Hi, I’m Doug Cushing and I’m the founding Pastor of the Tyger River Presbyterian Church in Moore, SC. I’m interested in getting to know you. Here’s a chance to get to know me a little bit better. I was born and raised outside of Milwaukee, WI. which makes me a huge Green Bay Packer and Wisconsin Badger fan. I graduated from Carroll College in Waukesha, WI with degrees in Psychology and Communications. After graduation I worked for six years as a Youth Minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Deerfield, IL. While I was in Deerfield I earned an M.A. degree in Christian Thought from Trinity Divinity School.
After six great years in Deerfield I traveled to Princeton, NJ where I enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary. After I earned my Master of Divinity degree from Princeton I came south answering a call to be a Pastor at the St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. In 1997 I was asked to be the Organizing Pastor of the Tyger River Presbyterian Church. It’s been my great joy to lead the people of God at Tyger River as we have grown our church into a really cool place to experience God.
I’m very interested in new church development. I received my Doctoral degree in new church development from Columbia Theological Seminary and have studied new church work at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. I’m also a certified by my denomination to be a coach to pastors of new churches. My coaching interests have led me into a partnership with the folks at Pinnacle Leadership Associates where I am one of the associates who leads workshops and coaches interested clients.
My wife, Sharon, and I have been married for 7 years. We are the proud of parents a wonderful Cocker Spaniel, Mattie. I am a PADI certified scuba diver and an ASA certified sailor. I love to travel – especially to places where I can sail and dive. I’m an avid cyclist and I’m trying to learn Spanish. Some authors I enjoy reading are Malcolm Gladwell, Eugene Peterson, Khaled Hosseini, Leslie Newbigin and Steven Covey. The coolest thing I’ve done in the past few years is summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Doug Cushing's Blog 
Doug:
David Taylor suggested I contact you.
I am on the NCD team for the presbytery de Cristo. We have not started many new churches in the last 25 years– the latest being 11 years ago.
We have a lot of excitement on the team about several possiblities. One includes free use of office and worship space and a three year financial commitment to cover 50% of the salary for an organizing pastor. The area of the offer is in Maricopa which has grown from a community of 1500 to one of over 40,000 in the last decade.
The space and salary support is being offered by a presbyterian elder from a church about 30 minutes away.
I would appeciate an opportunity to talk with you about things you think we as a team and the presbytery should be thinking about.
Please let me know if you could talk with me and if so what times would be best.
peace, mark
By: Mark Adams on August 27, 2009
at 7:57 pm
Doug – I look forward to reading your blog – thanks for making a commitment so time consuming! I really look forward to being able to view it when I am unable to attend TRPC. I also look forward to sharing it with some “long distance” folks like Robbie.
By: Susan Eleazer on August 9, 2010
at 12:30 pm
Doug old friend, I enjoy reading your blogs which I recently discovered . Due to my profession I am not always able to attend Sunday Services on a regular basis. Your questions have given me an opportunity to ponder deep thoughts and explore further the direction my life and faith.
By: Paul Rosen on September 12, 2011
at 10:46 pm
PAUL ROSEN! What a great surprise to hear from you! Friends, for those who visit my blog and are a member of Tyger River Church let me introduce Paul Rosen. Paul and I grew up in the youth group of Apostle Presbyterian Church. We’ve been friends most of our life. Paul can tell stories about me from our days in the youth group that will prove the old adage: God always calls the worst sinners to be preachers. Now Paul, you are welcome to post on the blog as often as you like but please keep the stories of our youth between you, me and the Lord. Great to hear from you! God bless you old friend.
By: Doug Cushing on September 13, 2011
at 6:33 pm