Alan has served at Burnt Hickory since March 2019. His heart for Adult Ministries is rooted in a desire to lead people to become disciple-makers and to live missionally in every area of life.
Prior to joining the Burnt Hickory team, Alan served as a State Missionary with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board (2000–2019), focusing on Sunday School, Discipleship, and Church Administration. He also served in eight churches as an interim Minister of Education and Administration, and for 15 years held staff roles in churches across Georgia and North Carolina.
Alan and his wife, Paula Chapman Folsom, were married in 1987. They are the proud parents of three grown children and five grandchildren. Their son Luke and his wife Jacque have four children — Isaiah, Judah, Eli, and Naomi. Their daughter Kelly is married to Andrew Snow and teaches second grade at Chalker Elementary in Kennesaw. Their youngest, Curtis, and his wife Morgan live in Athens, GA, and welcomed their first son, Rhett, in May 2025.
Alan holds a Doctor of Ministry in Evangelism and Church Growth from the Billy Graham School at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with Christian Education from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia State University. A Georgia native, Alan grew up in Jackson and now resides in Dallas, GA.