Brad Bull - Journalist Profile | Connect with top journalists

Beats

Biography

I call myself a Tennessee native who was born in Texas. My maternal grandfather’s complexion and family oral tradition make it fairly clear that my ancestry includes some Cherokee. I’m a direct descendant of one of the earliest European settlers in Tennessee—who founded Bulls Gap. My parents just happened to be in graduate school in Texas when I was born. I don’t remember not knowing that I was born while my parents were in seminary. When I was in second grade, when everyone else was telling Ms. Bouler that they wanted to be a fire fighter or a police officer, I said I wanted to live on a ranch in Texas and teach theology at a seminary. Ms. Bouler smiled and said, “I hope your dreams come true, Brad.” My dreams changed over the years. At age 15 I told my church I wanted to become a pastor. Two weeks later, at the insistence of my young pastor, I started preaching. About the same time, after having been cut from tennis, basketball, and football in middle school, I started playing soccer, wound up being team captain, and started finding my place. This was capped off by a summer exchange program in France. One night in Paris, I saw the movie Gandhi, and it turned me from peeking through a slit in the blinds to seeing the world in IMAX. I started college as a religion major at a small, private college where my parents and maternal grandmother had graduated. Planning to attend seminary where I’d “get the religion stuff,” I changed my major to psychology. I also minored in creative writing and was a member of the speech team where I eventually won the state championship in after dinner speaking. Following nearly four years in seminary, followed by a one-year hospital chaplaincy internship, interviewed with what, at the time, was a wonderfully healthy church. I served as associate pastor for youth and young adults for eight years—an unusually long tenure for a youth minister to be at a first church. During this time, I became a licensed marriage and family therapist and began my PhD work with two possible goals. The first was to become an overseas counselor to children of missionaries. This was a cohort I had encountered in the Philippines and Haiti, and I saw a deep need. Another goal was to become a pastor for five years (the magic number that punched your ticket) and then teach seminary. Along the way though—due to many factors, such as the fragmentation of my denomination—my aspirations turned toward teaching college because of the impact my teachers had made on me. Also during this time, the top two best days of my life happened: the births of my daughter and my son. After finishing my doctoral work in child and family studies with a cognate in counseling, I couldn’t find a job. Churches said I looked like a professor. Universities said I looked like a pastor. I spent the time writing most of my first book Restacking out Caps and Loving the Monkeys Who Took Them. To afford Christmas presents, I got a job as a seasonal driver helper with UPS. Upon hearing this, the secretary of my daughter’s school blushed and said, “My husband used to work for UPS. They have a not so nice name for driver helpers.” I asked what. She said, “Bitch.” I said, “If anyone calls me that, I’ll say, ‘Hey, buddy. That’s DOCTOR Bitch to you.’”

Content

Total articles 58

• Available on paid plans

  At Nashville’s Hands Off! rally, protesters explain diverse views – Baptist News Global

  By Brad Bull

  Apr. 06, 2025

• Available on paid plans

  Moving My Ass Horizontally Across The South: A Tribute to Civil Rights Activist Rev. Kenneth Dean

  By Brad Bull

  Mar. 29, 2025

• Available on paid plans

  It’s time to consider when to disobey a presidential order

  By Brad Bull

  Mar. 28, 2025

As seen in

Company Info

Freelance

Freelancer.com is the largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace in the world, connecting over 81 million employers and freelancers across more than 247 countries. Founded in 2009 and based in Sydney, Australia, the platform allows employers to post jobs while freelancers can bid on these projects. It is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN. The platform supports a variety of work categories, including software development, writing, design, and marketing. Freelancer.com also offers contests for creative work, where employers can award prize money to winning entries. Users can choose from different membership plans, including free and paid subscriptions, which provide various benefits. The mobile app enhances project management and communication for users on the go. With a diverse customer base that includes individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises, Freelancer.com plays a significant role in the global online economy.