At a congregational meeting on Sunday, March 1, the congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville elected Paul Goebel to serve as their new senior pastor. The church provided byFaith with the following statement:
Following a season of prayerful discernment and comprehensive evaluation, the Senior Pastor Search Committee of Christ Presbyterian Church unanimously recommended, and the church body voted to affirm, Rev. Paul Goebel as the church’s new Senior Pastor.
Goebel will be transitioning from Park Cities Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Dallas, Texas, where he has been on staff since 2008, most recently as the Associate Pastor. Since 2015, Goebel has served on the church’s Executive Leadership Team alongside the Senior Pastor and Executive Director, providing leadership oversight to all ministries of the church and shepherding a team of pastors and directors. During that time, he has faithfully stewarded the mission, vision, values, and resources of PCPC.
Throughout the search process, the search committee, chaired by church elder, Warren Asmus, evaluated candidates using a senior pastor profile developed with congregational input. According to the committee, Goebel met—and in many cases exceeded—the criteria outlined in that profile, particularly in the areas of pastoral shepherding, spiritual maturity, humility, and servant leadership. At the heart of his ministry is a deep love for Jesus Christ and a clear commitment to proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. Shaped by his own journey from doubt to faith, Paul brings compassion, clarity, and conviction to his preaching and pastoral care.
Asmus noted that the search committee sensed God’s clear leading throughout the process. “Each step of the process was formed and rooted in prayer,” said Asmus. “Because of that, it became evident that Pastor Paul Goebel was the man God called to be our next Senior Pastor at Christ Pres.”
Goebel expressed gratitude for the committee’s recommendation, for the opportunity to be considered, and for the recent vote of affirmation from the three-campus membership of Christ Presbyterian Church.
“I thank God for the prayerful work of the search committee, the faithful ministry of Dr. David Filson and the pastoral staff, and the joyful affirmation of the people of Christ Presbyterian Church.” Goebel said. “I am truly humbled to receive this call to serve as their Senior Pastor.”
Born in Houston and raised in Waco, Texas, Goebel earned a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America in 2012 and currently serves on the North Texas Presbytery’s Theological Examination Committee.
Goebel is married to his wife, Jenni of 16 years, and they have three daughters: Ann Elise, Margaret, and Georgia.
After a pending review and approval from the Nashville Presbytery in April, Goebel is hopeful to begin his new role at Christ Pres this summer.
Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee is a diverse family of congregations with a unified missional focus to worship, encourage, and serve as they seek to fulfill their vision to be a Bible-centered, prayer-driven church committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ.