God greatly blessed the Appalachian Baptist Church on their opening Sunday service on May 20, 2007. People came early to see the new church and to find out more about it. Much preparation had been made concerning the building and furnishings. In addition, nearly 5,000 pieces of literature had been carried into the mountains…up every driveway…to every door. This was no easy task considering it was farmland, with lots of ground to travel between the houses. Every road and “holler” had been covered in spite of all the Pit Bulls and Rottweilers. (I have never seen so many guard dogs in my life!)
When everyone was assembled on Sunday morning, the parking lot was full and so was the church with 125 in attendance! Twelve of those were from Central Baptist Church and ten were visiting from out of town, but the rest were from the local area. Pastor Tracey Jones preached a message entitled “What Every Sinner Ought To Know About God.” Brother Tracey had arranged for John Godfrey, pastor of Great Hope Baptist Church, to preach on Sunday evening. They were pleased to see 48 in attendance. On the second Sunday of services, 51 attended in the morning and 45 in the evening.
What a great start to a new church plant in the mountains of Tennessee! (The breathtaking landscapes are causing people to move to the area from all across the United States.) And, what a role was played by Central Baptist Church! We pray that many other churches will catch this spirit and model this excitement of churches planting churches! Appalachian Baptist Church is located just eight miles south of Greeneville, Tennessee, and six miles from the North Carolina border. Pray for this new church, and for the Jones family as they continue their church–planting ministry.
