Pastor of Biblical Counseling Candidate

Introducing Chad McKinley

For the past year, Pennington Park Church has been prayerfully searching for a Pastor of Biblical Counseling to lead and strengthen our soul care ministries. After an extensive and prayerful process, our elders are excited to introduce the candidate we believe is a strong fit for this role.

Meet chad

Chad McKinley brings more than 15 years of experience in biblical counseling, including personal counseling, training lay counselors, and building church-based counseling ministries.

He holds a Master’s in Biblical Counseling, a Master of Divinity, has been an ACBC-certified counselor since 2011, and has served as an ordained pastor since 2018.

At his current church, Chad helped develop an ACBC-approved training center, equipping believers to counsel others using God’s Word.

Chad has been married to his wife Maggie for nearly twenty years, and together they have five children: Rowan, Hudson, Bristol, Isla, and Titus.

Quick Highlights

  • Experience

    15+ years in biblical counseling

    Personal counseling and discipleship ministry

    Training lay counselors and ministry leaders

    Building ACBC-certified counseling ministry

  • Education

    Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Studies, Mission University (Formerly Baptist Bible College)

    Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling (MABC), Mission University

    Master of Divinity (MDiv), Mission University

  • Certifications

    ACBC Certified Counselor (since 2011)

    • Level 2 certified (since 2018)

    • Specialization in Reconciliation (2023)

    Ordained Pastor (since 2018)

OUR SEARCH PROCESS

OUR PRAYERFUL SEARCH

Over the past year, our search committee has:

  • Reviewed numerous candidates

  • Conducted extensive interviews

  • Networked with trusted ministry leaders

  • Spent significant time praying for the right person for this role

A Comprehensive Vetting Process

Chad completed a thorough vetting process with our church, including:

  • Five leadership interviews

  • Two theology and counseling philosophy questionnaires

  • Reference interviews

  • Review of training materials he developed

  • An in-person visit with elders, staff, and their wives

Over the past several months, Chad has interacted with more than 25 leaders and members of Pennington Park. Throughout these conversations, it became increasingly clear that Chad aligns strongly with our theology, counseling philosophy, and ministry culture.

Chad’s testimony

In Chad’s own words:

My name is Chad McKinley, and this is my testimony of God’s faithful and magnificent work in my life.  My family faithfully attended a United Methodist church while I was growing up, but the Gospel was not clearly preached. I believed I would go to heaven if I was a good person. As a child, I generally conformed to whatever my peers thought, as long as it was not seriously wrong, and I did not think much about God or really care what He thought about how I was living.  

In 7th grade, my cousin, who was a year older than me, was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.  Around that time, my parents decided to attend a different church. For the first time, at this new church, I heard the Gospel clearly presented. I realized that I was a sinner, separated from God, who was destined for hell (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1-3). God helped me see my need for Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior through His redemptive work for sin. Through His redemption, I had the opportunity to enter into a relationship with Him (Ephesians 2:4-7). He graciously saved me as I put my faith in Jesus Christ and His work (Ephesians 2:8-10).  

Though I do not recall the specific date and time, I remember that God saved and transformed me during 7th grade. My life changed drastically. No longer was I trying to live morally out of fear of man, but rather out of a love for God and a desire to live righteously before Him (John 15:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). I began reading the Bible regularly and continued to see patterns of faithfulness and righteousness develop.  

Since then, God has been faithful to sustain me, convicting me of sin and drawing me closer to Him through repentance and grace (Philippians 1:6). He continues to fuel my spiritual walk, righteous living, and gospel ministry. Through trials, He has been faithful to provide strength, wisdom, and hope in some of my most desperate times. I am thankful that my personal faith, family dynamics, ministry aspirations, and all other aspects of life are anchored in God and His Word.  

CHAD’S PASSION FOR BIBLICAL COUNSELING

For nearly 20 years, God has given me a deep passion for biblical counseling.

I love walking alongside people and helping them understand how God’s truth speaks into every part of life—both the struggles we face and the growth He calls us to.

Biblical counseling has deeply shaped my own relationship with Scripture. It continually stretches and convicts me while strengthening my trust in God’s Word.

“Helping others see their sin and suffering through the lens of Scripture reminds me daily of God’s power to redeem and restore.”

Over the years, God has given me many opportunities to counsel individuals and to train others to do the same. Watching believers grow in confidence in God’s Word and begin helping others through their struggles is one of the most rewarding parts of ministry.

Developing an ACBC training center has been a particularly meaningful journey. Seeing church members grow in their understanding of Scripture and then use it to care for others has been deeply encouraging.

A Personal Greeting from Chad

Chad also wanted to share a short greeting with the Pennington Park family. Watch the video!

NEXT STEPS

We invite the congregation to continue praying for Chad and his family as we go to the congregational vote on March 22, 2026.