The Forward Church
Transition Story
“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ”
Jim: “The Paul”
After 14 years of ministry in various capacities from youth to college and church planting in Nashville, the Lord provided a fresh vision for Jim and his wife Jessica to church plant in Knoxville, TN. They relocated their family in the fall of 2016, completely out of faith and have enjoyed watching God move every step of the way. On Easter Sunday 2017, they launched Forward with a mission to see people come to know the love of Jesus through the local church.
In January 2025, the Lord put a word on Jim and Jessica’s hearts: “Fresh Wind”. They first believed that this word was for their family, but through prayer and fasting, came to realize that this was a word for Forward Church as a whole — and that it meant both a physical and spiritual shift. The Lord was making it clear that he was calling them out of Forward and back to Jim’s hometown in Livingston. The Florea family began walking in faith to follow this call, and prayed for the Lord to provide the next pastor of Forward Church.
“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Jesse: “The Apollos”
Jesse began his work in full-time ministry in 2018 in Tampa, Florida and quickly developed a passion for discipling God’s people. In 2023, the Lord called Jesse and his family to uproot and move to Knoxville, Tennessee to pursue a role as a Campus Pastor at a local multi-site church. After two years of learning, growing, and feeling a stirring that their family wasn’t quite planted yet, Jesse connected with Jim and Jessica Florea about an opportunity to step in as the senior pastor of Forward Church. There was an immediate spiritual connection between them, both quoting the scripture above — that Jim felt he was the Paul, and Jesse felt he was called to be an Apollos. In a matter of just a few weeks, the Lord confirmed that Jesse was stepping in, and Jim was stepping out.
Jesse feels called to “water” the seeds by leading God’s people into walking in the fullness of God’s plan through a deeper revelation of their identity in Him. The Lord has been so faithful throughout this preparation and transition season, paving the way for Jesse to lead Forward Church into its next season. The story at Forward has just begun — get ready!