Leadership summit to bring community together

A local organization wants to help people get back to God.

Music With a Purpose’s first annual Leadership Summit will focus on “God’s Place in America.”

“Looking around our country and seeing all the tragedies going on, it really had me thinking about ‘What is really the problem?’” said Jeremy Hayes, founder of Music With a Purpose. “I don’t believe the problem is guns…I look at the problem more as our country getting away from God.”

So Hayes decided to gather some of Middle Tennessee’s prominent figures from all walks of life – government, religion, athletics, education and law enforcement – to discuss how God shapes their roles.

“I really looked at the Middle Tennessee community and looked for people who had a story to tell, who had a past,” said Hayes.

Speakers for the event will include Ed Hagerty, mayor of Mt. Juliet; Whit Turnbow, golf coach and associate athletic director at Middle Tennessee State University; Crpl. Tommy Shelton, community policing coordinator and chaplain with Mt. Juliet police; Rick Perry, president of Goodpasture Christian School; and Maury Davis, lead pastor at Cornerstone Church.

“Each of these speakers were selected for their background and because they have a great message to tell people,” said Hayes. “I look at this as an opportunity to really help people realize where God is and where God needs to be in our culture.”

Tickets are on sale now for the event, which will be held April 25 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mt. Juliet Community Center, located at 1100 Charlie Daniels Parkway.

“We just have 280 tickets for sale, just due to space limitations,” said Hayes.

Tickets cost $25 each until March 1, after which each ticket will cost $35.

The cost of each ticket will include dinner catered by Jonathan’s Grille.

Tickets are available at musicwithapurpose.com.