Healthy Pastors
Healthy Churches
I’m passionate about encouraging pastors to pursue personal and professional health so that they can lead and grow healthy, life-giving churches.
My desire is to work alongside pastors and churches to help shape their ministries and develop the structures necessary for implementing their stated goals and visions for maximum kingdom impact and regional influence.
I love to serve, equip and inspire pastors and their leadership teams by offering fresh insight, detailed strategy, renewed passion and specific plans for improved health so they can effectively implement their visions and their church members can prosper and mature.
Ed Funderburk
Born in Tennessee, raised in north Louisiana and having lived most of his adult life in Texas, Ed has served on the pastoral team of five churches during the past 36 years. In those churches, he has held various pastoral positions including youth pastor, worship pastor, single adult pastor, adult education pastor, ministry staff pastor, ministry administration pastor and executive pastor.
For over 14 years, Ed served on the pastoral team at Gateway Church. During his time there, Ed helped put in place many structures and processes to accommodate Gateway’s dynamic growth. His primary assignment at Gateway was overseeing a nationwide ministry to pastors and churches, which offered quarterly seminars and an annual conference for thousands of pastors and church leaders.
Ed frequently ministers in churches throughout the nation. In the past 18 years, he has consulted over 300 churches on-site. He’s served churches of all sizes and denominations – both charismatic & traditional – church plants as well as established churches. Ed has experience assisting churches in all situations – whether a church is growing dynamically, plateaued in its growth, or in steep decline.
An avid and loyal sports fan, Ed cheers for the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers, Tennessee Volunteers and Marquette Golden Eagles.
Married for 33 years, Ed and Bethani have two amazing adult sons. Their older son, Josiah, is husband to Jenna and father to Evelyn, Charlie, and Max (the cutest grandchildren ever). Josiah is an Associate Pastor with Gateway Worship. He is a gifted songwriter with strong administrative and leadership abilities. Their younger son, Levi, is single, living in Dallas and loves his job on the Audio Visual team at Children’s Health.
Bethani is available to travel and assist in consultations or coaching conversations when desired. An excellent listener, confidant, and counselor, Bethani is experienced and available to assist pastors’ wives with the unique challenges that accompany life in ministry.
Bethani Funderburk
Born and raised in north Louisiana, Bethani grew up attending church every time the doors were open. Her passion for teaching the Bible began while she was still in high school. After college, she met and married Ed and worked alongside him in youth ministry for several years.
Bethani has served in many roles over the past 30 years and considers her role as mother to Josiah and Levi to be the greatest investment of her time. In addition to homeschooling them for 12 years, she enjoyed leading small groups, training small group leaders, planning pastors’ wives events, facilitating relationships among pastors’ wives, speaking at women’s events, and leading a weekly Bible study for 200 young women.
Combining her quick sense of humor with her unique insight into God’s Word, Bethani loves to share with others how simple and rewarding a relationship with Jesus can be. The rich depth of God-centered friendships with other women throughout her life drives one of the deepest desires of her heart: for all women to feel connected to God and to each other so that they can experience the blessings of true Christian community.
Bethani recently became a certified Enneagram Coach in order to be more effective in helping people build healthy relationships. She works with individuals, couples, and organizations to increase understanding, inspire compassion, and improve communication. More information can be found here at bethanifunderburk.com.
Married for 33 years, Ed and Bethani have two amazing adult sons. Their older son, Josiah, is husband to Jenna and father to Evelyn, Charlie, and Max (the cutest grandchildren ever). Josiah is an Associate Pastor with Gateway Worship. He is a gifted songwriter with strong administrative and leadership abilities. Their younger son, Levi, is single, living in Dallas and loves his job on the Audio Visual team at Children’s Health.
Access to Conversations with Bethani is included in all Coaching packages. An excellent listener, confidant, and counselor, Bethani is experienced and available to assist pastors’ wives with the unique challenges that accompany life in ministry.
Marcus Brecheen
Executive Pastor
Gateway Church Network
Southlake TX
Marcus Brecheen oversees both the Gateway Church Network and Gateway Resource Library. Before coming to Gateway, he studied business in college, received an MBA and pursued a career in the field of finance. After being called into ministry, Marcus received a Master’s degree in Theology and served as a senior pastor for eight years before joining the Gateway staff in 2002. His passion is to help people learn to walk with Jesus in the fullness and authority He purchased for them through the cross. Marcus and his wife, Lexa, have five children: Macey, Bethany, Seth, Cole, and Brielle.
Gatewaychurchnetwork.com
Tim Gilligan
Lead Pastor
Meadowbrook Church
Ocala FL
Timothy Gilligan, along with his wife Alicia, is the founder of Meadowbrook Church. For over three decades, he has continued as Lead Pastor, as he and his wife passionately share the truth of God’s Word. Tim earned his BA in Theology and Ministry from Sterling College, a Master of Arts in Ministerial Leadership from Southeastern University, and his Doctor of Ministry from AGTS. He resides in the peaceful horse country of Ocala, where they have raised five children and have four grandchildren.
mbcocala.com
Jerry Lawson
