Meet The Pastor
Dr. Melvin A. McKinney, III
Dr. Mel McKinney, or Pastor Mel as he's affectionately known, leads our congregation. Mel has been in the Chappell Hill area since December 2017. He is a man of God who cherishes Scripture and seeks to preach it well. He leads with a shepherd’s heart towards the congregation always putting others above himself. He loves his family and seeks the best for them in all things. We truly are blessed with a wonderful pastor.
Mel has served for 24 years in ministry. He has pastored several other churches since his ordination, as well as serving as Bible teacher and campus pastor for 7 years at Trinity Christian Academy in Willow Park, TX. Before and during that time, for 8 years, he was also the pastor of Hilltop Baptist Church, a multi-ethnic, multi-generational congregation in Fort Worth TX. Before surrendering to the ministry, Mel worked 7 years as a conductor and yard foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Mel has an advanced degree in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Biblical languages from Southwestern and has received his Doctor of Ministry with a specialization in Church Health from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Mel and his wife Pamela have been married 30 years on March 12, 2024. His wife, Pamela, works for Oracle Corporation. Their four children are Sean, Julia, Emily, and Matthew. Sean graduated from the University of Arizona, Julia attends college at Texas State, Emily is a student at Texas A&M University, and Matthew attends the University of Arizona. Mel testifies to his salvation in 1994, the year he was married, and he was ordained to the ministry of the Gospel in the year 2000.