Level Paths

Born and baptized in the Appalachian Mountains, the Jason Lovins Band has stayed true to their roots for over 20 years. By combining a rich heritage of gospel and country music with contemporary worship, they connect with audiences of all ages. Founded in 2005 in Eastern Kentucky, Jason Lovins first shared his testimony in an old Baptist church and continues to share it on some of the biggest plat...

President Rex pops into the Level Paths recording room to interview his former pastor, Dr. Jeff VanGoethem. Pastor Jeff is the Pastor of Spiritual Development & Missions at East White Oak Bible Church in Carlock, IL. He has been an influential leader on prayer and offer 40 years of experience in bringing prayer into the life of the local church.

Dr. and Pastor Matt McClay talks with Dr. Matt about the state of youth ministry in Appalachia. Pastor Matt is the Student Pastor at Lewis Memorial Baptist Church, and he will lead "Faithful in Student Ministry" at the Appalachian Ministry Institute Conference on October 6, 2026. Pastor Matt's longevity at his church as a member and as a minister offers helpful insights into the changes that youth...

Dr. and Pastor David Lemming has served as Senior Pastor Lewis Memorial Baptist Church in Huntington, West Virginia for over forty-four years. This year, he will be the Keynote Speaker at the 2026 Appalachian Ministry Institute Conference at Tri-State Bible College on October 6, 2026. The long term faithfulness in ministry at Lewis has been built on the basics of biblical Christian ministry.

Dr. Matt meets with Pastor and Church Planter Will Basham of New Heights Baptist Church in Milton, WV. With God's grace, Pastor Will has created a culture of expository preaching, discipleship and leadership development, serious church membership, and mission through church planting. His church is committed to preaching through every book of the Bible by 2030. New Heights' discipleship model focus...

Dr. Matt welcomes Dr. Desmond back to the Level Paths podcast to discuss opportunities in ministry. How does one evaluate potential ministry opportunities? How does leaving or returning to Appalachia impact this decision? How is God shaping your calling as you traverse seasons of challenge and success?

Dr. Matt spends time with Pastor John Gowdy to discuss ministry success and longevity in Appalachia. Pastor John recently completed forty-five years of pastoral ministry at Temple Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Ohio. While Pastor John saw social and economic decline take hold of his town, he also witnessed the glorious gospel of God transforming lives and confirming his call to pastoral ministry in...

Dr. Matt offers sage advice for preaching in an Appalachian context. In addition to guidance, he touches on some of the common errors Appalachian preachers commit in sermon preparation and delivery. Since a regular diet of the Scriptures is critical to spiritual maturity, principles of expository preaching, such as exegesis, interpretation, and homiletics, are essential ingredients to preparing th...

Dr. Matt explores the work of church revitalization and the criticisms the efforts encounter in Appalachia.

Dr. Matt interviews Tri-State Bible College’s Vice President of Academics, Dr. Mark Phillips to discuss the rise of the “Somethings” - a new group identified in religious research. The episode imagines what ministering to the “Somethings” in Appalachia may look like.

Dr. Matt Shamblin explores an important question that people in ministry face either in their own lives or as a colleague seeks advice and prayer. When is it time to accept a new calling?

Dr. Matt serves as the Appalachian Research Fellow at the Appalachian Ministry Institute at Tri-State Bible College. In this episode, Matt expresses the biblical and contextual principle for pastors to commit to fellowship with one another as a source of encouragement and endurance in ministry. Regional pastors are invited to attend the Pastors' Networking Coffee at TSBC on the first Tuesday of ea...

Dr. Matt illustrates the need for the contextualization of ministry in Appalachia through NASCAR's own Appalachian heritage and experience. Also, Dr. Matt gives an update about our 2026 Appalachian Ministry Conference!

Did Christ come into existence at his birth? Did he give up his deity when he became a human? No and no! Dr. Matt welcomes back President Rex for a special Christmas edition of the Level Paths podcast to focus on a little bit of the theology of the incarnation. Praise to the Son Eternal! Merry Christmas!

After examining evidence-based studies about societal changes following the pandemic, Dr. Matt shifts his focus to the workplace and work relationships, faith and practice, and to the way people view life. Some researchers have called this the time of "The Great Detachment." People's priorities have changed. How has a lack of connection and commitment impacted local churches? Can Christians practi...

Dr. Matt revisits COVID-19. The pandemic increased the speed at which some societal trends had been moving, such as declining mental health and skepticism about the credibility of institutions and authority. It also had the effect of strengthening and expanding the church's resolve toward gathering together. Mental health, authority, trust, gatherings, divisions, loneliness, and technology all rel...

Dr. Matt explores discouragement in Appalachian ministry through the biblical narrative about the prophet Elijah. He highlights the importance of finding encouragement in the presence of God, in the company of fellow believers, and receiving an endurance from God that never, never gives up.

Dr. Jacob Marshall joins Dr. Matt Shamblin to discuss patterns of change in Appalachian churches. Evidence of a past legacy of faith exists here; however, churches are encountering barriers today that are hindering them from experiencing God's blessing. Listen to learn about the patterns Dr. Marshall has discovered in his research.

Is the mission of the church to perpetuate Appalachian tradition or to make disciples of all nations? Dr. Matt kicks off the sixth season of the Level Paths podcast by exploring Why Change Matters in a Church, especially churches that exist in an Appalachian context.

Dr. Matt welcomes pastor Heath Bauer to discuss the difficulty of serving in Appalachia as opposed to his missionary seasons of service in China and Malaysia. Dr. Matt and pastor Heath offer encouragement to Appalachian pastors.

Dr. Matt and President Rex sit down with Angie Vanover, who serves as the Director of Children's Ministry at Rose Hill Baptist Church in Ashland, KY. Angie has many years of experience in leading dynamic approaches and administrative wisdom for Vacation Bible School in an Appalachian context. If you've ever had questions about out-of-the-box ideas, how to connect with parents, or the purpose that...

Dr. David Wheeler joins Dr. Matt and President Rex on this episode of Level Paths. Dr. David is a faculty member in the Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University and is an Oak Ridge, TN native. He has over 40 years of ministry experience.

Dr. Matt Shamblin welcomes Dr. Mark Phillips, the VP of Academics at Tri-State Bible College and a member of the Reasons to Believe Scholar Community. Mark also brings his experience as an assistant pastor at FBC Proctorville to address changes in Appalachian evangelism.

Pastor Emeritus of Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield, CA Phil Neighbors joins Dr. Matt and President Rex to tell the story of five generations of Christian ministry from Appalachia to California. The earliest revivals in America and Appalachia are reframed through their impact not only in the immediate historical moment but also in the generational and geographical spread they generated.

Dr. Matt and President Rex discuss the missionary mindset that captured the early church, drove the Christian pioneers that entered north central Appalachia between 1750–1850, and steps to recovering today in and for Appalachia.