LEADERS

Michael Martin

Michael Martin will begin serving as pastor of Meridian Baptist Church, Knoxville, on June 1.  He previously served as senior pastor of Seventh Street Baptist Church in Cullman, Ala., where he served as senior pastor for 10 years. Martin received his master of divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., and his undergraduate degree from Union University in Jackson. He was licensed to the ministry in March 1998 at Union Grove Baptist Church in Beech Bluff, and ordained at Calvary Baptist Church in July 1999 in Osceola, Ark. He and his wife, Sarah, have two children.

Unity Baptist Church, Madisonville, recently called Mike Blair as pastor.

Jacob Shatzer

Jacob Shatzer, associate provost and dean of instruction at Union University, has been named the university’s provost, effective July 1. Shatzer will replace John Netland, who has served as Union’s provost since 2017 and chose to return to the classroom as a professor. Shatzer joined the Union faculty in 2017 as assistant professor of theological studies and associate dean of the School of Theology and Missions. He is a member of West Jackson Baptist Church, Jackson.

North Knoxville Baptist Church, Knoxville, has called Jim McNeal as pastor and Tracy Clayton as minister of music. [Read more…]

CHURCHES

Meridian Baptist Church on 6513 Chapman Highway in Knoxville will be celebrating its 150th anniversary on Sunday, April 28, with a special service. Former pastors will be recognized and leading special events starting at 9:30 a.m. with worship at 10:45 a.m., followed by a pot luck lunch afterward. A special history room has been created in the library and pictures decorate our hallways of times gone by. The theme of the celebration is “Celebrating the Past, Embracing the Future.” Meridian Baptist started with 27 charter members on April 12, 1874 in a one-room log cabin school house. Today, the church has a multi-level building with a membership of more than a thousand people.

Trinity Baptist Church, Knoxville, will have revival services May 5-8 with evangelist Phil Glisson of Memphis.

Notchey Creek Baptist Church, Madisonville, will hold revival services Aug. 4-7 with evangelist Bob Pitman. [Read more…]

Ray Van Neste

LEADERS

Union University has named Ray Van Neste, dean of its School of Theology and Missions, as vice president for university ministries. Van Neste will continue to serve as dean in addition to his new role, where he will oversee Union’s chapel program, church relations and pastoral care for the university community. Van Neste has served on the Union faculty since 2001 and became dean of the School of Theology and Missions in 2018. He has also served as a pastor and is a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson. See full story at baptistandreflector.org.

Jimmy Davis

Jimmy H. Davis of Savannah, a longtime bivocational pastor in Shiloh Baptist Association, recently has written a book entitled Does God Lie?  The book includes a foreword by Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova. The book addresses how to know that you are saved and are on the road to heaven. The book is geared to reaching those who are lost for Christ and helping Christians understand the security of the believer. The book is available from amazon.com, Walmart.com, Barnes and Noble and other online sites.

Pamela Orgeron

Christian counselor, life coach and author Pamela K. Orgeron, a member of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, has written Overcoming Generational Curses: Finding Freedom in Truth, a 3-Step Process. The book offers hope and help to those in recovery from the consequences of generational sin and is especially helpful to those who have a “family secret” that has them stuck in life.  The book is available from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. The author can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. [Read more…]

CHURCHES

Bethany Baptist Church, Mountain City, will hold revival services April 21-27 with guest evangelist Ted Richardson. The Sunday revival will begin at 11 a.m. with services each night at 7 p.m. Gayle Hartley is pastor.

Chinquapin Grove Baptist Church, Bluff City, will hold revival services April 1-2 at 7 p.m. with guest evangelist Kenny Baldwin. Jamie Ferguson is pastor.

DEATHS

Billy Junior Haney of Cookeville died Feb. 26 at the age of 75. He served as pastor of Cummins Mill Baptist Church, Cookeville, for 40 years. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Brenda, two children and two grandchildren.

ASSOCIATIONS

Watauga Baptist Association recently held its 46th annual Music School at Grace Baptist Church in Elizabethton with an average of about 140 for the event which is held to assist churches in preparing for their Easter musicals. The singers and musicians learned the musical, “The Hope of the Cross.” The Music School was coordinated by Larry Adams, associational music director. The conductor was Debbie Gouge, choral director for Elizabethton High School. Laura Seagroves, music ministry coordinator for Grace Baptist, served as host.

ASSOCIATIONS

Twenty-nine volunteers from Weakley County Baptist Association churches spent Jan. 27-Feb. 2 serving in Puerto Rico. Half of the team worked at a church in the middle of the city of Fajardo (with a population of 25,000) doing various construction jobs while the other half worked in the island city of Vieques (with a population of 8,200). That team worked on a local church, a future Christian camp and held a retreat for pastors and church staff. “We have spent the last few years in Puerto Rico where we have helped make a positive change in the lives of the people there,” said Phil Mitchell, director of missions.

Kelvin Moore

LEADERS

Kelvin Moore, a professor of biblical studies in the school of Theology and Missions at Union University and pastor of First Baptist Church, Bradford, has recently published a Christian novel entitled Three Noirs and a Blanc, which celebrates unlikely but genuine Christian friendships. The book crosses racial lines about a friendship between three black, senior adult men, facing poverty and homelessness, meeting a white 17-year-old homeless teenager. The book is available from Amazon.com. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Darrell Nimmo

Darrell Nimmo, a retired Tennessee Baptist pastor living in Goodlettsville, will write the Bible Studies for Life commentary for the March-May quarter. In addition to Tennessee he has served churches in Kentucky and Texas. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and he has been married to his wife Mary for 46 years. Mary has served on staff with the TBMB for 33 years at the Baptist and Reflector. They have two children and five grandchildren. Darrell is available for supply preaching and interims. Rich Lloyd, pastor of First Baptist Church, Newport, will continue writing the Explore the Bible series. [Read more…]

Rebecca George, author, speaker and the host of the popular podcast “Radical Radiance,” recently has written Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl. She is the wife of Dustin George, lead pastor of Vonore Baptist Church, Vonore. Her gospel-rooted book is written to empower female entrepreneurs and leaders to discover and live out their calling. The book is available from amazon.com.

Members of the Tennessee Bivocational Ministry Leadership Council that planned the recent retreat for bivocational ministers and their wives (see pages 6-7) included, from left, Margie Blevins, Jim Blevins, Kathy Britton, Roger Britton, Tina Willis, Tony Willis, Angela Poe, Phil Poe, Patty Haggard, Jim Haggard, Lesia Thornton, Jeff Thornton, Melinda Criswell, Randy Nichols, Billy Criswell, Kim Nichols, Sharon Murphy and Larry Murphy.

LEADERS

Greg Wolfe was elected Jan. 21 as full-time pastor at Providence Baptist Church, Seymour. He and his wife, Brianne, have two children.

DEATHS

Ed North

James Edward “Ed” North, 84, a resident of Somerville, died Jan. 27 in Bartlett. He served for many years as a pastor in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. While in Tennessee, he served two terms on the board of trustees at Union University and as a trustee (and chairman) of Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes. He was chosen to preach the convention sermon at the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 1991. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sallie North, three children and seven grandchildren.

Pat Mulloy Berthelot of Nashville died Jan. 19 at the age of 83. She was a longtime staff member with the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention (now Tennessee Baptist Mission Board). She also was an organist and pianist. She spent more than 50 years playing the organ and piano for churches, weddings, memorial services and numerous events. She was preceded In death by both her first husband, Robert Mulloy, and her second husband, James Berthelot. She is survived by two children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Retired Tennessee Baptist pastor and director of missions George Hill died Jan. 25 at the age of 87. Among his pastorates was First Baptist Church, Huntingdon. He served as director of missions for Carroll-Benton Baptist Association from 1990-2000. He is survived by his wife, Bettie Hill, two children and two grandchildren.

Beulah Baptist Church, Kingsport, recently held a recognition service for its first ever VBS Directors Traineeship graduates. The program was initiated by longtime VBS director Betty Cress, now assistant VBS director for 2024, who felt the need to train young adults for VBS leadership in the church. Cress developed a manual with input from others, including Vicki Hulsey, childhood specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. The five graduates of the program received a certificate and a copy of The Prayer Code by O.S. Hawkins. From left are Hunter Smith, Shian Herring, Alyssa Herring, Kendra Asher, Rachel Campbell and Betty Cress.

BOOKS

Ernest Easley, teaching pastor of equipping at First Baptist Church, Cleveland, recently has written Resting in God’s Sovereignty. The book is a 30-day devotional on God’s plan for His people. It provides his insight from a pastor who has learned the goodness that comes from trusting the Lord and cites 10 biblical figures who trusted in the Lord as well. Easley served as a lead pastor for more than 32 years in Texas and Georgia and is a former professor of evangelism at Union University in Jackson. For information on the book, visit www.restingingodssovereignty.com.

Sheila Stafford Rogers, a member of First Baptist Church, Fisherville, in Eads, recently has written I Believe in God, So I’m Saved, Right? The book explores the question, “Has your spirit ever been grieved when someone professes Christianity but their life tells a different story? The book shines a spotlight on the many faulty ideas some believers have that rob them of the truth of genuine salvation and an eternal life with God. The book is available from www.amazon.com.

Matt Tullos, stewardship specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, recently authored Oh-No, Aha and Glory Be: Backstories of Chaos, Rescue & Worship. The book is a collection of columns written by Tullos as he examines life events that everyone faces — things that cause us to exclaim “Oh-No,” lessons that make us go “Aha” and those wonderful events when we can say, “Glory Be” while giving thanks to God. And, Tullos notes, “on rare occasions we say all of them in a minute. This is the nature of life and its symphony of sudden calamities and miraculous rescues.” The book is available on Amazon.

Mike Salva, media specialist for the TBMB, recently authored Allergic to Pretense: A Collection of Dopey Cartoons. It’s a collection of mostly single-panel gag cartoons, with topics that include introversion, relationships, conformity, hypocrisy, political posturing, and the occasional Batman reference. Some are detailed drawings, while others look like they could have been scribbled on a napkin. Salva is an animator who’s made a lot of cartoons with a lot of well-known people in showbiz, and a lot of well-known companies. The book is available on Amazon.

LEADERS

Michael Kelley

Joey Johnson recently celebrated his 10th anniversary as pastor of First Baptist Church, Selmer.

Duck River Baptist Association has called Genaro Orellana as its new Hispanic missionary. Orellana also serves as pastor of Iglesia Gracia which meets at Grace Baptist Church in Tullahoma.

Michael Kelley, executive director of Nashville Baptist Association, has announced his resignation in mid-January to become director of The Rooted Network, a discipleship and publishing organization which seeks to create life-changing discipleship experiences in the church. While the organization is based in southern California, the position is remote and Kelley and his family will remain in the Nashville area. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Greg Long

Greg Long is retiring after 30 years as pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Maryville at the end of December. He has been the longest tenured serving pastor in Pleasant Grove’s 191-year history.  Before coming to Pleasant Grove, he pastored two other churches in Tennessee. Greg and his wife, Susan, will continue to reside in Maryville.

DEATHS

John Thomas “Tom” Everett, former pastor of Lonsdale Baptist Church, Knoxville, and retired director of Western Heights Baptist Center in Knoxville, died Oct. 22. He was 81. Along with his late wife, Shirley, they served at Western Heights for 30 years. He is survived by two children and a granddaughter.

Joseph “Joe” Edward Wiles, retired director of missions of Stone Association of Southern Baptists and pastor of University Heights Baptist Church, Cookeville and former TBMB collegiate Ministry specialist at Tennessee Tech University where he served for 22 years, died Nov. 21 at the age of 80. Wiles was a Vietnam War era veteran and served for 22 years with the Putnam County Fire Department including service as the Battalion Commander for western Putnam County. He also served as a Christian counselor. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Anna Lee; three children; six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. [Read more…]