Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

CHESSER: COVID MINISTRY PLANS SHOULD EXTEND 12-18 MONTHS

By David Roach
B&R Contributing Writer

At a Sept. 17 seminar, TBC president Bruce Chesser offered numerous suggestions for adapting church ministry to pandemic conditions. Looking on is Bruce Raley, FBC executive pastor.
— Photo by David Roach

HENDERSONVILLE — When Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee asked churches March 13 not to meet in person, leaders at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville thought they would have to suspend normal worship services two or three weeks, until Easter at the latest. When those plans didn’t materialize, they figured everything would be back to normal by the start of school. That didn’t materialize either.

Today, the church is still more than 40 percent below its pre-pandemic worship attendance of 3,750 and doesn’t know when — if ever — things will get back to normal. Yet God is at work. The church baptized 51 people on a single Sunday in August. [Read more…]

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FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO, NOT WHAT YOU CAN’T

By Bruce Chesser
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention

For years our church had placed our guest registration card in our morning bulletin. It was always on the edge of the page with a neat little perforation so that a person could fill in the blanks, tear off the column and place it in the offering plate. But when we stopped meeting in March, we stopped producing a bulletin.

We are going to resume with an online bulletin the first of October, but we have not resumed printing a hard copy of the bulletin. So, we needed some guest registration cards! [Read more…]

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40 YEARS – WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Psalm 144:4 (HCSB) reminds us, “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

That verse became real to me this year as I realized that 40 years ago this month, God started me on a journey I never expected. I had my plans, but I soon learned that plans made without God rarely pan out.

When I graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1980 with a journalism degree in hand, I knew I would soon be the Gamecocks beat reporter for the Greenville News, but that’s not what God had in mind. [Read more…]

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PIERSON: EFFECTIVE PRAYER REQUIRES INTIMACY WITH GOD

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

FLINTVILLE — Perhaps no one knows better than Don Pierson how desperately the United States needs to be intimately connected with God through prayer during this point in the nation’s history.

In a nation filled with fear over COVID-19, increasing racial turmoil and divide and a country divided by politics, God is the only answer, said Don Pierson, pastor of Stewart’s Chapel Baptist Church, Flintville.

Prior to accepting the pastorate at Stewart’s Chapel, Pierson served as a Southern Baptist missionary in Belize, a director of missions for William Carey Baptist Association and for about 12 years as the prayer specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. [Read more…]

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TENNESCENE: SEP. 23

LEADERS

Wes Jones

Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, celebrated his fifth anniversary in September. Jones and his wife, Pam, are former Southern Baptist missionaries to Costa Rica, Belize and Guatemala. He also served as a director of missions in Iowa where he was heavily involved in disaster relief work. Since coming to Tennessee, TBC DR teams have responded to 78 disasters, which accounts for 32 percent of the total 247 responses made since TBDR was formed in 1978.

Trinity Baptist Church, Jonesborough, recently called Chris McDonald as minister of music. He has a bachelor of church music degree from Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, and a master of church music degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. He and his wife, Hope, have two children. The church also called Amy Herington as children’s ministry coordinator. She has a bachelor of arts in biblical studies from Moody Bible Institute. She and her husband, James, have three children. [Read more…]

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MOUNTAINS & MAJESTY

Worship and friendship are the bedrock of pastors’ hiking trip on Appalachian Trail

Adam Cutshaw, pastor of Encounter Life Church, Manchester, looks out over the mountains during a recent hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail. Cutshaw was one of 11 pastors who journeyed together on a three-day trip, which represented the first in a series of outdoor adventures organized as part of a new ministry hosted by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board conference centers. Kevin Perrigan, camp manager at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center and an avid hiker, served as the leader for the recent trip. He said there are plans for four “outings” each year. Those interested in attending any of the upcoming trips can contact Perrigan at kperrigan@tnbaptist.org.

 

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

FRANKLIN — With the overwhelming stress of the past few months beginning to take a toll, pastor David Simmerman decided he would heed the advice of a friend. [Read more…]

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SEPTEMBER 11

By Todd Brady
Vice President for University Ministries, Union University

View of Lower Manhattan from the Manhattan Bridge, September 11, 2001
-Photo: Library of Congress, Public Domain

My job is filled with days that often include a front row seat to good things that are happening in this up-and-coming generation. Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 was one of those days.

Young Americans for Freedom, a student group at Union University, held a brief memorial service at 7 a.m. outside by the Miller Towers to remember the events of 9.11.01 and to pray together. [Read more…]

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SEP. 27: GOD REIGNS

By Glenn Metts
Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Seymour

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleFocal Passage: Isaiah 23:8-18

It is an incredibly humbling and comforting thought to know that our God reigns! In an unprecedented year of challenges for our nation, for our communities, schools, businesses, churches and our families, it gives believers comfort to know that our great and mighty God is in control. He is on His throne and He still oversees the affairs of man. It is a time where as God’s people, it is good to be reminded of God’s sovereignty, His holiness, His justice and grace. [Read more…]

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SEP. 27: HONOR LIFE

By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeFocal Passage: Exodus 20:13; 1 Samuel 26:7-11, 22-25

As we come to the sixth commandment, many people either misunderstand or misinterpret the phrase, “You shall not kill.” Actually, the best translation of the original language is, “You shall not murder.”

The word here in the Hebrew is “murder,” and specifically means the wanton, intentional slaying of another human being. It refers to manslaughter, and the unauthorized taking of an innocent life. [Read more…]

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TENNESCENE: SEP. 2

LEADERS

Corey Cain

Corey Cain was called July 1 as the lead pastor of First Baptist Church, Seymour. Cain previously served as pastor of Maplewood Baptist Church, Paris. Cain currently serves as president of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference and second vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

Kerry Franks recently was called as pastor of Green River Baptist Church, Waynesboro. He had been serving as youth pastor. He begins his new role in September.

Birchfield Baptist Church, Maryville, recently called Greg Watson as pastor. He was misidentified in the July 22 issue. The Baptist and Reflector staff apologizes for the error. [Read more…]

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