Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

SBC 2025: PRESSLEY WINS SECOND TERM AS SBC PRESIDENT

By The Baptist Paper

Clint Pressley chats with fellow messengers in Dallas during SBC annual meeting. — Photo by Van Payne / The Baptist Paper

DALLAS — North Carolina pastor Clint Pressley was elected for a second term as Southern Baptist Convention president during the SBC’s annual meeting in Dallas.

Pressley defeated David Morrill, a member of Applewood Baptist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, who was nominated by Chris Cunningham from Hillcrest Baptist Church in Big Springs, Texas. Out of 6,009 votes cast, Pressley received 5,567 votes (92.64%). Morrill received 408 votes (6.79 % ), and 34 votes (0.57%) were disallowed.

Pressley, senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte, North Carolina, was nominated by Michael Criner, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Rockwall, Texas. [Read more…]

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SBC 2025: SWEET TIME FOR TENNESSEE BAPTISTS

By Baptist and Reflector

The family of Brady Wood and his wife Chelsea, from Pleasant Grove Baptist in Hixson, pick out a dessert during Monday night’s fellowship in Dallas.

DALLAS — With smiles on their faces and sweets on their plates, Tennessee Baptists gathered for a dessert fellowship on Monday night in Dallas. 

The event, hosted by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, serves as a “family reunion” (in the words of TBMB president and executive director Randy C. Davis) for Tennessee Baptists who are attending the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. 

This year’s gathering was once again well attended, as the SBC messengers from Tennessee filled one of the ballrooms of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center — the host site for this year’s annual meeting. [Read more…]

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DEW TELLS PASTORS ‘DON’T QUIT,’ OFFERS FOUR TRUTHS TO ENCOURAGE THEM

By Grace Thornton
The Baptist Paper

Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, speaks to the Southern Baptist Pastors Conference in Dallas on June 9.
— Photo by Marc ira Hooks

DALLAS — Jamie Dew told pastors that he had one simple but honest question for them: “Do you ever want to quit?”

“I can think of a million reasons we might feel that way,” said Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, as he spoke to the Southern Baptist Pastors Conference in Dallas on June 9. “The most important task to be done on earth right now is the proclamation of Jesus Christ — to stand in hard places, dark places, broken places, places where the oppression is thick and strong, and there in the darkness, preach Jesus Christ,” Dew said.

Preaching from 2 Timothy 2:8–13, he encouraged them that the Apostle Paul had talked about how ministry would come with a lot of difficulties and struggles, but he called pastors to remember the truths of the faith that would bolster their spirits.

He’s giving us reason to continue,” Dew said, noting four realities that should encourage pastors to keep going. [Read more…]

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JUNE 15: GOD’S GLORY

By Troy Rust
Associational mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-11

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleIn May of 1995 I went on a mission trip to Canada with a group of Tennessee BSU students. During a brief sightseeing time we visited Lake Louise where a friend and I rode up the mountain on the ski lift. As we viewed the beautiful landscape, I remember wondering how anyone could deny the existence of God. 

The psalmist came to a similar conclusion as he proclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1). He went on to confirm that both day and night speak to us and teach us about God without ever saying a word (Psalm 19:2-3)! [Read more…]

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JUNE 15: RAHAB: A FAITH NOT HELD BACK BY FEAR

By Kevin Shrum
Pastor • Inglewood Baptist Church • Nashville

Focal Passage: Joshua 2:1-4a, 8-14; 6:22-25

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeIt is wrong to lie (Exodus 20:16; Colossians 3:9), or is it (Exodus 1:15-21; Joshua 2)? The life and faith of Rahab tests this question. Some would say that lying is permissible in a variety of very specific and unusual cases. It might better be called discretion. For example:

We lie to protect feelings:  “I loved your solo,” when it was terrible.

We lie to protect others (called an altruistic deception): “No,” you tell the Nazi soldiers, “we’re not hiding any Jews in our house.” Corrie ten Boom used this ‘protecting lie’ to hide and smuggle to freedom many Jews in WWII. [Read more…]

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TBDR ISSUES CHAIN SAW CALLOUT

By Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, has issued a callout for Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief chain saw teams. 

Jones said the TBDR teams are needed “to support Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief (MODR) in the aftermath of the May 16 tornadoes that impacted both sides of their state — St. Louis and the Warsaw area (what they are calling the Truman Lake Tornadoes),” he said in an email blast to DR volunteers.

Jones noted that MODR is ready to mobilize trained chain saw teams to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts. [Read more…]

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JUNE 8: GOD’S TRUTH

By Troy Rust
Associational mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: Psalm 119:1-16

Sunday School Lessons explore the biblePsalm 119 opens with reminder that obedience to the Word of God is the key to happiness. More than owning a copy of the Bible or simply reading it, we must do what it says! While some people tend to dismiss the requirement of obedience as legalism, the psalmist reminds us that living according to God’s decrees and instructions flows not from a desire to earn His favor, but from seeking Him with all your heart (Psalm 119:1-2). 

The legalist views God like the man in the Parable of the Talents who buried his money in the ground because he viewed his master as a shrewd and harsh taskmaster (Matthew 25:24-25). The motivation of the legalist fails to ask, “How may I serve Him?” and chafes under the weight of “How can I finally satisfy Him?” Yet even when the work remains incomplete, he takes great pride in his accomplishments “for God.” [Read more…]

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JUNE 8: JOSHUA: A FAITH ROOTED IN GOD’S WORD

By Kevin Shrum
Pastor • Inglewood Baptist Church • Nashville

Focal Passage: Joshua 1:1-9; 16-18

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeWe often think that the stability of God’s work and Word rests on certain people in the Church. As a pastor, I have often said, “If brother so and so goes on to glory or leaves the Church what will we do?” To a degree, the work of the Lord does depend on good and godly people. Thank God for faithful believers. 

But when Joshua took the reins of leadership after the death of Moses, God had to repeat to Joshua this massive true: “Moses my servant is dead?” Why did God remind him of what he already knew, even though Joshua had been, if you will, a pall-bearer at Moses’ funeral (Deuteronomy 34)?  [Read more…]

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C-N GRADUATE CELEBRATES MEMORABLE SILVER LINING

By Carson-Newman news office

Carson-Newman graduate Shante Agnew receives a congratulations from Dr. David Crutchley, dean of the School of Biblical and Theological Studies.

JEFFERSON CITY — It was a drive not many would attempt given the circumstances. But this was no ordinary road trip. Shante Agnew had just earned her Master of Education degree from Carson-Newman University, and all the pieces were in place for her to reap her reward at the May 2 commencement ceremony.

However, there was no way Agnew could have known the emotional roller coaster she and her family would experience when they left their home in Memphis that Friday morning. With her husband driving and three small children in tow, they set out for Carson-Newman’s campus in Jefferson City, Tennessee – over 400 miles away. [Read more…]

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JUNE 1: GOD’S WISDOM

By Troy Rust
Associational mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleThe Book of Psalms begins with the contrast of two life paths; one leads to happiness, the other leads to ruin. The psalmist clarified that the pathway to happiness consists in part of actively avoiding the pathway to ruin. In our walking, standing, and sitting (all of our waking hours) we must avoid the wicked, sinners, and mockers (Psalm1:1) who champion godlessness. 

However, it is not sufficient merely to avoid evil people. Christian Fundamentalists have often been critiqued for their frequent recitations of what Christians must NOT do. If all we do is avoid sin, we have accomplished nothing more than sitting on the fence of moral neutrality.  [Read more…]

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