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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Jan. 16, 2025) — Today, Milligan University recognized eight individuals who have demonstrated servant-leadership in their careers and community at the university’s 23rd annual Leaders in Christian Service program. Many of this year’s local recipients were also recognized for their dedication and service to their communities in response to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.
Evan Wolfe, the lead minister at Crossroads Christian Church in Gray, Tennessee, served as the ceremony’s speaker. Wolfe graduated from Milligan in 2009 with a degree in Bible, and in 2017, he completed his Master of Christian Ministries from Emmanuel Christian Seminary. He and his wife, Ashley, have two children, Deacon and Felicity.
In his sermon at his alma mater, Wolfe focused on ways to leave a legacy, and he focused on 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
The 2025 Leaders in Christian Service honorees include:
Johnny and Sheree King, of Johnson City, Tennessee, are owners of Ribbons Physical Therapy, providing comprehensive rehabilitation services for cancer and lymphedema patients. The Kings opened Ribbons in 2020 after Sheree served as a physical therapist for Ballad Health and Johnny spent his 37-year career selling industrial chemicals. The Kings also dedicate their time and support to the Ballad Health Foundation, the American Cancer Society, CRU, and to Milligan through scholarships and internship programs. They are members of First Christian Church in Johnson City, where Johnny teaches Sunday School and volunteers with the security ministry.
Glen Layfield, of Johnson City, is the senior pastor at Big Springs Church of Christ and the General Sales Manager at Johnson City Ford. In response to Hurricane Helene, Layfield helped coordinate a partnership between Johnson City Ford and Summit Leadership to deliver truckloads of donations and volunteered with clean-up efforts in hard-hit areas. Layfield has served on the board of Good Samaritan Ministries; is a past president of Carter County Christian Men’s Fellowship; and has played a key role in local Christian service camps such as Mountainview, Indian Lake and Roanoke Christian Service Camps.
Aaron and Julie Morris, of Unicoi, Tennessee, have served as the executive director and operations director of Appalachian Christian Camp for the past 25 years. Under their leadership, Appalachian Christian Camp has undergone two million dollars’ worth of updates and renovations to become a premier Christian Camp where thousands of young campers experience God. In 2023, Aaron and Julie received the Matthews Wade award from the Christian Camp Leaders Conference. Aaron and Julie have also opened the camp facilities to those affected by Hurricane Helene, providing families, aid workers and a neighboring college basketball team with free lodging, meals and personal needs. Aaron and Julie worship at First Christian Church of Johnson City.
David Powers, of McDonough, Georgia, serves as the senior vice president for the east region at Christian Financial Resources. He has spent 25 years in ministry and previously served as executive pastor at Momentum Christian Church and McDonough Christian Church. He is one of the founders of the Atlanta Church Planting Alliance where he still serves on the board. Powers has also been involved in global missions for over 30 years and has led teams to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, and the Horn of Africa. He and his wife, Amy, have been married 28 years and have two children, Amy and Tyler. He is a member of Momentum Christian Church.
Jessica Street, of Roan Mountain, Tennessee, is a payroll specialist and manages data entry at Floyd Lee Locum. Street is a dedicated member of Lower Shell Creek Christian Church where she serves as a Sunday School teacher, assistant youth director and co-director of Vacation Bible School. After Hurricane Helene devastated her community, Street was named as her church’s hurricane relief director, and in this role, Street has volunteered her time to feed volunteers, connect individuals and families to non-profits, sling hay bales for farmers, sort donations, find clothing and blankets for families, and more. Street enjoys fishing with her husband, Cody, spending time with her family, and creating bouquets through her floral business, Esther 4:14.
The university also recognized Ashley Roberts, of Kingsport, Tennessee, with the Todd Beamer Student Leader in Christian Service Award. Roberts is a senior interactive media design major at Milligan University. She serves as president of Milligan’s Student Government Association, is a member of the university’s Campus Activities Board, and is a participant in the Ministry Leadership Program. She has a passion for ministry and has interned with First Christian Church of Johnson City; First Christian Church in Elizabethton, Tennessee; Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland; and Appalachian Christian Camp. She also has interned as a graphic designer for Cumberland Marketing, and her artwork has been showcased in several exhibitions and earned her numerous awards.
This student honor is named in memory of Todd Beamer, whose famous words, “Let’s roll,” became a symbol of American heroism after he and other passengers tried to reclaim United Flight 93 from hijackers. The plane eventually crashed into a Pennsylvania field, leaving no survivors.
The Beamers, along with their son, often attended a family ministry camp on Milligan’s campus. They played a valuable role in the Beamer Leadership Scholars Program at Milligan and established The Todd Beamer Scholarship at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan in his memory.
For more information about Milligan’s Leaders in Christian Service, visit https://www.milligan.edu/LCS.