Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

MARCH 16: OUR IDENTITY

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: I Peter 2:1-10  

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleHave you ever noticed the singular focus of a baby’s diet? While we as adults are scarfing down pizza, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese and an endless list of other foods that are not good for us, newborn babies simply want milk (or a close substitute). 

Give them a few months and they will be willing to expand their pallets a bit. Give them a few years and they will become walking garbage disposals downing anything that brings smiles to their faces. It does not take long for the fallen nature of children to become evident.  [Read more…]

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MARCH 16: THE SIGN OF HIS AUTHORITY

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 5:1-11, 17-20

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeToday’s study is one of my all-time favorite stories from the life of Jesus, especially because of the question He asks. Out of one-hundred and thirty-five questions Jesus asked in the New Testament, this story contains one of His most startling! 

Our series is entitled All Signs Point to Jesus and comes from the Gospel of John. Today’s focal text is John 5:1-11, 17-20, the third “sign” the Apostle John selected out of Jesus’ many miracles. Remember that John chose seven miracles “so you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20: 31). [Read more…]

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SIX CHURCHES, ONE VOICE

By Zoë Watkins
Communications specialist, TBMB

Members from six congregations gathered at Seymour First Baptist Church for a night of joint worship. — Photos submitted by Seymour FBC

SEYMOUR — In a display of unity that went beyond individual church walls, Seymour First Baptist Church and five neighboring congregations joined together for a worship night on Feb. 23 that drew more than 600 attendees.

Seymour FBC pastor Corey Cain described the event as a vivid reminder that local churches stand as partners, not competitors.

“We get to celebrate the unique personality, style, and feel of each church and pastor, while appreciating that we all respect each other and work together toward something greater than growing our individual churches — expanding God’s kingdom,” said Cain.  [Read more…]

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LET’S COLLABORATE, NOT COMPETE

By Steve Holt
Church Services Director • Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

Ron Howard’s 1995 film expertly depicts the harrowing events of the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. One of my favorite scenes in the movie describes the life-or-death issue of keeping the oxygen level at the right concentration for the astronauts to survive in the lunar landing module. 

The NASA engineers were tasked with making “a square filter fit in a round hole.” That scene is an excellent example of collaboration.

Over the last few months, you’ve heard about the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s Acts 2:17 vision for the future and the twin rails of prayer and collaboration on which that vision runs.  [Read more…]

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MARCH 9: OUR MANDATE

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: I Peter 1:13-25 

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleI learned a hard lesson on conformity before I reached the age of ten. However, I was past twenty before I realized that conformity was the problem. It happened one day when I was pushing my toy tractor through our gravel driveway. 

Between my excessive speed and the size of the gravel, one of my front wheels made a sudden turn and snapped off. After a thorough scolding from my father for being so hard on my toy, I sadly pushed it aside to plow no more. Although it was later replaced, no other childhood tractor was as impressive as it was. [Read more…]

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MARCH 9: THE SIGN OF HIS GRACE

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

Focal passage: John 4:46-54

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeIf you put “Signs of Christ’s Return” into an online search engine, you’d find many sites like “Eight Signs of Jesus’ Soon Return,” and “12 Signs …” and “6 Signs …” and “5 Signs …” and “SEVEN Signs …” and lots more. Obviously, people today are very interested in the signs of Jesus’ Second Coming. 

The Apostle John was no doubt interested too, but even more so regarding the signs of Jesus’ first coming. Our current lesson series is entitled All Signs Point to Jesus — the signs being seven miracles that took place during Jesus’ life here on earth. Although Jesus did numerous miracles (that the other three Gospel writers recorded), only seven of them were included in John’s account.  [Read more…]

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KNOXVILLE CHURCH HAS DUAL MISSION: OUTREACH AND REVITALIZATION

By Zoẽ Watkins
Communications specialist, TBMB

In their 95th year, North Knoxville Baptist Church has begun to host two other churches in their facilities to help revitalize the church and support other congregations.

KNOXVILLE — North Knoxville Baptist Church is a revitalization story in the works. 

Like many other Tennessee Baptist churches, they’ve transformed resources and everyday circumstances into golden opportunities for ministry.

Pastor Jim McNeal has led the church to open their facilities for two other churches to meet there. One is a new Presbyterian church, Christ Community Church, set to begin in April with around 100 members; the other is nondenominational, Ironworks Church, which has about 15 members.

[Read more…]

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MARCH 2: OUR INHERITANCE

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: I Peter 1:3-12 

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleAn earthly inheritance is simply the reception of someone else’s stuff, usually after their death. An inheritance can be so highly valued (either real or perceived) that people build their lives in anticipation of receiving it. 

I grew up near a family that courted a neighbor’s property for three generations! The man who finally inherited the sizable estate died before he could enjoy it. An earthly inheritance is received by someone who either spends it or eventually bequeaths it to someone else. Either way, you can’t take it with you when you die. 

Our spiritual inheritance in Christ is a complete contrast to an earthly inheritance. It cannot be given to you by someone else, because only Jesus can provide the gift of eternal life. Furthermore, God will give the same inheritance to countless people who place their faith in Christ. This inheritance becomes ours by way of the new birth.  [Read more…]

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MARCH 2: THE SIGN OF HIS GLORY

By Mike Dawson
Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 2:1-11

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeToday marks the beginning of a series of lessons called All Signs Point to Jesus, from the Gospel of JOHN. Unlike Matthew, Mark and Luke, John tells the story of Jesus by highlighting seven of His many miracles, each being a sign of who Jesus was, each pointing to a different aspect of His divine character. 

A frequently asked question is Why are there FOUR Gospels? J. Vernon McGee had an amusing answer: “Because THREE would be too few, and FIVE would be too many.” Yet Dr McGee himself would agree that it’s much more than that; God gave us pictures of the foursquare tower of truth found in the life and work of Jesus, four ‘sides,’ four ‘views’ of the greatest story ever told. We’ll be blessed to study one of them — John’s inspired ‘view’ — over these next weeks. [Read more…]

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LONGTIME TENN. PASTOR JERRY TIDWELL DIES

By Baptist and Reflector
    Tidwell

HUMBOLDT — Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor Jerry Tidwell died Feb. 17 at his home in Humboldt, Tenn. He was 62.

Tidwell, a former president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, most recently served as pastor of Atwood Cornerstone Church. He was a previous pastor at West Jackson Baptist Church, Ellendale Baptist Church in Bartlett and Grace Baptist Church in Tullahoma. [Read more…]

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