Dillon Tanksley
Worship Director
Bio
Throughout my life, and especially the past few years, I have seen Proverbs 16:9 in action. It reads: “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” I grew up in the mountains of Northeast Georgia, and moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in teaching music. I came to Christ in repentance and faith my freshman year of college, and have been walking and growing in sanctification since.
I earned my Bachelors in Music Education from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, and enjoyed a career teaching middle school Band for two years. After making the decision to step away from classroom instruction, I ended up interning with the music ministry at my previous church. There, I had a great mentor and friend in the Worship Director who had also previously stepped away from a career in teaching music. After a rewarding experience learning about the ins-and-outs of music ministry, I did not feel called at that time to step into that type of position. I ended up getting a job at a company called Sid Mashburn in Atlanta, and worked there while continuing to serve and play weekly with the worship team at church.
My wife, Morgen, and I were married in 2017, and she has been a constant model of grace, patience, love, and care for me throughout the past few years. Since making the decision to move to Chattanooga in October of a year marked by a pandemic, social unrest, and overall uncertainty, we have seen God provide, and meet our needs every step of the way.
I am excited to step into the role of Worship Director, and to shepherd and lead people into the worship of Jesus Christ. My approach is guided by this verse in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Favorites
Book of the Bible:
Ephesians or Psalms
Books/Reading:
Knowing God (Packer), The Screwtape Letters (Lewis), Morning by Morning (Spurgeon), The Martian Chronicles/Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury), Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons and the Illusion of Safety (Schlosser)
Movie:
Interstellar, Nature/National Park/Historical Documentaries
Sports Team(s):
Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Winnipeg Jets
Interests:
Playing or listening to music, mountain biking, hiking, board games
Food:
Mexican-style street tacos
Candy:
Reese’s or Twix
Music:
Way too hard so here are current favorites: Sandra McCracken, Todd Dulaney, Jason Burrows, Montell Fish
Older favorites I like to revisit: Phoenix, Bon Iver, From Indian Lakes
Throughout my life, and especially the past few years, I have seen Proverbs 16:9 in action. It reads: “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” I grew up in the mountains of Northeast Georgia, and moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in teaching music. I came to Christ in repentance and faith my freshman year of college, and have been walking and growing in sanctification since.
I earned my Bachelors in Music Education from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, and enjoyed a career teaching middle school Band for two years. After making the decision to step away from classroom instruction, I ended up interning with the music ministry at my previous church. There, I had a great mentor and friend in the Worship Director who had also previously stepped away from a career in teaching music. After a rewarding experience learning about the ins-and-outs of music ministry, I did not feel called at that time to step into that type of position. I ended up getting a job at a company called Sid Mashburn in Atlanta, and worked there while continuing to serve and play weekly with the worship team at church.
My wife, Morgen, and I were married in 2017, and she has been a constant model of grace, patience, love, and care for me throughout the past few years. Since making the decision to move to Chattanooga in October of a year marked by a pandemic, social unrest, and overall uncertainty, we have seen God provide, and meet our needs every step of the way.
I am excited to step into the role of Worship Director, and to shepherd and lead people into the worship of Jesus Christ. My approach is guided by this verse in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Favorites
Book of the Bible:
Ephesians or Psalms
Books/Reading:
Knowing God (Packer), The Screwtape Letters (Lewis), Morning by Morning (Spurgeon), The Martian Chronicles/Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury), Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons and the Illusion of Safety (Schlosser)
Movie:
Interstellar, Nature/National Park/Historical Documentaries
Sports Team(s):
Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Winnipeg Jets
Interests:
Playing or listening to music, mountain biking, hiking, board games
Food:
Mexican-style street tacos
Candy:
Reese’s or Twix
Music:
Way too hard so here are current favorites: Sandra McCracken, Todd Dulaney, Jason Burrows, Montell Fish
Older favorites I like to revisit: Phoenix, Bon Iver, From Indian Lakes