LEADERS

Jack Hice recently celebrated his 31st anniversary as pastor of Marble Plains Baptist Church, Winchester. On his first Sunday at the church, there were nine people in attendance. On July 25, there were 131 people present and Hice baptized seven people that day, all of them adults or teenagers.

Trent Stewart

Chris Hughes has been called as interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Elizabethton. The church also ordained Patrick Beasley as a deacon.

Trent Stewart, pastor of Foothills Church, Maryville, and an alumnus of Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, spoke to the campus community at C-N’s recent Gospel Saturated Life Conference. Stewart was joined by Foothills Collective, which led worship. The conference was composed of three events over two days and saw four students make decisions for Christ. [Read more…]

EDUCATION

Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, is among a select number of collleges that Princeton Review has named “Best Regional Colleges” for 2021 in recognition of excellence in academics and student feedback on the university’s on-campus experience. Fewer than 150 colleges in the southeast qualified for the educational services company’s regional listings. The category included 11 other states in addition to Tennessee.

DEATHS

Maurice Quillen

Retired pastor John “Maurice” Quillen of Talbott died Aug. 23 at the age of 92. Quillen was licensed to preach in 1950 and served as pastor of Tennessee Baptist churches for 60 years. His longest pastorate was 15 years with Bowmantown Baptist Church, Jonesborough. He also served as pastor of Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Kingsport; Unicoi Baptist Church, Erwin; and Blue Springs Baptist Church, Rutledge. During his years as a pastor, he also taught school for 18 years. After retirement he later served Rocky Point Baptist Church in Russellville before retiring again. He was a member of Talbott Baptist Church, Talbott, where he still served as a supply pastor as long as his health allowed. Quillen was preceded in death by his first wife of 40 years, Lois F. Quillen. He is survived by his second wife of 26 years, Rena F. Quillen, four children, three stepchildren and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Marshal Key

Marshall Key began serving Aug. 1 as associational missions strategist for Beulah Baptist Association, based in Union City. Key, who grew up in Union City, returns home from Danville, Va., where he served as a worship and discipleship pastor since 2017. Along with responsibilities at the church, he was a church planting coach and trainer with the Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia and the North American Mission Board. Prior to that, he and his family served with the International Mission Board in northern Africa for 10 years. Key is a graduate of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He and his wife Jennifer, have five children and one grandchild.

Scott Pack has been called as senior pastor of Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church, Smithville. He grew up in Cannon County and has previously served in ministry positions in Texas and Brazil. He holds degrees from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He and his wife, Gabriela, have four children.

Grover Westover began serving Sept. 1 as interim pastor of Walnut Hill Baptist Church in Bells.

First Baptist Church, Greenfield, recently called Roger Ellsworth as interim pastor.

New Prospect Baptist Church, Greenfield, has called Lowell Wiley as pastor.

CHURCHES

First Baptist Church, Dresden, will hold Fall revival Oct. 10-13. Roger “Sing” Oldham of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff, will lead the 11 a.m. and 6  p.m. services on Sunday, Oct. 10. Danny Sinquefield, pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett will lead the 7 p.m. services on Oct. 11-12. Gospel singer Guy Penrod will present a concert on Wednesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the concert can be purchased online at dresdenfbc.org/events or through the church office.

Sidonia Baptist Church, Sharon, will hold revival services Sept. 19-22 with guest speaker John Worrell, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church, Martin. The Sunday service begins at 6 p.m. while the remaining services will begin at 7 p.m.

ASSOCIATIONS

Holston Baptist Association in Johnson City is sponsoring a Missions Conference and Fair on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 3-8 p.m. at Heritage Baptist Church in Johnson City. Conference speakers include Russ Meehan of Wycliffe Bible Translators; Guy Fredrick, Bay Lakes Baptist Association, Sheboygan, Wis.; Nate Vedoya, North American Mission Board; and Rusty Ford, International Mission Board missionary. The Missions Fair will include 30-plus local, state and international missionaries and ministry exhibitors. Dinner will be provided but RSVP is required. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 423-929-1196.

DEATHS

Mark Caldwell

Mark Caldwell, senior pastor of New Providence Baptist Church in Loudon for the past 22 years, died Aug. 26 at the age of 59. He formerly served as senior pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, Wartburg, from 1994-99. He was active in Loudon County Baptist Association and served two terms as a director of the Tennessee Mission Board and was a past member of the convention’s Committee on Arrangements. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Kim Caldwell; two sons and five grandchildren.

Jeff Putman

Jeffrey Lee Putman, pastor of Liberty Grove Baptist Church, Leoma, died Aug. 28 at the age of 49. Putman was active in missions, having served on mission trips to Mexico, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and South Dakota. He was the founder of Doulos Bible Rebinding. Bible rebinding started as a hobby but turned into a passion for preserving and restoring Bibles for people all over the world. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Anna, and two children.

Fred Davis

Former Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member Fred A. Davis of Hartsville died Aug. 24 at the age of 75. Davis served with the TBMB for 14 years as a church planter strategist. He assisted in planting many churches in both East and Middle Tennessee. After retiring from the TBMB in 2014, Davis became lead pastor of Impact Fellowship Church in Gallatin and later established Mending Fences Baptist Church in Lebanon where he served as their pastor for the past five years. Two days after his death, his wife, Emily “Ann” Googe Davis died. She retired from Lifeway Christian Resources in 2002 after serving 10 years as a publication assistant. She was 74. The couple are survived by two children and five grandchildren.

Faith Baptist Church, Drummonds, recently celebrated 50 years of ministry. Clay Gilbreath, left, director of missions for Big Hatchie Baptist Association, presents a certificate to pastor Jody Johnson.

Auburn Baptist Church, Auburntown, recently hosted a presentation of “From Darkness to Light” child sexual abuse prevention training designed to teach adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Shown with pastor Larry Thomas are representatives of the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center — Carrie Norvell, center, and Amanda Hammond.
— Photo by Donna Nichols

LEADERS

Kenny Bruce, pastor emeritus of Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis, will write the Bible Studies for Life commentaries for the Baptist and Reflector during the Sept.-Nov. quarter. Bruce is a graduate of Mississipppi State University, Starkville, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned a master’s degree and a doctor of ministry degree. Before being called into the ministry, he attended law school for two years. He became pastor of Whitten Memorial Baptist Church in Memphis and served for seven years and as a church planter in Cordova for two years before accepting a pastorate in Alabama. He returned to Memphis in 2000 to become pastor of Leawood Baptist Church, Memphis. The church built a new church and Bruce became pastor of Leawood East. After serving as pastor of those two churches for 20 years, he retired in 2020. He is available for interim pastorates and supply preaching. Mike Dawson, who wrote during the previous quarter, will continue writing the Explore the Bible series.

John Pinkston

Miller’s Cove Baptist Church, Walland, has called Brian Ailey as pastor. He formerly served as youth pastor at Laurel Bank Baptist Church, Friendsville.

Jefferson County Baptist Association has called  John T. Pinkston as full time associational missionary. He is the former pastor of Buffalo Grove Baptist Church where he served for 29 years. Pinkston has served in the association for 38 years. [Read more…]

EVENTS

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is sponsoring four Focus discipleship conferences in August: Aug. 19, 6-9 p.m., Faith Baptist Church, Arlington; Aug. 21, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., First Baptist Church, Sevierville; Aug. 26, 6:30-9 p.m., Judson Baptist Church, Nashville; and Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland. The conferences are designed to assist pastors, Sunday School directors, group coordinators and teachers in all age groups to expand their knowledge as they focus on the Great Commission. The cost is $10 per person. Register at www.tnbaptist.org. For more information, call Mark Miller, baptism-discipleship team leader for the TBMB, at 615-476-5564. [Read more…]

LEADERS

Mark Larue

First Baptist Church, Newbern, recently called Mark LaRue as senior pastor. Mark previously served as senior pastor of Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Bethel Springs. LaRue was licensed to the ministry by the former Leaclair Baptist Church in Memphis. He was ordained by the former Dellwood Baptist Church in Memphis. A Memphis native, LaRue graduated from Crichton College (formerly Mid-South Bible College) and earned his master’s degree from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, both in Memphis. Mark earned his doctor of ministry in biblical preaching through the Stephen F. Olford Center for Biblical Preaching and the Master’s School of Divinity. Mark and his wife, Kimsey, have three grown sons. [Read more…]

CHURCHES

Short Creek Baptist Church, Christiana, will hold Vacation Bible School July 15-18 for children ages 3 through eighth grade. Times vary. For information, call Annette Ball at 615-604-4678. The church did not conduct VBS last year due to COVID-19.

Springfield Baptist Church, Springfield, will host Woman of Focus, a women’s conference on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Keynote speakers are Nancy Stafford (Hollywood actress, pastor’s wife and author), and Kim Aldrich, Nashville author. Worship will be led by Grammy nominated girl band, High Road. The conference will include panelists from across the Southeast. The 2021 theme is “Lighting the Darkness.” For more information and costs, contact Sharon Wilharm at [email protected] or 615-766-2885.

Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland, will host Special Church Security Training for local church security teams on Monday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. Guest speakers are Steve Crump, district attorney, Tennessee 10th Judicial District, who will address “What the Law Says About Protecting Others,” and Jeff Kalb, deacon and security team member at Westwood, who will address “What the Bible Says About Protecting Others.” Pre-registration is required. Visit westwoodlife.org and follow prompts on the Security Event page. For more information, contact Joe Gilbert at 423-584-3969 or [email protected].

Liberty Baptist Church, Somerville, will hold revival services July 25-28 with evangelist Phil Glisson of Memphis.

LEADERS

Grace Baptist Church, Mason, recently called Tom Burris as pastor and Eli Taylor as worship leader.

Martha Chambers, vice president of finance and business and chief financial officer at Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, has retired. She joined the staff as comptroller in 2011 and was named CFO within six months of her arrival. Elaine Smith will assume the role of chief business and personnel officer. Previously Smith served as associate vice president for business and personnel services. Robert Key will serve as chief financial officer/treasurer. Key previously served as assistant vice president for financial and accounting services and controller. In addition, Kevin Triplett has been named vice president of university relations. He formerly served as executive pastor at Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, for two years.

Ruthville Baptist Church, Martin, recently called Scott Williams as pastor.

John Bowers recently joined the staff of Weakley County Baptist Association to serve in the association’s biblical counseling ministry. He is a certified counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.

Jerry Cornett recently resigned as pastor of Stoney Creek Baptist Church, Elizabethton.

DEATHS

Don Mauldin

Retired Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member Donald E. Mauldin died June 20 at the age of 88. A native of South Carolina, Mauldin served churches in his home state before moving to Nashville in 1966 to become minister of education at Woodmont Baptist Church. He later served as associate director of missions for Nashville Baptist Association before joining the staff of the Executive Committee of the Tennessee Baptist Convention (now TBMB) in 1976 where he served until his retirement in 2001. Mauldin, who was a member of Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville, spent most of his career working in discipleship training.

Cynthia Simmons

He also led the former senior adult conference that was held in Gatlinburg on an annual basis for a number of years. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Carolyn. He is survived by two daughters and three grandsons.

Cynthia Erin Bourne Coulston Simmons, 38, died June 3 in Memphis after complications from a second liver transplant. A native of Covington, she was the wife of Josh Simmons, pastor of Cross Roads Baptist Church, Bells. She served as a children’s Sunday School teacher for 13 years. She is survived by her husband and 5-year-old son, Eli.

ASSOCIATIONS

The disaster relief team from William Carey Baptist Association went to St. Charles, La., May 23-29 to install insulation and drywall. Eight people from four churches participated.

Weakley County Baptist Association will sponsor its annual summer mission trip July 10-16. The team, which will include youth who have completed the eighth through 12th grades and adults, will serve with Ocoee Outreach in Cleveland. The team will assist with Vacation Bible School in the Boys and Girls Club and in several construction projects. [Read more…]