Our Story
The Penneys
Shelby and I are high school sweethearts who have been married since 2016. We have two boys, Silas (4), and Forrest (2) who are sweet, silly, and full of energy. We were born and raised in East Tennessee and currently live in Johnson City. We are passionate about the local church, and spreading the gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
"The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps."
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)
Our Story, God's Plan
In the spring of 2021, our family responded to a call into ministry that the Lord had been preparing for us for a number of years. Not knowing exactly what that meant for us long term, Shelby and I both began serving in more significant roles at our church in Johnson City and started training at Grimké College and Grimké Seminary respectively. Before I graduated in 2023, God started to clarify our calling and open doors in multiple ways. We knew that God had called us to serve in the local church but we also had a burden for the people in the UK that we couldn't shake.
In God's providence, a group of pastors from Liverpool visited Grimké and invited us to visit. A year later we were able to go to Liverpool, exploring and experiencing the local church ministry context in England. The Lord was so kind to give us immense clarity, unity, and direction from this trip. We quickly built deep relationships with ministry leaders there and mutually felt that this where God wanted us to serve him.
If the Lord wills, in August of 2025 our family will be moving to an area of Liverpool called Kensington to serve with Hope Church, pastored by George Osborn. We will also be receiving further ministry and cultural training through a residency program through the Cornerstone Collective.
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Throughout this whole process, we have seen how God has graciously made each step so clear. He has abundantly provided for us in many beautiful, and often unexpected ways. We continue to rely on his direction, provision, and protection as we strive to walk in his good will.