Jerry Foust has attended Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center, formerly Camp Carson, since 1970. He has only missed once in 53 years. He and his wife Patsy were in Newport last week where they connected with their children and grandchildren for five days.
NEWPORT — Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor Jerry Foust has a love for both conference centers owned and operated by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board at Linden Valley in Linden and Carson Springs in Newport.
Though he supports both locations, Foust has a special connection to Carson Springs, formerly known as Camp Carson.
He began attending pastor retreats, sponsored by the evangelism department of what was then the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 1970 while he was pastor of Toone Baptist Church, Toone, located in West Tennessee.
Those retreats was where he came to get “recharged” by listening to excellent preaching.
Even after the retreats ended in the early 2000s, Foust kept returning to Newport. “I love the mountains,” he affirmed. He has missed going to Carson Springs only once in the last 53 years.
After his wife Patsy retired, she began to travel with Foust and shop while Foust remained at the conference center to study and work on sermons. In the past few years, his son and daughter and families have also come to spend time together.
Foust moved from Toone and later became pastor of Mount Tirzah Baptist Church in Newbern and Westwood Baptist Church in Nashville. He also served as an intentional interim pastor for five churches, including Centerville Baptist Church, Centerville, for seven years.
At the age of 82, he still serves as pastor of Barnabas Baptist Mission, a rural church near Ashland City in Middle Tennessee.
“I don’t know how many times I came here spiritually drained from the pressures of ministry and returned home recharged,” he said.“Carson Springs is special to me. I love it here,” he affirmed.
Foust’s desire is that more Tennessee Baptists, especially ministers, learn about the benefits and attractions offered at each facility. B&R — Both Tennessee Baptist conference centers provide a special rate to ministers/staff members on a space available basis. Price does not include meals. For information, call Carson Springs at 423-623-2764 or Linden Valley at 931-589-2622.
