Joe Donahue
Joe Donahue was born February 20, 1973, in Lewiston, Maine. His childhood was filled with abuse, alcoholism, and dysfunction. After his parents’ divorced, he lived for a period of time in a YWCA shelter for battered and abused families. As a teenager, Joe spent three months hospitalized in a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital.
In 1991, shortly after graduating high school, Joe attended a church service and surrendered his life to Jesus. That is the moment Jesus changed the direction of his life. Over time, he experienced healing and was able to forgive his father.
After high school, Joe worked as a laborer on a brick crew for three years. During that season, he grew in his relationship with Jesus and began serving in the church. While attending Austin Peay State University, he sensed a clear call to pastoral ministry and surrendered to full-time ministry in 1996. He graduated with a BA in Secondary Education with a minor in Creative Writing and English. Joe later attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, completing 42 credit hours toward a Master of Divinity in Evangelism and Church Growth.
Joe married Kristy in 1999. (She is the daughter of the pastor who baptized him.) Together they are raising four daughters - Sofia, Naomi, Violet, and Jessie. Three of their daughters live with Type 1 diabetes, which has shaped their family’s daily life, routines, and dependence on God.
Joe began serving in vocational ministry in 1998 at Grace Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He later served at Carlisle Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky; Bethany Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia; First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Georgia; First Baptist Church in Lavaca, Arkansas; and Calvary Baptist Church in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where he served as Co-Lead Pastor.
On December 4, 2022, Joe was voted in as Lead Pastor of Beach Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The church has experienced significant growth and community engagement over the last few years. Joe’s leadership focuses on evangelism, discipleship, and helping people take clear next steps in following Jesus.
Joe believes God uses ordinary people with broken pasts to build strong churches and reach others with the life-changing message of Jesus!
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Pastor Joe, please follow this link: