Dr. Donovan McAbee

Minister of College & Young Adults

Donovan grew up the youngest of three children in the foothills region of South Carolina, ten miles from the North Carolina border. As a teenager, he would take long rides in his 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, through the mountains of western North Carolina. Never certain whether it was the scenic drive or the exhaust fumes from the Karmann Ghia, Donovan always gained a sense of euphoria as he wound around the curvy roads, by rivers and waterfalls and hillsides covered in kudzu. When it came time for college, Donovan packed up his worldly belongings in a Honda Civic and made the journey to Waco, Texas, where he attended Baylor University, focusing his studies on theology, literature, philosophy and an array of humanities that made him fit for nothing besides graduate work. With the intention of becoming either a pastor or a high-fallutin’ “theologian,” Donovan ventured to New Jersey, where he attended Princeton Theological Seminary and graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. During his time at Seminary, Donovan began to take his creative writing more seriously, composing songs and writing poems and short stories. By this time, Donovan had served congregations in South Carolina and New Jersey, his primary areas of concern being youth and college ministries, pastoral care, and developing contemporary worship services. From 2004-2005, Donovan served as full-time Minister of Students at Inman First Baptist Church in his hometown of Inman, South Carolina. In September 2005, Donovan moved to St Andrews, Scotland, where he began work on a PhD in English Literature, with foci in creative writing and contemporary poetry. His academic work concerned the poetry of the Yugoslavian-born, American poet, Charles Simic. While writing about Simic’s work and developing his own craft, Donovan was able to further study the intersections of religion and literature. At St Andrews, Donovan began to take songwriting more seriously, so much so that upon completion of his PhD at St Andrews, he moved to Nashville in January 2009. His road to Woodmont has been a circuitous one, but confident that it was God’s leading that landed him here, Donovan is excited to be engaged in college and young adult ministry at Woodmont. He insists, “The possibilities for growth at Woodmont are amazing. We have the resources in place to make a real impact on our community for Christ. It is an exciting time to be here, and I look forward to the blessings that God has in store for us as we worship and serve together.”