Meet Our New Senior Pastor
Paul Goebel
Introducing Our New Senior Pastor
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.
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, Paul 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.
Warren 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.”
Paul 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 the Senior Pastor.”
After a pending review and approval from the Nashville Presbytery in April, Paul is hopeful to begin his new role at Christ Pres this summer.
Paul's Bio
Paul Goebel currently serves as Associate Pastor at Park Cities Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Dallas, Texas, where he has been on staff since 2008. PCPC is a congregation of over 5,000 members with an annual budget exceeding $17 million. Since 2015, Paul has served on the church’s Executive Leadership Team alongside the Senior Pastor and Executive Director, serving to faithfully steward the mission, vision, values, and resources of the church. In this role, he provides vision and leadership oversight to all ministries of the church, shepherding a leadership team of pastors and directors, representing 90 staff—responsibilities that, in many churches, are carried by the senior pastor.
Paul preaches regularly on Sundays, helping to set direction for sermon series and sharing the pulpit with the Senior Pastor. He is an experienced and gifted expository speaker who loves sharing the truth of the gospel. His ministry leadership spans preaching and teaching, discipleship, vision alignment, staff leadership, and organizational execution. Prior to his current role, Paul served as one of the church’s Assistant Pastors, where he led young adult ministries, developed and oversaw a small groups ministry, and directed membership and assimilation processes. Earlier in his ministry, he served as a Worship Leader at PCPC and prior to that, as Director of Worship at Providence Church (Acts 29)—experiences that have deeply shaped his pastoral heart, theological depth, and commitment to worship that is Christ-centered and rooted in Scripture.
Born in Houston and raised in Waco, Texas, Paul earned a B.S. in Psychology, with minors in Philosophy and English, from Texas A&M University (2005) and a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary (2011). He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in 2012 and currently serves on the North Texas Presbytery’s Theological Examination Committee.
Throughout the search process, Paul consistently demonstrated the character, convictions, and pastoral posture most desired by the congregation and identified by the Search Committee. His ministry has been shaped by a shepherd’s heart grounded in Scripture and expressed through years of walking closely with people across seasons of life—particularly young adults, singles, couples, and families—as well as through building discipleship pathways that help the church grow together as faithful followers of Jesus Christ.
Paul speaks often of the calling of the Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ, and of the importance of helping diverse ministries and leaders function as one body, united in worship, prayer, and mission. This conviction flows from a deep belief that the Church is not a building, organization, or an event, but a people united together in Christ, shaped by his Word, and sustained by his grace. For Paul, the mission of the Church is fulfilled not by compelling programs or dynamic pastors but by the church’s members. It’s a mission that is centered on the gospel in order to fulfill the Great Commission by reaching the unchurched, serving the city, sending out missionaries, planting new churches, and equipping the saints for the work of ministry.
Paul’s leadership reflects humility, spiritual maturity, and a prayerful dependence on the Lord. He leads collaboratively—listening carefully, asking discerning questions, and drawing out the gifts God has entrusted to others—so that ministry is shared, stewardship is faithful, and vision becomes lived out across the whole church. In his work with staff and volunteers, he values the strengths and differences of others, seeing them not as fixed identities but as means the Lord uses in the ongoing work of sanctification, unity, and growth in Christlikeness. Paul embraces a servant-leader posture that seeks to lift others up, cultivate trust, and welcome wise counsel and healthy accountability, believing these are essential for a church that desires to be faithful, fruitful, and firmly rooted in Christ.
At the heart of Paul’s 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. His life and leadership reflect a desire to see God’s people abide in Christ, and sent out as faithful stewards of God’s grace for the good of the Church and the glory of God alone.
Meet the Goebel Family
Paul is married to his wife, Jenni, of 16 years, and they have three daughters: Ann Elise, Margaret, and Georgia. Jenni was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is a graduate of Samford University (2007) and Dallas Theological Seminary (2010). The Goebel family cherishes life in their church and in their neighborhood, in addition to reading, listening to great music, fly fishing, and spending time together outdoors.
What's Next?
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22
9:00 a.m. | Paul will preach in view of a call during worship service at our Old Hickory Blvd (OHB) campus.
10:30 a.m. | SPSC Chair, Warren Asmus, will then host "A Conversation with Paul" following the service.
Paul will be formally introduced by the Senior Pastor Search Committee and preach a message as part of our current John: And The Word Was God sermon series from John 3:1-21. On that morning, OHB Sunday School will be canceled so we can gather afterward (approximately 10:30 a.m.) for a time where a representative of the search committee will ask questions and invite us to hear more of Paul's heart—his sense of calling, his love for the local church, and his desire to join the Christ Pres family here in Nashville.
Plus, Nursery and PreK/K care and programming will be available during that extended time. A meet-and-greet reception will follow. Our Music Row and Cool Springs congregations will worship on their regular schedules at their respective campuses and will have access to the archived worship service and conversation video on our website.
SUNDAY, MARCH 1
4:00 p.m. | A Congregational Meeting will be held at our Old Hickory Blvd (OHB) campus. See details here.
All three congregations will be called to come together that afternoon to vote to affirm the Senior Pastor Search Committee’s recommendation that Paul Goebel serve as our next senior pastor. Church members MUST BE PRESENT to vote. Please arrive at 3:30 p.m. to allow time for our member check-in and ballot distribution.
- Childcare will be provided for birth through Kindergarten—please register here.
- If you have a Special Needs Buddy request, please email specialneeds@christpres.org.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28
Nashville Presbytery Meeting
At this meeting, the Nashville Presbytery will meet to review and approve the call of Paul Goebel to the pastorate at Christ Presbyterian Church.