Faith.
Fellowship.
Community.

Our Heritage

A Brief History of the Elk River District Missionary Baptist Association

The Elk River District Missionary Baptist Association has a rich and distinguished history of Christian faith, fellowship, missionary service, and cooperative ministry.

According to the historical chart of the Association, the Elk River District Missionary Baptist Association was organized in Shelbyville, Tennessee, in August 1866, with seven churches.

From its beginning, the Association was established to bring churches and ministers together for the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Christian education, missions, and the strengthening of Baptist congregations throughout the region.

Growth and Early Leadership

By 1910, the Association had experienced remarkable growth. The historical record indicates that the Association had increased to 35 churches with approximately 2,160 members.

This growth reflects the dedication of the ministers, churches, missionaries, and lay members who labored faithfully to establish and strengthen the work of the Lord.

Among the early leaders pictured in the historical record are:

The chart also recognizes ministers and Christian workers whose service helped shape the Association, including Rev. W. M. Cannon, Rev. W. L. Craft, Rev. D. A. Townsend, Rev. T. J. Story, Mrs. Mary L. Craft, and Mrs. Emma Brazelton.

Their ministries and support demonstrate that the history of Elk River has always been a shared work involving both clergy and laity.

Missions and Christian Service

The Association’s commitment to missions and Christian service continued through succeeding generations.

Historical records from the early and mid-twentieth century document the participation of the Elk River District Association, its Women’s Auxiliary, Sunday School Convention, and other ministries in the broader Baptist fellowship.

The Association was also represented within the Tennessee Baptist missionary and educational fellowship.

Elk River District Association Today

Today, the Elk River District Missionary Baptist Association continues the work begun more than 150 years ago.

The Association serves as a fellowship of churches working together in worship, missions, Christian education, evangelism, youth ministry, music, women’s ministry, lay ministry, and ministerial fellowship.

The Association’s present headquarters and gathering place is the Elk River District Tabernacle, 87 Crestview Drive, Winchester, Tennessee 37398.

The Tabernacle continues to provide a central place for worship, meetings, programs, and district-wide activities. The Association was still actively holding district programs at the Tabernacle in recent years, including missions programming.

Present Association Leadership

Under the present leadership of Pastor E. Wayne Jones, Moderator, the Association continues to emphasize cooperation among its member churches and auxiliaries.

The Association’s present work includes its Laymen, Ministers’ Wives and Widows, Missions, Education, Music, Ushers, and Youth auxiliaries, along with district-wide worship services, meetings, fundraisers, Christian education, and missionary outreach.

A Legacy That Continues

From seven founding churches in 1866, to 35 churches and 2,160 members in 1910, and into the present day, the Elk River District Missionary Baptist Association has remained committed to its calling: bringing churches together for the work of Jesus Christ.

Its history is more than a record of dates, names, and numbers. It is the testimony of generations of faithful men and women who prayed, preached, taught, served, sacrificed, and built so that the work of the Lord could continue.

As the Association moves forward, it does so standing upon the foundation laid by those who came before, while embracing the responsibility of preparing the way for those who will come after.

The history of Elk River is a history of faith, fellowship, sacrifice, service, and perseverance—and by the grace of God, the best is yet to come.