The New Testament uses the terms "elders," "overseers," and "pastors" to mean the same thing, namely, a group of men recognized to serve as officers in the church, charged with the tasks of teaching the Word of God and providing oversight to the members of a local congregation (see Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4). Some of our elders are vocational elders, meaning the church provides them financial support so that they can dedicate their full-time service to this task. Other elders are non-vocational, supporting themselves financially through work done outside the church. Yet all of our elders share equal authority in leading our congregation.
Lee has been pastor at CCC since 1999. After growing up in Kentucky and moving to Jackson in 1996, Lee married Lili in 2000, and they have four children: Michael, Marie, Luke, and Nick. He has a B.A. in Biblical Languages from Union University and an M.Div. and Ph.D. (Systematic Theology) from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Lee counts pastoring at CCC as one of the sweetest privileges in life, and he consistently apologizes to his kids for turning them into University of Kentucky football fans.
Tom married Tammy in 1981 and is thankful for the kindness of God in allowing them to share this temporary life together. Tom has both been a pastor and served alongside his wife as a missionary with the International Mission Board (IMB) for most of his married life. They have two children, both of whom are married and have provided them with the joy of grandchildren. He counts being one of the pastors of Cornerstone as the greatest privilege God has given to him. He notes that serving with the other pastors at Cornerstone and serving the church body has proven to be a deep well of fellowship to him.
Aaron O'Kelley has been the husband of Joni since 2001, and they are the parents of Benjamin, Ethan, and Anna. Aaron grew up in northeast Texas, graduated from East Texas Baptist University, and then went on to earn a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy in systematic theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. The O'Kelley family came to Cornerstone in 2009, and the next year Aaron pioneered the pastoral internship program that he has since directed. In 2012, he was appointed an elder of the church, and in 2015 he became the director of Southern Seminary's Jackson extension center. He is a certified nerd who enjoys Middle Earth and Star Wars.
