Aces of Trades: Tevis Austin fosters connects at Spring Hills Baptist Church in Granville
GRANVILLE – Life can be rewarding — and challenging. Just ask Tevis Austin.
“As a kid I loved sports and music,” Austin said. “I played baseball and basketball. In high school I remember dreaming of going to Colorado to attend the Air Force Academy and fly. I also considered going into business or finances. I never really thought about ministry until age 16.”
Today, Austin is senior associate pastor for discipleship and connections at Spring Hills Baptist Church in Granville.
“My primary areas of responsibility,” he said, “include welcome teams, small groups and classes for what we call Spring Hills University. And I provide leadership for men’s and women’s ministries, mentoring teams and the healing prayer ministry team.”
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Austin, 50, was born in Ashland, Kentucky, and moved to Hurricane, West Virginia (between Charleston and Huntington) when he was 13. He graduated from Hurricane High School in 1995, then Mount Vernon Nazarene College (now University), then earned a master’s in religious education from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He came to Spring Hills in 2016.
“I have experience,” he said, “serving in youth ministry in a small church in Belle, West Virginia, and I’ve served in larger churches of 1,000 or more in Lima, Ohio, and Kansas City, Kansas, and here at Spring Hills. I served at medium size churches in Canton, and I served as the executive pastor at Newark Nazarene when it was a church in multiple locations.
“Then I met Tom Pound, who’s the lead pastor at Spring Hills,” Austin said. “We had coffee and got to know each other. I talked with him and was seeking counsel on some decisions. During that time, a position came open to work at Spring Hills, and I felt led to apply.”
“Some would think,” Austin said, “it was odd for me to have been ordained in the Church of the Nazarene and work for the Nazarene church and now work at a church known as Spring Hills Baptist Church. What I love about where I’ve worked is that the denominational name didn’t define who we are. Following Jesus and building generations for Christ is the focus. We have people from all different stories, financial situations, church backgrounds and unchurched backgrounds. There are a few important essential things we believe, but a denomination or institution doesn’t define us. Jesus defines us and we want to point people to Him.”
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Josh Meyer is director of operation and development at Spring Hills Baptist Church.
“Working with Tevis is like being on a mission,” Meyer said. “He has a one track mind to see others become the best version of themselves and then inspiring them to do the same thing for others time and time again. This is one of the truest things about him. This is what he’s done for me, both professionally and personally.”
“I love to see people get connected and find community,” Austin said. “I have a passion for helping people grow in their faith, for teaching, equipping, and developing people as leaders.”
“There have been challenges throughout my life and my journey in ministry,” he said. “Just over the past few years, my dad has died from brain cancer, and I had a stroke that impacted my balance and eyesight. The stroke involved brain surgery and I almost didn’t make it. I spent a month in the hospital and a rehab hospital. My vision is restored, and I’ve learned to walk again. Life is full of ups and downs, but God is faithful. God provides hope and restoration.”
Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs — whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at advocate@newarkadvocate.com.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark Aces of Trades: Tevis Austin serves Spring Hills Baptist Church
