Brittany Caldwell
GRF Coordinator of Community Engagement
Brittany is a Mississippi girl through and through, as she was born and raised in the beautiful town of Natchez, MS. In 2011, she graduated from Mississippi College with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. Brittany is a registered nurse with a background in hospice care, community health, and faith community nursing. Following college, Brittany attended George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas, where she earned a Master of Divinity with an emphasis in Missions and World Christianity. During her time in Waco, she was ordained to the ministry by Lakeview Baptist Church, where she was serving in a volunteer role. In 2017, Brittany was called to serve as co-pastor alongside her husband at Nobles Chapel Baptist Church in Wilson, N.C.
She is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry degree from Campbell University which will center around the relationship between faith communities and health in the world we live in today.
Brittany began to feel God calling her back to the Deep South after many years abroad, and is now thrilled to be serving as the Coordinator of Community Engagement for the Great Rivers Fellowship.
She says about her new role, “ The church is in need of broad scale transformation if it is to continue to fulfill the command of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. In a post-COVID, post-Christian world, the disconnect between the message of Jesus and its concrete action in the world is often felt most profoundly in the Deep South, where poverty, healthcare disparities, patriarchy, and racism exist alongside the largest population of evangelical Christians in the nation. As a woman born and raised in Mississippi, I have encountered this disconnect over and over again, and now find within myself a God-given passion to journey with the church of the Deep South to bridge the gap between hearing the gospel of Jesus and living it out in creative and innovative ways. To that end, I believe that the CBF, with its advocacy for female church leadership and its emphasis on diversity of thought and interpretation, will be instrumental in the days ahead as the church moves into a new day of ministry.”
In her spare time, Brittany enjoys traveling, reading high fantasy, camping, hiking and spending time with her husband and little girl.
Shane McNary
GRF Coordinator of Ministry
Shane was born in Little Rock and raised around central Arkansas. He was baptized at Plum Bayou Baptist Church not far from England, Arkansas. After graduating from England High School, he continued his education at Ouachita Baptist University where he received a BA in Accounting and Religion/Pastoral Ministries. He earned an MDiv with Honors from George W Truett Seminary at Baylor University and later attended Fuller Theological Seminary in where he earned a ThM in Intercultural Studies.
Shane served as a pastor at Mt Roberts Baptist Church, Campbellsville, KY and at First Southern Baptist Church-Magnet Cove, AR prior to being appointed by CBF as Global Missions Field Personnel to serve among the Romani peoples in Slovakia and Czechia.
During his eighteen years as field personnel, Shane has preached and lead Bible studies in culturally diverse congregations and small groups across Europe; hosted and coordinated dozens of short-term mission teams from the US and Europe; served as a permanent representative for Baptist World Alliance to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland focusing on Freedom of Religion or Belief issues as well as working with European Baptist Federation chairing their Freedom and Justice commission. Shane was instrumental in designing and co-facilitating International Baptist Theological Study Centre-Amsterdam and European Baptist Federation’s Freedom of Religion or Belief Training Programme.
Shane is married to Dianne McNary and they have two adult children and several grandchildren. In his spare time, Shane enjoys hiking, photography, and traveling. He is looking forward to moving back to Arkansas where he can get a fishing license and fish for more than carp.