Obituary of William Thomas Jenkins

Brother Bill Jenkins, age 86, passed May 3, 2014. The family will be receiving friends on Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. and from 11 a.m. until the service at Sellars Funeral Home. The Funeral Service, conducted by Brother W. D. Thomason and Brother Andy Cannon, is 1 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel at Sellars Funeral Home. Entombment in Wilson County Memorial will follow the service. Family and friends will serve as Pallbearers. Honorary Pallbearers: Wayne Ray, Dean Slocum, Gerald Morley, and Ronnie Greer. Memorials: The Gideon's International (Lebanon Camp, PO Box 591, Lebanon TN 37088) and/or West Hills Baptist Church (1240 Leeville Pike, Lebanon TN 37090). Brother Jenkins was in the U.S. Army at the end of World War II where he was stationed in Washington state and played football. Although he felt called into the ministry at the age of 16, he was 26 years old when he surrendered to the ministry. He pastored churches in Illinois, Texas, New Hampshire, and Hawaii. While in N.H., he pastored the only Southern Baptist church in the state and was responsible for starting new churches. He also started the Agape In Coffeehouse on Hampton Beach where hundreds of people were led to the Lord during the 10 years it was opened. He was president of the Baptist General Association of New England for 2 years. He was appointed as a home missionary by the Home Mission Board (NAMB) in 1967. In 1980 he became a church growth consultant until he retired from NAMB in the 90's. He moved to Lebanon in 1986 and served as transitional pastor in various churches in the Middle Tennessee area and other parts of the country and Canada. He had a counseling ministry throughout the years. He loved the Lord, his family, and people. Brother Jenkins is survived by wife of 63 years, Hellen; children: Janet (Van) Bayne and Mike (Tanya) Jenkins; grandchildren: Jacquelyne (Matt) Swallows, Joshua Jenkins, Jacob Jenkins, Jennifer Bayne, and R.D. Bayne; and great-grandchildren: Lexi Swallows, Jordan Bayne, and Gracie Bayne. He is preceded in death by sons Mark William Jenkins and David Joel Jenkins, and parents Thomas Stubblefield and Mattie Nera Parrish Jenkins, and sister Anna Marie Jenkins.