Sunnyside Baptist Church sits on Cooks Valley Road in Kingsport, Tennessee, in the rolling Sullivan County countryside just east of the Tri-Cities. The church has been gathering in this community since 1947, when a small group of fourteen charter members started meeting in the old Sunnyside School Building. Today the congregation is a multi-generational Southern Baptist fellowship known for its blended worship, an unusually deep children's ministry, a glow-in-the-dark puppet team, and a steady stream of family-friendly events that draw people from across the region.
A Dream Over the Sunnyside Community
The story of Sunnyside began with a vision. In early 1947, the Rev. Jack Campbell dreamed that a large red ball burst over the Sunnyside Community, which he understood as a sign to start a church. Neighbors in the community caught the same vision. Mr. E. Hooven donated the lot for the new church site. That spring, Rev. Campbell and Grant Greene approached Lewis Chase, superintendent of Sullivan County Schools, for permission to use the old Sunnyside School Building for Sunday School. The first meetings began that June, held at 2 p.m. so Rev. Campbell could still preach at the other churches he served. On September 14, 1947, fourteen people gathered as the charter members of Sunnyside Baptist Church.
Eight pastors have shepherded the congregation since that first Sunday. Rev. Jack Campbell served from 1947 to 1957, followed by Rev. Milburn Morelock (1958 to 1960), Rev. Joe Pittman (1962 to 1966), Rev. Gary Jennings (1967 to 1971), and Rev. Richard Ratliff (1972 to 1988). Dr. Jack C. Parrott led the church from 1989 until 2006, and Dr. Roy D. Graves pastored from 2007 to 2019. Dr. Bill Sims became the current pastor in 2021.
The Ratliff Auditorium, one of the church's main children's spaces, still carries the name of the long-tenured Rev. Ratliff, a reminder of how much of Sunnyside was shaped during his sixteen years at the pulpit.
Sunday Rhythms at 406 Cooks Valley Road
The Sunday schedule is built around three main gatherings. Sunday School for every age begins at 9:15 AM, with classes for children from nursery through fifth grade, a youth class, and adult classes for men, women, married couples, and senior adults. The 10:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship service is the heart of the week. Music is a blend of hymns and contemporary worship songs so that longtime members and first-time visitors can each find a way to join in. A 6:00 PM Sunday Evening Worship gives the congregation a second opportunity to gather around preaching and praise during the week.
On Wednesdays the building comes alive again. At 6:30 PM a whole range of activities start at once, including the GROW Kids discipleship program for ages two through fifth grade and the Rise Students midweek service for youth. Adult Bible studies and other ministries meet the same evening, and at 8:30 PM the College and Career group, known as The Table, gathers in the youth building for fellowship, worship, and group discussion.
Services are livestreamed on YouTube, so members who are traveling, sick, or serving elsewhere can stay connected. A library of past sermons is also kept on the YouTube channel for catch-up viewing.
Pastor Bill Sims and the Staff Team
Dr. Bill Sims is a husband, father, grandfather, and pastor who has served as a senior pastor since 1986. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Psychology from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has lectured on preaching and evangelism at Belmont College and Blue Mountain College and has contributed to Lifeway publications. He and his wife Nancy, his high school sweetheart, met in the church nursery as children, and the couple have two adult children and three grandchildren. His life verse is Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of GOD, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
He is joined by Don Bates, who serves as Music and Outreach Pastor; Ryan Neal, the Youth and Missions Pastor; and Tammy Rogers, the Children's Director. Sydney Bowman coordinates the Nursery ministry. Together the team leads the congregation's ministry to children, students, and adults across the Tri-Cities.
What We Believe
Sunnyside Baptist Church affirms the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God and the basis for its beliefs. The congregation subscribes to the doctrinal statement of The Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Members voluntarily commit themselves together as a body of baptized believers personally committed to sharing the good news of salvation. The two ordinances of the church are believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper.
The stated vision is "to reach the Tri-Cities with the Gospel and see lives changed to the glory of God." The purpose is to bring people to Jesus and membership in His family, to develop them to Christ-like maturity, and to meet the needs of people in the community. Four objectives spell out that calling: to be a dynamic spiritual body empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ, to be a worshipping fellowship responding to God's leadership, to minister unselfishly in the community and around the world, and to be Christ-like in daily living, magnifying Jesus through worship, discipleship, evangelism, ministry, and fellowship.
Sunnyside Kids: From Nursery to Fifth Grade
The children's ministry is one of the most extensive parts of the church. The vision is to partner with parents in guiding children into a personal relationship with Christ and actively discipling them to carry out God's mission for their lives. The goal is that others come to Christ through them.
From the moment a child arrives, the staff tries to connect them with age-appropriate, engaging, scriptural teaching. Every adult volunteer has been trained and background-checked, and there is a secure check-in process for each classroom. A sick-child policy is published so that families know when to keep children home.
The nursery serves children from birth through age two for every service. Hours are 9:00 to 11:30 AM on Sunday mornings, 6:00 to 7:00 PM on Sunday evenings when evening services are held, and 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday evenings. Parents remain on campus during nursery care. Each child receives a unique security tag at check-in, and parents receive a matching tag for pick-up. A text is sent to the parent's phone if the nursery staff needs to reach them. A small pre-packaged snack is offered to toddlers, and parents are encouraged to share any allergy concerns.
Sunday School classes at 9:15 AM are organized by age. There are classes for nursery, preschool, kindergarten, grades 1 to 2, grades 3 to 5 girls, grades 3 to 4 boys, and fifth-grade boys. Each class teaches scripture in simple ways that connect to a child's life at home and at school, using pictures, crafts, coloring, and the Bible.
During the 10:30 AM worship service, children ages three through fifth grade are dismissed to Sunnyvale and Kids' Church. Preschoolers gather in Sunnyvale, the children's play area built like a tiny town, for thirty minutes of worship including a Bible lesson, review time, and play. Kindergarten through fifth graders meet in the Ratliff Auditorium for a worship service of their own, then move to the Family Life Center for game time.
Jesus Praise Crew, the children's choir for ages three through second grade, meets at 5:00 PM on Sunday evenings. The children sing, sign, and learn to lead in worship throughout the year, taking part in special services and seasonal events.
GROW Kids on Wednesday Nights
GROW Kids is the church's midweek discipleship program for children ages two through fifth grade, meeting on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 PM in the Family Life Center during the school year. The program follows the Sullivan County Schools calendar and is built around weekly sessions of scripture memorization, worship, Bible teaching, and game time. Each month the children take on a mission project with a quarterly Family Mission Outreach.
Four groups meet during the year. Seeds is for two- and three-year-olds, Sprouts for three- and four-year-olds, Buds for kindergarten through second grade, and Roots for third through fifth grade. The name GROW comes from "God Receives Our Worship," and the key verse is 2 Peter 3:18, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Each unit of the year is built around a theme, and the year typically runs from August through early December and resumes after the holidays.
GLO Puppets, Glow-in-the-Dark Gospel, and the Candy Walk
Few things identify Sunnyside more than its GLO Puppet Ministry. The team is an outreach program made up of youth in grades one through twelve, plus college and career young adults. Their puppet team travels to local churches, preschools, nursing homes, and wherever else God opens a door, presenting shows that range from heartwarming Christmas dramas to full glow-in-the-dark musical adventures.
Recent performances include Creation Crawler, an underwater glow-in-the-dark puppet show musical; The Light on Main Street, a Christmas play about Jesus as the Light of the world; and A Donkey, A Sheep, and the Savior, a children's musical written by Lydia McMullins, with music led by Natalie Neal and direction assistance from Angie Helvey. Each Christmas the GLO team kicks off Candy Palooza, the church's indoor Halloween alternative, with a blacklight Gospel presentation before families head through the church for a candy walk-through. The first two hundred children through the door receive special treat bags.
The GLO team also anchors the annual Easter Egg Hunt with a Gospel presentation, then leads families into age-specific egg hunts, including a quiet hunt area designed for children who need a more relaxed environment.
Rise Students and Kingdom Weekends
The youth ministry is called Rise Students. The name comes from the idea of coming to know Jesus as an upward and onward calling, rising above a culture that drifts toward apathy and degeneracy. Before Christ, the Bible teaches that we are spiritually dead; through the blood of Jesus, sinners are risen to a new life. The group's anchoring verse is 2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight," and they are quick to say that the verse is something they seek to live out, not just a slogan.
On Sundays, Rise Students meets at 9:15 AM for Bible study in a small-group setting, then joins the regular worship service at 10:30. Wednesday nights at 6:30 are the youth midweek gathering in the youth building, with a focus on opening God's Word, food, and games. The vibe is laid-back, with snacks most weeks and full meals on special occasions.
One of the highlights of the youth calendar is Kingdom Weekend, the church's Disciple Now weekend. Rise Students meets with nine other church youth groups from across the Tri-Cities at First Baptist Church in Kingsport for mission projects, preaching, worship, and two overnights in host homes. Other youth traditions include the 33 The Series Authentic Manhood Retreat, held in the youth building with supper and breakfast included, and the annual trip to the Passion Conference in Atlanta.
The Table on Wednesday Nights
College and Career students have their own corner of the church called The Table. The group meets twice a week. On Sunday mornings at 9:15 they gather for Bible study, and on Wednesday nights at 8:30 PM they meet for The Table itself, a time of fellowship, worship, and group discussion in the youth building. The motto is "Come as you are."
James and Cassie lead the ministry with a focus on building relationships through genuine love and on teaching young adults the Word of God so that they are firmly rooted in their faith as they graduate and start their careers. Discipleship here is built around pursuing a love for God, seeking the characteristics of Christ, serving and worshipping Jesus, and engaging in mission and outreach.
The Table is known for its social calendar. Past gatherings have included a cabin retreat Bible study, a Christmas party at Hoovanna Barn, the Shine Ministry gift baskets for first responders, a Thanksgiving meal for hospital nurses, a weekly after-church fellowship dinner, an end-of-summer beach trip, Friendsgiving, and a progressive dinner Christmas party.
Adults in Every Season
Adult ministries are organized into four tracks: Mature, Men, Women, and Married Couples. The goal is to get every adult - single, single again, married, or senior - connected into a life group that will stimulate, educate, and cultivate Christian character. Anchoring the adult ministry is the verse from Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Sunday School at 9:15 AM is the main entry point, with smaller Bible studies, classes, and groups meeting throughout the week.
UPWARD Basketball and Cheerleading brings the church and the wider community together each winter and early spring. Practices begin in late November and the first games tip off in January. Evaluations are scheduled in early November, with registration closing the first of November.
Mom's Day Out is a daytime program for mothers and their young children that has become its own ministry. Registration is handled through the church office.
Care: Grief Share, Rapha, and Prayer
The Care ministries at Sunnyside meet people in some of life's hardest moments. Grief Share is a support group for those walking through the loss of a loved one. Rapha is a ministry for those facing illness, brokenness, or other deep hurts, named for the Hebrew word often translated "heal." Warren Searby serves as Financial and Rapha Administrator, helping to keep that ministry running.
Prayer is a thread that runs through everything. The church invites anyone to send prayer requests online, and the staff commits to praying for each one. The prayer ministry's verse is Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for the saints."
Shoeboxes, Mission Giving, and the World Beyond Kingsport
Sunnyside takes seriously the call to take the gospel beyond its own walls. Three denominational mission offerings shape the church's giving calendar. Annie Armstrong supports North American missions, Lottie Moon supports international missions through the International Mission Board, and Samaritan's Purse opens the door to hands-on relief and evangelism around the world.
Operation Christmas Child is one of the church's most visible partnerships. Each year the children's ministry, the Awana program, and the wider congregation pack shoeboxes to bless children in need around the world. The church collects items year-round, with a different category featured each month. Items can be dropped in barrels in the Kids' Welcome Center and in the hallway outside the sanctuary near the restrooms. For those who cannot shop, online shoeboxes can be packed for thirty dollars with shipping included.
Music ministry is woven through the mission of the church. Concerts are a regular part of the calendar, including visits from the Lifelong Quartet and the Mylon Hayes Family. The Music and Outreach Pastor coordinates musical worship across services and special events.
A Year on the Calendar
Beyond the weekly rhythms, the church runs a full annual calendar of seasonal events that bring the wider Kingsport community through its doors. Spring brings the Easter Egg Hunt with its GLO Puppet Gospel presentation and age-group egg hunts, and the annual Baby and Child Dedication Day, when families commit to raising their children in the Lord. Spring also includes the Princess and Superhero Party for nursery through first grade, and CPR and First Aid Training for parents and volunteers.
Summer is packed with camps. Vacation Bible School in early June serves children from age two through eighth grade, including a class for children with special needs and an adult VBS option. Sports camps include Basketball Shooter Camp for grades three through eight, Volleyball Boot Camp for kindergarten through eighth grade, and the Gospel Color Run, a free one-mile color run designed to celebrate the gospel together as a family. Overnight Kids Camp at Camp Placid in Blountville and Kids Summer Camp at Camp One in Eidson round out the summer.
Fall brings UPWARD Basketball and Cheerleading, with registration in October and November, the Candy Palooza on Halloween night, and the Morning on the McMullins' Farm, a fall family event at a local farm. Advent and Christmas fill December with the Happy Birthday Jesus Party, the children's musical performance, the GLO Puppet Christmas show, and family-friendly gatherings that point back to the reason for the season. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is highlighted during this season, and families are invited to bring a small donation as a birthday gift for Jesus.
Through every season, the church's heartbeat is the same: to reach the Tri-Cities with the gospel and to see lives changed to the glory of God.