Messengers voting during the 2025 Summit. – Photos by Jim Veneman
JACKSON — Summit 2025 was heavy on celebration, collaboration and cooperation.
Messengers at the annual gathering of Tennessee Baptists displayed unity while unanimously electing Dan Spencer as president, unanimously approving a $35 million budget and collectively celebrating the centennial anniversaries of three Baptist cornerstones: the Cooperative Program, Baptist Collegiate Ministry and the Baptist Faith and Message.
The event at West Jackson Baptist Church — which had the theme “All Aboard: Advancing Together” — was well attended, drawing 944 registered messengers, representing 449 churches, and 179 guests.
The event opened with a Sunday night worship service, continued with the Pastors Conference on Monday, followed by a four-part “main session” that began on Monday night and ran through Tuesday night.
Spencer, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, ran unopposed for president. He replaces outgoing president Jay Hardwick, senior pastor of Forest Hills Baptist Church after Hardwick served a two-year term.
Along with times of praise and worship, the main session included: the presentation of the Eagle Award, Hardwick’s presidential address, Danny Sinquefield’s convention sermon, panel discussions that recognized and celebrated each of the centennial anniversaries, and the treasurer’s report from TBMB President and Executive Director Randy C. Davis.
The following is a recap of the main sessions:
Budget approved
Daniel Jerkins, pastor of Hickory Withe First Baptist Church, Eads, and chairman of the TBMB budget and finance committee, presented the Cooperative Program budget recommendation of $35 million for the seventh-consecutive year. The recommendation keeps the distribution allocations at the same percentage level — 55% to TBC causes and 45% to SBC causes.
The recommendation received no proposed amendments when presented Monday night, and was approved by messengers Tuesday with no dissenting votes.
From left, Cowell, Hollingsworth, Johnston, Evans, and Spencer.
Officers elected
The voting process moved briskly as most positions were filled by single-candidate nominees. The only officer position in which two candidates were nominated was the role of Middle Tennessee regional vice president.
Spencer was elected president without any dissenting votes. He was nominated by Chris Kendall, senior pastor of Oak City Baptist Church, Seymour. “(Spencer) has a passion for evangelism and a heart for cooperation. … I can’t imagine a more faithful or capable leader,” Kendall said.
David Evans, pastor of Springfield Baptist Church, was elected TBC vice president, again with zero dissenting votes.
Evans was nominated by Larry Robertson, pastor of Hilldale Baptist Church in Clarksville. “(Evans) is the real deal,” said Robertson. “His church is a giving church and a going church.”
Next, three pastors were elected to the role of regional vice president — a new position of TBC leadership.
Shane Johnston, of Notchey Creek Baptist Church in Madisonville, was elected East Tennessee regional VP, running unopposed. He was nominated by David Haynes, from Tennessee Valley Association.
Ben Cowell, pastor of Brownsville Baptist Church, was elected West Tennessee regional VP, running unopposed. He was nominated by Chris Garner, pastor of Holly Grove in Bell.
Maurice Hollingsworth, pastor of Pleasant Heights Baptist Church in Columbia, was elected Middle Tennessee regional VP. Whit Chapman, pastor of Concord Village Baptist Church, was also nominated for the position. Hollingsworth was elected with 56% of the votes among the 416 ballots cast. (Hollingsworth received 233 votes; Chapman 183).
Hollingsworth was nominated by Jacob Kitchens, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Waynesboro. Chapman was nominated by Jeff Mims of Judson Baptist in Nashville.
Dan Spencer preaching at the 2025 Summit’s Sunday night service.
About the new president
Spencer has a strong Southern Baptist heritage. He is the great-great-nephew of M.E. Dodd, known to many as “the Father of the Cooperative Program,” and is the great-great-grandson of George Martin Savage, former president of Union University and Dodd’s father-in-law. Spencer’s father, Jerry, has been a Southern Baptist evangelist and pastor since 1957.
During his tenure at First Baptist Sevierville, Dan Spencer has helped the church become one of the TBC’s leading churches in baptisms and giving through the Cooperative Program. In 2024, the church contributed $560,626 through CP, or 9.09% of its undesignated gifts.
In other 2024 missions giving, FBC contributed $685,205 through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Adding together CP, LMCO, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions, and associational support, FBC contributed more than $2 million to missions in 2024, and has totaled more than $22 million in missions giving during Spencer’s tenure as pastor.
Associational, mission recognitions
The convention honored the work of Associational Mission Strategists (also known as Directors of Mission), and recognized the retirement of three men: Richard Lewis, AMS for Sequatchie Baptist Association; Larry Murphy, AMS for Madison-Chester and Crockett County Baptist Associations and Deenie Jones, AMS for Dyer Baptist Association.
TBMB collaboration director Steve Holt noted the importance of the AMS role and presented each retiree with a plaque.
William Maxwell, TBMB Missions Team Leader, also recognized the organization’s mission efforts. Messengers heard briefly from representatives from three of the TBMB’s partnership missions — Denver, Guatemala and Germany.
Special recognition
The annual meeting included a time of special recognition for several individuals:
- A resolution was introduced to honor Bill Choate for his 40-plus years of leadership in Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Choate, who is battling cancer, was unable to attend the annual gathering, but told Davis he would be watching online. Choate received a standing ovation from the messengers.
“Dr. Bill Choate is so well respected, not just in Tennessee, but all across the country,” said Davis. “He has made a tremendous impact on so many lives, and we are so thankful for his years of loyal service.”
- The annual Eagle Award — given annually to a Tennessee Baptist layperson who has made significant contributions in serving Tennessee Baptists — was presented to Harry Smith. (See full story at baptistandreflector.org.)
- The Luke 15 award — given annually to a Tennessee Baptist leader who passionately seeks to “find lost sheep” — was presented to Dylan McMinn, pastor of Pinson Baptist Church.
Updates on “Arise and Build” and other DR responses
Garry Maddox, Arise and Build coordinator, thanked Tennessee Baptists for their support — and the volunteer hours — that have gone into the Arise and Build initiative.
The project, which has built and rebuilt homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, has been an on-going effort for more than a year.
The project has included the more than 550 repair jobs, 82 bridge / roadway / culvert jobs and a total of more than 33,500 volunteer hours.
But there is still much more to do, Maddox noted. “We still need teams,” he said.
From left, Davis, Collins, Keaton, McMullen, Crouch, Sorah, and Franks.
Multiplying Gospel Leaders
Davis moderated a panel discussion anchored around Multiplying Gospel Leaders. The panel included TBMB staffers Roc Collins (multiplying evangelistic disciples team leader), Joe Sorah (strengthening gospel leaders team leader), Josh Franks (multiplying gospel leaders team leader), Daryl Crouch (strengthening healthy churches team leader), Ryan Keaton (strengthening evangelistic disciples team leader) and Lewis McMullen (multiplying healthy churches team leader).
The panel discussed the main pillars of the Multiplying Gospel Leaders movement — identify, engage, equip and deploy.
“Every Tennessee Baptist church can be a part of the multiplication process,” said Lewis, and Crouch added that, “Every church needs a fresh encounter with Jesus. That’s where it all starts. And we are leaning into that expectation.”
Additional business
Other annual meeting business items at Summit included:
- Messengers adopted reports from the Committee on Committees and Committee on Boards with no discussion or amendments.
Chris Garner, pastor of Holly Grove Baptist Church, Bells.
- Chris Garner, pastor of Holly Grove Baptist Church, Bells, proposed a resolution to honor veterans and the 250th anniversary of the US Marine Corps. The resolution, seconded by Ben Cowell, pastor of Brownsville Baptist Church, was accepted with no dissenting votes. It was the only item introduced during the miscellaneous business segment on the opening night.
- Messengers approved recommendations from the Committee on Arrangements for the 2029 Summit to be held at FBC Cleveland.
- Messengers heard reports from the benevolent and educational institutions through two panel discussions facilitated by Josh Sinquefield, pastor of FBC Milan. The first panel included Mark Anderson, TBAH; Greg McCoy, TBCH; and Sam Warner, TBF. The second panel included Charles Fowler, president of Carson Newman University; Dub Oliver, president of Union University; and Kelly Sullivan-Connatser, the King’s Academy.
- The convention also recognized new pastors and church staff who began serving in Tennessee during the past year. B&R
