About Us

The Fairview Baptist Church began as an afternoon Sunday School for the Fairview community. Those meetings were organized and conducted by two men, Mr. Harry Johnson, Sr. and Mr. Gene Cox from the First Baptist Church of Athens, Tennessee. The classes were held in a building owned by the Holston Methodist Conference that had been vacated in the late 1940's. These classes continued from the early 1950's to the official organization of the church. Mr. Johnny Powell, his wife, Nell, and their three daughters were key participants, along with involvement from the Patterson and Slack families who made their homes in the Fairview community.

From its inception, the church was declared to be an independent Baptist church with a strong belief in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures and the mandate of the great commission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Wednesday night, September 9, 1953 the following believers met for the purpose of organizing a local church. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. William F. Patterson, Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. William H. Patterson; Mr. and Mrs. John Patterson; and Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Shock. A motion was made that the proposed church be named Fairview Baptist Church. On November 22, during the Sunday morning worship service, those desiring to be charter members of the Fairview Baptist Church gathered at the front for a dedication prayer.

On Sunday afternoon, December 6, 1953, at two o'clock, a public recognition service was held for the Fairview Baptist Church. Rev. Charles Shock was called as the church's first pastor.

The church remained in the white-framed building, originally acquired from the Holsten Methodist Conference, from 1953 until 1970. The first parsonage was built on a half acre lot joining Earl Easter's property on Fairview Road approximately 1/10 mile west of the church.

Charles Shock was pastor at Fairview for approximately seven and a half years. Hafford Sharp was called on March 3, 1961, and remained as pastor for the next three years. Bob Kelley served the church as pastor beginning April 4, 1964, for two years and was replaced by Steve Byrd on October 2, 1966. Both Bob Kelley and Steve Byrd were students at Tennessee Temple Schools during their tenure. Marion Stanley accepted the pastorate on July 28, 1968. Under the leadership of Pastor Stanley, a church auditorium and Sunday School wing were completed and dedicated in 1970 at a cost of just under $70,000.00. Ray Womac became pastor on September 19, 1971, and stayed in that position for a little more than one year.

On the first Sunday in September 1973, Pastor Jack Scallions began his ministry. In the spring of 1974, Mr. J.M. Ware donated to the church his 150-acre farm on Clay Hill Road. It was his wish that the property be used for a camp ministry similar to Camp Joy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Since that time, the property has been developed to include eight cabins, a lodge building with a full kitchen, dining and chapel facilities, bathhouses, a 20 X 40 ft. swimming pool and acres of playing fields. Camp Fairview has operated since its inception for 12 weeks in the summer with an estimated 700-1000 campers attending each year. In 2004, a missionary house on the property was completed by the men of the Fairview Baptist Church.

The first floor of an educational building was constructed in 1977, and Fairview Baptist Church started a Christian academy that same year named the McMinn Christian Academy, later to be renamed the Fairview Christian Academy. The building was expanded in the early 80's to include a second floor. (See History of FCA). The first parsonage was sold and a split foyer home was built adjacent to the church on a one-acre lot purchased from John Patterson in 1975.

The parsonage was deeded to Pastor Scallions in September 2001 in recognition of twenty-eight years of service to the church. The church also purchased an additional twelve acres of property from the Henry Russell estate to add to the present property extending the land holdings of the church to the railroad tracks on the east.

A family life center/gymnasium was constructed in the late 80's giving an additional 12, 000 square feet of recreational area with 4,000 sq. ft. of classroom and office space.

The Fairview Baptist Church became debt-free in 1995 and has remained so to date. Paved parking areas around the church and in front of the gym were added in 2002 giving spaces for a hundred plus vehicles. A fellowship hall/dining hall was dedicated on May 21, 2000.

In March 2005, the church purchased the house and one acre lot adjacent to the property on the west. The house was constructed in the 60's by J.R. Queen and shares the church entrance drive. In the fall of the same year, the remaining ten acres on the west side of the church was acquired from the Mayfield estate, bringing the church's on-site acreage to over thirty.

Site preparation began in the summer of 2005 for the construction of a 16,000 square foot auditorium complex. This building houses a 500-seat auditorium and 4,000 ft. of classroom and office space. Construction was completed in May 2009 debt-free.

A Spanish ministry was started in 2005, and Carlos Mauricio was called as the first Spanish pastor. The church presently supports 89 missionaries. Fairview remains strongly evangelistic with converts and baptisms routinely seen.

In November 2016, a tornado extensively damaged the main auditorium and damaged the other four buildings beyond repair. Repairs to the main auditorium were completed in May of 2017. In April 2018, construction began on a new 36,000 square foot educational facility. 

On January 1st of 2019, Pastor Jack Scallions was promoted to the role of Pastor Emeritus, after serving faithfully for 45 years as Senior Pastor. He continues to serve in many aspects of the church, school, camp, and radio ministries. On that same day, Pastor Matt Herrell began his role of Senior Pastor of our church. The Fairview Christian Academy welcomed its students and staff into the newly completed educational building for the 2019-2020 school year. Over the next three years, a new boy's and new girl's cabin were erected on the Camp Fairview property. These new buildings enable the camp to host more campers each week. 

Under the leadership of Pastor Herrell, the church continues to focus on the goals of glorifying our Savior by reaching Athens, TN with the Gospel and supporting the work of missionaries doing the same around the world.