Church Spotlight: First Baptist Church Fairview

First Baptist Church, Fairview is a multigeneration church on the western edge of Williamson County. In September of 1954, Old New Hope Baptist Church sponsored a tent revival at the home of Carl and Dorothy Handley. Ten people accepted Christ as a result of that effort. Edgefield Baptist Church and later Park Avenue Baptist Church sponsored Fair Hills Baptist Mission. In 1956 Mr. and Mrs. Frank Denny gave the property on Overbey Road where the church is now located and services were held in a new building on the property in September of that year.

On September 19, 1965, First Baptist Church of Fairview was constituted as a church with fifty-two charter members and became a part of the Nashville Baptist Association. Alton Wilson, a Belmont student, was called as pastor in October.. The church grew and an addition to the building was completed in 1968.

Larry Johnson became the church’s first full time pastor in 1969. The interior of the first building was remodeled in 1970-71. The parsonage was built in 1973 and in 1976-77 an educational wing was added. WMU was established in the 70s. and were very instrumental in bringing mission awareness to the church. Milton Knox was called as pastor in June of 1979. During his ministry the church participated in several mission trips sponsored by Tennessee Baptists. Charles Adlay served as part time minister of education in the 80s and the Sunday School grew and new classes formed. With the growth came the need for a larger worship space. The present sanctuary was completed in 1982 and the church purchased 8 acres across the street from the church which has provided additional parking. 

Jim Patton came as pastor in April of 1986. During his tenure, the church added another staff position - part-time youth minister in 1992. The youth ministry began to flourish and has remained strong.

Small groups

Dr. Bill Sherman was called to First Baptist in 2001 and pastored until he retired in September of 2020. The membership grew and many improvements and additions to the facilities were completed while he served. A new education space was completed in 2004 and the church purchased an additional 5 acres and a house across the street from the church in 2016. First Baptist is blessed with so many capable and willing volunteers. This was very evident in the construction of the education space and again when the sanctuary was renovated and an additional parking lot was added in 2017-2018.

When the pandemic hit is 2020, volunteers again stepped in with media production. The team began recording services, missing only one week, and the worship service was live streamed less than three months later. The media ministry has continued to develop and grow and is a great asset as the church begins new ministries.

 First Baptist Church has always been very community oriented. In 2008 volunteers constructed a house for a lady who lost her home in a tornado. Many volunteers also participate with Habitat for Humanity and with local nonprofit organizations. 

Fairview is a growing area attracting young families. There are many opportunities for growth. The Weekday Preschool which began in 1996 always a waiting list! FBC Upward Flag football league which began in 2007 under the leadership of John Bledsoe is also a vital ministry to children and their parents.

Pastor Dewayne Goodgine

First Baptist has experienced a lot of change in the past two years. As with all churches, the pandemic created numerous challenges. The church also had several staff changes in 2021. John Harland began serving as full time youth minister in January, Dr. DeWayne Goodgine was called as pastor in June, and Haley Johnson began serving as Worship Leader in August. There is a great spirit at First Baptist - new members are joining, Worship and Sunday School attendance are steadily increasing and there is an excitement in the church body. Looking to the future, FBC is focused on what has made the church strong over the years while implementing new ideas such as community groups and ministry teams.

 

 This Church Spotlight was originally published in the March 2022 edition of the Baptist Beacon. If you would like for your church to be featured, please call the NBA offices at (615) 259-3034 or email JoAnn Howard.

2022 Associational Bible Drill

I have had the privilege for 22 years to be a part of Bible Drill either while my children were participating or through organizing the drills for the Nashville Baptist Association.

 

My heart swells every time I see children, youth and high school drillers step up and: 

· Present their Bibles– showing their respect for God’s Holy Word

· Find the information in the Word of God—within 10 seconds for the children and 8 seconds for youth & high school!

· Beam with joy as they accomplish their feat.  Or even sigh with relief that it is over and they have finished.

 

All of this putting the word of God into their hearts.  This is something that they will keep even into their adulthood:

* “Participating in Bible drill gave me the confidence to pick my Bible up and study further. The book (Bible) that looked so big to me as a child seemed less intimidating. Even today Bible drill helps me remember the books of the Bible and where they are located.”  Laura Price

* “Scripture comes to mind and I realize they were the scriptures I memorized in Bible Drill.”  Phillip Howard

* “I remember the rhymes, songs and tricks that helped me learn the verses.  “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.  Luke 11:9 (It rhymes!)  Also, who remembers the trick– Go Eat Pop Corn and then your thirsty so you need 5 cups of “T”.”  Dana Corbitt

 

I just want to Thank the Nashville Baptist Association for allowing me to be a part of this amazing ministry.  


JoAnn Howard
Ministry Assistant to the Strategists

 

2022 Bible Dillers:

Children:

Brentwood Baptist
Arye Parker
Emmy Maccabee
Abbey Kate Moss
Vivian Smith
Huxton Suggs
Kylie Taylor
Bryn Thompson

Parkway Baptist
Channing Morrow
Sally Elias
Murphey Couts
Axel Elias
Carter Sanders
Andrew Elias
Essa Al-Nimri
Mariana Castleberry

 Tulip Grove Baptist
Wren Sutherland
Ana Bentschneider
Avery Anderson
Colton Fisher
Ella Adcox
Emily Boswell
Cora Jones
Molly Hacker
Reece Anderson
Skyler Fisher

 Nashville First Baptist
Curtis Pope
Nevaeh Greer
Charli Nabakowski
Tatum Rodriquez

 Youth:

Tulip Grove Baptist
Ethan Bentschneider
Lauren Briggs

 Parkway Baptist Church
Andrew Castleberry
Christian Espino

 

 High School:

Parkway Baptist
Jay Schremmer

 

A Forest of Oaks history book presented to Library and Archives

The Nashville Baptist Association celebrated 120 years serving Middle Tennessee in 2020. As part of that celebration, a committee compiled a book of the recent history of the association.

This book, A Forest of Oaks By the River and Beyond, serves as a follow-up to 1971’s Acorns to Oaks, to tell the story of Southern Baptists in the Nashville area from 1970 to 2020. Topics include challenges the NBA faced in that time and how it progressed, the growth of both ethnic and African-American churches, the NBA’s WMU, and how the Association and its individual churches have grown.

Members of the history committee that put this book together are Dr. Charles Parker, Dr. Sam Creed, Cynthia Scott, and Ray Clubb. NBA staff Alyssa Riekeman, Dwayne Lewis, and Rusty Sumrall also contributed chapters.

On March 15, NBA Executive Director Rusty Sumrall presented A Forest of Oaks By the River and Beyond to the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, represented by director Taffey Hall and former director Bill Sumners.

A Forest of Oaks By the River and Beyond is available for purchase from nashvillebaptists.com on the A Forest of Oaks page.

Church Spotlight: The Church at Grace Park

 In 1946, Loy O. Cook, founded and pastored Tabernacle Baptist Church of Springfield, TN. Also, in 1946, Loy and wife, Marie, gave birth to their second child, a son, Bobby. Bobby had an older sister, Faye… 13 months following Bobby’s birth, a third and final child, Beverly was born. The children grew up in Springfield, while mom and dad served the church in Springfield.

Pastor Cook pastored Tabernacle Baptist Church for 26 years (a non-affiliated Baptist congregation); retired…and his son, Bobby followed him as pastor. By that time, ‘Bobby’ who went by ‘Bob’, became pastor of his ‘home church’ in August, 1972, upon graduation from seminary, at the age of 26.

Four years later, in October, 1976, Tabernacle “mothered” a mission congregation in White House, TN, called Tri-County Baptist Church. Bob pastored both congregations for 4 ½ years. In a season of ‘blessing’ (not adversity), Pastor Bob resigned from the mother church and became pastor of the daughter congregation, 15 miles away in White House.

At the mother church, there was no church split…there were not even any families who left the mother church to follow Pastor Bob over to Tri-County. God simply was leading in a new direction of grace and blessing in the life of both congregations and in Bob’s life.   At that time, the mother church had an attendance in the 400’s; the daughter church was averaging in the 70’s. “I didn’t realize all God was doing, but I trusted Him and the plans of His heart. I knew assuredly the Lord was ordering my steps,” says Bob.

Tri-County Baptist Church began in a school building (White House Middle School at that time) in October, 1976. In May of 1977, the church miraculously purchased 15 acres of land at I-65 and State Hwy 76. In December 1980, Tri-County moved into their first building on their interstate property…and had both Sunday School and their worship service in the Sunday School wing only. The sanctuary shell was finished some 2 years later for occupancy. It was an exciting time in the life of a new church!

“Before leaving Springfield and resigning Tabernacle Baptist Church, I had begun to find compatibility and fellowship with Southern Baptist pastors and churches. Little did I know that some 10 years later, in 1991, God would lead us to apply for membership with the Nashville Baptist Association to become a Southern Baptist congregation. I could have never led the mother church in that direction without creating great conflict, and ultimately, a congregational divide and split. I began to understand the Lord’s leadership in my life some ten years earlier when He led me to leave the mother church and take the daughter as full-time pastor”, says Bob.

The decades of the 80’s and 90’s for Tri-County were decades of wonderful spiritual growth and numerical increase (Acts 16:5). In 1996, Tri-County did not change it’s legal name from Tri-County Baptist Church, but did adopt a more user-friendly name for its marketing purposes and community identity, The Church at Grace Park.

In 2002, the Lord led Grace Park to start a Christian school, now called Christian Community School. Tri-County Baptist Church/The Church at Grace Park is celebrating 45 years this year, and Christian Community School is celebrating it’s 20-year anniversary.  

The commitment of one local church starting a Christian school has been a mammoth undertaking! Nurturing and growing a training center for children to be educated and trained up in the ways of the Lord has cost Grace Park hundreds of thousands of dollars. It has also cost them numerous members and families who do not believe that God calls the local church into the “education business.”

Not all believers interpret the Biblical mandate for children to be trained up in the way of the Lord a a24/7 duty, 365 days a year task…nor do they understand and apply the “teaching part” of the Great Commission as something that is to be done almost daily, not just on Sunday mornings. Pastor Bob says, “I believe it is preferred if our children can be educated aligned with how and why they were created…and recreated in Christ.
 
God continues to bless The Church at Grace Park. They are now located on 45 acres (God has provided 30 more acres since the initial purchase.) The church, even in its present semi-post-Covid-posture is growing…and every day, they are blessed to minister to 312 students (K-12) and another 225 little preschoolers!

“I’m more excited about furthering the gospel today locally, regionally, and globally than any time in my ministry” says Pastor Bob.  Grace Park’s renewed focus for 2021 has been to “look at everyday through the window of the gospel…seeking to become more intentionally, courageously, and graciously gospel-centric in the midst of a secular, morally-decadent culture and broken world. More than ever before, we want to be a “sent church”, seeking to be all that God created us to be and do all that God has called us to do!"  

On December 05, the church enjoyed engaging with our Association’s language pastors, providing each of them a joint Christmas meal…and for each family, a Christmas monetary gift. We so much appreciate their love for their Lord and other people…and their pioneer efforts to begin a church for their people in this culture!

"God’s grace and goodness have been abundant for 45 years. We give God glory and offer our thanksgiving to our Lord Jesus Christ…Hallelujah!”

Ethnic pastors and their wives with Breet Boesch, Rusty and Becky Sumrall, Bob and Wanda Cook.

Brett Boesch, International Ministry Strategist for the NBA and Book Cook, pastor of the Church at Grace Park.

 

 This Church Spotlight was originally published in the February 2022 edition of the Baptist Beacon. If you would like for your church to be featured, please call the NBA offices at (615) 259-3034 or email JoAnn Howard.

Rusty Sumrall Donates Grandfather's Books and Sermons

I inherited treasured books and sermons from my grandfather, Rev. E. S. Flynt. He graduated from Mississippi College in 1918 and from Southern Seminary in 1921. He pastored for 55 years in Kentucky and Mississippi, and he planted five of the churches he pastored. His last pastorate was Second Baptist Church in Biloxi, MS.

On Tuesday of this past week, I donated most of these books to the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives. Director Taffey Hall and past director Bill Sumners came to my office to see the books. They said my collection of books and sermons dated 1880-1950 are literally a history of Southern Baptists during that time period. I am thankful to have donated more than 100 books and a couple hundred sermons.

Rusty Sumrall
Executive Director/Lead Coach

Did You Know?: NBA Trainings

Did you know that the NBA offers trainings that can help equip your church for its ministry?

One of the many things that makes us better together is that we can share ideas, best practices, and all kinds of other help so that all of our churches can reach more people.

Here are some of the trainings we offer:

VBS Clinic - Gather with other VBS Directors and teacher to learn how to teach different age groups and reach them for Christ, and be inspired with ideas about the current year’s cirriculum, decorating, snacks, and more. Our 2022 VBS Clinic is scheduled for April 12: learn more and register here.

Church Growth training - Designed for new churches, church plants, and churches that may need to reset their approach. Our next Church Growth Training is scheduled for March 18-19: learn more and register here.

Churches Planting Churches - Designed for churches with a desire to multiply and plant healthy churches to spread the gospel. We have a webinar for Churches Planting Churches scheduled for April 19: learn more and register here.

Pastor Search training - Our Executive Director/Lead Coach can come to a church that has recently lost their pastor, discuss best options for the church’s specific needs, help find an iterim or supply pastor, and teach the Pastor Search Committee how to find, interview, and assess candidates. Call us at the NBA office to begin this process: (615) 259-3034.

Revitalization options - Our Executive Director/Lead Coach can also help churches that are experiencing decline, evaluate their situation, and suggest next steps along the path to revitalization. Call the NBA office to schedule a meeting: (615) 259-3034.

Ethnic Evangelism Training - Learn from members of one of Nashville’s many ethnic groups how to reach their people. Coming soon: hear from pastors of Chinese, Korean, and Sudanese NBA churches.

We will update our events calendar as more trainings are scheduled for the coming months.

Church Spotlight: Haywood Hills Baptist Church

Haywood Hills Baptist Church began in 1958 as Haywood Hills Chapel, after a very successful Mission Vacation Bible School put on by members of Seventh Baptist Church (now Donelson View Baptist Church). A concrete block addition was made to the home that served as the first meeting place, adjoining property was purchased, and we officially became Haywood Hills Baptist Church in 1961. As our membership and ministries grew, we expanded our building from the site of that original backyard Vacation Bible School.

In the 1980s, we worked with our first International groups, Laotian and Hispanic, to help meet the needs of the community around us. Since then, we have shared our facilities with many different congregations from all over the world, including China, Haiti, Nepal, Burma, and the Congo. HHBC held two “Christmas Around the World” events with the choirs of HHBC, Nashville Chin Baptist Church, and Premiere Iglise Baptiste Hatienne.

Today, HHBC partners with Haywood Elementary. We have given treats to the faculty, hung encouraging banners at test time, held Back to School carnivals on the school’s property, created Homework Bags for students, and collected coats and uniforms for the kids. In December, we had a Giving Store for low-income children to select presents for their families this Christmas. Last summer, we had help from seminary evangelism students to share the Gospel door-to-door.

As our website says, “Haywood Hills Baptist Church is a place of grace and encouragement. Here people from different ethnic, social, and cultural backgrounds are united by our common faith in Jesus. We hope you will join us as we reach the nations for Christ here in Nashville and around the world.”

Haywood Hills Baptist Church as she stands today

Volunteers hang signs at Haywood Elementary

Christmas Around the World, 2014

This Church Spotlight was originally published in the January 2022 edition of the Baptist Beacon. If you would like for your church to be featured, please call the NBA offices at (615) 259-3034 or email JoAnn Howard.

Black History Moment: The NBA, The SBC, and National Baptists

The Nashville Baptist Association had an important role in the Christian education of African-American pastors and church leaders in Nashville that spread to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) all over the country.

The American Baptist Theological Seminary was founded in 1924 by the National Baptist Convention (Black Baptists). In 1937, the Southern Baptist Convention agreed to share 50/50 in the operation of the college and provide scholarships for its students, creating a unique and unprecedented learning opportunity for 5 decades of African-American Church leaders and missionaries. This partnership lasted until 1996, when a joint decision was made to turn over all assets to what is now American Baptist College.

In 1944, Rev. E. W. D. Issac of the National Baptist Convention’s Training Union and the NBA’s Director of Missions Harold D. Gregory began the effort to organize a nationwide organization for African-American Baptist college students. Nashville was an ideal place because of the locations of 4 higher learning institutions: The American Baptist Theological Seminary, Meharry Medical College, Fisk University, and Tennessee State University.

A Joint Committee on Baptist Work, created on the recommendation of Isaac and Gregory to aid them in this effort, included representatives from the National Baptist Convention, The Baptist Sunday School Board, and the Home Mission Board. The Committee elected Mr. S. E. Grinstead, Sr. to start Baptist Student Unions on HBCU campuses, where students could meet for prayer, fellowship, Bible study and worship. On July 10, 1945, one such organization was created for the American Baptist Theological Seminary. This became the site of The National Baptist Student Retreat, which has been held every year since 1946.

A student center for the Baptist Student Unions of Fisk, Meharry, and TSU, at 2023 Jefferson Street, was completed in 1953 under the leadership of the Joint Committee on Baptist Work and Grinstead. The Center was called the National BSU Headquarters, and served as the hub to nationalize the BSU ministry to HBCUs. By 1963, there were 53 BSUs on HBCU campuses, thanks in large part to Grinstead’s 23-year career and his cooperation with Southern Baptists.

Minutes from NBA Annual meetings in 1983, 1985, and 1986 show the Joint Committee on Black Missions Relations worked with the Black association on Jefferson Street and many area churches and missions. In 1993, it was reported by Chris Jackson of the NBA that The Baptist Student Ministries of TSU, Fisk, and the American Bible College included more than 250 students and involved in a BSU Gospel Music and Ministry Workshop, a monthly juvenile offender ministry at Woodland Hills, a leadership retreat, and a Spring lock-in involving five schools.

The ministry of the BSU for these campuses continues today as Restoration Corner, headed by JoAnn Scaife and Jules Evans.

 

Sources:

Acorns to Oaks, produced by Nashville Baptist Association

A Forest of Oaks, By the River and Beyond, produced by Nashville Baptist Association

Jessie Carney Smith, Linda T Wynn, Freedom Facts and Firsts: 400 Years of the African American Civil Rights Experience, Visible Ink Press, USA, 2009, p. 83 as quoted in the Wikipedia article “American Baptist College”

About section of nbsunion.org

Alicia Darnell
Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director

In Recognition of Black History Month

Join with me in standing with our African American pastors this February to recognize Black History Month.

“Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designatied the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

“The Black History Month 2022 theme, “Black Health and Wellness,” explores “the legacy of only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g. birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well.” - history.com article.

Listed below are the African American churches that are members of the Nashville Baptist Association. You may want to send a word of encouragement to one of these pastors during the month of February.

Assembly of Believers in Christ Church      
Berean Baptist Church
Celebration Christian Center
Church of the Messiah               
Faith United Missionary Baptist
First Family Baptist Church     
First Fellowship Missionary Baptist
Movement Church Nashville
Nehemiah Missionary Baptist Church
New Covenant Baptist Church
New Life Fellowship
New Season Church
Priest Lake Community Church
Simeon Baptist Church
United Family Fellowship

I am thankful for these men and their faithful service to our Lord.

In May of 2020, the NBA produced a document in response to racial injustice.

 

God bless you,

Rusty Sumrall
Executive Director