Pastor Freeman J. Weems III was born in 1953.  He and his wife, Wegie, were married in June 1972.  Pastor Weems was saved in 1974.  Shortly after his conversion, Pastor Weems received the call of God to the ministry.  Believing a call to preach is a call to prepare, Pastor Weems, his wife, and their son moved to Greenville, South Carolina where he attended Tabernacle Baptist Bible College where Dr. Harold Sightler was pastor and founder of the college.

Pastor Weems earned a 3 year degree called a Graduate of Theology Degree as well as a 4 year degree, a Bachelor of Theology.  Led of the Lord, Pastor Weems, Wegie and their two children moved to Atoka, Tennessee, a small rural town of about 600 in 1981.  After moving to Atoka, Pastor Weems continued his education earning a Master of Religious Education, a Doctorate of Ministry both from Great Plains Baptist College Divinity School.  He received a Doctor of Divinity from Tabernacle Baptist College in 2003.

God, foreknowing all things, knew the Atoka area was to explode with growth.  First Baptist Church was founded July 1981 as an independent, fundamental Baptist church.  FBC-Atoka sits on 5.85 acres of land and has about 33,000 sq. ft. of heated space.  The membership is well over 200 and average Sunday morning attendance hovers around 200.  FBC-Atoka is deeply invested in missions and is giving about $200,000/year to evangelize the world.  The church has been debt free since early 2018.