Director of Pastoral Care & Mentoring

Phil A. Newton began South Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, TN, in 1987 and concluded his 35 years of pastoral leadership in May 2022. He served as pastor of three other churches in Mississippi and Alabama prior to moving to Memphis, as well as serving on two church staffs as a college student. He received his education at the University of Mobile (B.A.), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Fuller Theological Seminary (D.Min.), and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D.). Both natives of Alabama, he and his wife Karen met in Mobile, AL and married in 1975. They enjoy discussing biblical issues, reading, cooking, traveling, and interacting with their family. They have five children and six grandchildren. He has spent the past three decades training young men for the ministry and leading local church sponsored international mission trips. He authored Elders in Congregational Life, Elders in the Life of the Church (with Matt Schmucker), Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals (with Brian Croft), Venture All for God: Piety in the Writings of John Bunyan (with Roger Duke and Drew Harris), 40 Questions About Pastoral Ministry, The Mentoring Church, and Shepherding the Pastor: Help for the Early Years of Ministry (released in 2023; with Rich Shadden). He has contributed to several journals including The Gospel Coalition and 9Marks e-Journal. Phil and Karen live in Germantown, TN. He is available to serve pastors and churches in the Pillar Network.