Meet Our Pastors and Staff

 

Rev. Roland Smith began serving as Central's pastor on Easter Sunday, 1985 after having served two churches in Mississippi. He and his wife, Phyliis met while they were both students at the Univ. of Arkansas. They married in 1972 and the Lord blessed them with three children. Daughter Mollie and husband Jeremy Busler  make their home in Nashville, TN where Jeremy serves as associate Minister of Music at Brentwood Baptist Church. Mollie and Jeremy are the proud parents of Hannah and Nathan. Son Will and wife Julia reside in Crossville TN with their two children. Daughter Callie and husband Eric Shaver also reside in Crossville with their daughter Finley. Roland believes the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God and preaches it as such. He has often said that one of the real privileges of his life has been to serve as pastor at Central Baptist Church.

 

 

 

 

 Scott White - Associate Pastor

 

Rev. Scott White has been the Associate Pastor at Central since September 2002. He previously served at Central as Youth Pastor from 1987-1992. He has served as pastor at two other churches in the Crossville area. Scott is a native of Memphis TN and received his Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Tennessee Temple University in 1984 and graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1998 (M.A. in Biblical Studies) and the Southern Baptist Theological Serminary (M.A. in Christian Education). Scott and his wife Beth have two sons, Nathanael and Seth.

 

  

 Billy Kemp - 50+ Adult Pastor

 
A note of interest: Billy’s resume had been submitted to Central via the Tennessee Baptist Convention.  In the meanwhile, Scott White, who was the Youth Pastor at the time at Central, was visiting the Dallas/Fort Worth area to check out the Seminaries.
Scott just so happened to visit South Wayside Baptist Church one Sunday where Billy was serving on staff and the two met.  Scott lived in Tansi and Billy’s mother and other family members were in Tansi that very weekend for a ladies’ family retreat; Scott was preparing to leave Tennessee for Texas and Billy was preparing to leave Texas hopefully for Tennessee.  Well, Scott brought back to Central a second copy of Billy’s resume.  So as they say, “The rest is history!”  
 
Billy is a native of Nashville, TN. He attended High School (Castle Heights Military Academy) in Lebanon, TN and earned his bachelor degree in Recreation with an outdoor emphasis and minors in religion and psychology from Middle Tennessee State University.  After working for a summer camp/outdoor education program for six years in Quebec, TN, Billy answered the call into Youth Ministry in 1984.  He had the privilege of serving his home church, Grandview Baptist Church in Nashville, as Youth Pastor for almost four years before moving to Fort Worth. His other work experiences include serving in and managing a fast food restaurant; waiting tables; cashier for a convenience store; and working with an interior designer/antique store owner. Billy says that the Lord uses all one’s work experiences in some form when in ministry.
 
Most of Billy’s family still lives in the Middle Tennessee area.  His dad lives in Mt. Juliet and his mother lives in Lebanon. Billy’s sister and brother-in-law live next to his mother.  Billy has a niece and nephew, who are like his own children.  His niece is married and lives in Lexington, NC.  She and her husband have a little girl born August 2009.  Billy refers to her as his “grand niece”.
 
His hobbies include several collections: Coca Cola items, antiques of various assortments, seasonal decorations (especially Christmas), sea shells (his favorite) and rocks. Billy is a “beach bum” at heart with an admiration of the mountains, desert and woodlands as well. Using items he collects for displays, etc. at church is one of Billy’s favorite activities.  He likes to camp, kayak, hike, bike, swim and travel as much as possible.  Billy is also an animal person, though at present time he does not have any pets after losing his 16-year-old cat, Tluntutsi, this year.  Billy lives in a remodeled Homesteads house built in 1936 where he likes to host a Christmas Open House.
 
Billy attributes his spiritual journey/growth to his maternal grandmother, whose last words were always “Jesus Loves You”; Godly aunts and uncles; his mother’s prayers; and his sister’s strength and steadfastness in raising a child with spinal bifida.
 
One of Billy’s favorite Scriptures:
 “He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.”
Isaiah 40:29-31, NASB 

 

 

Terry May - Student Minister

 

 

 

 

Bud Fray has served part time at Central since 2001 as Pastor of Missions. His wealth of knowledge in the areas of discipleship and missions has led the church to expand greatly in these areas.  Bud is a native of Missouri and a graduate of Quachita Baptist University. He has a Master of Divinity and a Doctorate of Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth TX.  Bud is a retired missionary to Zimbabwe, Africa where he and his wife Jane spent 28 years serving the Lord. He has served as an associate pastor in Arkansas; pastor of two churches in Texas; Chairman of the Religion Department at Quachita Baptist University; and Professor of Missions and Spiritual Formation at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Bud and Jane have four children Carol, Jerry, Jonathan and Jeffrey.

 

Karyn Wade joined the staff of Central Baptist Church in February 2010, working with Beth White as a Co-Children's Ministry Director.  Originally from Pennsylvania, Karyn and her husband, Corey moved to Crossville from Toccoa, Georgia where she earned a degree in Family & Children's Ministry from Toccoa Falls College.  Karyn's passion is families and she served as the Christian Education Intern at Grace Baptist Church in Toccoa, GA.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebration Choir 7:00 p.m.  

 

 

 

For Email Marketing you can trust