LEADERS

Scott Shepherd

C. Scott Shepherd, worship and music specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board for the past six years, has resigned, effective Sept. 5, to become associate director of Renaissance at Bethel University in McKenzie. A graduate of Shorter University, Rome, Ga., and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., Shepherd earned his doctorate in worship studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He is president of the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference and has over 30 years of experience in worship and music ministry. Currently, he is interim minister of music at Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville. For the past six years, Shepherd has directed the Tennessee Men’s Chorale and Tennessee Ladies Chorus, as well as serving as a clinician and worship leader at state, regional and national events. For several years, he traveled and performed with his musical family, The Shepherd Family. He and his wife, Traci, have four children. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Brenton Cox

First Baptist Church, Manchester, will celebrate pastor Brenton Cox’s 29 years of ministry at FBC with a retirement reception in his honor on Sunday, Aug. 20, from 3-5 p.m. in the church gymnasium. Under his leadership, First Baptist has experienced significant growth in worship and Sunday School attendance. More than 1,150 believers have been baptized during his ministry at FBC. During the last 29 years, the church has led in several fruitful outreach ministries including Oakley Ministry Center, Upward Basketball, Vacation Bible School, and the Jesus Tent at Bonnaroo.

Jack Hice

Marble Plains Baptist Church, Winchester, will hold a retirement reception for pastor Jack Hice in appreciation of 33 years of ministry and service with the congregation. Special services will begin at 10 a.m., followed by food and fellowship. For more information, contact Tina Sisk at 931-581-5321. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Steve Flippo

Steve Flippo, associational missions strategist for Lawrence County Association of Baptists, has resigned to accept the pastorate of Meadow View Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg. Flippo and his family have served as missionaries with the International Mission Board and he is a former missions and college and career pastor. He served as AMS for six years.

Neely’s Bend Baptist Church, Nashville, recently called Austin Jones as pastor. He is a May 2023 graduate of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. He and his wife, Ashton, have one daughter.

Austin Jones

Hickman Baptist Church, Hickman, has called Tommy Ferguson as pastor. He and his wife, Melanie, have four children. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Tevis Springs Baptist Church, Madisonville, recently called Sam Baines as pastor. He was ordained June 11 by South Madisonville Baptist Church, Madisonville.

Chase Sears

Paul Ellis has been called as associate pastor of Maple Springs Baptist Church, Tellico Plains. He was ordained into the ministry on July 2.

Chase Sears has been called as pastor of Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory.  He recently served as assistant professor of biblical studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Prior to that he served at Oak Park Baptist Church in Jeffersonville, Ind., first as the family pastor and then as senior/lead pastor for seven years. He and his wife, Sarah, have five children. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Stacy Murphree

Stacy Murphree, Baptist Collegiate Ministry specialist at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, recently celebrated her 20th anniversary as staff member with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. She is a member of Lone Oak Baptist Church, Cunningham.

Hickman Baptist Church, Hickman, has called Tommy Ferguson as pastor, effective June 11. Don Mathis has been serving as interim pastor.

CHURCHES

Concord Baptist Church, Mohawk, will celebrate the church’s 200th anniversary on June 11 beginning at 9:45 a.m. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Matthew Ledbetter

Matthew “Matt” Ledbetter has been called as director of missions for Duck River Baptist Association, based in Tullahoma. He previously served as pastor of Creeksville Baptist Church in Conway, N.C. He has also been serving as the interim director of missions for the West Chowan Baptist Association in North Carolina. In addition to 25 years pastoral experience, he has served two terms as the second vice president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina as well as on their Executive Board. He is currently vice president of the North Carolina Baptist Pastors’ Conference. He also has extensive experience leading mission trips to Mexico and Central America and promoting Hispanic ministry in the United States

Jeff Cruse

Jeff Cruse is the new director of missions for Grainger Baptist Association, based in Rutledge. He was reared in a Southern Baptist church in Detroit. He served as a journeyman missionary in the Philippines with the International Mission Board. He married his wife, Kim, who also was a journeyman after their term ended. They moved to Texas where he earned his master of divinity in church planting from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served with the IMB as collegiate ministry director and church planter from 2001-2019 in the Philippines, where he led the campus evangelism team ó making disciples, training leaders, supervising summer teams and planting churches in Batangas, a province of less than 2 percent Christian. The couple returned to Tennessee in 2019 where he served as an IMB mobilizer for a year and worked with Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes. Kim Cruse currently serves as a missions discipleship specialist for Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Bob Brown

Former Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member Bob Brown has been elected vice chairman of the trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Brown is executive director of Lakeway Christian Schools and interim pastor of Chilhowee Hills Baptist Church, Knoxville. He and his wife, Linnie, are members of First Baptist Church, Dandridge.

Danny Dixon began serving April 1 as interim pastor of Battle Creek Baptist Church, Springfield. [Read more…]

DEATHS

John Henry Franklin, retired pastor of churches in Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee and longtime pastor of Everett Hills Baptist Church, Maryville, died March 21. He was 85. John is survived by his wife Betty, three children, four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Parker “Spencer” Johnson, retired Pastor of Shepherd Baptist Church, Chattanooga and other churches in Georgia and North Carolina, died March 7. He was 78.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary. He is survived by two daughters and a granddaughter. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Meadow View Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg, called David Miller as interim pastor, effective March 1.

Pastor Rodney Duckett, along with his wife, Michelle, celebrated their 10th anniversary on April 8 at Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Mount Juliet. This year also marks Duckett’s 20th anniversary in the ministry. During his tenure, the church has undergone many renovations and programs which have led to continual growth and outreach in the Wilson County community.

Ray Van Neste, dean and professor of biblical studies at Union University, Jackson, is serving as interim pastor of Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory. [Read more…]