Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
December 15, 2020
LEADERS Clear Creek Baptist Church, Dyer, called Steve Hemann as pastor, effective Nov. 1. Chris Sumner has been called as youth pastor by White Hall Baptist Church, Trenton. Short Creek Baptist Church, Athens, has called Will Davis as pastor, effective Nov. 8. Garry Duncan began serving as pastor of South Liberty Baptist Church, Athens, on […]
December 2, 2020
LEADERS Russ Wilkins, director of missions for Shiloh Baptist Association since 2018, will write the Explore the Bible Sunday School commentaries for the Dec.-Feb. quarter. Wilkins was born and raised in Millington, graduated from Union University, Jackson, and then worked there for four years. After serving as an admissions Counselor, he went into full-time ministry […]
November 17, 2020
LEADERS Trinity Baptist Church, Cordova, has called Matt Crawford as senior pastor, following the retirement of Richard Hipps who retired last year after 17 years. Crawford has served three churches in Florida, most recently as the East Campus pastor for City Church In Tallahassee. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and […]
November 5, 2020
October 22, 2020
LEADERS Brian Warden has been called as pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Mountain City. Calvary Baptist Church, Elizabethton, recently ordained David Shankle as a deacon. Ben Styles recently resigned as pastor of Niles Ferry Baptist Church, Greenback.
October 9, 2020
LEADERS James Hickey, director of missions for Union Baptist Association, Sparta, has resigned after serving in the position for just over five years. Prior to service in Union, he served as pastor of East Commerce Baptist Church in Lewisburg for 26 years, where he retired in 2012, after 44 years in ministry. Other Tennessee churches […]
September 22, 2020
LEADERS Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, celebrated his fifth anniversary in September. Jones and his wife, Pam, are former Southern Baptist missionaries to Costa Rica, Belize and Guatemala. He also served as a director of missions in Iowa where he was heavily involved in disaster relief work. Since coming […]
September 2, 2020
LEADERS Corey Cain was called July 1 as the lead pastor of First Baptist Church, Seymour. Cain previously served as pastor of Maplewood Baptist Church, Paris. Cain currently serves as president of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference and second vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Kerry Franks recently was called as pastor of Green […]
August 19, 2020
CHURCHES Trinity Baptist Church, Knoxville, will hold revival services Sept. 20-23 with evangelist Phil Glisson of Memphis. Lucy Baptist Church, Millington, will celebrate its 150th anniversary Sept. 19-20. A worship service is planned for Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6, followed by a dessert fellowship. Brunch will be served on Sunday, Sept. 20, followed by the […]
August 4, 2020
LEADERS Roger “Sing” Oldham has been named director of pastor engagement for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Oldham has been serving as a contract consultant over the past six months assisting the TBMB in the area of developing systems and tools in the area of equipping pastors and ministry leaders. Prior to joining the TBMB […]
July 21, 2020
LEADERS Central Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, called James R. Raffety of Owasso, Okla., as senior pastor, effective July 1. He was called to full-time ministry in 1995 and has 16 years of Christian service as a youth minister, singles minister, houseparent and as a senior pastor. Daniel McKenzie was called June 14 to serve as […]
June 23, 2020
DEATHS Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor and director of missions Charles D. Earl Sr., 89, died June 7. He served as pastor of six Southern Baptist churches and was director of missions for Holston Valley Baptist Association, based in Rogersville. After his retirement, he served as an associate pastor at Beaver Dam Baptist Church in Knoxville. […]