Preacher Search

HOW TO APPLY

• Send a cover letter, resume, 2-3 sermon samples, 1 recorded Bible class (if possible), and at least 3 references to [email protected].
• You should also expect to fill out a doctrinal questionnaire and do an interview via Zoom / Phone before being invited to a live audition.
• Any questions about the position or posting can be sent to [email protected].

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Spiritual & Doctrinal Alignment – Must be a faithful, baptized believer and a member of the Church of Christ.
• Must hold a sound, conservative understanding of Scripture, preaching the full counsel of God without reservation.
• Must align with our congregation’s historic practices regarding New Testament worship (including a cappella congregational singing, weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper, and the biblical plan of salvation), as well as have a heart for the objectives of the Midshipmen Ministry for the U.S. Naval Academy.
• Is aligned with “Our Core Beliefs” as found in the church website at site.annapolischurch.org/beliefs

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum Experience: At least 3 to 5 years of full-time preaching experience.
• Education: Graduation from a recognized brotherhood preaching school or a degree in Bible/Ministry from a Christian university.

MARITAL / FAMILY STATUS EXPECTATIONS

• Married man with an exemplary home life

CONGREGATIONAL FOCUS & VISION

• Over the next five years, our primary goals are:
• Evangelistic Outreach — Evangelism far and near with focus on youth that includes reaching unchurched families in our immediate local area.
• Spiritual Growth – Developing stronger relationships with each other and our Heavenly Father for our current members.
• Midshipmen Ministry – Increasing opportunities for worship, fellowship and service for midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy.

FINANCIAL PARAMETERS

• Compensation will be competitive and negotiable.
• A 5 bedroom 3 1/2 bathroom home owned by the church and on the church property is included.
• The total compensation package can be structured to include base salary, house provided, health, and retirement benefits based on the candidate’s preference.
• Assistance with moving will be provided.

PREACHER RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Preach, teach, and nurture: Present sermons, Bible studies, and devotionals to edify the church, motivate it toward greater spiritual maturity, and evangelize the lost.
   • Unless otherwise scheduled, preach from the pulpit each Sunday morning and evening, conduct Wednesday evening services, and perform or assist in weddings, funerals, and baptisms.
   • As scheduled and required, teach Sunday morning and Wednesday evening Bible classes and devotionals.
   • With the elders & deacons, maintain contact with our missionaries to be aware of their needs and to obtain information to keep the congregation informed of their needs and activities.
   • Support the teaching of new converts in basic Christian principles.
2. Counsel, mentor, and encourage: Through instruction and example, encourage and coordinate actions to increase personal growth and involvement in the church.
   • Build current and future congregational leadership:
     • Instruct and encourage men to become deacons and elders.
     • Help the current leadership grow spiritually.
     • Promote congregational participation in fellowship and evangelistic activities.
   • Support the deacons and ministry leaders in the fulfillment of their responsibilities:
     • Midshipman ministry:
       • Assist as a religious representative to the U.S. Naval Academy’s Brigade of the congregation
       • Participate in Plebe worship during the summer and mid-week Bible classes during the academic year at the Academy.
       • Provide on-call counseling services to midshipmen.
       • Encourage congregational involvement as sponsors and promote attendance at Parent’s Day.
     • Provide Christian counseling: In collaboration with the elders, provide pre-marital, personal, and other Christian counseling for members and their families.
     • With the elders, participate in and coordinate visitations with members in their homes, in hospitals, and in care facilities.
     • Contact all visitors by phone, email, and/or written card within 3 days of their visit – especially (but not limited to) those who have expressed a desire to become Christians or join the body at Annapolis.
3. Participate in church activities
   • Participate in church fellowship activities, including, but not limited to:
     • Youth worship and fellowship programs.
     • Participation in spring and fall prayer days.
     • Participation in annual Vacation Bible School.
     • Participation in other such events as are hosted at or supported by the congregation.
   • Participate in church leadership activities, including, but not limited to:
     • Support and actively participate in leadership meetings.
     • Work with the elders to develop agendas and options.
     • Recommend development activities for the preacher, elders, deacons, or the congregation (in whole or in part).
   • With the help of various members of the congregation:
     • Coordinate visits by our missionaries.
     • Recommend and coordinate gospel meeting.

HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATION

The body of the Lord’s church that meets in Arnold, Maryland, enjoys a long and wonderful history in the Annapolis area. It began in the fall of 1949 when Brother Ralph Scott, an instructor and Naval officer at the US Naval Academy in Anna-

polis, discovered that there were 14 midshipmen at the Academy who were members of the Church of Christ. Brother Scott then began holding services with this group each Lord’s Day at 5:45 p.m. in Bancroft Hall at the Naval Academy. In the summer of 1950, Brother Scott was transferred, and the services were discontinued.

However, several Christian families moved to the Annapolis area about this same time. Brother Elvis Hufford, a minister from Baltimore, held a meeting at the Community Service Building on Comprise Street in Annapolis in October of 1950 to start the church effort again. After the meeting, four of the brethren from the Baltimore Church of Christ began alternating on Sundays, preaching and teaching the classes. The church met for one hour of worship on Sunday morning, held a Bible study class on Saturday night, and hosted two 15 minute radio programs each week.

When the school term began at the Naval Academy in the fall of 1951, Brother J. W. Mankin, who had moved into the Washington D.C. area, did the teaching and preaching during that school term. The Saturday night classes were continued during this period. By June 1952 almost all the members, except the midshipmen, had moved away from the Annapolis area. With the closing of the Academy for the summer, the services of the Church were discontinued until the first Sunday in September of 1952.

Brother Charles Crouch, minister of the Baltimore Church of Christ, opened the services in September 1952 with a 10 day meeting. After this meeting, Brother Hugh Daniel, a member of the Baltimore congregation, began to teach and preach at Annapolis regularly each Lord’s Day. The Naval Academy again authorized the 14 midshipmen to attend a 2 hour service on Sunday morning. Shortly after that, one adult class and one children’s class was formed. During the 1952-1953 school year two Christian families moved into the area and services continued even after the Naval Academy closed for the summer.

During this summer period adult attendance never dropped below 4 and usually ran from 10 to 18 people. With the beginning of the school year in September 1953, several other Christian families placed their membership, and at that time the membership was thirty adults, seven of which were midshipmen. The membership in 1954 was 30 adults and 23 children, and another children’s class was added. For several years Brother Daniel preached for the congregation while supporting himself as a carpenter. During these years the church met at the Annapolis YMCA, which was in a brick building near Fawcett’s at the waterfront. It met on the top floor every Sunday morning. The midshipmen marched to church each Sunday. In 1957 the church bought the old St. Luke’s Chapel in Eastport, which had been built as a mission point early in the 20th century by St. Anne’s Episcopal Church on Church Circle in Annapolis. Ministers who served the congregation thereafter included Denton Crews, Jerry Catchim, Franklin Dunlap, and John Humphries. Members from the University Parkway Church of Christ in Baltimore and the 16th Street Church of Christ in D.C. also supported the church in Annapolis throughout the years by sending preachers and teachers each week as needed.

In 1965, Chesley Wooten was hired as the first full-time minister for the Annapolis Church of Christ, bringing with him his wife and two daughters. By the first Sunday in August 1968 the congregation had moved out of their building in Eastport and sold it to Brother Dunlap. That Sunday they met for the first time in the cafeteria of the Arnold Elementary. On Sunday nights, there were usually four families. The church started to grow as more families moved to the Arnold area, and more came as members knocked on doors.

The money from the sale of the Eastport property was used to purchase the current property on Ritchie Highway in Arnold. The family of Dr. John Brewer was instrumental in the planning, construction, and decoration of the new building on Ritchie Highway. On March 7, 1971 the congregation began meeting in its new building. Sunday morning attendance during 1972 averaged 112, which included about 15 midshipmen.

Ministers who have served since Brother Wooten retired include William Thompson (1980-??), Roger Fry (1982-1987), Joe Bagby (1988-1990), John White (1991-1992), Tom Walls (1994-2004), Mark Newton (2005-2007), Duane Stuart (2008-2015), and Shelton Peeler (2019-2026).

Today, in 2026, the Annapolis Church of Christ still meets in the original building constructed in Arnold. The membership roll has approximately 115 on it, and attendance ranges from 80-120 on Sunday mornings. Currently, the church has three elders (Bill Luttrell, Stewart Eales, and Shelton Peeler) and five deacons (Kevin Jackson, Jason Harper, Kwesi Asiedu, Dave Myers, and Luke Brimhall).

The church is still very much involved in outreach to the midshipmen of the US Naval Academy, with a Sunday morning Bible class for the midshipmen & college age members and a Tuesday evening Bible class on “the Yard.” A number of members of the congregation sponsor midshipmen every year.