Greg Heisler, formerly of Franklinton, has accepted  

the call of senior pastor at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone, after eight years as associate professor of preaching and speech at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest.  

His first official sermon in Boone was delivered to capacity crowds in both Sunday morning services on Aug. 5.

"The Lord began stirring in my heart about two years ago about returning to the local church," Heisler said. "Seminary was very rewarding, but one thing I missed greatly about the local church was the relationships I enjoyed as a pastor. I did several interim pastorates while I served as a seminary professor, and those were confirmation, from God, that it was time for me to go back to the pastorate."

The Mount Vernon church family couldn't be happier, said Chris Weeks, who chaired the pastoral search committee.                    

"Greg is a gifted minister and we are excited to work alongside him in ministry," Weeks said. "But, that excitement comes primarily from the assurance that Greg was who God had chosen, and we trust that God's ways are perfect."

Weeks said when the process of finding a new pastor began in July, 2011, the committee was "overwhelmed" with the responsibility of its task.

"But, that feeling of inadequacy really drove us to our knees in prayer," he said, "and for the entire year that we worked together, we began every meeting on our knees in prayer, confessing our dependence on God for the outcome."

Those prayers, joined with those of the church body, were the key to the process, he said.

"We began to understand our job, not as figuring out who the best candidate was, but as allowing God to show us who He had already chosen," he said.

As the process began, the team engaged the church family, which, Weeks said, "Allowed God to speak through their feedback and show us what our congregation needed in a pastor."

The committee met with several applicants. "But, when we met with Greg, it was clear that he fit the profile in every way -- from his absolute commitment to preaching and teaching the full counsel of God's word, to his conviction of the importance of being involved as shepherd of the people -- life on life -- and his commitment to missions and evangelism," Weeks said. "We saw, clearly, how God was working from both sides to bring us together in ministry."  

Heisler said "several things" attracted him to Mt. Vernon. 

"First, they believe the Bible is God's Word, and they were looking for someone committed to expository preaching. Over and over again, the search team said they needed a strong preacher of God's Word. I am not in the pulpit to preach my opinions -- I am there to preach God's word. People come hungry to worship wanting to hear a Word from God, and I have the pleasure as God's called servant of feeding them each week," he said. "What a privilege."

Secondly, Heisler said, "The church is totally sold out to 'great commission' ministries -- Mount Vernon is literally all over the world.  Pastor Allan Blume, my predecessor, did an outstanding job of keeping the church focused on missions and on reaching the world for Christ." 

"Thirdly, the church looks to the senior pastor's leadership," Heisler said. "One of the things I missed, while a seminary professor, was leading. Our deacons at Mount Vernon have blessed me so much already by letting me know they are 100 percent behind me as I lead the church into the future God has for us. There is a sweet spirit of unity at Mount Vernon  -- it was there before I got there, and by God's grace, we will keep it."

Heisler's vision for Mount Vernon is simple, he said. "That God would continue to use us to be a blessing to Boone and the world as we share the good news of Jesus Christ.  I want Mount Vernon to be a Jesus Place." 

Although he was not raised in a Christian home, he was greatly influenced by his girlfriend during high school, he said.

 "While attending church with her for several months, I came under the conviction of my sin and believed Jesus Christ was the only remedy for my sin because of his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave. On January 20, 1991, I repented of my sin and trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior at Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Maryville, Tenn."

 "After two years of spiritual growth in my Christian faith, the Lord called me and my fiancé into full-time Christian service during a revival meeting, in 1993," he said. "In preparation for this call, I enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1995."

In February 1996, he surrendered to God's call to preach."

In obedience to the call, he said, he began to pastor Vine Run Baptist Church while enrolled in seminary. "I also completed the Ph.D. in preaching at Southern to further sharpen my understanding of preaching."

Heisler acknowledges that he has been blessed with the gifts of preaching, teaching, and leading. "And God has given me a shepherd's heart for the church.  I am looking forward to serving Him as a local church pastor once again, for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom."

He received his doctor of philosophy in Christian Preaching in 2003; he earlier completed his master of divinity in missions, evangelism and church growth in 1998, after receiving his bachelor of arts in religion in 1995. He was ordained to preach at Madison Avenue Baptist Church on March 3, 1997.

In addition to his tenure at Southeastern, Heisler taught at  New Orleans Baptist Seminary, at Boyce College in Louisville, Ky., and has authored numerous publications, including "Spirit-Led Preaching: The Holy Spirit's Role in Sermon Preparation and Delivery," which was named "Preaching Book of the Year, (Christianity Today's Preaching).

Prior to, and while serving on the faculty at Southeastern, Heisler has preached in many churches, revival services and conferences. He has held various roles as pastor, interim pastor and leader of numerous ministries

Heisler is considered an expert teacher in areas of Christian preaching, hermeneutics, (the art and science of text interpretation), Biblical studies, evangelism, church growth, worldview studies and pastoral ministry studies.

Heisler and his wife, Laura, have two sons, Andrew, 14, and Benjamin, 12. He enjoys watching sports, playing golf, working out and quality time with his family.