FRANKLIN — For the first time in nearly 27 years, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board has hired a director of campus ministries.
Stacy Murphree, currently the Baptist collegiate minister at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, was announced Monday as the successor to Bill Choate to lead ministers at 23 Baptist Collegiate Ministries on campuses across Tennessee. Choate has served in the role since 1998 and announced his retirement earlier this year.
Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, said Murphree was a solid choice for the position.
“After a comprehensive, thoughtful and prayerful process that included a national search to find our next director of collegiate ministries,” Davis said, “the position was offered to and accepted by a stellar member of our TBMB team.”
Davis said the board had solid candidates from Texas to Georgia, including several well-qualified candidates from within Tennessee.
“Stacy’s character, competence, experience, temperament and professionalism gave us confidence in inviting her to provide servant leadership to this strategic Kingdom-advancing work,” he said. “She is a visionary leader. Having worked with Stacy for the last 15 years, I am excited about BCM work in Tennessee for years to come.”
Murphree began her career with TBMB in 2003, serving first as a ministry assistant, then as collegiate missions specialist before being named to lead the APSU BCM, where she has served for the past 15 years. Murphree is an APSU graduate and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
“I am excited to continue serving Tennessee Baptists in a new role,” Murphree said. “I’m thankful for the priority placed on reaching college students in Tennessee. Our TBMB vision is for every Tennessean to hear the gospel. Through BCM, our desire is for every college student to hear and know the gospel.”
Choate was enthusiastic about Murphree as his successor, saying she is a “well-respected ministry coach across collegiate life in the Southern Baptist Convention.”
“For over 20 years, Stacy has served Tennessee Baptists reaching and developing young adult leaders for the Kingdom,” he said. “She exhibits the best of leadership modeled by Tennessee Baptists through humility, experience and vision. I can’t begin to express the delight I sense in this important decision in the life of our organization.”
Larry Robertson, pastor of Hilldale Baptist Church in Clarksville near the APSU campus, said Murphree’s hiring is a win for collegiate ministries across Tennessee.
“I have witnessed her entire tenure at APSU,” he said. “She is the epitome of what we want leading our campus ministers here in Tennessee. We have seen students from our church graduate, go to APSU and get involved in BCM, and significantly grow in their faith under her leadership. Stacy has been a friend of local churches and supportive of our association.”
Robertson said one quality that stands out about Murphree is her preference to work behind the scenes.
“One thing I’ve noticed about Stacy is that she is not out front at events. She doesn’t feel the need to be seen,” he said. “She equips others to lead and lets them lead. She is training up disciples to become leaders and ministers.”
Murphree said one of the greatest joys of being a BCM minister is seeing the transformation of students as they navigate their way through college.
“One of the most unique aspects of BCM is leadership development,” she said. “It’s pretty incredible to meet a college freshmen who grows into a capable, confident leader; or to see a student come to know Christ then go on to serve on the mission field.”
Murphree grew up in Shelbyville where her parents, Steve and Diane Murphree, still reside. Her father is pastor of New Beginnings Baptist Church.
Murphree will begin her new responsibilities as director of campus ministries July 4 and will overlap with Choate before his retirement. B&R