On February 29, our church accepted a recommendation from the Worship Service Study Committee that we begin having two morning worship services, beginning April 1, 1984. Our Family Life Center officially opened on May 1, 1984. It was dedicated to the service of our Lord on Sunday, June 3, 1984, with Dr. Grady Lowery from Southwestern Seminary as our guest speaker.
The year 1985 got off with a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm with the coming of Ron Mouser, Minister of Education, along with his wife, Barbara, and children, Scott and Lori. At the Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting in Memphis, November 18-20, our pastor was elected president of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. On July 3, 1988, Kal Busman became Minister of Youth at Central Baptist Church. He and his wife Janet, along with 8-month-old son, Joshua, came to us from Louisville, Kentucky, where he had just recently graduated from Southern Seminary. In November of 1988 our pastor, Dr. Metcalf, was elected President of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
A major church emphasis was begun in 1990 with the kickoff of a three-year "Challenge to Build" program designed to pay for improvements to the Broadway Building and Mahan Center, major renovation of the music suite, and the remaining debt on the Family Life Center. Our Victory Goal of $900,000 would enable us to be "Debt-Free in '93." A banquet on March 25, 1990, launched the program, and the goal was met by Easter of that year.
The spring of 1997 represented a period of significant change in the life of Central Baptist Church. In March, our beloved pastor, Dr. Calvin S. Metcalf, announced his retirement, to become effective July 31, 1997.
On Easter Sunday, April 4, 1999, Central Baptist Church of Fountain City began a new era as Dr. Marvin Cameron preached his first sermon as the pastor of our church.
On July 15, 2001, Central Baptist formally commissioned Rev. Larry and Susan (Trivette) McCrary, Megan and Parker, to serve as our first international career missionaries. They accepted an assignment to Madrid, Spain, and departed on January 31, 2001. After Dr. Cameron was called to pastor a sister church in East Tennessee, the church called upon Dr. David Crocker, who joined our congregation along with his wife, Clara, on November 3, 2002.
From November 2002 until July 2006, the members of Central Baptist were challenged to . This was done through a variety of mission efforts that focused on ministry outside the walls of the church. During this time, an alternative approach to worship was begun that sought to reach unchurched people through a nontraditional style of worship.
From August 1, 2006, until January 31, 2007, Dr. Crocker was on sabbatical from the church. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Operation Inasmuch, a missions outreach emphasis encouraging believers to find practical ways to share the gospel message in their communities and throughout the world.
Dr. Walter Crouch began as interim pastor of the church on October 1, 2006. Under his leadership, the church continues to position itself to reach the unchurched through creative approaches to worship and a multifaceted approach to missions. The church now offers both a traditional (Classic) service and a nontraditional (Catalyst) at the same time. Dr. Crouch leads the Classic service and Rev. Kal Busman leads Catalyst.
In 1932, Rev. Mahan was unanimously recalled as pastor. Rev. Mahan served Central Baptist for seventeen years. He was highly respected within the church community and convention.
By 1940, the church had increased to 916 members. On September 23, 1940, ground was broken for a new educational building. In June 1945, Dr. Mahan, retired as pastor. A unanimous call was extended to Rev. Charles S. Bond. Bond assumed his duties as pastor of Central Baptist on August 5, 1945. In order to accommodate the growing church, ground was broken on March 13, 1949, for a new sanctuary. While the previous buildings had faced Broadway, the new sanctuary faced Lynnwood Avenue. The cornerstone was dedicated on August 21, 1949.
The first service in the new sanctuary was held on June 11, 1950. In 1956, Dr. Bond participated in a evangelistic crusade to Panama, and in 1958 the church sent him on a mission trip to Alaska. Central Baptist also financially assisted churches in California, South Dakota, and Alaska as well as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
On Wednesday night, October 28, 1914, thirty-three residents of the Fountain City area met in the Bright Hope Masonic Hall in order to form a new Baptist church. That evening the group established the Bright Hope Baptist Church. The Reverend W.W. Mullendore—one of the Charter members—agreed to serve as interim pastor until a permanent pastor could be called. The church called the Reverend J.L. Edington in March 1915. In July 1915, the church changed its name to Central Baptist Church of Fountain City. During the same month, it purchased a lot for a building. The first service was held in that first building on October 3, 1915. Reverend Albert F. Mahan served as pastor from 1916-1921.
The church's rapid growth resulted in the need for a new building in only seven years. By 1922, a larger sanctuary was necessary. At 6:00 AM on May 28, 1923, in a sunrise ceremony, the ground was broken, and on Sunday afternoon, August 19, 1923, the cornerstone was laid for the second building. The building was completed at a cost of $40,000 and the first service was held on August 13, 1924. Rev. J.C. Shipe served from 1921-1925. The Reverend Leland W. Smith (1925-1933) began his ministry at Central in July 1925. The church increased to approximately 300 members during his pastorate.
During the 50 years from October 28, 1914, to October 1964, Central Baptist Church grew from the charter membership of 33 to a membership of 2,137. In 1967, a decision was made to enlarge the choir loft, to install a new organ, and to air-condition the sanctuary. On April 20, 1969, Tom Landry, head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, was in town for the FCA Convention and brought the message at the morning worship service.
Early in May 1970, planning and training in the city churches began for the Billy Graham Crusade in the Neyland Stadium May 22-31. Our church served in all phases of the Crusade — planning, prayer, and participation. On July 9, 16, 23, and 30, Mr. Charles Riggs of the Billy Graham Crusade conducted Christian Life and Witness classes in our lower auditorium primarily for those who made decisions during the Crusade.
On August 2, 1970, the church celebrated Dr. Bond's 25th anniversary as pastor. When Dr. Charles Bond announced his retirement on January 4, 1975, Central Baptist Church was faced with a challenge it had not had for thirty years, that is, the selection of a new pastor to succeed Dr. Bond. On October 19, 1975, Dr. Calvin S. Metcalf of Columbia, South Carolina, was invited to preach at the morning worship service in view of a call as pastor. On November 30, 1975, he and his wife Bobbie and their three children, Gary, Karen, and Tina, moved from Columbia, South Carolina, to begin ministry among us.