About
Green Pond Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist Church in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee in Hamilton County.
Founded in 1909, Green Pond Baptist Church has been a part of the community for over a century. Our mission is to share the message of God’s love and his promise of salvation. Our church offers a place for the community to come together for worship and fellowship.
Pastor Rick Smith and wife Kim are devoted to serving the will of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Along with church leadership they are committed to fulfilling the church mission.
We have a strong focus on our Youth. Youth Directors Dillon & Alissa Bayless with the help of other youth leadership have grown the Youth program in recent years. Construction of a new Youth Building was completed in December 2022. Upon its completion an Upward Basketball program was started for our youth, including children from the surrounding community.
We welcome you to come visit and see what God is doing in our church. For more information click the Contact us button.
Church History
In 1909 a church service began in a brush arbor and tent. Later a church was built a short distance from Mary Horne’s front yard. W.A. and Winnie McCormick permitted the use of their property for the church services. The McCormick property, at this time, was in one parcel because the old route of Dallas Hollow Rd. was not where it is today. The McCormick’s lived in a house which would now be located on the Smith property across the road on the corner.
On June 12, 1923, W. A. and Winnie McCormick wrote a deed so a school could be operated in the church and obtain financial help from the county. The church was then used as both church and school. In 1924 the school was terminated, leaving a church only. The area was nicknamed Green Gond because there was a large pond of water behind the church building and the church was painted green. This is the only account available as to the reason for the name of this church and area.
Jay. C. Christian became pastor of the church around 1940 and their first piano was purchased from Manor Music with payments of $1.00 per week. Pastors during this era, in the first church building where as follows: Ab Stancil, Rusaw Franklin, Bob Talley, James Turpin, Hiram Horne, Bill Ford and Boots Ballenger.
On October 4, 1942 the church was organized as a Foot Washing Baptist Church. Lawrence young was pastor at that time
About 1950 Luther Brown became pastor, a new church was constructed in the mid 50’s.
There were no bathrooms and heat was provided by wood and coal heater in the front of the church. Windows were raised in the summer. In 1970 the church was bricked, and in the mid 70’s pastor Brown left and began a new church in Dayton, Tennessee.
January 1981, Clankston Freeman became pastor. In October 1985, Pastor Freeman became the church’s full time salaried pastor. He was a humble servant of the Lord, and strong leadership was the key to his accomplishments.
The church was remodeled in 1983 and central heat and air was installed at that time. Construction for the Fellowship Hall was completed in 1985, with time and labor freely given by the church members.
In 1988 a 15-passenger van was purchased. Remodeling of the church started in 1992, extending the front of the church, raising the ceiling, and adding four new classrooms downstairs. The dedication ceremony was held in March 1993.
Construction began on the baptistry in June 1993. The first baptism was held on Sunday, August 7th, 1993, and Amanda Shipp (granddaughter of John and Judy Coffet) was the first person to be baptized by Pastor Freeman.
Clankston Freeman resigned because of medical reasons in March of 2011. After serving approximately 30 years as a Pastor, Wilburn Hardyman became Pastor in August of 2011. After 6+ years of service, he resigned in November 2017 for medical issues. After several prayers and seeking the Lord for guidance Rick Smith was voted in as Pastor in January 2018.
Church Covenant
Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating drinks as beverages; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules our Savior to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s word.