Pilgrimage Leaders

Dr. Tom Jones (Program Director/Faculty) Professor of Christian Ministries and Director of Supervised Ministerial Experience Professor Tom Jones, veteran church planter and pastor for over twenty years, came to Emmanuel School of Religion in 1999 to multiply his efforts and influence and to reinforce Emmanuel's longstanding commitment to leadership development in the local church. Professor Jones is a widely sought after new church development coach, consultant, assessor, seminar leader and teacher, and mentor. He has trained pastors across several denominations. Dr. Jones has served as the primary leader of the Pastoral Pilgrimage Staff. He can be reached via our contact page or 423-461-1507.

John Wasem (Spiritual Director)
Director of the Emmanuel Institutes and Faculty of Christian Ministries
John E. Wasem began his service at Emmanuel School of Religion in 2005 after 31 years of experience in five local churches in Tennessee and Indiana. His ministerial journey has included an array of opportunities ranging from a mega-church to a “solo minister” church … an 1824 Appalachian church to a 1994 Chicagoland church that he founded.
John was baptized, married, and ordained in the Marlboro Christian Church of Alliance, Ohio. After studying oceanography at the University of Michigan, John came to Milligan College to complete his undergraduate ministerial education and then the Master of Divinity at Emmanuel. He is currently a PhD dissertation student in Organizational Leadership.
Following his Emmanuel studies, he served for eight years with the East 91st Street Christian Church of Indianapolis. He was the primary developer of that congregation’s noted church planting ministry. In 1994, John planted the 8th daughter church - Suncrest Christian Church -. in St. John, Indiana.
John has served as a church planting leader for over 25 years. He serves as Director of Planter Care for Stadia – a church multiplication movement based in California. John has coached over 40 church planters since 1997. His special focus has been on church planting in New England where he serves Restoration House Ministries of Manchester, NH as a church planting consultant and coach. He has attained national certification as a ministry coach.
In his present capacity, John provides primary leadership to the Emmanuel Institutes designed to make significant contributions in the areas of world mission, church planting, and excellence in ministry. In addition, he is a member of the Christian Ministries faculty.
John is married and has three children and two granddaughters. John enjoys writing, family travel, golf, and historical reading. He resides in Gray, TN and attends the Boones Creek Christian Church.