Navigating Leadership, Loss, and the Surprising Call of God

In this episode, Rev. Melissa Hatfield shares her journey of calling, leadership, and faith as the first female Lead Pasfor of the church she grew up in. She talks about the process and journey of serving on staff as Student Pastor and then becoming the Lead Pastor. She recognizes and reflects upon the legacy of Dolly Parton, and discusses her experiences navigating ministry as a woman. Melissa also talks about the weight of ministry; she led the church through COVID while grieving the death of her friend and pastor as well as the unexpected death of her sister. She also talks about her role in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and her hopes for its future. Melissa is Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church, Jefferson City MO and is Moderator-Elect of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and https://substack.com/@melissahatfield.