Glen Oak Missionary Baptist Church sits on East Oklahoma Avenue in Knoxville, Tennessee, just east of the downtown core. The congregation meets in a facility it purchased in 1977, and the week revolves around three steady rhythms: Sunday School and worship on Sunday morning, a second gathering on Wednesday night, and a Wednesday food pantry that opens its doors before the service begins. Members describe the church as one built on sound doctrine, unity, and a welcome that doesn't depend on a person's background or circumstances.
From Washburn Street to Glen Oak
The church's name carries a piece of its history. It was originally formed around 1952 as Washburn Street Baptist Church. In 1977, when the congregation purchased the building it still uses today, the fire department would not allow the church to keep its original name at the new location. Pastor Bill Romines responded by combining two pieces of the church's story: "Glen" from Glenwood Baptist Church, the previous owner of the building, and "Oak" from Oklahoma Avenue, the street it now faces. The result, Glen Oak, has described the church ever since.
Pastor Danny Scates, who currently shepherds the congregation, frames the foundation this way: "coming together as the body of Christ and expecting people to be people, and letting God be the transformation in their lives." The church treats that conviction as both pastoral and missional, leaning on passages such as Matthew 16:15 and Matthew 11:28 to define its welcome.
Sunday Mornings
Sunday School begins at 10:00 a.m. with classes for every age group. Nursery care is available for newborns through age two and is located downstairs near the kitchen. Toddlers ages three to five gather in their own class, while children ages six to ten meet for Children's Church. Middle school and high school students attend their own graded classes from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m., and college students and young adults meet at 10:00 a.m. as well.
The Sunday morning worship service begins at 11:00 a.m. and is offered both in person and online. The service is described as Spirit-led, with the freedom to worship in spirit and truth, supported by a team of vocalists and musicians.
Wednesday Nights
Wednesdays bring a second gathering. The midweek service begins at 7:00 p.m. and is also streamed online. Children meet for GO Kids from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., and youth gather at the same hour. Middle school students meet separately at 6:30 p.m. The result is a building full of overlapping classrooms and conversations, with the food pantry already finishing up by the time the children's workers arrive.
Heaven's Harvest Food Pantry
The church's most visible community outreach is Heaven's Harvest, a food pantry that opens every Wednesday from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m. Pickup is located at the back entrance of the church. The ministry frames itself with Matthew 25:35: "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in." Food is not delivered, and the pantry closes when weather or other circumstances make it unsafe to open.
The pantry publishes seasonal wish lists to help donors keep it stocked. Summer needs include small nail clippers, body wash, deodorant, combs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sunscreen, ponchos, feminine products, emery boards, wet wipes, and washcloths. Winter needs shift toward toboggans, gloves, scarves, hand and body warmers, shoe warmers, emergency blankets, sleeping bags, backpacks, and two-person tents.
Children and Students
Children's ministry is organized by age, and a long list of volunteer pairs staff the classrooms on Sundays. Sheila and Sierra, Christy and Jennifer, Tillery and Chelsea, Renee and Destiny, Maleah and Luke, Donna, Kendra, and Kaylee, and Haleigh and Joshua rotate through the toddler and Children's Church rooms, with a nursery coordinator still to be named.
The youth ministry is led by Tyler Bowlin and Sierra Hucklebee. Tyler was saved at age nine on April 23, 2009, and Sierra at twenty-one on March 6, 2022. Their aim is to help students build a solid foundation in the faith and follow Christ beyond Sunday mornings. High school students meet Sundays at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., grounding their teaching in Romans 10:9.
Middle school students, grades six through eight, are taught by Tyler and Samantha Rhodes. The couple has worked with the church's children since 2020 and married in 2022 before launching the middle school class. Samantha graduated from Liberty University with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in Christian counseling. The class meets Sundays from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., and is built around 2 Peter 3:18: growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.
College students and young adults are led by Jonathan and Tiffany King. Both attended Clear Creek Baptist Bible College; Tiffany holds an A.A. and Jonathan a B.A. in Church Ministry. Their class meets Sundays at 10:00 a.m., with Wednesday times that vary by week. Recommended study tools include Logos, Olive Tree, and STEP Bible.
Adult Sunday School
Charlie Hucklebee teaches one of the adult Sunday School classes, designed for adults beyond the college years. The class communicates through a GroupMe conversation, and Hucklebee frames the class around Hebrews 10:24-25: stirring one another toward love and good works, and not giving up on gathering together. Senior adult ministry is shared between Allen Inmann and Richard Killen.
Beliefs and Covenant
The church's mission statement is short and direct: "We believe God's word is inspired and infallible. It is the only book written to literally change the heart of man." Members have also adopted a written church covenant that walks through the ordinary marks of a Christian community: walking together in love, supporting worship and a faithful ministry, contributing cheerfully, maintaining family devotion, religiously educating children, watching over one another's reputations, seeking reconciliation quickly when offense arises, and uniting with another church as soon as possible when moving away.
Leadership and Staff
Pastor Danny Scates leads the church. The deacon board includes Robert Nicely, Richard Beeler, Alan Inman, Kenny Bales, Rick Cole, Bill Liford, James Harper, Tony Witt, and Billy Karras. The trustee board is made up of Jimmy Jones, Paul Arnwine, and Kenny Hayes. The Benevolence Committee is chaired by Susy Strange and Tammy Palmer. James and Jennifer Harper oversee the food pantry. Jonathan King and Nick Johansen handle media and IT.
The music ministry is led by vocalists Charlotte Blankenship, Carol Hayes, Mary Sanders, Pete Bradley, and Tori Grindstaff, with musicians David Grindstaff and Kevin Beeler. Susy Strange also coordinates the prayer and text line.
Giving and Staying Connected
Tithes and donations can be made online through the church's giving page. Services are livestreamed on YouTube, and the church maintains a Facebook page and an Instagram feed under the name "glenoakbaptist." A calendar of upcoming activities is posted.