Josh Pannell serves as the Founder and Dean of Trinity Fellowship Pastors College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In this role, he oversees every aspect of the college, mentoring aspiring pastors to faithfully watch their life and doctrine so that they may become effective undershepherds in God’s church.

Josh holds a BA in Bible Exposition from Northland International University (2014), a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2020), and is currently pursuing a Master of Theology from Union School of Theology in Wales, UK. His dissertation focuses on Union with the Second Adam in Ephesians. In addition, he completed the Sovereign Grace Pastors College program in Louisville, KY (2018).

At Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, Josh teaches a variety of courses, including Prolegomena and Bibliology, Hermeneutics, Biblical Theology, Homiletics (Levels 1–3), Eschatology, Elementary Greek, Greek Syntax, and Greek Exegesis. His teaching experience extends beyond TFPC, having taught at Trinity College of Louisville, KY, Evangelical Theological College in Addis Ababa, Baptist Bible College of the Caribbean, and as a substitute instructor for Greek at the Sovereign Grace Pastors College.

Josh’s vision for the Pastors College is twofold: first, to see students grow into men who not only communicate biblical truth but also embody Christ Himself in their ministry; and second, to transition leadership of the college entirely to Ethiopian pastors by 2029. His passion is to equip pastors with theological depth and practical ministry training rooted in the gospel and practiced in to local church.

Josh and his wife, Sabrina, have been married since 2014 and are blessed with three children: Lily (2014), August (2021), and a third child due in May 2025. Originally from Orlando, FL, Josh was born again in October 2005. His calling to missions began in 2012, during his sophomore year of college, when he became burdened for pastors worldwide who lack access to robust theological and pastoral education. This vision materialized when Trinity Fellowship Church was planted in December 2020, followed by the establishment of the Pastors College in September 2021.

Josh credits much of his spiritual growth to the relationships he formed during his seven years as a member of Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville. He is deeply influenced by C.J. Mahaney’s preaching, Jeff Purswell’s teaching, Bob Kauflin’s philosophy of music and liturgy, Gary Ricucci’s marriage counseling, and Brian Chesemore’s pastoral discipleship. Theologically, his greatest influences include Martin Luther’s love for justification, Augustine of Hippo’s theology of affections for Christ, John Calvin’s exegesis, Charles Spurgeon’s Christ-centered preaching, David Powlison’s gospel-centered counseling, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s “logic on fire” in his expositional preaching.

Josh has contributed to the Sovereign Grace Journal and authored Godliness: Becoming More Like Jesus. Read the publication here.

In his free time, Josh enjoys hiking, camping, reading, traveling, trying new foods, watching movies with his wife, and spending time with his children.