Staff 

Senior Pastor:  Dr. Mark Walker

All my life I had been intrigued by corporate America. I dreamed of being a CEO and making decisions that would affect lives everywhere. Since I felt sure that my four-generation legacy of ministers and pastors had the ministry covered, I pursued my dream in the business world It wasn't long until I began to feel God tug on me. In 1984, around 1:30am while praying, my answer came. It was then that I gave my life over to full-time ministry and began to focus on God's plan.

As I see it now, I’m living my childhood CEO dream. As the Senior Pastor, I have the opportunity to make decisions with a staff, volunteers, and a body of people affecting lives around the world for a far greater cause than I ever imagined: for eternity. For that, I am forever humbled.

I am married to my beautiful wife, Udella, and we have an awesome son, Justin, an incredible daughter-in-law, Amanda, and an amazing daughter, Ashten. We have joyfully served at Mount Paran North since 1992.

Hobbies: hanging out with my wife, listening to music, reading, playing softball, watching baseball, going to movies

Books: Bible, Lead Like Jesus, Courageous Leadership, John Adams, 1776, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, any books on the evidences of the Christian faith, and anything written by Lee Strobel, David Baldacci or Louie L’Amour

Odd Facts: I love pickles, but not on sandwiches. I don’t like onions, but I love onion rings. I love to visit big cities, New York City being my favorite. My most productive place to pray and think is in the shower

Life Scripture: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” Colossians 3:17


Campus Pastor:  Jeremy Isaacs

I come from a long line of ministers going up both sides of the family tree several generations. I decided not to pursue work in the "family business" and went to college with aspirations of law school and a future in politics. All that changed one Sunday night in a college chapel service while I was doing homework in the balcony (very spiritual, I know). At some point I turned my attention away from my books and began to hear God speaking to me about the course of my life. In the altar that night, I accepted God's call to a life of ministry and immediately changed my major.

We joined the staff at North in January of 2007 as Director of Student Ministries and High School Pastor. We later served as 20s and 30s Pastor and Director of Next Generation Ministries. In June 2011, we began in yet another new role as the Campus Pastor for the new Canton Campus of Mt. Paran North. We are really excited about what God is already beginning to do in the Canton community and in the group of people committed to helping us launch this new campus.

I have a bachelors degree in Church Ministries, and I'm currently enrolled in seminary pursuing an MA in Theological Studies.  In 2009, my first book you're not as good as they say you are, but you're not that bad either, was published.
 
I am married to my best friend, Corrie. Together, we have three little boys, Cooper, Branson, and Tucker, and a little girl named Kinley.

Interests and Favorites: Corrie and I like to watch "Royal Pains", "King of Queens" and "Amazing Race" once the kids go to bed … and I still watch reruns of "West Wing" to get my political fix. I am a lifelong UNC Tarheel fan and pull for University of Tennessee football while waiting on basketball season to start back up. I love all sports and will keep playing until I beat you.

Books: Contrarians Guide to Leadership, The Tipping Point, Outliers, The Circle Maker, Axioms, Wild Goose Chase, 7 Practices of Effective Ministry, and anything by John Grisham, David Baldacci, or Patrick Lencioni

Odd Fact: I could eat Mexican food 3 meals a day. I love it!

Life Scripture: "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT).

Find me: twitter.com/jeremyisaacs, forwardleadership.org


Worship Leader:  Justin Walker

I was born a baby. While growing up as a pastor's kid at Mount Paran North, I had no intention of pursuing a ministerial career despite whatever pastoral lineage I inherited. Although I had fantasies of becoming a professional musician (formal terminology for a "rock star"), I toyed around with pursuing a degree in pre-law up until a few weeks before attending Lee University. Without any definitive "calling moment," I decided to major in Biblical and Theological Studies merely because of interest, and throughout my four-year experience at Lee, I gradually discovered a passion for people and the Scriptures that propelled me toward pastoral ministry.

Having graduated from Lee University with a degree in Biblical and Theological Studies in 2009, I am currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Candler School of Theology of Emory University. I have the awesome privilege of leading worship for the Canton Campus, assisting our discipleship ministries, and hanging out with our college students.

I am married to my beautiful high-school sweetheart, Amanda, and we have served at Mount Paran North since 2009.  We were blessed with a little girl, Kennedy, born in December 2011.

Hobbies: hanging out with my wife, guitar, music, reading, writing Books: Bible, N.T. Wright, Walter Brueggemann, etc.

Life Scripture: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers" Psalm 1:1-3.


Children's Pastor:  Tameira Brown

I thank God everyday for allowing me to be in the right place at the right time. He is so good!

I was born with a passion for people and absolutely love working with children. As a young girl, I took great pride in teaching and caring for my Barbies; they were my students. I always dreamed that I would serve as a teacher or leader, but didn't quite know or understand what God was planning for my future.

It was 2005 when I started assisting in the church nursery, and I had not begun to fathom that God was preparing me for His work at North. When I read in the Sunday program, "Nursery Volunteers Needed," God put on my heart right then to bless the lives of children who have an excitement for His Word.

My whole life has been filled with blessings. He blessed me with the best and most supportive, spiritually abundant parents a girl could ask for. He allowed me to go to school on an athletic scholarship and graduate cum laude at Fort Valley State University with a bachelor's degree in Infant & Child Development. And when I thought it couldn't get any better, he blessed me with an awesome opportunity to be part of Mount Paran North's Children's Ministry.

Hobbies: traveling and hanging with family and friends, collecting shoes, playing any athletic sport or activity - especially softball

Odd Facts: I've never flown on an airplane. I cook outdoor on the grill about once a week. Seafood is my favorite food.

Life Scriptures: "Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will by no means enter it" Mark 10:15. "Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction" II Timothy 4:2. 


Administrative Assistant:  Lou-Ann Kates

I was born in New Jersey, and moved to Georgia over 26 years ago with my husband and best friend, Jeff, and our beautiful daughter, Cori.
 
I have worked at Mount Paran North Marietta Campus for over 17 years, serving in Student Ministry, Missions and Children’s Ministry. I have had the honor and privilege, along with my husband, to lead over 14 missions trips and have visited over 22 countries. We have seen so much that our heavenly Father has created and understand how much work we have to accomplish both locally and globally to help increase the Kingdom of God. One of the things that touch our hearts is that no matter what you have done in your life and no matter where you are, you can always come home to the Kingdom ... to His throne.

Hobbies: My husband and I love to travel, love the beach, and the mountains. We are certified scuba divers and love outdoor activities. I love jogging and listening to my iPod. I love to be around people and the excitement of God’s Word, and I love being around my family.

Life Scripture: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6.