John Duval: A Life of Shepherding, Leadership, and Trusted Counsel

John Duval’s professional journey reflects more than four decades of faithful service marked by pastoral leadership, spiritual discernment, and a deep commitment to the health of ministry leaders and the churches they serve. From his earliest years in ministry to his current role as Vice President of Shepherding with Standing Stone Ministry, Duval’s calling has remained consistent: to walk alongside people in seasons of growth, challenge, and transformation, offering wise, biblical guidance grounded in humility, prayer, and trust.

Duval’s foundation for ministry was laid early. He attended Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida, graduating in 1985. During these formative years, he developed a theological framework that combined academic rigor with a heart for local church ministry. Even before completing his undergraduate education, Duval was actively engaged in church service, demonstrating a clear sense of vocational calling and pastoral responsibility that would define the rest of his career.

Following his undergraduate studies, Duval pursued formal theological training at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1988. His seminary education provided a deep grounding in Scripture, theology, and pastoral practice, equipping him for long-term ministry leadership. The integration of classroom learning with real-world ministry experience during this season shaped Duval’s approach to shepherding—one that values biblical truth, relational presence, and thoughtful discernment.

Duval’s pastoral ministry began at First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he served from 1982 to 1985. This early role offered invaluable experience in congregational life, leadership development, and pastoral care. During these years, he learned the rhythms of church ministry and the importance of listening well, building trust, and leading with integrity.

He later served at First Baptist Church of Euless, Texas, from 1985 to 1988, further broadening his pastoral experience and deepening his understanding of ministry within diverse congregational contexts. From 1988 to 1989, Duval served at Northway Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, continuing to integrate theological training with hands-on pastoral leadership during the early years following his seminary graduation.

From 1989 to 1996, Duval served at Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida. During this seven-year season, he provided pastoral leadership through times of growth and transition, further refining his shepherding instincts and strengthening his ability to guide congregations with wisdom and care. This period marked an important maturation of his pastoral identity and leadership capacity.

In 1996, Duval accepted a call to Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, where he served from 1996 to 2003. His years at Two Rivers represented a significant chapter in his ministry journey. Leading the congregation through seasons of development and change, Duval demonstrated steady leadership rooted in prayer, humility, and relational trust. These years deepened his conviction that healthy churches are built upon healthy leaders and that long-term ministry sustainability requires intentional care for those who shepherd others.

In 2003, Duval began serving Clearview Baptist Church in Franklin, Tennessee, where he remained until 2012. His nearly decade-long tenure reflected a mature pastoral presence marked by wisdom, compassion, and strategic leadership. During this period, Duval increasingly recognized a recurring challenge within church leadership: isolation. Many pastors and ministry leaders, while faithfully caring for others, lacked safe and trusted relationships in which they themselves could be known, supported, and shepherded.

This growing awareness ultimately led Duval to his current role with Standing Stone Ministry. Since 2013, he has served as Vice President of Shepherding, providing leadership and vision for a ministry devoted to guiding ministry leaders into healthy, sustainable service. Standing Stone Ministry has a regional office in Franklin, Tennessee, and a national office in San Clemente, California, and exists to create healthy ministries in every city, transforming communities for Christ.

Standing Stone Ministry is built on the conviction that leadership isolation is killing the church. In response, the ministry offers free, confidential, biblical guidance through ongoing, trusted relationships. With more than 300 women and men serving as shepherds and over 5,000 ministry leaders engaged in monthly relationships, Standing Stone has become a vital source of encouragement, prevention, and restoration for leaders across the country.

The organization’s core values—prayerful, humble, passionate, and healthy—shape every aspect of its work. As Vice President of Shepherding, Duval brings decades of pastoral experience, seasoned wisdom, and relational sensitivity to his leadership role. He understands that effective shepherding is not about providing quick solutions, but about walking faithfully with leaders through crises, helping prevent them, and fostering long-term spiritual, emotional, and relational health.

As a shepherd with Standing Stone Ministry, Duval recognizes that skilled, experienced counsel can be life-giving. Standing Stone’s shepherds provide a full range of free, confidential, biblical guidance to ministry leaders, helping them navigate crises, prevent future challenges, and increase overall health so that their ministries can flourish. Under Duval’s leadership, this culture of trusted shepherding continues to expand its reach and impact nationwide.

In addition to his ministry leadership, Duval serves as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Family and Civil Mediator, with specialized training in domestic violence. This work reflects his broader commitment to reconciliation, justice, and peacemaking. His mediation practice allows him to apply pastoral wisdom in legal and relational contexts, helping individuals and families navigate conflict with clarity, dignity, and care.

Duval has also served extensively in professional mediation leadership. He has served on the board of the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators and completed three terms as its president in Nashville, Tennessee. Through this role, he has contributed to the advancement of ethical mediation standards and the professional development of mediators across the state.

Since 2003, John Duval has lived in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he remains deeply connected to the community he has served for many years. Across every role—pastor, shepherd, leader, and mediator—his life reflects a consistent commitment to walking with others through complexity and calling them toward health, faithfulness, and hope.

John Duval’s professional journey stands as a testament to the power of faithful presence. Through decades of ministry leadership and trusted counsel, he has helped countless individuals and leaders find clarity, restoration, and renewed purpose. His work continues to shape the landscape of ministry leadership, ensuring that those who serve the church are never left to serve alone.