Memphis pastor joins AU faculty in pastoral ministry

James Noble, pastor of Grace Fellowship Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., will join the Anderson University faculty as assistant professor of pastoral ministry.

Noble currently serves as vice president and a member of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. In addition to his pastoral ministry roles, he also served as a leadership strategist for the Mid-South Baptist Association, serving the Memphis area, and has been involved in international missions in Ghana and the Dominican Republic.

In his new faculty role in Anderson’s College of Christian Studies and Clamp Divinity School, Noble will teach courses in pastoral ministry, leadership and Christian worldview.

“We are delighted to have a pastor-scholar like James Noble join our faculty team,” said Michael Duduit, dean of the College of Christian Studies and Clamp Divinity School. “He brings 20 years of pastoral ministry experience and a heart for equipping the next generation of church leaders. As a program that emphasizes practical knowledge within a biblically faithful context, James will be an ideal addition to what is already a remarkable team.”

A native of Little Rock, Ark., Noble is a graduate of Arkansas Baptist College, and earned his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as an adjunct professor for Union University and the Memphis Center for Urban Theological Studies.

In nominating Noble as vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention – a position to which he was elected unanimously – Jim Collier (pastor of Kirby Woods Baptist Church in Memphis) described him as “a servant leader” who is passionate about God’s Word and sharing His Word with others. He added that Noble is passionate about God’s call, stating, “It shapes his life.”

“Most of our Christian Studies faculty have come to us directly from the pastorate,” Duduit observed, “which gives our students a rare combination of academic excellence and practical experience in the classroom. Dr. Noble is a great addition to this team.”