Danny Sinquefield, right, Harvest Field One Team Leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, stands with deacon David Prine following the final church service at Calvary Baptist Church, Brownsville.
In a recent story in the Baptist and Reflector, Tim Ellsworth, a longtime friend and a talented journalist provided coverage of the last service of one of our Tennessee Baptist churches in Brownsville.
Calvary Baptist Church closed its doors after 70 years of ministry. The church began in 1953 as a church plant from Brownsville Baptist Church. At its peak, the church had nearly 200 people in attendance.
But, as the case with many churches, people moved away and being in a rural community, there were not many folks moving into the community.
Calvary’s attendance dropped to less than 10 people and the remaining members knew the future did not look bright.
A former pastor of the church sent David Prine, one of the church’s two deacons, a copy of the Baptist and Reflector which provided details of the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s BlueOval City ministry.
Located in Haywood County, roughly 40 miles east of Memphis and in close proximity of the church, BlueOval City in Stanton will eventually become a massive Ford plant that covers approximately 4,100 acres. It is estimated more than 90,000 people will eventually move to Tennessee as a result of the new auto plant.
Prine told Ellsworth that they learned “if we waited until we had to close the doors, this would not possibly be a church anymore.”
Danny Sinquefield, Harvest Field One team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, met with church leaders and connected them with other TBMB staff members and attorney Jim Guenther who shared with them how they could make sure the church facility could still be used as a church in the future.
Lonnie Wilkey
Church members listened and after more discussions decided to disband and give the property and assets to the TBMB for a future church plant to continue the ministry they had been involved in for seven decades.
Sunday, Dec. 31, was a sad day for the few members who remained. Prine’s wife, Jan, has been a part of the church since she was 14 years old and the church pianist for 49 years.
She summed up her feelings which represented the other members of Calvary during an interview with Ellsworth. “I’m thankful that a church can come here and grow and reach many souls for the Lord. That’s the whole reason behind it,” she said.
What a selfless act by the few remaining members.
There are examples of churches scattered across Tennessee and all over the United States that closed their doors without consideration of the future and those buildings are now used for something else or have been torn down.
Because of this selfless act, this church facility has the potential to reach hundreds of people who will soon move to Haywood County. The church may ultimately have a new name, but its legacy will not be forgotten.
Stories like this remind me why the Baptist and Reflector still has a role to play. Those members ultimately may have learned of BlueOval City but the B&R article started them on the process.
As an editor (and there are a lot less of us than just two decades ago), sometimes it is easy to get discouraged because print newspapers are declining. Stories like Calvary Baptist, however, remind me why Baptist papers were established and why we still exist in one form or another.
Only God knows how many people will ultimately come to know Him as Lord and Savior because one couple in a small, declining church learned of an option that would ensure that their facility would continue to be used by God for His glory.
I am grateful that the B&R played a very small role in that. My goal as an editor since I began nearly 26 years ago has always been to report not only news Baptists needed to hear, but God-focused stories that bring Him the glory that He deserves.
We ask for your prayers and support through subscriptions to help ensure that the Baptist and Reflector will continue to tell the “God” stories of Tennessee Baptists in the years to come. B&R