Dr. Anthony Rhodes serves as the Association Mission Strategist for the Dyer Baptist Association, where he is committed to helping churches grow healthier, stronger, and more effective in making disciples who make disciples. Drawing from more than three decades of ministry across the Southeast, he loves coming alongside pastors and congregations to help them Love God, Love People, Make Disciples, and Help Strengthen Their Churches to make an Impact in their Communities. 

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Anthony came to faith in Christ in 1989 and answered God’s call to ministry while he was a college student at Jacksonville State University in 1994, a moment that completely changed the direction of his life and ministry. Since then, Matthew 6:33 has shaped his heartbeat and priorities as he seeks, day by day, to put the Kingdom of God first and help others do the same in their own lives and churches. He is a lifelong learner who believes that strong biblical foundations matter for healthy leaders and healthy churches.

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Anthony holds a Doctor of Ministry in Expository Preaching and Discipleship/Church Revitalization/Renewal from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Communications minor from Jacksonville State University.

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Over the years, he has served as Senior Pastor of Union Baptist Church in Lexington, Tennessee, and Calvary Baptist Church in Wetumpka, Alabama, as well as in several associate pastor roles in worship, students, and adult ministries in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi. In each place, his focus has been to preach and teach God’s Word, build a disciple-making culture, develop leaders, and help churches organize their ministries through tools such as Acts 1:8 mission strategies, bylaws, operations manuals, and new member processes.

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Beyond the local church, Anthony has invested deeply in missions and leadership development through World Changers Student Missions, serving as national staff and project coordinator to help mobilize students and churches to serve families in need. He also teaches through Samford University’s Ministry Training Institute, has had the privilege of training pastors and church leaders across the United States and internationally, and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Disciple Leaders Network.

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Anthony was licensed by Sardis Baptist Church, Boaz, Alabama, and ordained to the Gospel ministry by Life Line Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is grateful for the call God has placed on his life.

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He and his wife, Marcia, have been married since 1996 and have two grown sons, Dawson (married to Hannah) and Jarrett (married to Hailey). He enjoys family time, cooking, grilling/smoking meats, hunting, fishing, golf, music, Auburn Tigers Sports, Atlanta Braves Baseball, and simply being with people.