Bro. Sam Grindstaff was called to serve as Senior Pastor of Beech Springs Baptist Church on November 11, 2018.  Before that he served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains for seven and a half years. He is married to his beautiful wife, Rita, and is blessed with four children, Dawson born June 4, 2007, Levi born November 15, 2009, Sydney born March 26, 2013, and Presley born August 26, 2017. He was saved at the age of ten at Ramsey Heights Baptist Church.  He was called into ministry later in life at 37 years of age.  During this time, he was working for TVA as an Environmental Specialist where he was employed for 20 years.  He left TVA to answer the call to full time ministry to serve at First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains. In an effort to better prepare for the ministry he completed his Bachelor of Science (Leadership and Ministry) from Johnson University; he also completed his Master of Theology, and his Doctorate of Ministry (Pastoral Leadership) from Andersonville Theological Seminary. He loves the Lord, he loves the Word, he loves people, and he loves the church.  His expositional preaching is energetic, relevant, and uncompromising.  His goal is to exalt Christ, exhort his fellow servants, edify the church, lead sinners to repentance, and to lead the lost to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their souls.