Sometimes ideas sound great in theory, but you don’t really know if they’ll work until they’re put into practice.
When Tennessee Baptists voted to restructure convention officers in 2024 and elected three regional vice presidents in 2025, it sounded like a good idea. Six months in, I can tell you it has turned out to be a great idea.
In case you aren’t familiar with them: Ben Cowell, pastor of Brownsville Baptist Church, serves the West region; Maurice Hollingsworth, pastor of Pleasant Heights Baptist Church in Columbia, serves the Middle region; and Shane Johnston, pastor of Notchey Creek Baptist Church in Madisonville, serves the East region. David Evans, pastor of in Springfield Baptist Church, serves as our TBC Vice President.
I have consistently heard reports from across the state of their presence at associational meetings, their one-on-one contact with pastors, and their active participation in strategic TBMB and TBC meetings.
On a practical level, their work amplifies the collaborative spirit between local churches, associations, our mission board, and the state convention, all in pursuit of our TBC vision for every Tennessean to hear the gospel.
On a more personal level, I have heard again and again what an encouragement they have been to pastors, ministers, and directors of missions across Tennessee.
However, it’s a two-way street. You have been a blessing to them as well. I asked each of them to share what they’ve experienced among you and to report how they see God working through your churches and associations to advance His kingdom. Their perspectives follow:
Shane Johnston, East Tennessee Vice President
What joy it is to serve the East Region!
As I’ve traveled throughout East Tennessee, two themes have surfaced consistently, regardless of the size of the church or the nature of the event.
Whether in a worship service, a training session, a conference, or a committee meeting, I continue to see a love for Jesus and a love for people.
In the Holston Valley Baptist Association, I was blessed to hear a church member share about her work overseas through the IMB.
The Nolachucky Baptist Association held a series of community revival meetings, and it was a joy to worship alongside them as God’s Word was proclaimed with boldness.
I’ve had the privilege of fellowship with associational leaders and pastors from the McMinn-Meigs, Cumberland Gap, Tennessee Valley, Jefferson County, Sweetwater, and Cumberland Plateau Associations. These pastor groups gather regularly to share, bond, preach, and sing about Jesus. It is a genuine encouragement to see these men pouring into each other and leaning on one another in the work.
DOM/ASM leaders, churches, and fellow Baptists are pulling together everywhere I look.
I look forward to continuing to meet and hear from many more in the months ahead.
Fanny Crosby wrote, “To God be the glory, great things He hath done.” I say amen and amen.
Ben Cowell, West Tennessee Vice President
Stepping into this role as West Regional Vice President has been much like stepping closer to view a beautifully ornate tapestry you’ve only ever admired from a distance.
Each association within the West region has its own distinct culture and personality.
However, a common spirit of prayer threads through all of them, revealing a complex decorative pattern of cooperation.
In Union City, while meeting with the Beulah Association, I heard a moving example of that prayerful spirit. Michael Julian, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Kenton, thanked the gathered pastors for their prayers and shared that amid many recent salvations in his congregation, he would soon have the joy of baptizing his own daughter on May 17. The room erupted in praise.
In Covington, I watched Jody Johnson, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Drummonds, lead the Big Hatchie Association pastors in a transparent, raw, and sincere prayer time that beautifully embodied Paul’s call to carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).
In Adamsville, Allen Guyer, pastor of Riverview Baptist Church in Savannah, asked the Shiloh Association to pray for his healing following a thyroidectomy so he could sing and preach. Without hesitation, those gathered set aside time for prayer.
I could go on. The truth is, in every association I visit in the West, pastors and associational mission strategists are praying for one another. And yet, they also carry a unified burden for the lost. They pray expectantly for revival. Most of all, they pray for the glory of Jesus to shine through His churches.
Maurice Hollingsworth, Middle Tennessee Vice President
Since being elected as Middle Tennessee Vice President at the Jackson Summit in November 2025, I have been genuinely overwhelmed by the impact Tennessee Baptists are making for the kingdom of God.
The rapport among all the officers has been phenomenal. There is a healthy officer dialogue which exists, and it allows for concerns to be brought up which span the state. This collegiality among the officer corps means we are serving our beloved state all the more effectively.
This role was designed to give greater TBMB visibility and accessibility to our area churches, and I’ve seen firsthand why that proximity matters. When a young minister in the region passed away suddenly, I was able to reach his widow quickly. Dr. Davis and our Harvest Field Leader responded as well, but this grieving pastor’s wife seemed to draw particular comfort from someone in her own community. Presence matters.
Attending associational events across Middle Tennessee has given me an ear to the heartbeat of pastors and directors of missions who are on the front lines of ministry every day. It has been an opportunity to hear both their victories and their challenges and to celebrate our cooperative work and the Cooperative Program together. We truly can do more together than in localized isolation.
Not every pastor or church member can make it to the Summit when it meets far from their field of ministry. But these regional relationships allow us to put a face on the larger work of Tennessee Baptists, reminding every open-country church that their Kingdom contribution is every bit as vital as that of a large metropolitan congregation. This new structure creates fresh lines of accountability and communication for all our churches, regardless of the regional profile of the statewide president and vice president.
It is a genuine honor to serve Middle Tennessee in this capacity. B&R
