Meet your new Pastor, Jesse Dodd!

Jesse’s story has God’s hand written all over it: from overcoming serious learning disabilities to fighting life-threatening illness and finally finding his place at Forward Knoxville. There is nothing about our story that makes sense in the natural. Only through the lens of the supernatural power of God does any bit of it add up!

Jesse grew up in rural Alabama, and always knew he had a call of ministry on his life. Following his heart for service, he joined the US Army through the ROTC program at Florida State University (where he met his bride). He served 8 years as a combat engineer officer, and built community alongside his wife in Tampa, Florida. In 2017, he went back to school to earn his ministerial degree, leading him to step on staff as Pastor at The Crossing Church.

In January 2021, The Lord called Jesse out of his ministry position, and into an unplanned sabbatical season — Jesse’s health had significantly and unexpectedly deteriorated upon his family following God’s call to uproot and move to Georgia. They spent two years seeking God’s “next” for them while Jesse rebuilt his health. During their time in Georgia, Jesse met and became good friends with Mike Farley (more on that significance later)!

Toward the end of Jesse & Heather’s time in Georgia, they felt a stirring once again that the Lord was uprooting them, but they didn’t know where to. After knocking on many doors that were closed by God’s hand, Jesse accepted a position as an Associate Campus Pastor at Faith Promise Church in Knoxville. God grew Jesse and Heather in this season as they stepped in faith to obey God’s call, serving in more areas and greater capacity than their previous season. But there was still a stirring in their hearts that God had something else…

In May of 2025, Jesse got a text from Mike, asking if he would consider speaking with Jim Florea, the the founding pastor of Forward Church, about the opportunity to inherit the church as the Florea family would be moving back home to Livingston. After Jesse, Jim and & Jessica met for coffee over two hours on a Wednesday afternoon, it all seemed freakishly aligned as they were finishing each other’s sentences and communicating things the Lord had been speaking to each of them individually in their quiet place. By Friday, Heather was able to join them for dinner, and everything was confirmed by the Lord two weeks later.

Jesse & Heather are deeply honored and incredibly excited to see what God has in store for the people of Forward and the community surrounding it. They are confident that God orchestrated this transition because it has been nothing short of wild and peaceful all at the same time! Whether you’ve called Forward your home for many years, have only come a few times or simply curious about what is going on in our community, we hope that you will come join us on a Sunday morning and ask the Lord what He has for you — we can’t wait to meet you!