Leadership | Three Nails Gospel

OUR LEADERSHIP

PASTOR BILL TOLBERT

Head Pastor

Dr. William Tolbert, III (Pastor Bill to his congregation), Senior Pastor of Three Nails Gospel Church, was born in a small mill town called Danville, VA., the home of Dan River Mills, in the mountains. His family lived there until he was about 6 years of age, when his dad took a job with Seaboard Railroad in Jacksonville, FL. He lived there until he graduated from high school.

Pastor Bill developed a deep, lasting love for playing drums. He became Drum Major for his high school in his senior year. Pastor Bill grew up in the Baptist Church. At the age of 16, he played drums for The Spartans Quartet, a gospel group, followed by a stint with the Crownsmen’s Quartet out of Ashburn, GA.

Upon graduating high school in Jacksonville, he started at Florida Junior College, transferring to University of Georgia off-campus when the family moved to Waycross, GA. He then attended Waycross/Ware County Technical College where he received an Associates Degree in Drafting.

Pastor Bill also attended Disney University and has a degree in Private Investigations. Pastor Bill spent many years on the road playing music. He was blessed to sing on the Grand Ole Opry stage and has played with many outstanding musicians during his time in the secular arena. He considers himself blessed to now be able to take something he is so passionate about and use it for the glory of God. He spent 17 years working for the Marriott Corporation in Augusta, beginning as a third shift

Security Officer. In 2007, he became Chief of Security and by the time he retired in 2019, he had taken on, in addition to Chief of Security and Investigations, Director of Parking Operations and Director of Safety for the Marriott. He knew in 2019 that God had called him to serve in the pulpit full time.

Three Nails Gospel Church began in the Tolbert’s living room because some dear friends were having doubts about their faith, and they asked for help. The meetings began attracting others from the church we were attending at the time, and became so big we had to find alternate places to meet. In 2014, Three Nails Gospel Church was founded as a church and we had our first

“Church service” on April 14, 2014

SHAWN TOLBERT

Secretary/Treasurer

Ms. Shawn is a also Founding Member, helping to start this church in her living room with our Pastor. Born in Nuremberg, Germany, raised in Augusta from the age of 6 weeks old, Shawn came to know the Lord at a young age. Her family did not attend church so she would go with a favorite uncle or a neighbor as a child. As a teen and young adult, however, Shawn lost her way for a very long time. She praises God that even though she turned my back on Him, He never left her for a second. When Shawn found her way back to Christ, she started attending church, working in the nursery; eventually working up to teaching youth in Sunday School. Shawn now serves as our Adult Sunday School teacher as well as Bible Study mediator.