Our Pastor

The Reverend Ryan Tankersley Pastor, St. John’s Baptist Church — Woburn, Massachusetts

Called by God and shaped by grace, the Reverend Ryan Tankersley serves as the Pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church in Woburn, Massachusetts. A man of vibrant faith and contagious joy, Pastor Tankersley brings both compassion and conviction to his calling, shepherding God’s people with a heart wholly devoted to the Lord. He is a loving husband and dedicated father, and together with his wife of more than 26 years, Julie Tankersley, they have three children.

Pastor Tankersley’s journey in ministry is a testament to God’s faithfulness over more than eleven years of devoted service across two Baptist congregations. He received his license to preach in 2011 at Calvary Baptist Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts, under the wise mentorship of the Reverend Dr. Gregory E. Thomas. There, he faithfully served as Preacher, Treasurer, Bible Study Teacher, and member of the Men’s Choir. In 2018, God continued to open doors as Pastor Tankersley was ordained at New Hope Baptist Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, under the guidance of the Reverend Dr. Arthur L. Hilson. His service there encompassed Preaching, Chairing the Sunday School and Scholarship Committees, and Serving on the COVID-19 Reconvene Committee.

Since answering the call to lead St. John’s Baptist Church, Pastor Tankersley has moved with prayerful intentionality to breathe new life into the congregation. Under his pastoral leadership, the church has developed and ordained diaconate leadership, launched a capital campaign, established a children’s church ministry, reignited the music and choir ministry, and seen the revitalization of all ministries at SJBC. This renewal has included guiding church leadership through the Thriving Congregations initiative in partnership with Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Beyond his home congregation, Pastor Tankersley serves as Moderator of the Judson Association, a fellowship of approximately thirty Baptist churches, and as a Course Facilitator for the United Baptist Convention of Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

Recognizing that the Lord equips those He calls, Pastor Tankersley has pursued both academic and theological excellence to the glory of God. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Insurance from Northeastern University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary’s Center for Urban Ministry (CUME), where he received academic distinction for preaching. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Theology in Practice at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” — Ephesians 4:11–12 (KJV)