Serving Nashville Baptists
For Over 125 Years!
Over one hundred years ago, the pastors of thirteen churches in and around the city of Nashville found themselves increasingly challenged by the demands of evangelism and ministry in Middle Tennessee as well as a desire to reach the nations for Christ. Individually, the churches were ministering faithfully, but it became increasingly obvious that they could accomplish more together. In May of 1900, these churches began having conversations about the possibility of forming a local association. As they convened, prayed and collaborated, a vision for a network of Churches was shaped. On October 26, 1900, the Nashville Baptist Association was born.
Vision
Every church taking their next step in faithful obedience to Christ’s mission to make and multiply disciples.
Mission
The Nashville Baptist Association is a coalition of like minded, autonomous churches, advancing the gospel in greater Nashville, Middle Tennessee and the World.
Team
Bob Bickford
Executive Director
Bob is a passionate church renewal advocate. He has served in a variety of ministry positions, including replanting a church in suburban St. Louis where he pastored for nine years.
He served as the Associate Director of Replant for the North American Mission Board, created a national strategy for church renewal used by Southern Baptist Associations and was the architect of the Resound Network for the Missouri Baptist Convention. He is the author of, Am I a Replanter?, Pathways to Partnership, and the Associational Replanting Guide; writes regularly at bobbickford.com; and contributes to other church renewal journals, websites, and training.
He and his wife have three adult children and five grandchildren. They make their home in East Nashville where they are members at Kings Cross.
Brett Boesch
Engagement Strategist
Brett was born on the bayous of South Louisiana. He studied Computer Science at LSU. Geaux Tigers! After graduation he felt called to serve overseas, first in East Africa, then the Middle East and Central Asia. He and his wife, Tina, served for nineteen years overseas. They both did graduate studies at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. He has experience as a youth pastor and an associate pastor in the States. They moved to Nashville in 2020, and he started with the Nashville Baptist Association in 2021 working with the ethnic churches of the association. He now serves as the Connection Strategist, developing networks of partnerships between the churches. When not eating lunch with our ethnic pastors at some of the best international restaurants in town, you might find him kayaking on Old Hickory in Hendersonville.
Brett, Tina, and their three kids are members of the Church at Woodbine, where they both teach Sunday school and Brett serves as a deacon.
Gary Morgan
Church Planting Strategist
Gary is a speaker, coach, church planter, and church planting strategist with the dream to inspire and encourage ordinary followers of Jesus to live as missionaries in the places they live, work, and play.
In his role at the NBA, he provides leadership, oversight and direction in a collaborative effort to advance the Gospel through church planting in greater Nashville.
Gary and his wife, Johni, moved into Nashville over 20 years ago. Today, they live in downtown Nashville. They love the doing life with the downtown community and enjoy getting to know the stories of those living and working in the city.
Gary and Johni have two daughters who make Brooklyn, NY home.
Gary serves as the church planter pastor of Story Nashville.
Nik Lingle
Renewal Strategist
Nik Lingle serves as Renewal Strategist for the Nashville Baptist Association, where he helps churches in every stage of life pursue health and vitality. In this role, Nik develops resources and training for pastors, leads a cohort of renewal leaders, and walks alongside congregations navigating revitalization and strategic planning.
Nik spent the past twenty years in local church ministry and currently serves as lead pastor of Westwood Baptist Church in Nashville. His experience in preaching, leadership, and shepherding informs his passion for equipping pastors and strengthening churches across Middle Tennessee.
Nik and his wife make their home in Nashville with their two children. When he’s not working with churches, he enjoys camping with his family, perfecting his pour-over coffee, and exploring new ways to support gospel ministry in the city.
Randy Howell
Operations Manager & Ministry Support
Randy has a passion for serving churches through administration, helping the gospel go out unhindered. His goal is to assist NBA churches increase their efficiencies and establish organizational processes that allow them to do their best work for the Kingdom.
Originally from Northeast Pennsylvania, Randy graduated from Cedarville University in 2016 with degrees in Environmental Science and Biology. After graduation he worked as a field biologist in North Dakota. But in 2018, he began to hear God’s call to ministry so he transitioned into serving as a youth director in 2018 for almost 2 years. In 2020, the Lord led Randy to pursue further training for ministry at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, where he also met his wife, Allyson. They married in 2022. Randy later completed his Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2024.
Following graduation, Randy and Allyson moved to Nashville in the spring of 2025, where they became members at Edgefield Church. At home, Randy enjoys baking—especially muffins and puff pastries—and spending time with their German shepherd mix, who keeps them on their toes.
Partners
The Southern Baptist Convention
The SBC is a collection of like-minded churches working in cooperation with one another to impact the whole world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The International Mission Board
The International Mission Board (IMB) is the international missions task force of the Southern Baptist Convention. The NBA partners with the IMB in a number of different ways to assist member churches developing a sending culture and to further participate in the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
The North American Mission Board
The North American Mission Board (NAMB) facilitates missions endeavors in the United States and Canada for Southern Baptist Churches. The NBA partners with NAMB to plant churches, train and equip church planters, encourage evangelism, and coordinate Disaster Relief efforts of our member churches.
Tennessee Baptist Mission Board
The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is a network of churches across the state, partnering together to advance the Gospel, engage in mercy ministries and provide relief to those in need.
Diaspora Missions Collective
The DMC seeks to equip Southern Baptist churches and entities in their awareness, understanding, and engagement of diaspora peoples as they embrace their responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission both locally and globally.
Begin Anew
Empowering individuals to overcome the obstacles caused by poverty by providing education, mentoring, and resources.
Practical Shepherding
Practical Shepherding is a gospel-driven resource center for pastors and church leaders equipping them in the essential, yet often overlooked, practical matters of pastoral ministry. Offering online cohorts, retreats and other resources for Pastors.