Our History


June 30, 1894  Church organized in the Methodist Church located in front of Roosevelt Whitaker’s home

June 30, 1894  H. C. Brooks, Pastor

June 30, 1894  James B. Campbell, Church Clerk

Charter Members:  Mary Butler, Walter Cadle, James B. Campbell, Mary Jane Campbell, Malissa Crawford, Josephine Crutchfield, Torah Crutchfield, William Hansard, Charlie Henderson, Elizabeth Henderson, Minerva Jesse, Henry Myers, Elisha Pratt, Margaret Whitaker and Timothy Whitaker

February 1895  Deacons: Amos Crutchfield, Lorah Crutchfield, Timothy Whitaker

December 8, 1895  Ordained Pastor Henry Myers

December 1896  B. A. Smith, Pastor

April 11, 1897  The church voted to move to a school house located on Third Avenue and Cumberland.  Sometime later the church purchased the school house

October 1898  C. H. Otey, Pastor

October 12, 1898  Licensed Rile Johns to preach

November 1900  A. N. Whitaker, Pastor

November 10, 1900  W. R. Cadle, Church Clerk

November 1902  Rile Johns, Pastor

February 9, 1901  Licensed W. T. Cheatham to preach

April 13, 1901  Ordained Pastor Rile Johns

February 1902  Ordained Deacons: James B. Campbell and Elisha Pratt

November 1903  James B. Campbell, Church Clerk

January 1905  William Dance, Pastor

October 1908  H. C. Brooks, Pastor

April 1909  H. K. Harrel, Pastor

April 1909  A. J. Quisinbery, Church Clerk

April 1910  J. B. Campbell, Church Clerk

April 1913  Wiley Cook, Pastor

1913  A. J. Quisinbery, Church Clerk

December 1913  James Earvine, Pastor

1914  W. K. Bailey, Church Clerk

1916  Robert A. Johns, Pastor

October 1891  J. A. Lockhart, Pastor

August 1919  David Livingston, Interim Pastor

March 1920  John Treece, Pastor

November 1922  James C. Davis, Pastor

1922  Archie B. Ritchie, Church Clerk

Original Church Building

June 29, 1924  Almost 30 years to the date after the church was organized the new church building was dedicated

November 2, 1924  Ordained Deacons: Perry Debusk, V. D. England, L. C. Ault, and C. E. Carmack

May 1936  James D. Lyle, Pastor

1936  First Vacation Bible School

August 1937  Frances Bailey, Church Clerk

May 1939  E. J. Caldwell, Pastor

July 1943  Floyd Buckner, Pastor

1943  Name changed from New Tazewell Baptist to First Baptist

September 1943  Dana E. Dunnon

January 23, 1944  Ordained Deacons: G. E. Coffey and Luther DeBuske

July 9, 1947  Licensed Francis Collins to preach

January 1948  Clarence Strange, Pastor

January 1949  J. W. Davis, Pastor

December 1949  Howard Conaster, Pastor

October 3, 1951  Licensed Charles Cook to preach

October 1952  Ben Holeman, Pastor

October 1954  Rosa Stubblefield, Church Clerk

March 1955  Ralph E. Galyon, Pastor

January 1956  Edward S. French, Pastor

May 1959  Willie M Newman, Pastor

April 15, 1962  Communion table and two pulpit chairs were dedicated in memory of Dana E. Drinnon by his family and friends

March 22, 1964  Church building on Old Hwy 33 behind Duncan Lumber burned.

March 29, 1964  Site, finance and building committees appointed

July 1964  Contract let for construction of new sanctuary and educational building

August 1964 Charles D. Earl, Pastor

First Baptist Church 1964

December 20, 1964  The Rev. Charles Earl gave the first sermon in new building at current location

May 2, 1965    First radio broadcast on Station WNTT

April 1969  Otha Winningham, Pastor

January 1971  James H. Kinser, Pastor

January 1972  R. L. Gentry, Pastor

June 30, 1972  New educational building dedicated

December 1972  Darrel McAlister, Pastor

December 16, 1973  Ordained Deacons: James P. Crutchfield, James Ogan, Kenneth Edmondson, Don Bailey, and Roy Norris

November 1974  James R. Loy, Pastor

July 18, 1976  Planted a Freedom Tree (dogwood) to commemorate the US Bicentennial Year

October 30, 1977  Ordained Deacons: Wesley Bowen, Russell Keck, and Russell Kinser

December 10, 1978  Ordained Deacon: Robert Burchett

November 7, 1982  Ordained Deacon: Joe Ramsey

February 1985  Greg Long, Pastor

March 10, 1986  Ordained Deacon: Dan Ferrell

March 23, 1986  Ordained Deacon: Chris Whitaker

June 1990  John Turner, Pastor

July 28, 1991  Ordained Deacon: Clarence Overton

March 21, 1992  Accepted Deacon: Swann Whitaker

June 1993  Kenneth Clendaniel, Interim Pastor

October 1993  Rick Garner, Pastor

October 1993  Stained glass windows were installed in the sanctuary

June 1994  Centennial Celebration

October 16, 1994  Ordained Deacons: Joseph Martin and Paul Simpson

May 8, 1996  Accepted Deacon: William Starnes

September 26, 1997  Ordained Deacon: Alex Pressnell

March 1998   Started renovation and construction of a new Activities Building

November 1998  Dedication of the new Multi-Purpose building and retired the debt in 2001

September 1999  Jim Castlen, Interim Pastor

November 2000  Johnny Collett, Pastor

September 2002  Randy Pressnell, Interim Pastor

August 2003  Randy Pressnell, Pastor

2002  Started Upward Basketball

2004  Celebrated the 40th Anniversary of moving into the new building

February 2007  Gene Leamon, Interim Pastor

2007  Established tuition scholarship fund for a student to attend Heritage Baptist Academy.  Purchased 1.6 acres of adjoining property for future expansion

Oct. 5, 2007  27 passenger bus donated to the church

March 2008 Ward Slager, Pastor

2008  Todd Spangler called as Music Director

2009  Beverly Slayton hired as Church Administrative Assistant

December 6, 2009  Ordained Deacons: Jeffrey Lewis and Barry Liles

February 2010  Roger Hansard and Larry Sharp, Interim Pastors

May 2010 Larry Sharp, Interim Pastor

May 2011  Larry Sharp, Pastor

March 30-April 1, 2012 FBC initiated a Lay Renewal Program with a  follow-up Lay weekend Oct. 12-Oct. 14

January 13, 2013  Ordained Deacons: Matt Compton and Dan Piercy

2013  A Deaf Ministry began with Pam Worley as the interpreter.  Dr. Brett Travis from the Emmaus Centre for Christian Counseling began counseling on Thursdays

2013  Church recognized Rosa Stubblefield Dyke for 59 years as church clerk

October 2013  Vivian Buford, Church Clerk

September 2014  120th Anniversary Celebration with Back to Church Sunday and Homecoming

November 2015 Robert Rash, Director of Student Ministries

September 2016 Sharon Oakley, Church Clerk

July 29, 2018 Charlie Goodman, Pastor

August, 2019 Bill Duncan, Pastor

May 2024 Tanner McDowell, Pastor

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