Remembering Tennessee Baptist Convention’s Brentwood Headquarters

Tennessee Baptist Convention

Not too long ago there were several exquisite contemporary stained-glass windows in a minimalist building on the corner of Maryland Way and Franklin Road. That building was the home of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, now known as the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

The plans for the Tennessee Baptist Convention building to move to Brentwood began in 1968, and the building was completed in October of 1969. The building was originally designed by Earl Swenson Associates in Nashville, and it won several architectural design awards at the time.

Tennessee Baptist Convention“I’m convinced those Tennessee Baptists who had the vision to construct this building 45 years ago were acting under the leadership of the Holy Spirit,” said Executive Director-Treasurer Randy Davis at the time. “They took the risk to build this building in a sparsely populated suburb of Nashville that turned out to be some of the most strategic and prime real estate in the state. They left us a tremendous legacy.”

On May 12, 1969, a time capsule was placed into the foundations of the building. And on April 29, 2014 there was a time capsule opening ceremony. The time capsule contained newspapers from the time, two pennies minted in 1969, programs from member churches, and two bibles. Scripture, read at the groundbreaking in 1969, was part of the event.

The time capsule opening was part of the festivities tied to the Tennessee Baptist Mission moving again, this time to Berry Farms in Franklin.

“We’re excited about the move and the possibilities this opens in the future,” said Executive
Director-Treasurer Randy Davis. “There has been a lot of work by our staff to get us ready to move. It’s not easy to pack up 45 years, but everyone has a real positive spirit.

During those 45 years, the Tennessee Baptist Mission has been a part of the Brentwood Community, but many offers had come to them over the years for their land. When H.G Hill Realty and GBT Realty Corporation came to them with an offer for the land, they couldn’t resist. That land is now part of the “Streets of Brentwood” multi-use project.

The Tennessee Baptist Mission is now in their new facility in Franklin.

“We named the new building the ‘Church Support Center’ to let Tennessee Baptists know that this is their building, and the activities that take place here are to serve them,” Davis said in an article on baptistandreflector.com. “We want people to know they are welcome any time, and we’d love for them to stop in whenever they are passing through.”

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