LEADERS
Michael Julian will write the Bible Studies for Life lessons for Baptist and Reflector for the March-May quarter. A native of North Carolina, Julian is pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, Kenton. He formerly served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Obion. He is a graduate of Mars Hill (N.C.) University and holds a master of divinity degree with an emphasis on pastors and teachers from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children.
Scott Brown, pastor of First Baptist Church, Waverly, since 2017, will write the Explore the Bible series in the Baptist and Reflector for the March-May quarter. A native of Georgia, Brown served churches in youth and pastoral ministries in Florida and Georgia before moving to Tennessee. He holds a doctor of philosophy degree from Louisiana State University. He and his wife, Crystal, have two children.
Jay Hardwick
South Carolina native Jay Hardwick has been called as senior pastor of Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville. He is a graduate of North Greenville University, Tigerville, S.C. and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. He is pursuing a doctor of ministry degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C. Hardwick has been a pastor in South Carolina and was assocate executive director-treasurer and chief strategist of the South Carolina Baptist Convention before accepting the pastorate at Forest Hills. He and his wife, Lara Beth, have three daughters.
First Baptist Church, Mountain City, has called Will Kerley as associate pastor.
Clear Creek Baptist Church, Dyer, recently called Steve Hemann as pastor.
Frank Bowling recently resigned as pastor of First Baptist Church, Medina.
Chuck Williams has been called as interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Milan.
North Etowah Baptist Church, Etowah, has called Clayton Dunsmore as interim pastor. Dunsmore retired in 2011 as director of missions for Cumberland Gap Baptist Association. He has served several churches as interim pastor since retirement.
DEATHS
James Pulliam died Jan. 22 at the age of 100. He was a resident of Bolivar for 55 years before moving to a retirement community in Jackson in 2016. Pulliam first served as minister of music at First Baptist Church, Middleton, before moving to Bolivar where he would serve for more than five decades as minister of music and senior adult ministry coordinator. He was a charter member of the Tennessee Baptist Men’s Chorale. He was preceded in death by his wife of 79 years, Louise, who died in 2019. Pulliam is survived by a son and daughter-in-law and grandson.
Franklin “Frank” Leo Starling of Goodlettsville died Dec. 25 at the age of 76. Starling served as pastor of Lights Chapel Baptist Church for six years before retiring in 2016. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sue, two children and grandchildren.
ASSOCIATIONS
Holston Baptist Association will sponsor the Northeast Tennessee Church Leaders Rally March 1 at Mountain View Baptist Church in Johnson City. Speakers include TBC president Bruce Chesser, pastor of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville; Chris Stephens, lead pastor of Faith Promise Church, Knoxville; and Roc Collins, director of strategic objectives for the TBMB. The event begins at 4 p.m. with session one and is free to all church leaders. To make dinner reservations, call 423-929-1196.
Pastor Bo Irvin (left) of Shop Springs Baptist Church, Lebanon, presents a plaque to Jimmy Allen as his wife, Lavelle, looks on. Allen was named deacon emeritus after serving as a deacon for more than 60 years, including 50 of those at Shop Springs Baptist.
Tommy Vinson, interim pastor of Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown, recently spoke during the annual West Tennessee Pastor’s Conference Valentine’s Banquet, hosted by Union University’s School of Theology and Missions in Jackson. Roger Stacy, president of the West Tennessee Pastor’s Conference and director of missions for the Gibson Baptist Association, has been attending the banquet for 14 years and said the event is important because it offers encouragement and appreciation for the ministry of both pastors and their wives.