Zeke was appointed to FUMC Arkadelphia July 1, 2022. He has served within the United Methodist Church since 1996. Zeke served fourteen years as a full-time youth minister and then transitioned to pastoral ministry in 2008. Since 2008, Zeke has served at FUMC Maumelle, FUMC Benton, Wesley/ Cavanaugh UMC in Fort Smith and now FUMC Arkadelphia. Zeke attended Brite Divinity and Memphis Theological Seminaries. He has two children: Rosalie who is fifteen and Zeb who is seventeen. Zeke grew up in Gentry, AR and attended Arkansas Tech University on a tuba scholarship.
“I love the United Methodist Church and am steeped in the Methodist theology of grace,” Zeke affirms. Concerning United Methodist beliefs Zeke affirms that “Our deep valuing of scripture as God’s primary source combined with the history of the church, our own reasoning capabilities, and our lived experience; all of these work together to reveal Godself to us and to direct us as we practice our faith daily.” I believe that church is a hospital for sinners and not a showroom of the saints. We all, only by the lavish grace of God through Christ, have a place within the church. As a pastor, Zeke works hard to foster deep community within the church, provide ministries that deepens faith, and missions that acts on faith to be a meaningful presence in our community and world.
“The Wesleyan theology of grace has captivated my heart and mind,” Zeke replies. “I celebrate being part of a church that welcomes others with the same grace as God has welcomed each of us.” At FUMC Arkadelphia we seek to welcome people extravagantly and affirm the UMC ad slogan of “Open hearts, open mind and open doors.”