Why be part of an Association?
 Tugalo Baptist pastors and churches serve their congregations and communities while staying connected to a network of authentic leaders who desire for every church to thrive and to be engaged in missions. 
We can do more for the Kingdom together.
We serve Jesus Christ, shepherd our congregations, and support one another.
Some of the benefits include, but are not limited to the following: 
  •  Member churches receive a continuous flow of mission opportunities to select from locally, nationally, and internationally.
  • Active member churches are included on the tugaloassociation.net website giving accessibility to new community members seeking churches.
  • Member churches receive a continuous flow of equipping opportunities presented live and online to strengthen pastors, ministries, and congregations.
  • Network pastors are invited to participate in interactive cohorts with other pastors to fellowship, learn from one another, to grow, and seek to be at our best in God’s glory.
  • Network pastors receive information and access to unique benefits on regular basis.
  • Active member church pastors are eligible for crisis financial assistance.
  • Member churches can receive consultation and support if they find themselves in transition between pastors.
  • Member churches that excel get to multiply their gospel impact by connecting to other congregations striving to make a difference.
  •  Member churches that desire to grow, upon request, get direct access to leaders who provide the coaching and resources to advance their ministry forward.
  • Member churches get to work alongside a diverse group of pastors that will encourage and enable them to touch the lives of community members from all backgrounds.
  • Member churches have access to the “Block Party Trailer” and other inflatable bounce houses and slides simply by calling and reserving. The price is FREE!
From Our Associational Missionary:
Dear Tugalo Family:
As we approach Thanksgiving, these words of Paul come to mind:
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Php. 1:3-5).
 
Notice the phrase “partnership in the gospel.” That’s what an Association is all about. We are partners together in the gospel. As I further familiarize myself with the history of our Association, I read these words of J.F. Goode related to our founding: “The main object of the Association at that time was to preach the gospel and strengthen the churches in the faith”[1]. This main object remains. Our purpose is to work together to make Christ known, to make disciples of Jesus, and to strengthen the churches. To this end, our 44 Tugalo churches are partners together and in the same way, I am honored to serve as your partner too. I am here to serve the local church to carry out its mission.
 
Truly, as your partner, I am first and foremost your partner in prayer. Prayer is the greater work! May I encourage you and your church to pray for each Associational church? One approach might be to systematically focus on one church for prayer each week. Some churches choose to rotate praying for one Associational church in worship on Sunday mornings, so that the whole body is actively engaged in praying for its sister churches (churches are listed on www.tugalo.net). I have done this as well. Partners in the gospel should be partners in prayer.
 
Let me finish with this encouraging truth: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Php. 1:6). We pray together. We partner together. But we should also “praise” God together for the fact that He will complete the work He has begun in us. Folks, that is really good news! So, let’s just praise the Lord!
 
In His Service,
Jason DeFoor


[1] J.F. Goode, History of Tugalo Baptist Association, (Toccoa: The Toccoa Record, 1924), 23.

Our Staff

​Rev. Jason DeFoor
Associational Missionary
Pastor Jason joined the staff on October 28, 2024
He was born and raised in Toccoa, Ga and has served as Associate Pastor, Interim Pastor and Senior Pastor in some of our Association churches. 
____________________________________________________________________________
Mrs. ​Teresa Smith
Associational Administrative Assistant
Association Clerk
Teresa has served as the Administrative Assistant since October 1998
She is member and attends Mullins Ford Baptist Church, Martin, GA 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mrs. Paddie Jackson
 Associational Administrative Assistant
Paddie joined the staff April  2020
She is married to Rev. Ken Jackson and attends Rock Creek Baptist Church, Toccoa, GA

OUR HISTORY

 On the 12th day of September, 1818, delegates from the following named churches met at Poplar Springs Church, in Franklin County, and after a sermon by Isam Goss, elected Dozier Thornton, Moderator, and Isam Goss, Clerk. They then proceeded to effect a permanent organization, by enrolling the names of the delegates who were present, with letters showing their appointment by their respective churches.
Chauga....................Pendleton, S.C.
Liberty.....................Pendleton, S.C.
Beaverdam..............Pendleton, S.C.
Perkins Creek...........Pendleton, S.C.
Double Branches.......Franklin Co., Ga.
Eastanollee..............Franklin Co., Ga.
Nails Creek...............Franklin Co., Ga.
Line Church...............Franklin Co., Ga.
Leatherwood.............Franklin Co., Ga.
Hunters Creek...........Franklin Co., Ga.
Poplar Springs...........Franklin Co., Ga.
Tugalo River..............Franklin Co., Ga.
Henrys......................Elbert County, Ga.
Contributions amounted to $43.50. Total Membership was 671.
Today, with 44 Churches and 1 mission in Stephens, Franklin, Banks, and Hart counties in Georgia, the 2019 minutes indicate a membership of 15,286 members and contributions of $113,914.00. In the spirit of our founding documents....We, the United Baptist Churches of Christ in Georgia and South Carolina, east and west of Tugalo River, having been regularly baptized upon profession of faith in Christ, are convinced of the necessity of a combination of churches in order to perpetuate a union amongst us and perserve and maintain a correspondence with each other in our union.
There are history files on Tugalo Baptist Association and her churches available from 1818 to present day for those interested in learning more. You may contact our office,
​Monday-Thursday 8:00am-12:00noon and 1:00-4:00 pm at 706-779-2626 or email us at [email protected] to set up an appointment.

​'History of Tugalo Baptist Association' by Rev. J. F. Goode, 1924, published by 'The Toccoa Record':
archive.org/details/historyoftugalob00good/mode/2up
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​
In Memory of Rev. Herbert Doud
​​April 11, 1923 - April 26, 2020
Rev. Doud served as Pastor of several Georgia Baptist churches which included White Hall Baptist Church, Blacks Creek Baptist Church, Pendergrass Baptist Church, Providence Baptist Church, Martin Baptist Church, and one mission church in Dublin, GA.  In 1956, the Lord called him into Mission ministry, where he began serving as the first Associational Missionary of Tugalo Baptist Association until his retirement in 1988. While serving as Associational Missionary, he worked with and supported numerous pastors of 44 churches.   During his retirement, Rev. Doud served as Minister of Music at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and then as organist for 16 years at Liberty Hill Baptist Church.