Zach is a native of Mason County, Kentucky. He grew up on family farmland about 10 miles outside Maysville. He and his family (Kristy, Eleanor, and Elliot) now live in Middlesboro, Kentucky, where Zach has served as Pastor of First Baptist Church since 2013. Kristy serves as Executive Director of Administration of Lincoln Memorial University.

Zach has spent a significant part of his life in formal educational settings as a student. He has earned a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Georgetown College (KY) and an M.Div. from the James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University.  He is currently working toward a D.Min. at Columbia Theological Seminary.

After graduating from Mercer, Zach served 2.5 years as the Maddox Pastoral Resident of Northside Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA, before being called as Pastor of First Baptist Church of Middlesboro, KY.