Vova Gorbenko stands in front of Henderson Humanities Building on Carson-Newman University’s campus. Gorbenko serves as guest professor and assistant director of C-N’s campus ministries.

JEFFERSON CITY — Points along Vova Gorbenko’s journey to Jefferson City are marked with air raid sirens, explosions, bitter temperatures and a 20-hour drive under the cover of night. 

The details sound much like they were ripped from a movie plot. But for Vova and his family, every turn, every mile and every step of their story has been real — very real.

Vova, his wife Marina, their 17-year-old son Andrei and 15-year-old daughter Katya, call Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine, home. One of the country’s largest cities with a population of more than 700,000, Zaporizhzhya is located in the southeastern part of the country — a few hours from Donetsk, and about six hours south of the country’s capital of Kiev. 

It is where Vova worked as an academic dean at the local seminary and a minister at his church. It was where Marina served as a public-school teacher and where Andrei and Katya grew up with friends and went to school. It was home. [Read more…]

Maurice Hollingsworth, senior pastor at Pleasant Heights Baptist Church, Columbia, and Elain Wells, board member of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, gather for a photo with the night’s mascot at a recent church barbecue that was part of a weekend-long event to honor First Responders from Sept. 9-11.

COLUMBIA — The leaders and church members at Pleasant Heights Baptist Church, Columbia, felt like one day simply wasn’t enough to honor the men and women who serve as first responders.

So, the church turned the celebration into a weekend-long event. 

It started with a “whole-hog” cookout on the night of Sept. 9, and extended through the worship services at Pleasant Heights on Sunday, Sept. 11, when the First Responders were recognized, honored and prayed over. 

Senior pastor Maurice Hollingsworth said the church embraced the event, and said the excitement surrounding the weekend was felt for weeks in advance. 

“The enthusiasm of the church family was contagious,” Hollingsworth said. “(For this event), we intentionally wanted to reach out beyond the walls of our church building into the surrounding community. Jesus told his followers to be ‘salt and light’ in Matthew 5 — and that was the sole aim of (this event).” [Read more…]

Noah Leighton, student pastor at First Baptist Church, Goodlettsville, gets a new haircut from the youth after they surpassed an attendance goal for the “Fall Color Brawl.”

GOODLETTSVILLE — Technically, Noah Leighton lost the challenge. But in his mind, the night was a major victory. 

In fact, Leighton, the student pastor at First Baptist Church, Goodlettsville, was in full-scale celebration mode on Aug. 17 after the church’s “back to school” event drew more than 100 youth and saw 23 students make professions of faith.

For Leighton, it was clearly a night for rejoicing, not “remorsing” —  even if he had to endure a nonprofessional haircut.  

In the weeks leading up to the event, Leighton had issued a challenge to his youth group: If more than 80 students attended the “Fall Color Brawl,” he would allow them to shave his head. The FBC youth rallied around the cause, and a total of 104 students gathered for the event. 

Being a man of his word, Leighton allowed the students to give him a haircut. It was a small price to pay, he said, considering that the drawbacks of a potentially bad haircut were temporary, but the decisions for Christ were eternal.  [Read more…]

The state evangelism rallies were held at regional sites this year in hopes of creating a wider reach for the event. Below is coverage from the rallies in East Tennessee (hosted by Carson-Newman University) and West Tennessee (hosted by Union University).  [Read more…]

Jay Barbier, youth specialist at Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, speaks at the Equip Youth Apologetics Conference on Sept. 10. — Photo by Suzanne Rhodes

JACKSON — Union University’s School of Theology and Missions and the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board hosted over 200 students during the Equip Youth Apologetics Conference on Sept. 10 at Union’s Carl Grant Events Center.

With key speakers trained in theology, philosophy, apologetics and youth ministry, the Equip Youth Apologetics Conference helped train youth how to defend and affirm essential Christian truths.

Gregory Poore, Union associate professor of philosophy, apologetics and ethics, kicked off the conference by teaching students how to approach defending their faith in love and grace.

“A lot of times, we have this impression that if we think too much, we will lose our faith,” Poore said. “Christ is the maker of heavens, the earth and our minds, so we don’t need to be afraid that there’s going to be some deep incompatibility between seeking truth and faith.” [Read more…]

Alan Duncan, left, and Marty Blakely baptize Carson-Newman University senior running back Drew Morrison of Johnson City.

JEFFERSON CITY — In a scene not commonly witnessed on a college campus, members of Carson-Newman University’s football team gathered after practice Sept. 15 along the banks of Mossy Creek. 

The assembly took place less than 48 hours prior to the Eagles’ home opener. With Burke-Tarr Stadium only a couple hundred yards away, the players’ minds were on something even more important than Saturday’s game.

 Fourteen members of Carson-Newman’s football team entered the chilly waters of Mossy Creek to be baptized. They were joined by two female students who serve on the football video staff, as they too made faith decisions. 

As players and members of the C-N community lined the grassy banks in support, the 16 entered — one by one. The public professions of faith were officiated by Marty Blakely, director of Lakeway’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Alan Duncan, who serves as associate pastor at Morristown’s Manley Baptist Church. [Read more…]

Present day Sinking Creek Baptist Church was the site of the 250th anniversary celebration.

JOHNSON CITY — In 1772, four years before the United States of America was formed, a Baptist church was established on the banks of Sinking Creek in present day Johnson City.

On Sunday, Sept. 18, members of Sinking Creek Baptist Church, celebrated the 250th anniversary of the oldest church in both the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the state of Tennessee.

“It is a great honor to be pastor during this momentous occasion and follow in the footsteps of so many giants in the faith,” said pastor Chuck Babb.

“We emphasize that this church would have long ago ceased to exist without the providence and power of God,” he noted. “We are not special but our history is unique,” Babb affirmed.

The pastor observed that God has sustained Sinking Creek through Indian attacks, revolution, financial ruin that threatened the early republic, the American Civil War, World War I, a Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, a divisive war in Vietnam and the conflicts to follow.   [Read more…]

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptists Disaster Relief volunteers have been placed on alert status for possible deployment to Florida in response to Hurricane Ian.

As of early afternoon on Sept. 26, Hurricane Ian is projected to pose a danger to western Cuba before it hits Florida, according to The Weather Channel. In addition, the news report said a hurricane watch has been issued for Florida’s west coast, including Tampa Bay.

ABC News reported that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a “state of emergency” for the entire state. [Read more…]