About
For generations, South Carolina Baptist churches have recognized the need to cooperate (Rom 15:14-32; 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8:1-9:15) in order to fulfill Christ’s mandate in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) as ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18) locally and around the world. Baptist churches of like faith and practice have come together, associating with one another to form local ministry partnerships known as Baptist Associations. Faithfulness to the gospel has compelled member churches to accomplish together through local (associational) partnerships what no single church could do alone.
Baptist Associations have been instrumental in fostering Christian education, planting new churches, coordinating local missions and evangelism, and making Christ known to the world. The Three Rivers Baptist Association, created through a joining of the North Greenville and Greer Baptist Associations in 2013, exists to accomplish this important work. Indeed, one of South Carolina’s great Baptist universities (North Greenville University) was started by the churches in this Association. The TRBA has remained faithful to its historical purpose, transformed itself for ministry effectiveness, and promoted cooperative missions.
In times of certainty and uncertainty, unity and gospel fidelity have prevailed in the churches which make up the Three Rivers Association. Throughout its history, the churches of the Association have faced many changes in their surrounding communities. The histories of our partner churches provide evidence that Baptist churches have looked to their Associations as ministry partners providing a confident source for preserving doctrinal unity, fellowship among churches, and promoting cooperative evangelism/missions. Read more about what we believe below.
Staff
Dr. Travis Kerns | Associational Mission Strategist
Dr. Kerns was born and raised in the Three Rivers area at Taylors First Baptist Church. He graduated in 1999 from North Greenville University, where he met his wife, Staci.
After graduating from NGU and being married in 1999, Kerns served as Minister of Youth and Education at Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Greenville, SC until 2001 when the couple moved to Louisville, KY for Kerns to pursue further academic training at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He completed the Master of Divinity degree from Southern Seminary in 2004 and the Doctor of Philosophy degree from Southern Seminary in 2009. He served on the faculty at Southern Seminary as Assistant Professor of Christian Worldview & Apologetics from 2005-2013 and served as Senior Pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Louisville from 2003-2008.
In 2013, the Lord called the Kerns family to Salt Lake City, UT where he served with the North American Mission Board as the Send City Missionary for Salt Lake City from 2013-2019, working daily with missionaries, pastors, and church planters in the Salt Lake metropolitan region. He also worked with the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention as Associate Director of the Church Planting Network, served as Pastor of Multiplication and Leadership at Risen Life Church, and, along with 2 others, planted Oquirrh Mountain Cowboy Church.
In 2019, the Kerns family relocated to Ft. Worth, Texas where Dr. Kerns served as Associate Professor of Apologetics & World Religions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While in Ft. Worth, Kerns also served as Associate Pastor for Missions at Lane Prairie Baptist Church in Joshua, TX.
In late 2021, the Kerns family was called to service at the Three Rivers Baptist Association, a role that began on January 1, 2022.
His calling is to share the message of Christ with unbelievers, disciple believers to grow in their relationship with Christ, and lead others to do the same (Matt 28:18-20). He loves the Upstate of South Carolina and loves serving the pastors and churches of the Three Rivers Baptist Association for the purpose of the further evangelism of unbelievers and discipleship of believers in the Upstate of South Carolina, the United States, and around the world.
Rev. Steven Ragan | Senior Associate Mission Strategist
Steven Ragan began his work for Three Rivers Baptist Association as a volunteer serving on our merger team, building team, and as stewardship team chair for six years. In August of 2022, Steven joined our staff team in a full-time capacity as Senior Associate Mission Strategist. For 20 years Steven, has served in various church roles including Lead Pastor, Executive Pastor, Worship Pastor, and Student Pastor. He brings to our team strong skills in administration and deep passion for missions and relational discipleship. He is married to an equally talented vocalist, Melissa. The Ragans have three children, Adeline, Eliza and Malachi. When Steven isn’t in the office you can find him enjoying a good local coffee shop, Clemson football, or harnessing the wind on a sailboat.
Rev. Tom Capps | Associate Mission Strategist
Tom Capps has served as Mission Ministries Director for Three Rivers Baptist Association since its beginning on July 1, 2013. He previously served as Director of Missions and Missions Mobilization Consultant for Greer Baptist Association. Tom has served as Associate Pastor of Victor Baptist Church in Greer and Northgate Baptist Church in Greenville, Minister of Youth at First Baptist Church of Lancaster and on staff of four churches in North Carolina. He also serves churches with leadership development in Sunday School, Senior Adults, and Missions. Tom is married to his childhood sweetheart, Crystal. They have two children, Heather and Josh, and four grandchildren. He enjoys his family, camping, reading and yard work. His vision is for every Christian to be a growing disciple of Jesus Christ, working with one another to transform their community and world with the love of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Scott Catoe | Associate Mission Strategist
Scott has served as pastor of Slater Baptist Church, a church revitalization in Slater, SC, since 2014. In addition to pastoral ministry, he has also served in various roles within the South Carolina Baptist Convention and the Three Rivers Baptist Association in pastoral encouragement and care, church strategy and revitalization, and church health and assessment. Scott's passion for associational service is currently in single-staff churches, bi-vocational pastors, interim pastors, and church revitalization. He brings nearly 20 years of ministry experience in church planting, revitalization, replanting, youth ministry and music ministry.
Scott has been married to Ruth Anne Catoe for 23 beautiful years, and they have one son, Gabriel, who is an absolute sports nut. When Scott isn't pastoring, writing, or serving the TRBA, he is podcasting, doing martial arts, fishing and traveling with his family.