Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
January 25, 2023
LEADERS Preston Garner, worship pastor at Everettt Hills Baptist Church, Maryville, resigned recently to join the staff of First Baptist Church, Concord, effective Jan. 9. Southside Baptist Church, Winchester, recently ordained David Jolley as a deacon. Williams Chapel Baptist Church, Springfield, called Chris Mays as pastor on Jan. 8. He began serving Jan. 23. He […]
January 11, 2023
LEADERS Charlie Harkleroad, pastor of Leadvale Baptist Church, White Pine, retired Dec. 31 after 22 years of ministry with the congregation. He will be available for pulpit supply. Harkleroad can be reached at 865-388-0765. EDUCATION Union University trustees in their December meeting approved a strategic plan that will guide the university’s operational goals and planning […]
December 21, 2022
LEADERS Members of Brainerd Baptist Church, Chattanooga, voted Dec. 4 to call Curtis Hill as senior pastor. Hill visited Brainerd Baptist more than 23 years ago while a first-year seminary student at Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga. Tom Meade, chairman of the pastor search committee, noted: “Today, we welcome that same man to this sanctuary to […]
December 7, 2022
DEATHS Albert Wardin, a prolific historian who helped make the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives (SBHLA) a global hotspot for Baptist researchers, died Nov. 14. He was 94. A research room in the SBHLA is named after Wardin. A history professor at Belmont University in Nashville for more than a quarter century, Wardin authored […]
November 22, 2022
LEADERS Justin Terrell, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Dandridge, since 2015, will write the Explore the Bible series for the Baptist and Reflector for the Dec.-Feb. quarter. A native of Smithville, Terrell previously served as a pastor in Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southern […]
November 8, 2022
CHURCHES Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, will host its third annual Brentwood Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 4 from 5-7:30 p.m. The family-friendly experience will be comprised of three walkable elements: Christmas Towne, Journey Through Bethlehem and The Christmas Food Project. The event is open for all to attend. For information, visit www.brentwood.church/christmas. Brush Creek Baptist Church, […]
October 26, 2022
LEADERS Cody Pendergrass has been called as family pastor to Shiloh Baptist Church, effective Sept. 25. He has been married to Sarah Beth for 13 years and they have two daughters. Pendergrass has been in youth ministry for 17 years. He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Winston-Salem, N.C. Clayton Dunsmore has been […]
October 13, 2022
LEADERS Lloyd Stilley recently began serving as associational missions strategist for Bledsoe Baptist Association, based in Gallatin. Stilley has served as pastor of four churches in 35 years in Alabama and Louisiana. He holds a master’s of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theolgical Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, and a doctor of ministry degree from New […]
September 29, 2022
LEADERS Bethel Baptist Church, Greenfield, recently called Mark Warren as senior pastor. Tennessee native and former International Mission Board missionary Carol Ghattis has recently released a new book entitled, Not in Kansas Anymore: Finding Home in Cross-Cultural Service. Ghattis and her late husband, Raouf, founded the Arabic Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, after returning from the […]
September 16, 2022
LEADERS Oak Street Baptist Church, Elizabethton, has called Joe Ledford as interim pastor. Jeff Harless recently was called as pastor of Doe River Baptist Church, Elizabethton. Mike Kemper is serving as interim director of missions for Gibson Baptist Association. He previously served the association from 1999-2006 when he and his wife returned to the International […]
September 1, 2022
LEADERS Kevin Minchey, church revitalization team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, moved from that role to Harvest Field 3 team leader, effective Aug. 15. Minchey is former pastor, associational missions strategist (AMS) and church planter. Prior to joining the TBMB staff, he served as the AMS for Concord Baptist Association, based in Murfreesboro. […]
August 18, 2022
LEADERS Mike Burns has been called as pastor of First Baptist Church, Watertown, effective July 17. A native of Tennessee, Burns was reared in Nashville and served for four years as youth and children’s ministry director at Riverside Baptist Church. For the past 20 years an associate pastor/students at a church in Louisiana and as […]