Rev. Tom F. Tenney

Tom Fred was born December 6, 1933, in a home on Pine Street in the city of DeRidder, Louisiana. The summer of 1949, at the age of sixteen, Tom Fred Tenney had an encounter that forever changed his life. Slipping into the back row of the Pentecostal church across the tracks to hear a nun give her personal testimony, he found himself fascinated as the nun spoke for about twenty minutes; then a lady preacher delivered a sermon. He had never heard such preaching. Yet, feeling something he could not escape, he found himself back there the next night. The Holy Spirit was drawing him, and before school started in the fall, Tom Fred Tenney was a new man in Christ. Almost immediately, he felt called into ministry and service. Opportunities were given for him to speak at youth rallies and fellowship meetings. In 1952 T. F. Tenney was elected Louisiana District youth secretary.

Tom Fred Tenney and Thetus Caughron were married in West Monroe, Louisiana on December 27, 1952. They have two children, Tom Gregory and Teri Denise (Spears). They have been blessed with five grandchildren and now two great-grandchildren.

T. F. Tenney was nineteen, and Thetus was eighteen when they were elected to the pastorate of a Home Missions church in Monroe, Louisiana, in February 1953. During their time in Monroe, T. F. Tenney was elected as sectional youth leader. In 1954 he was elected district youth president. He continued in that position until 1960, when he was elected international youth president, a position he held until 1969.

During the time T. F. Tenney was Pentecostal Conquerors president, the Bible Quizzing program was launched, a number of youth camps across the country were initiated, and youth conventions were founded. The Conquerors Tread was first published under his leadership.

T. F. Tenney assumed the responsibility of Foreign Missions director in January 1970. That year, Partners in Missions was launched. The School of Missions was begun under his leadership. Short-term evangelistic policies and programs were implemented. Field conferences and regional conferences for missionaries were established. The fields were opened up for more participation from pastors and evangelists to make overseas trips and assist in the work.

In the latter part of 1975, Pastor George Glass Sr. resigned the church at DeRidder, Louisiana. The church immediately called the Tenneys and asked if they would consider the church. From 1975 to 1978, Thetus and T. F. Tenney served the city of DeRidder, and the people of the First Pentecostal Church.

The final night of Louisiana Camp Meeting in 1978, C. G. Weeks, who had been the district superintendent for twenty-five years, left the platform and called for an ambulance. By the next day, he had gone to his eternal reward and Louisiana was in need of a leader. T. F. Tenney was elected as the new district superintendent. From that summer day in 1978, through May 1, 2005, the Tenneys served the Louisiana district. He is the bishop emeritus of the Louisiana District and served as an honorary member of the UPCI General Board.

He passed from this life on June 1, 2018.