A little history….
1986 - Ed & Ann Martin began praying about starting a ministry on Dorothy Street.
1988 — Ministry begins. Sullivan Baptist Association (SBA) reports First Baptist and Ft. Robinson Baptist Churches helped in supporting the work at Dorothy Street Mission (DSM). The SBA WMU was also getting involved.
1990 - Various SBA churches helped with the work under the direction of Ed and Ann Martin. A mission chapel was built. The SBA Executive Committee voted for SBA to be the sponsor of this mission.
1991- Sunday school has grown to 31. Rev. Bob Anderson has started a Sunday night service. Lucedale, Mississippi mission team came and held VBS with 70 enrolled and five professions of faith. The mission is now officially under the direction of the Sullivan Baptist Association.
1993 - Work started at Cloud Apartments with plans to expand to other housing projects. Three revivals were held during the year. Mission teams from Petal and Lucedale, Mississippi came and held VBS with 48 young people enrolled.
1994 - More than 334 children were given school supplies. Worship services are held on Sunday morning and evening. Volunteer mission teams from Lucedale and Petal, Mississippi held VBS the week of June 5-9, 1994. Three children accepted Christ. A tent revival was held at Cloud Apartments with average attendance of thirty. DSM contributed $50 toward Elmo Owens' mission trip to Venezuela.
1995 – Lot was purchased for $3,800. School supplies were given to 275 children. Nineteen enrolled in Sunday School, eight are members of the church. Five professions of faith. Mrs. Sybil Manis assumed secretarial and other duties upon the passing of Mrs. Ann Martin. The missions collected $800 toward the lot purchased by the association.
1996 - Higher Ground Baptist Church made a donation of $1000 to pay off and in full the lot. School supplies were given to 316 children. DSM has 12 members, 12 accepted Christ this year and 4 baptized through the mission of Vernon Heights Baptist Church. Rev. Jim Kilgore, pastor
2000 - Name changed to Gibsontown Baptist Ministries
2000 - New building built.
2000 - 2010 - Through the early part of this time Gibsontown Baptist Ministries had mission pastors and functioned as a mission church continuing to operate under Sullivan Baptist Association. During the later years of this time period the ministry established as a stand alone ministry and began to pursue 501c3 status and operated under the umbrella of Summit Leadership in Johnson City. Summit assisted with training and advise the leadership of the ministry.
2011 – January 13, 2011 Gibsontown Ministries became a
501c3 tax exempt non-profit organization.
2012 - Tuesday, October 23rd in their annual meeting Sullivan Baptist Association voted to sell the Dorothy Street property to Gibsontown Ministries for $100. We are more than overwhelmed by what God is doing and so excited to be apart of what He plans for this ministry. Our desire is to take each step of this journey following Christ. Please pray we will be good stewards of what God has given. Thank you so very much for blessing us Sullivan Baptist Association!! Thank you so much Father God for your abundant blessings! We are humbled by Your presence, oh Lord. All glory and honor to You! "For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
2013 - We are very grateful to Kohl's Department Store for the $500 grant designated for our Food Pantry awarded in 2013! This grant allowed GTM to expand the Food Pantry.
2014 - The newly expanded Food Pantry opened in August 2014.
2017 - "Caring by Sharing" winter clothing giveaway - October 14, 2017
2019 - "Battling Addictions" Ladies Conference - June 1, 2019
2020 - The ministry received a covid grant from a local business to assist those struggling as an ecominic result of covid.
2022 - Freeway Kingsport moved to Gibsontown Ministries - November 27, 2022
2023 - Freeway Kingsport merged with Gibsontown Ministries
2024 - Gibsontown Ministries set up an assumed name to do business as Freeway Gibsontown.
2024 - December purchased a house that was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene. It will become our first Discipleship House.
2025 - August purchased a vacant lot beside a lot we already own on Dorothy Street. For future ministry. September 23 opened our first Discipleship House.
