Dr. Jimmy Gentry
Jimmy Gentry retired on August 31, 2024 after serving for more than 45 years as a local church pastor. A native Kentuckian, Jimmy pastored three churches in Kentucky, one in Tennessee, and two in Georgia. He retired as pastor of Garden Lakes Baptist Church in Rome, GA, after serving that congregation for eight years and eight months.
He guided Garden Lakes Baptist Church through a year-long spiritual discernment journey, enabling the church to have a better understanding of herself through an examination of every facet of the congregation. Under his leadership, the church crafted a seven-pronged vision for the future.
Jimmy’s years of experience as a local congregational pastor, along with his educational background, including a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry, uniquely qualifies him to guide churches and ministers through transitions.
Ecumenically minded in his outlook, Jimmy is capable of coaching search teams, church staffs, leadership teams, and individuals. He also possesses the necessary skills to serve as an intentional interim/transition pastor. He has a passionate desire to help congregations and fellow vocational ministers to be more fruitful in their journeys.
He is aiding the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia as its Interim Executive Coordinator.
Jimmy is married to Jackie Gentry, who is a Registered Nurse. She is employed by Harbin Clinic in Rome, working in its Infusion Center. They have two adult children: A daughter, Emily Browning, a stay home mom who lives in Carrollton, GA with her husband and daughters; and a son, Nicholas, a Registered Nurse who works in one of the ICUs at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, MD. They have three granddaughters.
With a dedication to Christian ministry and an abundance of pastoral experience, Jimmy Gentry is continuing to influence the beloved community of faith at large.
