Meet Our Staff

Gene Nelson
Pastor

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I accepted God's calling into the ministry in the summer of 1984 in my home church of Wallace Memorial Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.  I attended Carson-Newman College and graduated in 1988.  In 1990, I married the love of my life, Melinda Hatton Nelson.  One year later, we moved to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 1994. I have been blessed to have a very supportive and loving wife who also loves to serve God within the church. While continuing God's work, we started our family. We have two grown children, Jonathan, who is married to Amber, and Lindsay. God has opened many doors of service within His church, which have allowed for many different fields of ministry. As God has blessed me with a variety of ministry opportunities, He has confirmed the spiritual giftedness of teaching, service, and leadership.  Over the years of ministry, God has given me a love for equipping, coordinating, encouraging, and educating believers in the work of God’s Kingdom.  It is my desire that God would use me and His church to reach the unsaved with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  This has become my passion.  I really enjoy teaching the Word of God, letting God’s Holy Spirit move in people’s lives, and leading them to accept Christ as Savior and Lord.  Then, from being a follower of Jesus, to becoming a Disciple of Jesus!

Email: gene@russellivillebaptist.org

Josh Dawson
Minister of Students

Josh came to Russellville Baptist with his lovely wife in 2007.  He spent 11 years as a bi-vocational youth minister here at the church and was blessed with opportunity to become a full time Minister of Students in January of 2019.  He oversees the kindergarten through fifth grade Children's Ministry and serves as the Youth Pastor for the sixth through twelfth graders.  God placed ministry on Josh's heart at the age of 24.  He was married to his awesome wife Seana in 2006 and they have three children.  Their names are Josiah, Jude and Seraiah.  As a family they love to laugh, play and enjoy time together.

Josh wants to see young people come to Jesus, see their identity in Jesus and grow closer to Jesus while drawing others to do the same.  He believes that they are the church of the future but they are also the church of today.


Email: josh@russellvillebaptist.org

Ryan Hollingsworth
Worship Director

​Ryan Hollingsworth has been a member of RBC since 2010 and in 2018 he felt God stirring his heart to serve as interim music director.  With the help of many other volunteer leaders within the church, Ryan strives to unite the church body in praise and worship. Ryan is married to Brittany Hollingsworth and they have 3 children: Katie Beth, Levi, and Noah.

Annette Elmore
Administrative Assistant

Annette was born in Marysville, Ohio and later moved with her family to Cumberland County in Tennessee. Some years later she met her husband and they moved to East Tennessee. Annette was saved at the age of 12 years during a revival at her grandmothers church. She has always had a passion for missions and helping others come to know Jesus. Annette has served in various areas of ministry for over twenty-five years now. Her favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 40:31, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. Annette enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Some of her interests outside of ministry are crocheting, crafting, and antiques.​

Email: annette@russellvillebaptist.org