Brandon Johns, senior pastor at Soddy Daisy First Baptist Church, is set to be nominated for a regional role during the Tennessee Baptists’ annual meeting in November.
During the meeting, delegates from churches elect a president, vice president and three regional vice presidents — one from each of the three grand divisions of the state — to lead the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
Matthew Daniel, senior pastor at First Baptist Church Whitwell, intends to nominate Johns, Daniel said. Daniel was talking to one of the men serving as one of the incumbent regional vice presidents when Johns’ name came up, Daniel said.
“I thought he’s in a unique position right now to be able to to fulfill this role and to be an encouragement to pastors in local associations in our region,” Daniel said in a phone call.
The regional vice president role was introduced during the 2025 annual meeting, and Shane Johnston of Notchey Creek Baptist Church in Madisonville was elected to the East Tennessee position, according to the Baptist Press. If Johns is elected, he will be the second pastor to serve in the position.
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Though Johns and Daniel belong to different associations — Johns to the Hamilton County Baptist Association and Daniel to the Sequatchie Valley Baptist Association — they’ve been able to work in ministry together and develop a friendship, Daniel said. Johns’ ability to build bridges between communities is part of the reason Daniel decided to nominate him for the regional vice president role, he said.
“He has already been involved at the state level for so long, but also, too, in his local community there in Soddy-Daisy and at the local association level,” Daniel said. “He seeks out genuine friendships with people no matter who they are, whether it’s in ministry or not.”
Johns has been senior pastor at Soddy Daisy First Baptist Church for seven years, has served as moderator for the Hamilton County Baptist Association and was on the search committee when the association was looking for a new director of missions in 2025. In an interview at his office, Johns said he believes churches work best when they work together.
“At first, it made me nervous because I don’t consider myself to be thought of like those guys have thought of me, but I really appreciate it,” Johns said. “It’s really humbling, and I’m super excited that if this is God’s will, I get to serve guys in that capacity.”
The vote will take place at the annual meeting at the Sevierville Convention Center, set for Nov. 16-17, according to the Baptist and Reflector.
“One beautiful thing that we have in Southern Baptist life is the beauty of cooperation and the fact that we’re on mission together, and Brandon is somebody that embodies that,” Daniel said. “And for our region of Tennessee, from in the Greater Chattanooga area … to the Johnson City area, he would represent our area of our state well in Tennessee Baptist life.”
Contact faith and family editor Kailee Shores at kshores@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.