Kerry Mock, center, manager and representative of the donor, Highlands at English Mountain LLC, signs papers donating 494.68 acres on English Mountain to the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board as his wife, Kristin, and William Maxwell, left, chief administrative officer of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, look on. Behind them, from left, are Cindi Groomes, chair of the Conference Centers Committee and member of The First Family Baptist Church, Antioch; Kevin Perrigan, manager of Carson Springs; and Amarilis Nunn, chair of the Mission Support Committee and member of Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett. — Photo by James Wilson

FRANKLIN — Highlands at English Mountain LLC (HEM) has donated 494.68 acres on English Mountain which adjoins the current property owned by Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center in Newport  to the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

The property currently making up Carson Springs was originally donated to Tennessee Baptists by the families of former Governor Ben Hooper and Charles Rhyne.

This donation more than triples the property at Carson Springs from 181.9 acres to 676.6 acres.

The property includes more than five miles of ridgeline on English Mountain with a number of prominent 360-degree views, including the Cherokee National Forest. [Read more…]

All Nations Camp expands to both Baptist conference centers

Fun and games were a part of both camps at Carson Springs and Linden Valley.

NEWPORT – For the first time in the history of All Nations Camp, two camps were held, one at each Tennessee Baptist conference center.

Two-hundred, ninety-eight children, from elementary age through high school, attended ANC at Carson Springs Baptist Conference earlier in June.

Forty-three campers made salvation decisions while 21 recommitted their lives and three were called into full-time Christian service, said William Burton, ethnic ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Two weeks later, a second ANC was held in West Tennessee at Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center. The event, designed for refugees and children of refugees and immigrants, drew more than 200 participants, Burton said.

Three churches that had never participated in ANC sent campers to Linden for the first time, Burton said.

“I believe this conference will open more opportunities for churches to participate, especially in West Tennessee,” he predicted.

At Linden Valley, there were 50 salvation decisions, 18 rededications, and four called to ministry.

Campers at both locations gave nearly $3,000 for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

Combined, the camps drew about 500 participants from more than 20 different ethnic churches across the state.

“Neither conference center would handle that capacity at one camp, Burton said, although nearly 500 attended ANC in 2019 at Carson Springs.

“That was when we began to look at having two camps,” Burton recalled, noting that the 2019 attendance was just too many participants at a single location.

But then COVID-19 was introduced to the world in 2020 and camp was canceled.  In 2021, due to COVID restrictions still in place, the camp was limited to middle and high schoolers, Burton noted.

Last year’s ANC at Carson Springs drew more than 300 children, teenagers and adults, Burton said.

“I was very happy with the attendance at both locations,”he noted. “In spite of strong spiritual warfare, God worked in an amazing way.”

FRANKLIN — The future looks bright for Tennessee Baptists, said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

In a video released to Tennessee Baptists on June 28 (click below to view the video), Davis observed that while “we live with cultural uncertainty and uncertainty even with the Southern Baptist Convention, there is good news.

“God is on the move in Tennessee and that’s why I believe it is a great day to be a Tennessee Baptist.”

From Memphis to Mountain City and from Dyersburg to Ducktown, God is working in the lives of people and churches in Tennessee, Davis observed.

International children are accepting Christ at All Nations Camp, 25 incarcerated men and women recently accepted Christ and were baptized behind prison walls and unborn babies are being rescued by the work of crisis pregnancy centers, he noted.

“Across the state, God is writing a chapter of hope on the hearts of people through the work of Tennessee Baptists and it’s a joy for your Tennessee Baptist Mission Board to serve you in making Christ known,” Davis said.

Yet, there is still much to be done, Davis continued.

“Any way you slice it, Tennessee is a mission field, and increasingly so. Our population is exploding and the needs are great,” he said.

Davis noted there are four million unchurched and spiritually lost people in Tennessee — and that number continues to grow.

“As a network of churches, we are completing the 10-year journey of the Five Objectives. These objectives were affirmed in 2014 and have compelled Tennessee Baptists forward in evangelism, church planting, church revitalization, stewardship and generosity,” he said.

With one year to go in the Five Objectives journey, it is imperative to “fight mission drift. In any great mission endeavor, you cannot allow distractions to hold your attention too long.

“We must maintain a laser focus and finish strong. God is doing some amazing things right now. Let’s be a part of that,” Davis challenged.

At the same time, Tennessee Baptists must look beyond 2024, he continued.

Davis reminded Tennessee Baptists of the Acts 2:17 listening sessions held late last year and in the early months of 2023 “to discover God’s preferable future for Tennessee Baptists.”

Opportunities are already emerging, he said, especially in the cotton fields of West Tennessee where Ford is building the largest automotive assembly plant in the nation.

More than 10,000 employees will work at the plant and experts predict a increase of 90,000 people in the area’s population over the next 10 years, he continued.

“Most are coming from across the country and around the world, and many are unchurched and have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel.

“This is not just West Tennessee’s mission field. This is Tennessee Baptists’ mission field,” Davis stressed.

“Churches from across our state are answering the ‘Macedonian call” to come over and help plant at least 40 churches over the next decade. Your churches send people to serve, evangelize and plant churches in other countries, but what can your church do to send people to West Tennessee?” he asked.

Davis added, however, that the western part of the state is not the only area that is growing. “The entire state is expected to grow by more than a half million people over the next decade. These newcomers need to hear the gospel. Will they hear it from Tennessee Baptists?”

The TBMB leader is confident that they will. “For a century and a half, Tennessee Baptists have faithfully taken the gospel throughout our state, across our nation and around the world. I believe we will be faithful to our Great Commission calling,” he affirmed.

As the convention celebrates its 150th anniversary next year in Murfreesboro, Davis promised Tennessee Baptists that their TBMB staff “will walk with you in partnership. That’s what we do. We serve churches.

“I believe the greatest, most fruitful days of our convention lie ahead,” Davis continued. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is a great day to be a Tennessee Baptist.” B&R

Keeping true to tradition, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board hosted a “dessert reception” during this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. The reception — which took place on June 12 (the evening prior to the official start of the annual meeting) at the New Orleans convention center — was well attended, as Tennessee Baptists filled the room for a time of fellowship and king cake. Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, welcomed attendees with a brief word.

-Photos by Lonnie Wilkey

Lives are being changed this week at All Nations Camp at Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center. More than 40 children have made professions of faith thus far at camp, said William Burton, ethnic church planting specialist and new churches team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, shortly after the worship session on Thursday morning. Click the video below for an update from Burton.

More than 20 children have made professions of faith this week during the first three days of All Nations Camp at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center. 

“The Lord has been at work,” said William Burton, ethnic church planting specialist and new churches team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “We’re praying that God will continue to move in the hearts and lives of the (300-plus) campers that are registered here at All Nations Camp.” 

The camp includes children from 11 different nations.

See the video below for a special message from Burton.