​John & Diana YARBROUGH
"Our desire is to finish WELL!"
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JJOHN O. YARBROUGH
Biographical Information
PERSONAL:
Present Address: 490 High Ridge Road
Cleveland, Georgia 30528-2432
Cell Phone: (404) 409-5021
Email: Johnyarbrough60@gmail.com
Website: www.johnoyarbrough.net
Date of Birth: March 16, 1949, Atlanta, Georgia
Married: The former Diana Henry of Gainesville, GA September 7, 1969
Active in Church life (Sunday School/Life Group Teacher)
Certified as an SBC Disaster Relief Worker,
Mission Volunteer, bible study teacher, conference leader
Children: Christina LaFont-November 29, 1970,
1989-90 attended Truett McConnell Junior College, 1993 graduate of The University
of Georgia, Married Stephen on November 4, 2006
Children: Bailey and Charleigh
Joseph Yarbrough-June 30, 1974
Graduate of Southeastern Theological Seminary, 1999
Budge Analogist for Kubota Corp., Gainesville, Georgia
Children: Kalen and Tanner
Parents: Joseph O. & Dorothy D. Yarbrough,
(Father deceased, 1965 ~ Mother deceased, 2007)
SPIRITUAL BACKGROUND:
Received Christ: April 1958, Orchard Knob Baptist Church, Atlanta
Licensed to the Ministry: December 18, 1966, Orchard Knob Baptist, Atlanta
Ordained to the Ministry: June 7, 1970, First Baptist Chattahoochee, Atlanta
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP:
Hopewell Baptist Church, Gainesville, Georgia
EDUCATION:
Walter F. George High School, Atlanta, Georgia 1967
Truett McConnell Junior College, Cleveland, Georgia, Associates in Arts, 1969
Mercer University of Atlanta, Bachelor of Arts, 1973
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, Master of Divinity, 1976
MINISTERIAL EXPERIENCE:
AS A COLLEGE STUDENT:
Summer Youth Director - Central Baptist Church, Gainesville, Georgia, 1968
Associate Pastor - The First Baptist Church of Chattahoochee, Atlanta, 1969-72
Minister of Outreach and Youth - Northeast Baptist Church, Atlanta, 1972-73
AS A SEMINARY STUDENT:
Chaplain's Assistant - Hazelwood Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky, 1973 (volunteer)
Pastor - Westview Baptist Church, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1973-74
Pastor - New Hope Baptist Church, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 1974-76
SINCE SEMINARY:
Pastor - The First Baptist Church of Buena Vista, Georgia, 1976-79
Pastor - Tattnall Square Baptist Church, Macon, Georgia, 1979-81
Pastor - East Lake Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1981-85
Pastor - Tabernacle Baptist Church, Cartersville, Georgia, 1985-93
Pastor - The First Baptist Church, Perry, Georgia, 1993-1997
Vice President for Evangelization - The North American Mission Board, SBC, 1997-2006
Pastor – Mt Yonah Baptist Church, Cleveland, Georgia, 2007 – 2013
Dir. of Alumni & Public Policy, Assoc. Professor of Christian Studies – Truett-McConnell University, Cleveland, Georgia
2013 - 2019 (retired June 30, 2019, continues to serve the University as an adjunct professor and part-time Director of
Public Policy)
INTERIM PASTOR:
First Baptist Church of Roanoke, Virginia; First Baptist Church of Snellville, Georgia; First Baptist Church of
Blairsville, Georgia; Zebulon Baptist Church (twice) of Toccoa, Georgia; Mt Yonah Baptist Church of Cleveland, Georgia;
Pickett's Mill Baptist Church of Dallas, Georgia; Annistown Road Baptist Church of Snellville, Georgia; New Canaan Baptist
Church of Dallas, Georgia; Hopewell Baptist Church of Gainesville, Georgia; Antioch Baptist Church of Blairsville, Georgia;
Tamo Baptist Church of Talmo, Georgia, Martin Baptist Church of Martin, Georgia, Sardis Baptist Church of Hartwell,
Georgia
DENOMINATIONAL ACTIVITIES:
LOCAL ASSOCIATION:
Chairman Camp Committee, 1976
Chairman Order of Business Committee, 1977-78
Vacation Bible School Director, 1977-78
Chairman of Single Adult Committee, 1980
Church Training Director, 1977
President Ministers Conference, 1979
President Ministers Conference, 1981
Chairman New Missions Committee, 1981
Chairman Finance Committee, 1981
Chairman Missions Committee, 1983-84
Chairman Director of Missions Search Committee, 1983
Nominating Committee, 1987
Member of ACTS Board, 1984
Chairman Missions Committee, 1988
Moderator, 1989-90
Chairman of the Jay Strack Crusade, 1981
Chairman of the Bailey Smith Crusade, 1987
Pastoral Ministries Director, 1991-92
Vice-Chairman of the Jay Strack Crusade, 1995
Audit Committee, 1993-94
Long Range Planning Committee, 2007
Chairman Missions Committee, 2008-09
Vice-Moderator, 2011
Chairman of the Compassion Week Taskforce, 2012
STATE CONVENTION:
Teacher for the Georgia Baptist Extension, 1981
Chairman of the Radio and Television Committee, 1990
Executive Committee of The Georgia Baptist Convention, 1989-93, 2012-13
1st vice-president of The Georgia Baptist Convention, 1990-91
The alternate preacher for the 1991 Doctrinal Message, Georgia Baptist Convention
The preacher for the Doctrinal Message at the 1992 meeting of, the Georgia Baptist Convention
GBC State Missions Budget Committee, 1993
Chairman of the GBC Nominating Committee, 1993
Member Special Committee to Study Participation Criteria in GBC, 1994
President of the Georgia Baptist Convention, 1994-96
Writer for the Sunday School lessons for The Christian Index, 1995, 2015, 2018
Member Program Structure Study Committee, 1995-97
Member GBC & Mercer Relationship Committee, 1996-97
Member GBC Health Care Trustee, 1998-2007
Board of Trustees of Truett McConnell College, 2007-2011, Chairman 2008-09
Public Affairs Committee, 2012 - present
Peace Committee - 2018
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION:
Conference Leader in Church Administration for the Sunday School Board (now Lifeway) SBC, 1976-94
Credentials Committee SBC, 1986
Hall Moderator for SBC President for overflow attendance, 1988, 1989
Preaching Missions for Home Mission Board to Alaska and Ohio
On Program the Convention from 1989 - 2005 Southern Baptist Convention
Executive Committee of SBC 1992-97
Officer of 1993 SBC Pastor's Conference
Chairman of Convention Arrangements Workgroup 1994/95
Member/Chairman of the Implementation Task Force for SBC "Covenant for a New Century" that restructured the SBC,
1995/97
Member of the Incorporators Group for the North American Mission Board SBC, 1996/97
GENERAL:
Conference speaker and/or crusades for more than 200 Associations and 38 State Conventions, hundreds of churches in 48
states across The Southern Baptist Convention and in 7 countries outside the United States.
Special opportunities include: Speaking occasions before the Georgia State Senate, the House of Representatives, Preacher
for the Real Evangelism, Conference for Dr. Bailey Smith, Preacher for Annual Association Messages, "M" Night
Preacher for numerous Associations, Youth and State Evangelism Conferences, Chapel Speaker for several Colleges, Chapel
Speaker for 7 Seminaries, guest lectures for 3 seminaries, Key Note Speaker for the American Hymnal Society,
Commencement speaker for Colleges and High Schools, Atlanta Hawks (NBA Team) chapel speaker, Keynote speaker for
State Conventions and conferences, Teacher for the Billy Graham International Conference for Evangelism in Amsterdam
Holland, Southern Baptist Convention, and Pastor Conference program speaker.
Three terms on The Board of Trustees for The Georgia Council for Moral and Civil Concerns
1990-2003. (Served as Vice-Chairman)
Co-Founder and Executive Committee member of the Thomas Holmes House, Inc. (A home that is provided to help Baptist
Clergy who experience forced termination.) 1988-94
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE:
While at Truett McConnell College: President of The Ministerial Association, The Executive Committee of the Baptist
Student Union, Student Government Executive Committee, Revival team leader, and Pulpit Supply for the President of
Truett McConnell
While at Mercer University: Dean's List
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Since Graduation: Executive Committee Mercer University Alumni Association 1980-
87, Vice-president of the Truett McConnell Alumni Association 1989, President of the
National Alumni Association of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 1996-97
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2007-2008 Member of the Presidential Search Committee for Truett McConnell College
Community Involvement:
Board of Directors for the Butler Street YMCA, 1971
Chairman Cystic Fibrosis Campaign, 1976
Chairman Heart Fund, 1978
Chairman Leukemia Campaign, 1977
Member Mayor's Committee for Beautification, 1977
Chairman of the Instructional Planning Committee for Tri-County School System, 1977-79
Chaplain for High School football teams in Buena Vista, Macon, and Cartersville
Executive Board of the Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement, 1982-84
Board of Directors for the Cartersville United Way, 1986-88
Executive Board for the Christian League for Battered Women, 1988-91
Crisis Committee Chairman for the Interfaith Alliance, 1987
Chaplain for the Bartow County Board of Realtors, 1989
Worship Chairman for the Interfaith Alliance, 1989
Advisory Board for Autumn Terrace Personal Care Home, 1993-95
Spiritual Life Committee Chairman for Kiwanis, 1994-95
Board of Directors, White County YMCA, 2010
White County 20/20 Planning taskforce, 2010 - present
Board of Directors, Cleveland Care Center 2013 – 2014
White County Planning Commission 2016-present
Board of Directors White County Chamber of Commerce 2018 - 2021
White County Advisory Planning Committee 2021
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CERTIFIED:
Master Leader for Master Life Program of Discipleship
CWT Pastor Leader and Advanced CWT Leader
The Coaching Leader for Next Level Leadership
Intentional Interim Pastor Leadership (RENEW)
Registered Lobbyist with the Georgia Ethics Commission
PUBLISHED:
Contributing-Author, "Visionary Leadership for Church Growth", published by Convention Press, 1991 and “Know Peace in
Troubled Times,” published by NAMB, 2003, Author for the web-based Sermon City, numerous sermons published in
Periodicals and on the web, numerous articles in periodicals, papers, and resources (topics: evangelism, church growth,
Leadership, care, and pastoral ministry), Three series of Bible Study articles for The Christian Index of The Georgia Baptist
Convention
Resources developed while serving at the North American Mission Board from the area of my leadership: The NET
(Evangelism for the 21st Century), God’s Special Plan for Children, His Heart Our Hands, Next Level Leadership, Building
Powerful Ministry Teams, Taking Prayer to the Streets, Praying for your Friends to Christ, Lighthouses of Prayer, Family to
Family, Heart Call, The Evangelism Response Center, and several smaller resources for unique audiences.
SPECIAL HONORS:
AWARDED THE DOCTOR OF DIVINITY DEGREE by the Southern California Theological Seminary, June 1987
TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH was listed in Church Growth Today, as one of the 200 fastest-growing churches in
America and one of the 15 fastest-growing churches in Georgia in 1987. This listing included churches of all denominations.
Dr. John N. Vaughn, Assistant Professor of Church Growth at Southwestern Baptist University, conducted research for
this listing
Listed in the 1996/97 Edition of Who’s Who Among American Executives and Professionals
HOBBIES:
Computers, reading, fishing, hunting (very little)
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