“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1
Founded on Faith (1989)
The story of Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church begins with a burden and a survey. In 1988, Bro. David Miller, then Director of Missions for the Little Red River Baptist Association, recognized a need for a Baptist church in the Tumbling Shoals community. A door-to-door survey confirmed what he had sensed — the people of this area needed a gospel witness.
Bro. Miller appealed to the churches of the association, and on January 18, 1989, First Baptist Church of Heber Springs voted to join Southside Baptist Church of Heber Springs in co-sponsoring a mission in Tumbling Shoals. In March 1989, for the purchase price of $20,000, the old Methodist church building was purchased as a meeting place.
On March 26, 1989, at 2:30 p.m., 86 people gathered for the inaugural service of the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Mission. Bro. David Miller delivered the message, and fourteen persons came forward pledging to form the nucleus of the new church body. Thus, Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church was born.
The church held its very first Sunday School and Worship on April 2, 1989, with 24 people in attendance. Col. Bob Edwards taught the adult class and Glenda Miller taught the children. And the Lord began to build His church.
Early Growth (1989–1995)
Bro. Kelly Weaver was called as pastor on June 5, 1989. By September, membership had reached 39, and the need for more space was already pressing. The church unanimously voted to purchase a double-wide mobile unit for $5,500 to serve as a fellowship hall and additional Sunday School space.
By December 24, 1989 — the Mission’s first observance of the Lord’s Supper — membership had grown to 44. The Lord was building His house.
In June 1990, 250 leaflets were distributed inviting children to the church’s first-ever Vacation Bible School. With Glenda Miller as director, VBS drew 86 enrolled. That July, the church voted unanimously to begin a Building Fund, committed from the start to the principle of “owing no one anything except to love one another.”
By September 1990, the mission had grown to 62 members and voted unanimously to constitute as a church. On October 28, 1990, Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church held its constituting service, with Dr. Larry Lewis, president of the Home Mission Board, as the speaker and Bro. Bill Williams singing “Holy Ground.”
Growth continued steadily. By May 1993, the time had come to build. Assisted by “Church in a Day Builders,” a 32 x 60 educational wing was added, housing the church offices, fellowship hall, Sunday School rooms, and kitchen. The building was dedicated on August 8, 1993 — debt-free.
Resident membership reached 162. In 1995, the church purchased additional property across the street, raising funds through a drive and paying cash. In October 1995, another addition was built, expanding auditorium seating by 48 — again, debt-free.
Bro. Kelly Weaver resigned in July 1995, having served the church through its founding years. Bro. Carel Norman, Director of Missions for the Little Red River Baptist Association, served as interim pastor.
A Season of Expansion (1996–2002)
On December 31, 1995, the church unanimously called Bro. Barry King as pastor. He preached his first sermon on February 4, 1996.
In July 1996, the church voted to designate every fifth Sunday offering to missions — a commitment that would define much of the church’s identity in the years ahead. Renovations in February 1997 converted the old auditorium to Sunday School space and transformed the fellowship hall into the new worship auditorium.
In March 1998, two morning worship services began to accommodate growing attendance. That same year, the first annual Expository Preaching Conference was held — a commitment to biblical preaching that continues to this day.
On June 17, 1998, the church voted unanimously to partner with International Church Planters (ICP). A groundbreaking ceremony and fish fry on October 11, 1998 launched construction of a new worship center across the street. Ten church members traveled to Quito, Ecuador in January 1999 — the first of many international mission trips.
By 2000, TSBC had become a mother church with services in Tumbling Shoals, Hopewell, and a new work launched in Heber Springs. Average attendance that December reached 385 across three Sunday services. The new worship center was completed and dedicated on August 26, 2001 — built entirely debt-free.
In October 2002, the Heber Springs Baptist Mission was granted its church charter and became Heber Springs Baptist Church. Bro. Barry King resigned in November 2002, having led the church through extraordinary growth, and later moved to England to continue gospel ministry.
Continuing the Work (2003–2014)
Bro. Bill Williams served as interim pastor through the transition. In February 2003, Nathan Xiques reported on six weeks of mission work in Nepal and was licensed to the ministry the following week.
Bro. Derek Westmoreland began as pastor on April 13, 2003, leading the church for nearly nine years. Under his leadership, the church’s outreach expanded significantly:
- In February 2007, TSBC held its first annual Wild Game Supper, drawing 175 people and providing an evangelistic opportunity for the community.
- In December 2009, the first Christmas Eve Meal was served to five families — a tradition that has since grown to serve over 90 people annually.
- In 2010, Bro. Derek challenged the congregation to raise $100,000 for a water project serving two villages in the Ecuadorian Andes. In six months, the church raised $100,756.76.
Bro. Derek resigned in November 2011, having accepted a call to Hopewell Baptist Church in Tennessee. Bro. Gary Xiques served faithfully as interim pastor beginning March 2012. That same year, the church purchased a bus and launched a bus ministry, and began serving Wednesday night suppers — a ministry that continues to welcome 20–25 children and youth alongside 20–25 adults each week.
The weekend of July 26–27, 2014, Bro. Brad Johnson preached in view of a call. Bro. Brad Johnson began as pastor on August 17, 2014. Bro. Brad resigned in September, 2021.
In March, 2022, the church called our current pastor, Bro. Mark Williams.
Reaching Our Community (2015–Present)
In June 2015, TSBC launched Totally Terrific Thursdays, a ministry to feed the community both spiritually and physically. Over the years, the church has sent home more than 1,100 food packs to families in need.
The church has also felt a growing burden for orphaned and foster children. Members have become foster parents, and the church has had the opportunity to be a church family to more than 20 foster children. In 2019, two families in the congregation were blessed to adopt.
Bro. Eric Smith was ordained to gospel ministry on February 26, 2016, and Jason Grenko was ordained on October 6, 2019.
A Legacy of Missions
From its earliest days, Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church has been a mission-minded congregation. Members have personally carried the gospel to 6 continents, 19 foreign nations, and 21 states — including Ecuador, Nepal, Kenya, Tanzania, South Korea, the Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, China, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and more.
The church’s campus, valued today at over $800,000, has been built and purchased entirely debt-free — a remarkable testimony to God’s faithfulness and the generosity of His people.
Pastoral History
| Pastor | Years Served |
|---|---|
| Bro. Kelly Weaver | June 1989 – July 1995 |
| Bro. Carel Norman (Interim) | August 1995 – January 1996 |
| Bro. Barry King | February 1996 – November 2002 |
| Bro. Bill Williams (Interim) | December 2002 – April 2003 |
| Bro. Derek Westmoreland | April 2003 – December 2011 |
| Bro. Gary Xiques (Interim) | March 2012 – July 2014 |
| Bro. Brad Johnson | August 2014 – September 2021 |
| Bro. Mark Williams | March 2022 – Present |
We are grateful for every person God has brought through these doors, every family He has built, and every soul He has reached through this congregation. Our greatest desire is to continue the work of sharing the gospel — locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally — until He returns.