NASHVILLE — Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, didn’t say it would be easy. He did say, however, that “the work is worth it.”
Davis presented a vision to the TBMB’s Board of Directors on April 28 during its spring meeting for Tennessee Baptist to reach $40 million in Cooperative Program giving by 2030. That number represents a $5 million increase over the current CP budget that has been in place for the past six years.
Directors, meeting at Forest Hills Baptist Church in Nashville, then voted on a special recommendation presented by the administrative committee to adopt the vision with the outcome of zero dissenting votes and two abstaining.
Davis acknowledged the high level of effort that would be required to meet the new vision, but said the increase was “the cost of accomplishing the mission.”
“It is the price of saying yes to every pastor who needs training, every community that needs a church, every missionary that needs sending, every family that needs hope in the midst of a storm,” Davis told directors.
Davis noted that if every Tennessee Baptist church currently giving through the Cooperative Program increased its CP allocation by 1% of annual budget receipts over four years — a quarter of a percent per year — the TBC would exceed the $40 million target.
“I do not believe that our churches are overwhelmed,” Davis said. “I believe that they are under-challenged.”
Cliff Marion, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Covington and chair of the administrative committee, said directors should not fear the change, but should instead embrace the challenge.
“I don’t think it’s a rebranding,” Marion said. “I think we’re in a moment of a recommitment and a refocus on the greatest funding mechanism this world has ever seen.”
Equip Tennessee Network launched
During the meeting, Davis formally launched the Equip Tennessee Network, commissioning a group of more than 70 volunteer consultants from local churches across the state.
The initiative was developed over more than a year by the TBMB’s Ryan Keaton, along with TBMB directors Bruce Railey (senior associate pastor at FBC Hendersonville) and Alan Raughton (who served at Lifeway and FBC Nashville).
The Network will offer training and consultation to TBC churches in the areas of children’s ministry, youth ministry, and worship leadership.
Financial update and giving report
Davis reported that Cooperative Program giving through the end of March was up $315,000 over the same period last year. Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions giving was running approximately 2% above last year’s pace, on track to set a record.
Sam Warner, president of the Tennessee Baptist Foundation, presented a $10,000 gift to the Golden Offering during the meeting, citing the foundation’s desire to lead by example in stewardship.
Beach Reach and campus ministry
The meeting included highlights from the annual BeachReach spring break ministry, coordinated this year by Morgan Owen, Baptist Collegiate Ministry director at UT Martin.
The initiative, which Tennessee BCM leaders helped rescue after Lifeway discontinued the program, reported 25,000 people transported through the ministry’s “free shuttle rides” service. The totals from BeachReach also included 15,000 recorded gospel conversations, nearly 20,000 prayer contacts and 863 professions of faith.
Entity reports
• Greg McCoy, president of Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes, reported the organization is caring for 149 children and has completed six adoptions so far in 2026 with seven more in the pipeline.
McCoy also noted that construction continues on the Firm Foundations project, which is building new homes with individual bedrooms and bathrooms for children in residential care at campuses in Brentwood, Millington, and Chattanooga. Two homes at the Millington ranch will be dedicated May 3, and Brentwood’s first three homes will be dedicated Aug. 15.
• Anthony Burdick, system director for pastoral care at Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis, reported the system has acquired its 25th hospital — a facility in Paragould, Ark. — and will break ground April 30 on a micro-hospital in Fayette County, Tenn.
Burdick said BMHC’s online Preaching Series, now in its ninth year, reaches approximately 100,000 people annually through social media. Burdick shared a story of his secretary leading an 82-year-old woman to faith in Christ during a hospital visit.
• Mark Anderson, president of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes, reported improved finances, including a Father’s Day offering that grew from $380,000 to $563,000 in one year and a one-time gift of $100,000 that covered the organization’s projected operational shortfall. The homes maintain a 96% occupancy rate.
VPs introduced to Board, schedule set for Summit
Other actions at the meeting included:
• Dan Spencer, senior pastor at FBC Sevierville and president of the TBC, introduced the convention’s vice president, David Evans, and the three new regional vice presidents: Ben Cowell, West Tennessee; Maurice Hollingsworth, Middle Tennessee; and Shane Johnston, East Tennessee.
• Anna Huggins of Erwin was introduced as the 33rd Tennessee WMU president, succeeding Ramona Hicks. Huggins and her husband, Michael, have served churches across all three regions of the state, and three of their six daughters have served with the International Mission Board.
• Davis recognized the TBMB communications team for earning nearly two dozen Baptist Communicators Association awards, half of them first place, bringing the organization’s total to more than 100 awards over the past decade. B&R
