General Association of Baptists
The earliest church in the region was constituted circa 1790 by Kentucky ministers Ambrose Dudley and John Taylor.As most of the Baptists of middle Tennessee, the churches of the Elk River Association were strongly Calvinistic in theology.Early in the 19th century, Alexander Campbell became connected with the Baptists for a time, and began to preach Arminian doctrine among them.Some Baptists of the region found this modification of theology appealing, and began to preach against limited atonement and unconditional election, declaring that Christ died for all mankind.A mind of independence, coupled with opposition to the Calvinistic stance of the three organizations, would keep the Duck River Association of Separate Baptists from supporting them.In October 1939, delegates from Duck River, Mount Zion, Union, Mount Pleasant, Liberty, New Liberty and Ebenezer Associations, and the Pleasant Hill church of Kentucky, met at Garrison Fork Church, Bedford County, Tennessee, and organized The General Association of The Baptists.They are moderately Calvinistic, retaining the teachings of total depravity and eternal security, while asserting that Jesus Christ tasted death for every man.