By Charlie Wetherington
TBCH Coordinator of Communications
Greg McCoy, right, pastor, First Baptist Church, Portland, has been elected president/treasurer of Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes. He stands with Bryant Millsaps, retiring president/treasurer.
BRENTWOOD — Greg McCoy, pastor of First Baptist Church, Portland, has been elected to be the seventh president/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes in its 124-year history.
McCoy, 51, was the unanimous recommendation of the TBCH’s presidential search advisory committee. The committee’s recommendation was presented to a called meeting of the full board of trustees on Sept. 16 which unanimously approved the selection.
McCoy will begin his 14-month tenure as president/treasurer elect on Nov. 1 of this year. Millsaps will continue to serve as president/treasurer of TBCH through Dec. 31, 2015, at which time he will retire and McCoy will assume the full responsibilities of leading the ministry to children and families in crisis.
McCoy was licensed to preach by Memorial Baptist Church, Crossville, in 1982. He was ordained to the ministry by First Baptist Church, White House, in 1985.
He earned a bachelor of arts in religion from Belmont University in Nashville in 1985. He was also awarded a master of divinity by the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 1989.
From 1984-1986, McCoy served as the minister of youth at First Baptist Church, White House, prior to enrolling at Southwestern. From 1989-1998, he served as pastor at Friendship Baptist Church, Culleoka. He has been pastor at First Baptist Church, Portland, since 1989.
McCoy and his wife Jeri have been married since August 1984. They have four children.
McCoy has served as a member and leader of the TBCH board of trustees for 12 of the last 14 years (2000-2010, 2012-2014). During this time he has served as secretary, vice chairman, and chairman of the board; as a member of and chairman of the board’s nominating committee; as chairman of the board’s budget committee, and as chairman of the board’s executive committee.
Bruce Chesser, chairman of the presidential search advisory committee and pastor of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, in his report to the board of trustees told how the committee came together in unanimous consent on the selection of McCoy.
“It was amazing to see how God moved in the minds and hearts of the search committee throughout the entire process. The unanimous support of Greg to succeed Bryant Millsaps was a clear sign to all of us that he is God’s man for this time in the strong history of TBCH.”
James Yarbro, chairman of the TBCH board of trustees and a member of First Baptist Church, Martin, praised the presidential search advisory committee for a job well done.
“I could not be happier with the recommendation of the search committee than I am with Greg McCoy. It was my hope in appointing the committee made up of current trustees, former chairs of our board, and a representative of our statewide staff that the outcome would be as outstanding as this selection is.”
Randy C. Davis, executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, offered an assessment of McCoy’s selection.
“I’m looking forward to serving alongside Greg McCoy. He has a great family and is a great family man.
“I’ve admired Greg’s pastoral leadership at First Baptist, Portland, where he has led that congregation to be one of the most missions-minded churches in Tennessee.
“The thing I’m most excited about is Greg’s love of people. Our state is facing a foster care crisis and the children and families across Tennessee need someone who will love them and will share the love of Christ with them,” noted Davis.
“Greg McCoy is that man, and I commend search committee chairman Bruce Chesser and his team for finding God’s will personified in Greg McCoy to follow the godly leader the TBCH had in Bryant Millsaps.”
