By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Steve Freeman
BRENTWOOD — Steve Freeman, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, will be nominated for the presidency of the Tennessee Baptist Convention at The Summit in November.
Freeman currently serves as chair of the Executive Board of the TBC. He is the only announced nominee to date.
Chattanooga-area pastor Eric Stitts of Bayside Baptist Church, Harrison, informed the Baptist and Reflector May 23 of his intention to nominate Freeman during the TBC’s annual meeting at Summit, scheduled for Nov. 13-17 in Sevierville.
Stitts noted that Freeman “has a deep and abiding love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his church, and for the state of Tennessee.
“Steve has had the privilege to lead the Executive Board over the past year and he has led with great passion and statesmanship. He desires to continue the vision that has been set in place with the Five Objectives (long-range goals adopted by messengers of the state convention in 2014).”
Stitts observed that Freeman is passionate about the Five Objectives and has implemented them in his local congregation. “The greatest desire that he has is to see 50,000 baptisms annually in the state of Tennessee,” Stitts said.
Freeman was licensed into the ministry in 2004 at Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville. He has served as pastor of Grace Baptist since 2008. He also served as pastor of Slayden Baptist Church, Slayden, and young adult pastor at Hilldale Baptist. Freeman is a graduate of Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, and holds both master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary.
According to latest information from the Annual Church Profile, Grace Baptist Church currently gives 8 percent of its undesignated gifts through the Cooperative Program.
“I am thankful for the privilege to serve Tennessee Baptists in any opportunity that the Lord provides,” responded Freeman in written comments.
“I would count it an honor to have a role in seeing our churches participate in and fulfill the vision the Lord has given to us through our Five Objectives. …
“What an opportunity the Lord has provided us, as Tennessee Baptists, to push back the darkness and lead people ‘right side up … in an upside down world!’ ” he concluded.
