The Pickard Family's Story



Thirty years ago, while living in Munford, Tennessee, God placed a call on my life to preach His Word. I was excited to share this call with my fiance Anna whom God had spoken to earlier at the age of sixteen before the two of us met. We were married in June of 1983, and we began part-time ministry as youth directors in my home church. I worked in sales while Anna finished her final semester at Union University and then began teaching in Tipton County.

In the summer of 1985, we quit our jobs and moved to the Tennessee District Assemblies of God Campground where we both served on staff. Ironically, this is where we met just three years earlier. When our summer position ended, we loaded up a small moving truck and headed to Springfield, Missouri, where we had purchased a 600-sq-ft home. There Anna began work in the Foreign Missions Department at the International Headquarters of the Assemblies of God. I began as a full-time student at Central Bible College. In May of 1988, I completed my undergraduate degree in Bible and theology. I held many secular part-time positions as I worked my way through both CBC and the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, where I received my masters degree in pastoral counseling in 1990. While living and working in Springfield, we were active in ministry at Calvary Temple and Peace Chapel Assembly of God.

Our first full-time ministry position was at Raleigh Assembly of God Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where I served as associate pastor from July of 1990 through January of 1994. My portfolio primarily included youth, Family Life Center, and Sunday School. While in Memphis, I was ordained with the Assemblies of God. Our son Marshall was born September 16, 1993, and we moved to Crossville shortly thereafter.

On January 30, 1994, I preached my first sermon as the senior pastor of Faith Assembly of God. Although we have witnessed many changes in our lives, our church, and our community during these last twenty years, we are certain of God's calling to this Upper Cumberland region. We have watched Marshall grow from a four-month-old baby to a young man of almost twenty years. He is about to enter his junior year at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, where he is majoring in public relations with a journalism emphasis.

Anna holds the position of Freshman Academy Coordinator at Cumberland County High School where she has taught English since January of 2001. She presently leads worship here at Faith.

We are so pleased and honored to serve the wonderful people on the Cumberland Plateau, and if you don't already have a church home, we invite you to fellowship and worship with us at Faith Assembly of God Church.



Pastor Steve