Dallas Flippin

I am an ordained pastor with the American Baptist Churches USA. I have been serving as Pastor of First Baptist Church of Jackson, MI since August 2018. My ministry passion focuses on fostering authentic and maturing relationships with God, each other, and the world around us as well as challenging the ideas, systems, and behaviors that divide us.

My academic background is in biblical studies. My undergrad major at Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, TX) was in Theology and Philosophy with minors in biblical studies and biblical languages. During seminary at Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology (Atlanta, GA), my concentration was in academic research and my thesis concerned the role of nature in the Gospel of John. My doctoral studies in Religious Studies at Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI) focused on Judaism & Christianity in Antiquity. Learning how to write and analyze texts has countless applications in everyday life beyond studying antiquity. I’m especially grateful for the people and differing perspectives I studied with while moving across the country for school.

All of that hyper-focused research and analysis personally felt empty without also supporting the life of the church. After a toxic childhood church environment, I grew to appreciate what a healthy church life added to people’s lives and to the greater community. I found myself spending more and more time wanting to mentor young leaders, participate in ecumenical gatherings, and work to feed and support the under-resourced. In an increasingly divisive age, I feel called to invest in the transformation of communities to build love where there is hate and brokenness.

In addition to my research and teaching, I’ve spent over 5 years working in Human Resources and Higher Education. I have a passion for innovation and implementation. If a company or organization has a great strategic vision, I have a passion for helping them accomplish that vision.

My wife and daughters bring me boundless joy. They’re often the subjects of my photography. My creative content also seeps out in the graphics I create for work. If you want to learn more about my life, follow me on Twitter for my day-to-day musings.