Baptist and Reflector
Former TBC president Doug Sager.
KNOXVILLE — Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor Doug Sager died Feb. 24. He was 78.
Sager, who was president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 1998, served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Concord, in Knoxville, from 1992-2013 when he retired. Retirement did not last long as he began serving soon after as interim pastor of Vonore Baptist Church, Vonore, and was later called as pastor where he served until his death.
The family released the following statement following his death:
“It seems that God has been calling His most faithful home. We are grieving the loss of our Daddy, Papa, and everyone’s ‘Brother Doug,’ but we are also rejoicing that he is now in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is certainly being welcomed home with a ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ We are beyond grateful for all of the people who have prayed and wept and waited with us, and we continue to ask for your prayers during this time.”
Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said Sager was “a friend and mentor. He was a great pastor and preacher,” Davis observed.
“God used Bro. Doug to reach thousands with the gospel. He was always a joy to be around. Behind his bigger-than-life personality and incredibly creative energy was a solid biblicist and deep thinker,” Davis added.
“He was a great leader in Tennessee and the SBC and a personal encourager to me.”
Sager, an Alabama native who preached his first revival at the age of 11, was described by other friends as a “fiery preacher” who made an “eternal impact” for God.
He held numerous positions within both the TBC and the Southern Baptist Convention. He was a former trustee of the International Mission Board.
Sager is survived by his wife, Faye, three children, and six grandchildren.
A celebration of Sager’s life will be held on March 1 at 6:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Concord.
