Back Row Revival is a wild podcast run by three escaped pastors from totally different worlds. Expect chaotic stories and enough personal baggage to fill a cathedral. These guys are on a mission to rescue anyone drowning in holy confusion, mid-life crises of faith, or awkward church questions. Listen in every week as they overthink culture, God stuff, and politics until their brains start smoking.
TJ hails from Louisville Kentucky. He had aspirations of becoming a mainstream denominational pastor, so he attended a televangelists bible college, dropped out, and became a youth pastor shortly after. He served in various pastoral positions full time and bivocational until 2012 when he started to question everything then decided he shouldn’t be doing it anymore. So he turned his focus on his family and growing in his career elsewhere. He’s now the COO of a growing internet service provider and occasionally fixes sound systems for churches who have people wanting more “me in my monitor."
Bucky grew up in rural Westville, Oklahoma, and he carries a deep pride in where he comes from. His story isn’t a straight line; it’s full of hard turns, hard lessons, and honest reflection. He’ll be the first to tell you that he’s often been his own toughest critic, sometimes standing in his own way more than anyone else.Before spending 11 years serving as a lead pastor in the Church of God with headquarters based in Cleveland, TN, Bucky’s path looked very different. In his 20s, he was caught up in meth addiction. Everything began to change in 2002 while he was in the Delaware County jail in Jay, Oklahoma. It was there, he says, that he heard the Spirit of the Lord call him to step away from that life, and he did. After stepping away from pastoral ministry in 2021, Bucky now finds himself in yet another season of transformation—what he calls his third or fourth reinvention over 51 years. At his core, he’s driven by a deep love for his wife and kids, a passion for music (whether he’s playing it or just listening), and a desire for peace in a world that doesn’t always offer much of it. Bucky also isn’t afraid to push back. He has a natural tendency to question authority and challenge the status quo, and he sees himself as the voice of cynicism and anti-establishment thinking among the trio of hosts. More than anything, though, he hopes you’ll hear his heart and get to know him as he continues walking through this latest and final chapter of personal reinvention
John Mark is a third-generation Church of God pastor who somehow managed to land his first senior pastor role at the age of 25—either a testament to his calling or a lack of other volunteers. After 22 years in ministry, John Mark made the bold decision to step away when it started feeling more like a job than a calling, and he’s been on a journey ever since to rediscover where he fits in his spiritual walk. A lifelong dreamer, John Mark will tell you he originally set out to become a Jedi Knight—but when that didn’t pan out, ministry seemed like the next logical step. A devoted fan of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, he’s equally passionate about music, meaningful conversations, and the occasional lightsaber-worthy analogy. When he’s not navigating faith and life, John Mark is a proud dad of four and “Papa” to 13 grandkids—his greatest joy and his most energetic congregation. These days, he spends his time traveling, building a fiber construction business, and figuring out what the next chapter looks like—one adventure at a time.
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