Meet our staff
Darnelle Geralds
Secretary
Darnelle is a faithful member of FBC Tompkinsville and has served as a back-up secretary for several years here. She agreed to take on the full time position as the previous secretary decided to retire. She serves with a servant’s heart and is a blessing to this church.
Darnelle’s current title is Administrative Assistant and Financial Secretary for First Baptist Church, Tompkinsville, KY.
Deven Smith
Senior Pastor
Deven grew up in East Tennessee. Around the age of 11, the Lord called Deven to Himself by His grace, and he placed his faith in Christ. In high school, the Lord began to grow a desire and burden in his heart for preaching the Scriptures in pastoral ministry.
He and his wife, Leah, have been “dancing in the mine-fields” in marriage since 2008. They have six children (Titus, Lily, Hudson, Bonnie, Teddy, and Julia).
Deven began serving as Senior Pastor at FBC Tompkinsville in October of 2021. He holds a B.A. in Pastoral Theology and a M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. While studying at SBTS in Louisville, he and his wife were members of Clifton Baptist Church where he was a Pastoral Intern (2016-2017).
Chris Rushing
Worship and Youth Pastor
Bro.Chris Rushing was appointed to serve at First Baptist Church Tompkinsville as Worship and Youth Pastor in July 2012. Prior to that, he served as Worship Pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Columbia, TN.
He graduated from Williamson Christian College in 2010 with a B.S. degree in Worship and Music Leadership.
Bro. Chris has been happily married for 28 years to his wife, Jennifer. They have 3 children, one daughter in law, two sons in law and one grandchild.