the ministries at True Life and also leads a small group. Roger has been serving in church for the past twenty five years. He has worked in bus ministry, children’s ministry and has taught both young adult and men’s classes. He has also been on mission trips to Honduras and Jordan. Roger has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and also has his Professional Engineering License. He founded Griffith Engineering in 1999. He especially enjoys the expert witness part of his business. Roger has been married to Missy (someone who loved to cook as much as he loved to eat) for 25 years. They have nine children who occupy much of his spare time. Some of his favorite activities are backyard football with the kids, collecting more books than he can read, and watching historical biographies. He also enjoys running, tent camping, weekly dates with Missy, and a good nap in the hammock on a Sunday afternoon.
Jimmy Inman - Elder/Teaching Pastor
Jimmy Inman - Elder/Teaching Pastor
Jimmy was the Church Planter and now serves as Teaching Pastor at True Life. He graduated from Morristown West High School in 1988 and went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Carson Newman College. He graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1995. Jimmy trusted Christ as Lord and Savior at age 9. At age 19 he answered God’s call on his life. He was later ordained by Montvue Baptist Church in Morristown. He has been involved in ministry since 1989 and served at three churches prior to moving back to Morristown in August of 2002 to begin True Life. Jimmy married Robin Wilder of Morristown in 1990 and they have three children. Jimmy enjoys sports, music, and hanging out with his family. Pastor Jimmy’s blog and teaching resources: http://www.jimmyinman.com
Phillip Lyons - Connections Pastor/ IF Church Planter
Phillip Lyons - Connections Pastor/ IF Church Planter
Phillip was born and raised in Fernandina Beach, FL where he graduated high school in 1981. He studied music for 3 years at Carson-Newman College, but graduated from University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL in 1988 then graduated from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in 1991. Phillip met Teresa while attending Carson-Newman College and married her May 11, 1985. They are blessed with 6 children – 3 boys and 3 girls who are building their own families and giving them grandchildren! Phillip has served churches in music, youth, and pastoral ministries. He was ordained into the gospel ministry in 1986. Phillip served as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Hernando, MS from 1990 to 1998. He and Teresa served as church planting missionaries in West Africa with the International Mission Board from 1998 to 2014. Phillip enjoys sports, outdoors, woodworking, handyman projects, reading biographies, and spending time with family and friends.International Fellowship
LeAnn Phillips - Children's Ministry
LeAnn Phillips - Children's Ministry
LeAnn Phillips was born and raised in Jefferson City. She has been married to her husband, Shane, since 1996. They have two daughters in which they have homeschooled since 2004LeAnn and her family have attended True Life Church since 2003. LeAnn has served in various aspects of children’s ministry for more than 20 years. Those areas include teaching preschoolers through elementary age children, Bible drill and overseeing the children’s registration area ensuring the security of the children.LeAnn enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Shane Phillips - Interim Worship Leader
Jacob Wilke - Youth Minister
Jacob Wilke - Youth Minister
I have known that ministering to young people has been my calling since I was in High School. I went through quite an experience and traveled all over the country getting a degree in Bible and then a Masters in Education. However, I would not have met my lovely wife Andi if I had not. I have been involved in several ministries, including college, teen, and small groups. I taught kindergarten for a long time, and am now blessed to be part of the Youth and Young Adults ministry here at True Life. I have two kids of my own now, and look forward to being able to be part of their discipleship, as well as your children! Together, we can partner in the work of raising Godly kids that reach their generation for Christ!
John Harrell - Director of Missions and Operations
John Harrell - Director of Missions and Operations
John and his wife Lindsey (married since 2003) are both Knoxville natives that live in New Market with their 4 children and have attended True Life since 2003. Over those years John has been involved in the worship team, finance team, tech teams, and missions. He currently leads a small group as well the tech teams leaders, all international missions efforts, and assists with various other areas in the church. John is also an owner/operator of Safe n’ Sound Creative Technologies in Knoxville with his business partner Geoff Tillett. John enjoys camping/adventure trips with family/friends, motorcycle riding with Lindsey, pretty much anything that has a motor, and color coded spreadsheets. John has a deep passion for unreached/unengaged people groups around the world and loves connecting others to that passion. John’s nickname is Juan Solo (The Only Juan) and has been know by his fellow international missions travelers to have “the cleanest feet in the world”.
Dr. Lori Arwood - Christian Counselor
Dr. Lori Arwood - Christian Counselor
Our counselor, Dr. Lori Arwood, LMFT, has been counseling for over 26 years. She holds a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Doctorate in Christian Counseling. She has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Tennessee since the year 2000. She has special certifications and training in Addiction Recovery, Grief and Trauma, Play Therapy, Anxiety, Depression, and Marriage Recovery. Lori taught for 5 years at the Master's level training counselors. She has served in Honduras counseling and leading trainings for leaders and school professionals in counseling. Her counseling is rooted in God's Word.Lori is wife to Rusty and Mom to Abbey, David, Will, and Bailey. She has also been a homeschool mom for 17 years. Rusty and Lori have led a small group at True Life since 2003.
Veronica Ramsey - Christian Counselor
Veronica Ramsey - Christian Counselor
When I was 14, I was saved in Christ at a Christian rock concert. I grew up in Pennsylvania and studied biology at a campus of Penn State. In the later years of college, I realized a call to ministry in Jesus’ name. After graduation, I moved to Kentucky and attended seminary earning a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. I later moved to Tennessee. I have worked as a clinical therapist and clinical supervisor in a variety of settings doing individual, couples, family, and group therapy. I met my husband, in Tennessee. We’ve been married 18 years and are educating our four children who are lots of fun to be around. We enjoy serving the Lord together, going on adventures as a family, and lots of laughter.
Jessica Chunn - Administrative Assistant
Jessica Chunn - Administrative Assistant
Jessica Chunn was born in Hamblen County, then moved to Jefferson County at the age of 8. She attended Jefferson County High School where she met her high school sweetheart, Ray Chunn. Jessica graduated in 2000, but not before she married Ray. Ray is the Kid’s Rock Coordinator for the Children’s Ministry. They have four sons and reside in New Market.Jessica attended Tennessee Technology Center in Morristown from 2007-2008 where she received a certificate for Administration and Medical Transcription. Jessica and Ray have been members of True Life Church since 2012. Jessica has been Administrative Assistant at True Life since January 2016.In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and going on dates with her husband.
Andi Wilke - Administrative Assistant
Andi Wilke - Administrative Assistant
Andi Wilke is from Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Word Of Life Bible Institute in upstate New York, where she received a Bible certificate and met her husband, Jacob. They got married in 2005 and have been living in Tennessee since then. They have 2 children.They have been a part of True Life since 2007. Andi joined the office staff in 2017. Within the office, Andi works with the financial side of Honduras, social media, and various other ministries.She and Jacob have a heart for teenagers and young adult and have spent their marriage working with students to grow and develop a personal relationship with the Lord. She works with Jacob in his ministry as the Minister of Student and Young Adults.