Meet Brad.
Brad Ratliff is a pastor, teacher, and ministry practitioner who has spent his life helping people connect biblical truth to the real pressures of everyday life. He serves at New Hope Christian Church in Bartlett, Tennessee, where he teaches, leads ministry teams, develops leaders, and helps guide the church through seasons of change and growth. His work is rooted in the local church, with a particular concern for discipleship, pastoral leadership, mentoring, and helping people remain faithful over the long haul.
In the classroom, Brad brings the perspective of someone actively engaged in ministry, not simply someone reflecting on it from a distance. He helps students think about theology, leadership, preaching, and discipleship in ways that are both biblically serious and practically useful. His teaching often draws from pastoral experience, organizational leadership, mentoring research, and the everyday realities of church life. He wants students to learn how to think carefully, lead faithfully, and serve people with both conviction and humility.
Teaching matters to Brad because he believes formation happens through more than information. Students need models, conversations, honest questions, and practical wisdom that helps them become the kind of leaders who can endure. His goal is to help students love the church, trust Scripture, grow in wisdom, and develop a ministry life that is faithful, healthy, and deeply rooted in Christ.