Pastoral Staff

Allan Lockerman Co-Pastor Email Allan		Jim Gibson Co-Pastor Email Jim		Tom Moncrief Pastoral Care Email Tom
Mike Waldrop Marriage & Family Counselor Email Mike		Tom Wickes Minister of Music Email Tom		Rob LaLiberte Associate Pastor of Praise & Worship  Email Rob
Tara Waldrop Minister of Childhood Education Email Tara		Derek Simpson Associate Pastor/ Student Ministries Email Derek
Jake Stum Associate Pastor/ Young Adults and Community Ministries Email Jake		Rev. Rusty Asble Associate Pastor/ Recreation Administration Email Rusty		Stephen Beasley Director of Media Ministries Email Stephen

Get to know the staff
dr. Allan Lockerman | Co-Pastor
alockerman@clevelandfbc.com
    Allan was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He married Alice Brown Lockerman of Elberton, Georgia. They have three children, Robert Allan, Jeffrey Allan, and Jennifer Kay.
    Allan has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia. He majored in Education. He received a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He obtained his Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
    Allan began his service in a church as a theological student/interim work in 1978. He served as pastor of churches in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Allan served as FBC’s pastor from 1992 – 2000 and returned in 2004 to serve as Co-Pastor. He has served on the Executive committee in Georgia and Tennessee Baptist Convention.
    Allan is a published author who has written “When Good Enough is Not Enough”.

Rev. Jim Gibson | Co-Pastor
jgibson@clevelandfbc.com
    Jim came to FBC in 2003 and had previously served on staff as Minister of Youth and Recreation a number of years ago.  He and his wife Mary Beth have served on church staffs in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Tennessee.  Jim is originally from Cleveland and Mary Beth’s home is Central City, Kentucky.  They met in college and have 10 children.
    Jim’s primary responsibilities include oversight of the staff, ministry programs, church operations, teaching in various venues and he preaches occasionally.  He accepted Christ during Vacation Bible School when he was 10 years old and was called to the ministry during high school.  He was ordained at First Baptist Church of Cleveland in 1983.  Jim enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis and finding great places to eat!

Rev. Tom Moncrief | Pastoral Care Assistant
moncrief@clevelandfbc.com
    Tom married Martha (Russell) in June 1952. They have two adult sons: Russell of Hinesville, Georgia and Raymond of Monrovia, Indiana. They are blessed with 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
    He served in several areas of Ministry. He served as Pastor: Memphis; Louisiana; Indiana 1951-1980 and Associational Director of Missions as appointed.
    Tom was a Home Missionary serving in Connecticut and Rhode Island 1980-1984 and a Missions Division Director of Baptist Convention of New England, 1984-1992 and also Associate Executive Director of BCNE 1986-1992.
    Tom retired to Cleveland in 1992. He served area churches in pulpit supply and interim pastor and taught Sunday school at First Baptist Church. He began his service in June 2005 for First Baptist Church as the Pastoral Ministries Assistant.

Rev. Mike Waldrop | Marriage & Family Counselor mwaldrop@clevelandfbc.com
    Mike  is blessed to be married to Tara Waldrop who serves as First Baptist’s Minister of Childhood Education.  Together they have a passion for the family.  Mike desires to help families apply God’s word to life’s challenges! His greatest joy is seeing couples reclaim their marriages and families for Christ.
Mike and Tara met while both were students at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City Tennessee.  In August of 1993 Mike served as the North American Mission Board’s Semester Home Missionary for the Samaritan’s House- a family homeless shelter.  Tara was completing her internship at Samaritan House.  It is through their work with families God brought them together and they were married May 28, 1994.
    Mike graduated from Carson-Newman College in December 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts.  His majors were in Psychology and Human Services with a concentration in Social Psychology.  Mike and Tara began studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where Mike earned a Master of Divinity concentrating on Family Ministry in 1998.  Mike worked for Seven County Services as an intensive in home therapist.  His work focused on families with high risk youth seeking family preservation.  Mike also served as Shively Baptist Church’s interim Director of Recreation Facilities.
    In December of 1999, Mike and Tara moved to Chattanooga to serve at Brainerd Baptist Church.  Tara served as Director of Preschool and Children’s Ministries.  Mike first began serving as Brainerd Baptist School’s Guidance Counselor.  Later, Mike also served as a Counselor for Brainerd Baptist Church.
    In 2003 Mike began working for Parkridge Valley Hospital.  Since 2006, Mike has also served as Marriage and Family Therapist for First Baptist Church.
    Mike is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the state of Tennessee.  He holds memberships in the American Association of Christian Counselors and Chattanooga Area.  Mike is certified in Critical Incident Stress Management.
    Mike and Tara both love to travel especially doing mission work.  Mike loves technology, photography and is a huge UT fan.  One little known fact about Mike is he has visited 45 of our 50 states- all as a cross country truck driver! Mike and Tara are currently in the process of adopting from Nicaragua- a country God has given them both a passion for the people of this 3rd world country to know and experience God’s love to the fullest!

Rev. Tom Wickes | Minister of Music
TWICKES@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Tom Wickes came to First Baptist Church in December of 1985 after serving churches in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. A graduate of Grand Canyon University, Tom received his Master of Church Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tom also served as a Marine Aviator between college and seminary.
    Tom directs the Sanctuary Choir, Student Choir, and several ensembles at First Baptist, as well as overseeing the Children’s Choir, and instrumental program. The Student Choir under his leadership has traveled to Michigan, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Louisiana, helping new pastors start churches.
    Tom has served as a part time faculty member and consultant at Lee University and as a guest teacher at the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary. He has had articles and music published by Lifeway and has arranged many songs for use by our choir. In 1999 he was listed as one of the top 100 Ministers of Music in the United States.
    Tom’s wife Mary Beth is a member of the Lee University music staff as well as being a pianist and organist for worship services at First Baptist.
    They are parents of Jim, an English teacher in Dalton, Georgia, and Jeff, a graduate student in religion at Notre Dame.

Rob LaLiberte | Associate Pastor of Praise & Worship
RLALIBERTE@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Rob LaLiberte joined the staff of First Baptist Church in June of 2005. He has been leading worship in the local church and on the road since 1992, beginning at the age of 14. He was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and graduated from the University of Mobile in 2004.
    While at the University of Mobile, Rob met and married his beautiful wife, Joy in March 2005. Joy graduated from the University with a degree in Elementary Education. Rob and Joy welcomed their first child, Katelyn Joy, into their lives in November 2006.

Tara Waldrop | Minister of Childhood Education
TWALDROP@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Tara came to FBC in 2004. Tara is originally from Chattanooga. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Carson-Newman College. Tara met her husband Mike at Carson-Newman while both served on staff at Samaritan House. Samaritan House is a family homeless shelter that Carson-Newman College owns and operates. This experience allowed them to work with homeless families while finishing their undergraduate education. They moved to Louisville, Kentucky to attend The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where Tara received a Master of Arts in Christian Education.    
    Tara served on church staff in Louisville at Shively Baptist Church. In 1999 Mike and Tara moved to Chattanooga, TN to serve at Brainerd Baptist Church. Tara’s responsibilities at First Baptist Church are with children Birth – 5 th grade and their families. Tara also gives oversight to Women’s Ministries at First Baptist Church.
    Tara accepted Christ at age 5 and was called in to ministry at age 10 at G.A. Camp at Camp Carson. Mike and Tara feel God has given them both a passion for ministering to the family! They both also enjoy going on mission trips together! Tara enjoys scrap booking, reading and going to the beach with her hubby!

REV. Derek Simpson | Minister to Students
DSIMPSON@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Derek was born in Wichita, KS and grew up there. He was saved at the age of 6 during a Vacation Bible School. He met Megan while in high school and they were married in 2005. Their first child, Carly, was born in Louisville, KY in 2007. Derek has a Bachelor’s Degree in Youth Ministry from Boyce College in Louisville, KY and is near completion of a Master of Divinity in Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to First Baptist Cleveland in January 2008, Derek served on a church staff in Louisville for six years. His primary responsibility at First Baptist is to oversee ministry to 6th-12th grade students and their families. His passion is to see the Gospel impact students and to see families transformed by Jesus.

Jake Stum | Director of Young Adults & Community Ministry
JSTUM@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Jake has been married to his wife, Merica, since 1998.  They have two sons, Luke and Dosen. Jake graduated from Lee University in 1997 where he earned a degree in Pastoral Ministries.  He completed a Masters degree in Biblical Studies in 2008.
    Jake is now completing his PhD in Organizational Leadership at Regent University. He serves First Baptist Church in the areas of college, young singles, community outreach, and young families.

Rev. Rusty Asble | Associate Pastor of Recreation Administration
RASBLE@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Russell “Rusty” G.O. Asble was born in Darlington, South Carolina. His growing up years were in New Port Richey, Florida. Rusty graduated from Gulf Comprehensive High School, FL; Palm Beach Atlantic University, FL; and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, TX.
    He is married to the lovely and talented Stacy Beard Asble of Eustis, Florida. They have two great little boys, Ridge G.O. Asble and Garrett G.O. Asble, who are full of life and fun. Rusty’s heart and life is in seeing people getting excited about their relationship with Jesus Christ and allowing Him to use their leisure interest in building relationships with others, then sharing their faith through that relationship.
    Rusty was called to First Baptist Church of Cleveland to serve as the Associate Pastor of Recreation Administration in January 2006. In his spare time, Rusty enjoys being in God’s Great Outdoors with his boys involving many wood and water activities like hunting, fishing, farming, archery and bird dogs.

Stephen Beasley | Director of Media Ministries
SBEASLEY@CLEVELANDFBC.COM
    Stephen Beasley joined the staff of First Baptist Church in January of 2004. He married his wife, Ami, in the Fall of 2005. Stephen and Ami's first child Evelyn, was born in July 2008. Ami also serves as the graphic designer for the Media Ministry department. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida.
    Stephen has a great passion for using Media to present the message of God's Word to both believers and nonbelievers alike. In the fall of 2005 Stephen coordinated the beginning of the Television Ministry at First Baptist and has since begun to implement a cohesive approach to using Television, Radio, and the Internet to spread the gospel to the east Tennessee area and surrounding states.