John Paul Griggs, missionary and pastor (retired), died on Saturday, April 8, 2023, in Jefferson City, Tennessee after having lived a long life (91 years) serving God and ministering to others.

John was born in Lubbock, Texas in 1932 to parents, Dr. Joseph Reagan Griggs and Euna Knowles Griggs. John was always a good student, and he spent a happy boyhood as the son of the County School Superintendent. He also discovered a strong interest and ability with music and played the saxophone in the band. John had a strong tenor voice and singing became central to him throughout his life and ministry.

After graduating from Sam Houston State University, John went to Golden Gate Seminary in San Francisco, after hearing the call to ministry. Upon graduation, he continued his studies at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he studied Greek with Clyde Francisco. This move to Kentucky was also pivotal, for it was there that he met and fell in love with Florence Sanders, also a student at Southern Seminary. John loved nothing more than telling the story of how God brought him and Florence together, and how she was “the perfect wife for me.”

John and Florence went to Hopkinsville, KY after seminary, where he pastored Caskey Baptist Church for four years. They then, in response to God’s call on their lives, were appointed by the International Mission Board (IMB of the Southern Baptist Convention) to career ministry in Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, Africa. As a “church planter”, John and Florence started over 350 churches in the rural and urban areas of Zimbabwe, working closely with their Zimbabwe counterparts. During this time, their family grew to include five children: Dottie (Joey), Ruth (Terry), Mary (Fred), Becky (Tab) and Philip.

After 35 years in Zimbabwe, John and Florence retired to Morristown, Tennessee, where John served on the staff as Minister of Prayer for First Baptist Church. For the next 25 years, they would continue to minister and teach, often inviting folks to their home for a meal.

John is survived by his wife, Florence Sanders Griggs, all five of their children, his sister, Betty Griggs Gillaspie (Gordon), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life for John will be held at First Baptist Church, Morristown Tennessee at 5pm on Sunday, April 16.

A favorite line he lived by: “Only one life, it will soon be past, and only what we do for you, Lord Jesus will last. So let us be about your work, for the night comes when no one can work.”