Pastor Jon Weece is the senior pastor and lead follower of Southland Christian Church, a Restoration Movement church in Lexington, Kentucky with an average weekend attendance of over 12,000. In October, Jon’s first book, Jesus Prom, will release through Thomas Nelson.

Jon first worked as an intern in the college ministry at Southland Christian Church in 1996 before serving as a missionary in Haiti for four years. In 2000, former Southland senior pastor, Mike Breaux, asked him to return to Southland as member of the teaching team. Three years later, at the age of 29, Jon was unanimously voted as the new senior pastor.

Through his parents’ example as campus ministers at the University of Missouri, Jon realized God’s love for all people no matter what.

Today, Jon seeks to demonstrate this love in extravagant ways. He has been known to go to the streets of Lexington wearing a sign around his neck for “Free Hugs.” Through this kind of ministry, Jon hopes to reach parts of the population that the Church traditionally overlooks.

Jon and his wife, Allison, have two children, Ava and Silas.