Joel + Emily Gatlin are the Lead Pastors of Hope Church. They are Mississippi natives that love the Pine Belt. Emily is a USM alum + Joel is a Hattiesburg Police Chaplain. They have 3 wonderful children, Emma, Adria, and Cade.

They moved to Hattiesburg in 2013 and had a heart for their community. They wanted to create a place where people could take their BEST next step.