Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

Church Closing Helps Unique Church

Raouf Ghattas, left, pastor of the Arabic Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, stands with Kevin Minchey, director o fmissions, Concord Baptist Association, outside the church’s new facility. Arabic Baptist was recently given the facility of Scenic Drive Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, after it closed.

Raouf Ghattas, left, pastor of the Arabic Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, stands with Kevin Minchey, director of missions, Concord Baptist Association, outside the church’s new facility. Arabic Baptist was recently given the facility of Scenic Drive Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, after it closed.

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Scenic Drive Baptist gives facility, belongings to Arabic congregation in Murfreesboro

MURFREESBORO — On what could have been the saddest day in its history, the final service of Scenic Drive Baptist Church was actually an answer to prayer.

“This was His (God’s) way of filling that parking lot that we have been praying for,” said Belvin Cox, pastor of the congregation which held its last regular worship service May 3.

The next Sunday, about 15 members of Scenic Drive Baptist worshiped with about 30 members of the Arabic Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, the new recipients of the facility.

Some words of Arabic were heard in conversation and prayers though most of the service was in English. Also in consideration of the great gift and the emotions of Scenic Drive members, a portion of the service was allocated for sharing of memories by them. Several people stood and shared. [Read more…]

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Blessed to Be a Citizen of the U.S. and Heaven

Lucyara Usery

Lucyara Usery

By Lucyara Usery
TBC Staff

Blessed to be an American? You should be. Yet, you didn’t choose where you were to be born. God’s sovereignty directs that. Citizenship will shape a lot in life but it will also reflect God’s creative nature. Does your church reflect His nature? Does your church intentionally reach out to a varied universe of citizens?

On Sept. 10, 2001, mid-morning, my husband and I arrived back in the States from a week-long trip to Brazil. We had been married a little over three years then. I was still trying to transport pieces of a hand-painted, 12-person china set Mom had prepared to give to each of her four daughters. We were down to a soup tureen and a few other odd pieces, all brought as carry-on luggage. The next day, travel as we knew it was going to change dramatically.

The TV was off and the living room floor was flooded with luggage items waiting to be put away. The phone rang and my husband told me that a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers in New York. I grew up under American-backed military dictatorship in Brazil but I knew nothing of international terrorism. [Read more…]

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Bonnaroo’s Jesus Tent Draws 13,000-Plus

Steve Pearson, right, evangelism specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, talks with some visitors to The Jesus Tent, a ministry of Tennessee Baptists during Bonnaroo, a camping music festival held in Manchester June 11-14. The ministry is the largest evangelistic effort of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Photo by Connie Davis Bushey

Steve Pearson, right, evangelism specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, talks with some visitors to The Jesus Tent, a ministry of Tennessee Baptists during Bonnaroo, a camping music festival held in Manchester June 11-14. The ministry is the largest evangelistic effort of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
— Photo by Connie Davis Bushey

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

MANCHESTER — To say The Jesus Tent was a popular site during Bonnaroo is an understatement. About 13-17,000 Bonnaroovians visited the tent for its 24/7 offer of shade cooled by fans, snacks, water, smartphone charging stations, WiFi, and conversation.

In other words, The Jesus Tent was a peaceful oasis in the midst of Bonnaroo, a camping music festival drawing about 80,000 folks to a 700-acre farm here June 11-14.

While at The Jesus Tent, many folks had life-changing conversations, explained several Baptist volunteers. Though many visitors held the popular belief that all paths or religions lead to God, they were open to conversation, reported the volunteers.

The huge response to The Jesus Tent makes this the largest evangelistic event of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and possibly of other denominations in Tennessee, reported David Evans, evangelism specialist of the TBC. [Read more…]

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July 5: Work Through Conflict

ss-lifeBy Randy Harmon
Pastor, Rock Springs Baptist Church, Greenbrier

Focal Passage: Joshua 22:11-12, 15-18, 26-27, 33-34

Some of us have a tendency to assume the worst. This can lead to misunderstanding and conflict. I have considered writing a book about some of the interesting disagreements that have happened in churches. In this account from the history of God’s people, an action that was intended as good led to the assumption that God’s law had been overlooked. The sons of Israel were concerned that the actions of the tribes east of the Jordan were going to bring judgment on the whole nation.

Jumping to conclusions (vv. 11-12). A well intentioned act on the part of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh was misunderstood by the rest of the sons of Israel. God had been very specific about worshipping false gods. Apparently a memorial had been set up near the west bank of the Jordan River (technically not the property of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh). [Read more…]

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SBC Supports Marriage, Religious Liberty

Elected as officers of the Southern Baptist Convention on June 16 were, from left, Chad Keck, second vice president, pastor of First Baptist Church in Kettering, Ohio; Ronnie Floyd, president, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas; Steve Dighton, first vice president, pastor of Lenexa Baptist Church in Lenexa, KS.; John Yeats, recording secretary, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention; and Jim Wells, registration secretary, strategic partners team leader for the Missouri Baptist Convention.

By Lonnie Wilkey/David Roach
B&R/Baptist Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With the decision of the United States Supreme Court on whether all states must recognize same-sex marriage still to come, Southern Baptists have made it clear where they stand.

Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Columbus passed a resolution June 16 that declared that “no matter how the Supreme Court rules, the Southern Baptist Convention reaffirms its unwavering commitment to its doctrinal and public beliefs concerning marriage.”

The meeting, with the theme “Great Awakening” was highlighted by a Tuesday night prayer gathering led by SBC President Ronnie Floyd, at which an estimated 7,000 Southern Baptists spent two hours asking God for a third Great Awakening in America and the global advance of the gospel. The gathering was watched by an additional 8,000 people online and broadcast on Daystar television. [Read more…]

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Patriotism, Christianity Still Mix

150630-bibleflagBy Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Tennessee veterans reflect on what it means to be a patriot

BRENTWOOD — Unlike oil and water, patriotism and Christianity can mix, agree three Tennessee Baptists with strong military ties.

Though culture is changing and the country appears to be drifting more each day from the religious freedom that countless men and women have given their lives for, a Christian can still be a strong patriot, says Bobby Welch.

“I don’t see how you can be a Christian and not be a patriot because of what Christianity has meant to this country,” Welch observed in advance of the nation’s Fourth of July Independence Day celebration this week.

Patriotism is generally the love one feels for his or her country, said Welch, associate executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and a decorated Vietnam War veteran. [Read more…]

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Jesus Is the Only Cure for Racism

Lonnie Wilkey

Lonnie Wilkey

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

It’s time to take down the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina State Capitol.

As a South Carolina native and born and bred Southerner, I never thought I would ever say those words, much less put them into print.

The issue of taking down the Confederate flag in South Carolina did not happen overnight. It has been “on the table” for years, but what happened last week brought it to the forefront again.

In my heart I know that flag had nothing to do with the evil carried out by Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist who murdered nine Christians at a historic black church in Charleston, S.C.

Roof was a tool and pawn of Satan. What happened at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was Satan’s handiwork.

From afar, I have said to family and friends in years past that we don’t need to take the Confederate flag down. It’s part of the state’s history.

Rest assured, I have never approved of slavery. To my knowledge, our family never owned slaves. I have never flown a Confederate flag or ever plan to. [Read more…]

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July 5: Real Love

ss-exploreTroy Styer
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Junction

Focal Passage: I John 4:7-21

Many years ago there was a secular rock song entitled “I Want To Know What Love Is.” If that artist really wanted to know he should have checked I John 4:7-21 for the answer. John “the beloved” defines in absolute terms what love really is for his readers. However, centuries later we still really don’t know the love described by John. If you were to listen to the average American, you would think they are in love with everything. We have so cheapened the word that we are in need of a refresher course. John is the perfect one to give it to us.

John starts by sharing some key facts about love as it relates to God. He tells us in verse 7 that God is the source of love. You cannot fully love unless you fully know God. He tells them that love is a sign that we know God. Some might argue how unbelievers can really express love. The ability to do this originates with God and is a result of them being created in His image. Believers have the ability to love as God loves because of their relationship to Him. This will be the sign that sets believers apart because unconditional love is virtually unknown in today’s society. John states in verse 8, that people who are unable to love like that have not experienced a life- changing encounter with God. [Read more…]

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Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal: SCOTUS

Gavel on sounding blockBy Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Editor’s Note: The Baptist and Reflector will publish more in-depth articles about the significance of the Supreme Court’s decision and its potential impact on churches in the July 15 issue.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled June 26 that same-sex marriage is protected under the Constitution and  is now legal in all 50 states.

In a landmark decision, the decision to redefine marriage passed by a 5-4 margin with Justice Anthony M. Kennedy providing the swing vote. [Read more…]

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One Man, One Woman — Period

150726onemanonewomanweddingBy Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Marriage is between one man and one woman. Period.

And, it is impossible for any human institution to declare otherwise. Period.

However, the fate of marriage as defined by popular culture has for months awaited a ruling by our United States Supreme Court to codify the definition it wants. What it wants is for marriage to legally mean nothing. Think about it, if marriage no longer is defined as between one man and one woman, then why can’t it include multiple people along with same-sex partners? In becoming anything to anyone, it will become nothing.

But marriage can’t become nothing because it is something established by God, and it is a very good thing. The Supreme Court, or any other human authority, redefining marriage is about as possible as a scientist restructuring the laws of gravity. God established both. Jeremiah 10:12 says so: “But God made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.” Subjecting the divinely established institution of marriage to the whims of man only invites divine consequences. ”God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18). [Read more…]

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