Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

JEREMY SANDEFUR TO RESIGN AS TKA PRESIDENT

By Zoë Watkins
Communications specialist, TBMB

Sandefur

SEYMOUR — Jeremy Sandefur will resign on May 31 as president and head of school at The King’s Academy (TKA) in Seymour to pursue a leadership role at a Christian school in Central Florida.

“While I hate to leave TKA, I am excited to serve at a church-based school in a role that will allow me to support teachers and students,” Sandefur told the B&R. This move will let him serve in an administrative role at a larger school, focusing directly on academic success, teacher support, and discipleship.

During his four-year tenure, Sandefur saw TKA grow from virtually no international students due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to “a full thriving program.” [Read more…]

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FBC SELMER HOSTING DR TEAMS AFTER TORNADOES

By Baptist and Reflector

SELMER — Sometimes the best way to help is by assisting those who are assisting others. 

That’s exactly what First Baptist Church Selmer is doing in the wake of the deadly tornadoes that tore through parts of Tennessee during the first week in April. 

With the church’s ROC building (which, fittingly, stands for “Reaching Our Community”) serving as home base, FBC Selmer is housing Disaster Relief volunteers from Alabama. Will Shelton, associate pastor of discipleship at FBC, is helping coordinate the housing details for the teams from Alabama, who began arriving in Tennessee on April 5. The incident command center will operate out of the ROC building, and will be run by the Alabama volunteers.  [Read more…]

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APRIL 20: OUR SAVIOR

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-8 

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleThe suffering of Christ on Calvary is impossible for us to fully understand. The Son of God who laid aside His glory (Philippians 2:6-7) and took on our flesh (John 1:14) experienced all our temptations (Hebrews 4:15), and went to the cross to satisfy holy justice (II Corinthians 5:21) by paying the sin debt for everyone who would look to Him by faith (Isaiah 53:3-10).

On the cross, the Son who is coequal and coeternal with the Father experienced abandonment, a painful break in the fellowship they had always shared. [Read more…]

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APRIL 20: THE ULTIMATE SIGN

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeThrough the years blockbuster films often billed its stars like this: “Gone with the Wind, with Clark Gable — featuring Viven Leigh.” A more famous actor would be designated “with,” while an upcoming star was labeled “featuring.” Today’s lesson might seem to be titled “The Resurrection, with Mary Magdalene — featuring Jesus Christ.” But it’s just the OPPOSITE: our focal passage certainly features the grieving/rejoicing Mary, but it’s with — it’s all about — our Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead, The Ultimate Sign! The text is John 20:1-2, 11-18.

The Resurrection Story, FEATURING the redeemed Mary Magdalene

“How to Approach the Empty Tomb.” On this Glorious Resurrection Day, we should approach it like Mary did: [Read more…]

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WMU SET TO GATHER AT FBC DICKSON

By Zoë Watkins
Communications specialist, TBMB

DICKSON — The Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) will host its annual Missions Get-Together on Friday and Saturday, April 4-5, at First Baptist Dickson, according to event coordinator Vickie Anderson, who has been involved with the event for almost 30 years.

The gathering features general sessions, breakout sessions, a missions fair, and — new this year — a missions-focused family game night.

“Through our breakout sessions, we try to cover various aspects of mission work,” Anderson explained. “Attendees can hear directly from missionaries and ministries, while also focusing on personal development, spiritual growth, and mental health care, which is one of our critical issues today.” [Read more…]

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APRIL 13: OUR FAITH

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: 1 Peter 4:1-11  

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleWhen I was in elementary school I received a report card every six weeks. In addition to the fear and trembling activated by the grades, there was a preprinted set of behavioral concerns that teachers could mark each grading period. Multiple times I earned a checkmark by the box reading, “Needs to refrain from unnecessary talking and movement.” It was a convenient way for teachers to say, “Troy needs to stop goofing off and do his work!” 

Thankfully, a few marks for bad behavior in elementary school did not wreck my life. The intervention of godly parents regularly pointed me toward God’s expectations! In a much more critical scenario, Peter exhorted his readers that enough time had been spent “doing what the Gentiles choose to do” (I Peter 4:3).  [Read more…]

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APRIL 13: THE SIGN OF HIS POWER OVER DEATH

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 11:25-27 38-44

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeSometimes a chapter of the Bible is so filled with excitement and life-truths that to focus on only a few verses of it seems almost irreverent. That’s the case today; our focal passage is just ten verses (out of 57 jam-packed ones) in John 11. In the series All Signs Point to Jesus, we come to the seventh ‘sign’ the Apostle John selected to reveal Jesus as God. In this one, The Sign of His Power Over Death, Jesus raises His friend Lazarus from the dead. 

I could hardly summarize this chapter more succinctly than Jotham McCauley does (in thebiblerhymes.com): “Jesus paused, for our sakes, then arrived—Long after Lazarus had died. He called for Mary, up she leapt, Fell at His feet, then Jesus wept. Went to the tomb, then with a shout, He called to Lazarus, ‘Come out!’  There’s more to the rhyme and more to the story, so let’s recall the whole chapter as in our focal passage we listen in on a meaningful conversation and look in on a miracle resuscitation: [Read more…]

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FOUR GENERATIONS FROM ONE FAMILY BAPTIZED AT HICKORY VALLEY

By Baptist and Reflector

Baptist and Reflector

SPARTA — Hickory Valley Baptist Church in Sparta has been the site of four generations of baptisms from one family.

The sequence of baptisms, which has taken place over many years, started when Tommy and Nancy Lynn were baptized. Next was their daughter, Sherry McDonald, followed by Sherry’s daughter, Shayna Rowland, and then, recently, Shayna’s daughter Lyla Rowland.

In the top photo, pastor Doug Benningfield stands with Tommy and Nancy Lynn, Sherry McDonald, Shayna Rowland and Lyla Rowland.

In the photo to the left, the five who’ve been baptized at the church join with other family members who have been baptized. 

 

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BARBIER’S JOURNEY: FAITH THROUGH THE FIRE

By The Baptist and Reflector

Jay Barbier and his wife, Natalie, agree their ongoing journey through Jay’s battle with cancer has brought them closer to the Lord and has opened unexpected ministry opportunities.

FRANKLIN — In a moving testimony of faith and resilience, Jay Barbier, Harvest Field Leader with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, recently joined the Tennessee Golden Hour Podcast and shared his powerful journey through cancer diagnosis and treatment, revealing how his faith not only sustained him but deepened through the trial.

Barbier, who led youth evangelism initiatives including YEC (Youth Evangelism Conference) and Conclave, was diagnosed with cancer in September 2021 after a routine physical revealed three substantial tumors that doctors believe had been growing for 10-15 years.

“When I sat down with the doctor and they said, ‘Hey, man, you have cancer, and it’s really bad,’ it was a bomb for my wife and me,” Barbier recalled during the interview . “We went to our car and we wept. We were not expecting to hear something like that at our age.” [Read more…]

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REACHING THE SPIRITUALLY LOST: A CALL TO ACTION

By Roc Collins
Evangelism team leader and special assistant to the executive director

What would happen if every disciple in Tennessee embarked on the amazing journey of reaching the spiritually lost? I believe it would turn the world upside down.

More than 50 years ago Roland Q. Leavell wrote,“The genuine objective of the Great Commission is discipleship. Jesus sought to develop quality in His followers, but He also sought quantity. Therefore, Evangelism that produces disciples of quality will multiply as each disciple becomes a partner in the evangelistic enterprise. In this way the Gospel will reach into all nations by the process of multiplication rather than addition.”

These words still ring true today. Evangelism and discipleship are linked and cannot be separated. We have been called to make disciples, not converts, and we do that one person at a time. Jesus always had time for the individual, and we must follow His example. [Read more…]

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