Board Members | Grace For You Minist

Dr. Jim Parker

Dr. Jim Parker serves Grace Baptist Church as our Executive Pastor. Dr. Parker was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and has lived in Alabama, Texas, and Louisiana, where he has served churches and seminaries prior to coming to Springfield. Dr. Parker is married to Donna, and they have one grown daughter – Paige, who is married to John Dodd. Dr. Parker worked as an engineer for United States Steel and other companies for many years, when he felt the call of God to surrender to full-time Christian ministry. Dr. Parker was licensed to preach the Gospel by Cedar Bayou Baptist Church in Baytown, Texas. Donna has served as an accountant for several companies, with the last ten years being at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She previously was a town clerk and a magistrate in Lakeview, Alabama. Dr. Parker earned his B.S degree from the State University of New York in Albany, New York, his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, his Master of Arts in Biblical Archaeology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, and his Doctor of Philosophy in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Germantown, Tennessee, where his research consisted of studies of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Personally, Dr. Parker enjoys playing golf and fishing, as well as spending time with his family. Professionally, Dr. Parker has a passion to teach and mentor the next generation of Gospel ministers, and like Dr. Steve Freeman, Pastor of GBC, to see the people of Robertson County experience life-change through the power of God’s Word.

Glen McGriff

Glen is originally from Nashville, TN, but currently resides in Hendersonville. He is a member of Long Hollow Baptist Church. After 42 years of service, Glen is now retired from UPS. He and his wife, Terry, have been married for 39 years, and they have two children, Kristen & Kelsey, as well as three grandchildren.

In his spare time, Glen enjoys sports, spending time with his grandkids, and doing yard work.

Sam Bowman

As Pro Bono Shareholder for Baker Donelson, Mr. Bowman is responsible for overseeing the continued development, growth, and administration of pro bono programs across the Firm's 21 offices located in ten states and Washington, D.C. He has served for more than ten years as chair of the Nashville office's Pro Bono Committee, where he coordinated local pro bono matters for attorneys in the office, assisted local legal aid organizations, and handled individual pro bono cases. Mr. Bowman maintains a significant practice providing legal services pro bono, which includes assisting entities with obtaining nonprofit status and providing pro bono services to several local churches.