John Callaway comes to Christian Temple by way of a sojourn through the southeast. Born and raised in Boiling Springs, SC, John attended Clemson University completing two degrees, a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Technology Education and a Master's degree in Secondary Education, English.

John taught in the North Charleston/Goose Creek area of South Carolina at Westview Middle School for two years before answering the call to ministry and heading to the Wake Forest University School of Divinity. While studying at Wake Forest, John met Katie Schlimmer and life took off!

After serving at First Baptist Church, Greenville, South Carolina, John was responsible for youth ministries in various locations before becoming Co-Pastor with Katie in 2019 in their first senior pastorate. Since 2007, John has been involved in leading the music at Unidiversity Youth Camp and has led in music for worship in churches and for student groups across the country. 

John is ready to begin ministering alongside the wonderful people of Christian Temple and begins work in this new vocational ministry with a strong excitement. He is incredibly grateful for this calling to Christian Temple. 

John has completed coursework in his Doctor of Ministry in Parish Risk at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. 

In his free time, he is a dad to Sophie, husband, singer-songwriter, and enjoys getting out on the open road for a road trip!

Katie Callaway was born and raised in High Point, North Carolina. Katie’s educational pursuits began at Roanoke College where she majored in Religious Studies, graduating magna cum laude and receiving entry to Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Upon graduation, she completed two graduate programs. At Wake Forest University School of Divinity, she completed her Master of Divinity and at Emory University, she completed her Master of Theology. It was during her time at Wake Forest that Katie met John and shortly thereafter, they married. 

She has served churches in North Carolina, Maryland, and Georgia. Most recently, she served as Co-Pastor alongside of John at First Baptist Church, Savannah, GA. There, she focused on creating and nurturing opportunities for education and spiritual formation in both large and small group settings.  

Katie has worked in churches throughout the southeast, primarily focusing on spiritual formation. She feels called to help congregations develop vibrant spiritual formation programs and practices by walking alongside people as they embrace holy curiosity and faith exploration. In her role as Co-Pastor, she is most excited about helping Christian Temple deepen its practices around spiritual formation and worship. 

An avid reader and writer, Katie is completing coursework in her Doctor of Ministry in Creative Writing as Public Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Her work can be found at on her personal site here.

In her spare time, Katie enjoys being Mom to Sophie, hanging out with her four-legged child--Lily, running, cycling, and writing.

Mark has been the Director of Music at Christian Temple since the early 1990s and had Liturgy added to his title in the last 10 years, showing the congregation’s desire for worship to be a priority. Mark’s degree is in Piano from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, but he has a passion for sacred music. In worship, Mark plays both the piano and organ. In his spare time, Mark enjoys traveling and birding.