The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board has announced a new wave of staffing changes as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts. These changes are aimed at aligning the organization with the ministry priorities established by Tennessee Baptists.
The recent adjustments include a mix of new hires and reassigned roles among current staff members. Much of the reorganization is tied to the Acts 2:17 Initiative, focused on equipping churches with resources to thrive in their ministries.
The restructuring included the elimination of 13 positions — 10 of which resulted from resignations or retirements.
“We continue the process of aligning our TBMB staff with the priorities set forth at the 2024 Tennessee Baptist Convention,” said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB. “I believe we’ve created a strong team that will move us forward in our mission to strengthen and multiply gospel leaders, evangelistic disciples and healthy churches. These areas encompass a wide range of ministries, from children’s programs and Vacation Bible School to missions and compassion initiatives.”
The announcement follows personnel changes that were revealed two weeks ago, which included some layoffs of long-term staff members. Davis noted that these decisions were made to “reallocate resources toward roles needed to support the initiative’s mission.”
“Our reality is to strategically and effectively engage the vision we believe God has set for Tennessee Baptists,” Davis explained in his recent Clarity column, “we must reduce our current TBMB staffing by approximately 15%. It may sound counterintuitive, but this is a case of multiplication by subtraction. Once these transitions are complete, the number of people involved in assisting churches will grow.”
Active by mid-2025
The restructured model places a greater emphasis on creating a statewide network of ministry coaches and practitioners who can provide localized and contextualized value to churches with diverse needs, Davis said.
“I believe the network will be a game changer,” he added. “Our goal is for this network of ministry consultants to be established and active by mid-2025.”
While the chart highlights additions and updates to staff responsibilities, several existing ministry leaders will continue in their current roles. These include Beth Moore (compassion ministry), Wes Jones (Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief), and Vickie Anderson (Woman’s Missionary Union).
Read full story.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chris Turner and originally published by Baptist and Reflector.
