Stuart began his ministry in Hartwell in June 2020. Early in his ministry, he pastored churches in upstate South Carolina for 6 years, followed by 10 years of pastoring in Georgia: 6 years at Comer Baptist and 4+ years in Commerce.  He served as the state director of Disaster Relief for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board from November 2006 through May 2020.  During the last 8 years of his ministry with GBMB, he also served as a missions coordinator, helping churches develop a missional strategy for their particular setting.

Stuart and Tania have been married since August 1989.  They have two grown children who are both married.  Caleb and wife Kaley have two sons, Jacob and Elijah.  Caleb serves as a youth pastor in Oakwood, GA.  Rebekah and husband Andrew had a COVID wedding in June 2020.  Rebekah will finish her doctorate of pharmacy in May 2022 and plans to serve as a pharmacist where they live in the Greensboro, NC area. 

Many verses of Scripture come to mind, but the one Stuart keeps coming back to as a “life verse” is the first phrase of Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ.”  The context of that phrase is so rich with self-denial and seeking Christ, but at the heart of it all is the personal desire and discipline to know Jesus intimately. If the apostle Paul could pen these words late in life after all he had witnessed and endured, then we all need to focus our hearts and minds on our Savior and Lord, to walk with Him, to love and serve Him.