History

The Pastorate of Dr. R. Paul Caudill
1944-1975

Dr. R. Paul Caudill

Still reeling from the shock of Dr. Bateman's untimely death and, like the rest of the nation, occupied with the war raging overseas that saw many of its members called up to service, the church called Dr. R. Paul Caudill to become its pastor in 1944. His influence was recognized early on when he spoke to the nation over the Columbia Broadcasting System's Church of the Air program in 1945, and the Baptist Hour in 1946. He presided over monumental growth in membership, buildings and influence. It was under his leadership that the church began the first of three building programs (1951, Sanctuary and North Educational Building; 1959, Chapel and South Educational Building and 1964, Family Life Center) at its present site. Dr. Caudill distinguished himself in leadership as chairman of the Relief Committee of the Baptist World Alliance, composed of 40 members from 17 nations, from 1947-1960 and served as an ambassador for Christ on numerous missions trips during his pastorate that would take him from Chile to Africa to countries behind the Iron Curtain, and which he wrote about in his book, A Minister Looks at His World, one of many he would write. Keenly interested in the Laubach Literacy Movement and its relationship to the spread of the Gospel, he helped establish the Memphis Literacy Council. He was also instrumental in beginning outreach work among the Chinese and deaf citizens of Memphis, and of the Juvenile Court and prison ministries. In addition to organizing the Ellendale and Graham Heights missions, which eventually became churches in their own right, the church built 24 chapels in Africa and one chapel to serve Native American worshippers in the Great Plains, named in honor of Dr. A.U. Boone.

November 29, 1951 Memphis Press-Scimitar

He served as president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 1957 and preached the annual convention sermon in 1959 when the Southern Baptist Convention met in Louisville on the centennial of Southern Seminary. He also served as chaplain for the day for the U.S. House of Representatives and chaplain for the day at the Pentagon. Upon his retirement in 1975, he had served the second-longest pastorate in the church's history. As pastor emeritus, Dr. Caudill would continue his close association with First Baptist Church and would continue to serve the Lord until his death in 2002.

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