LEADERS
Terry Kirby
Terry L. Kirby was called as lead pastor of First Baptist Church, Pigeon Forge, effective Jan. 1. He has previously served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Dover; Rocky Hill Baptist Church, Knoxville; and Alpha Baptist Church, Morristown.
Chapel Hill Baptist Church, Milam, has called Jeremy Allen as student pastor.
First Baptist Church, Dyer, has called Stephen Lacy as associate pastor.
Jake Dorak, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Manchester, graduated in December with the doctor of ministry degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ricky Campbell recently resigned as pastor of First Baptist Church, Mountain City, to accept a call as pastor of Cedar Springs Baptist Church in Zirconia, N.C.
Rock Springs Baptist Church, Butler, has called Terry Woods as pastor.
Steve Davis has been called as pastor of Stoney Creek Baptist Church, Elizabethton.
CHURCHES
First Baptist Church, Whitwell, will host its “Ignite Revival at FBC Whitwell” March 6-9 at the church. Speakers are Randy C. Davis (Sunday), Sam Greer (Monday), Mark Mariakis (Tuesday) and Steve Pearson (Wednesday). Services are at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday and at 6 p.m. the following nights.
EVENTS
The Tennessee Baptist Secretaries Association will celebrate its 40th anniversary during their meeting March 14-16 at Belle Aire Baptist Church, Murfreesboro. The theme of the meeting is “There’s No Place Like Home,” taken from II Corinthians 5:1, NIV. The conference will include breakout sessions on Excel for Beginners, Decorating on a Budget, What is Canva?, Winning Tennessee, Charters, Bylaws, Policies — Oh My! (two sessions), Worship, Copyright Issues and many more. The cost of the conference is $125 and includes two-year membership to TBSA, lunch on Tuesday, breaks and materials. For more information or to register online, visit www.tnsecretaries.org. Questions can be addressed to Heather Beard, TBMB ministry assistant, at hbeard@tnbaptist.org or 615-371-2061.
DEATHS
Joe Caldwell, pastor of Oak Street Baptist Church, Soddy Daisy, died Jan. 25 at the age of 66. A native of Mississippi, Caldwell was a graduate of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Cordova. Dennis Culbreth, director of missions for Hamilton County Baptist Association, described Caldwell as “a very good pastor who loved his people and his church.” Caldwell is survived by his wife of 45 years, Terry Caldwell, three children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee joined the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Jan. 26 for the dedication of an ultrasound machine — the second joint effort in recent months — at Portico Inc., in Murfreesboro. One of the two machines, dedicated through the ERLC’s Psalm 139 Project, was funded by a grant initiated by Lee in the 2021-22 state budget. Participating in the event were, from left, Brent Leatherwood, acting president, ERLC; Trevor Atwood, lead pastor, City Church, Murfreesboro, and an ERLC trustee; Lee; and Elizabeth Graham and Rachel Wiles, ERLC staff members. Beth Moore, compassion ministries specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, also attended the dedication service.
