Staff

Dr. Lon Chenowith

Director of Missions and Associational Missionary

Pastor Lon was born in Covina, California, raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, and married to Katherine (Kay) Shelley of St. Augustine, Florida. The two of them met at Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. They have two sons and a daughter, four grandsons, and two granddaughters. 

He studied at Oklahoma Baptist University where he got a Bachelor of Arts (’80) in American Studies; went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received a Masters of Divinity (’83); at Luther Rice Seminary where he has a Doctor of Ministry (’92), and at Covington Theological Seminary for a Doctor of Theology (’18).  

He has served as a church planter in Pembroke Pines, Florida; a church developer and planter in Mineral Wells, West Virginia; Senior Pastor in Oneida, Tennessee; a Chaplain for St. John’s Welfare Federation in St. Augustine, Florida; a Senior Pastor in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina; and a missionary evangelist since 2006 with Way of Grace International. He was elected as the Director of Missions for Sandy Run Baptist Association in March 2015. 

Lon has been a Bible preacher nationally and internationally. He has published a book called Five Million Steps: Adventure along the Appalachian Trail in 2009. He and his wife also published High Calling: A Training Manual for Men of God and Ladies of Grace in 2016. A third book, Thunder in the Heart: Poems about the Glory of God was published in 2023.  

Kay completed a Masters in Biblical Counseling from Luther Rice Seminary in May 2014. She has led youth mission teams, done county-wide National Day of Prayer, and has been a featured speaker at ladies conferences. As a pastor’s wife, she has also served as VBS Director, taught Bible ladies studies, worked in prayer ministries, and has done extensive work in hospitality.

Evelyn Lane

Administrative Assistant—since April 1, 2018