Seventh Article in 90 Days of Praise Series

By November, 1961, Stones River Baptist Church had grown to an enrollment of 350 in Sunday School.   This caused the church family to begin considering ways to make more space available in order to continue reaching the Smyrna community for Jesus.   Thus, on November 12, 1961, a special meeting was called following the morning worship service for the purpose of approving a loan application from the Tennessee Baptist Convention, in the amount of $40,000.   This loan, if granted, would be used to pay off current debts and the remainder, used to construct a new sanctuary.   Repayment of the loan would be over a period of 6 years, with payments of $300 per month.

On February 4, 1962, the church met in a special business session following the morning worship service to elect a building committee.   The committee was composed of three trustees:  Brother Keene, Brother Moos, and Brother Branson.   A building committee was composed of Brother Moos, Brother Clemens, Brother Edwards, and Mrs. Ray and Mrs, Creech, plus the Sunday School Superintendent, Brother Hollis Cryer, and one deacon, Brother Hand.   How Glorious is our God, who has brought His church from a tent to a sanctuary built from the scrap lumber piles of Wherry Housing, to this glorious day when we are ready to build our first new building---and all along the way, God has been leading this special family of believers!

On March 3, 1963, the church assembled once more in a special business session to consider three bids for a new A-frame sanctuary with a seating capacity of 300, two restrooms, two classrooms in the rear, and an office and library in the front.   This plan was unanimously approved by the church family.   Now, it was time to raise the money to retire this loan as soon as possible.   Thus, each fifth Sunday was designated as Building Fund Day, and all members were encouraged to give to the building fund above their regular tithe.   The church was ready to move forward in faith with the sure knowledge that God would provide all her needs.

Stones River Baptist has always been a people with a confident faith in God's provision as we once again witnessed in March of 1998, when we stepped out once more in faith and began construction on a new two-story educational building, and sanctuary renovation.   As has been true throughout our history, God not only provided, but provided abundantly the needs of his people.   To God be the glory for all things He has done!
~ Brother Ross ~