Trevecca is honored to welcome Christian Carson as the speaker for Spiritual Deepening Week beginning September 16. Carson's journey to becoming a pastor is a compelling narrative of faith, resilience and divine calling.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Carson attributes much of his style, approach and confidence to his formative years in the nation’s capital. Raised by devoted parents who recently celebrated 35 years of marriage, Carson’s upbringing was deeply influenced by his father's role as a pastor and his mother’s unique blend of eccentricity and wordsmith prowess. As the oldest of five children and the first man in his family to attend and graduate from college, Carson’s journey is marked by hard work and a quest for purpose.
From a young age, Carson was involved in church life, playing instruments in his father's church band throughout high school and college. Although he experienced a spiritual awakening early in life, his true surrender came later. After completing college, but feeling unfulfilled, he moved to Orlando, Florida, and took a security job working for some relatives. "It was a bit of an Abraham 'leave and go to a place I will show you' kind of move," he said.
In Orlando, Carson encountered a transformative moment when he attended a new church led by Grammy-winning Gospel artist Tye Tribbett. This experience motivated him to lead the church's start-up youth ministry without experience or expertise in that area. “No heads up. No formal training. No seminary degree. That’s it – that’s the story," he said of his unexpected entry into ministry.
The youth ministry flourished, and his life took another significant turn when he met his future wife, who initially served as a volunteer in the ministry. Through a series of extraordinary circumstances, Carson was offered the position of college pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Nashville, renowned for an impactful college ministry that had been active for more than 30 years.
Upon relocating to Nashville, Carson and his wife settled near Trevecca. His connection to the University grew through mutual acquaintances, leading to a meaningful friendship with Erik and Ashley Gernand, leaders in Trevecca’s own student ministry programs. Carson’s involvement with Trevecca has included preaching in chapel services and leading worship, and he developed an admiration for the school and its campus community. "Trevecca is truly one of my favorite institutions in the country, and I will always come when they call," he said.
Carson has since become the Family Pastor at Change Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where he and his wife currently reside. As he returns to Trevecca to speak for Spiritual Deepening Week, his passionate perspective on ministry is sure to inspire and enrich students’ spiritual journeys.