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AMERICANS MOST THANKFUL FOR AND TO FAMILY THIS THANKSGIVING

November 25, 2020

By Aaron Earls
Writer, LifeWay Christian Resources

NASHVILLE — Even though the pandemic may change Thanksgiving celebrations this year, Americans still express thankfulness for their family and friends.

According to a survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, more than 4 in 5 Americans (84 percent) say they are thankful for their family.

Sizable majorities also note being thankful for health (69 percent), friends (63 percent) and memories (63 percent).

Around half point to personal freedom (53 percent) and stability (47 percent). More than 2 in 5 are thankful for fun experiences (45 percent) and opportunities (42 percent).

A third of Americans will spend Thanksgiving being grateful for their achievements (33 percent), while 1 in 5 (21 percent) express thankfulness for their wealth. [Read more…]

COOKEVILLE RESIDENTS RECALL, REFLECT ON TORNADO

November 25, 2020

Baptist & Reflector

Volunteers from across Tennessee gathered in Cookeville to help clean up following the tornadoes that swept through Middle Tennessee in early March.

COOKEVILLE — In the early morning hours of March 3, tornadoes swept through Middle Tennessee, leaving behind at least 24 fatalities and a path of destruction.

Cookeville and Putnam County especially were hit hard with about 18 fatalities and a number of homes that were flattened.

Within a matter of hours, Tennessee Baptists were on the scene ready to assist residents with clearing trees and debris while showing the love of Jesus Christ.

Residents and ministers from the Cookeville area recalled the event and shared memories during one of the Good News Videos aired during Virtual Summit on Nov. 10. See this video and others at TBCSummit.org.

Ted McWilliams recalled that the day following the tornado there were at least 200 people at his demolished house and even more the following day. He noted that to see that many people, many of whom he didn’t even know, offering to help was overwhelming. “There are no words for it.” [Read more…]

AMERICANS MOST THANKFUL FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS THANKSGIVING

November 24, 2020

By Aaron Earls
Writer, LifeWay Research

NASHVILLE — Even though the pandemic may change Thanksgiving celebrations this year, Americans still express thankfulness for their family and friends.

According to a survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, more than 4 in 5 Americans (84 percent) say they are thankful for their family.

Sizable majorities also note being thankful for health (69 percent), friends (63 percent) and memories (63 percent).

Around half point to personal freedom (53 percent) and stability (47 percent). More than 2 in 5 are thankful for fun experiences (45 percent) and opportunities (42 percent).

A third of Americans will spend Thanksgiving being grateful for their achievements (33 percent), while 1 in 5 (21 percent) express thankfulness for their wealth.

The average person chose five things on the list for which they are thankful. [Read more…]

BAPTIST LAYMAN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN HEALTH CARE

November 24, 2020

Baptist & Reflector

Jason M. Little, a layman from Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown, and president and chief executive office of Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis, was recognized as this year’s Eagle Award recipient.

FRANKLIN — For several years the Tennessee Baptist Convention has been recognizing “people in the pews” who are getting outside the walls of their church and making a Great Commission impact through the “Eagle Award.”

In the past the convention has honored coaches, a businessman and a military veteran, said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

This year the convention is recognizing Jason Little, a layman from Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown, and president and chief executive office of Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis, he announced during the Virtual Summit on Nov. 10.

Davis said that while they could not give an award to every health care professional in Tennessee Baptist churches they selected Little to represent those in the medical profession who have been on the frontlines during the worldwide pandemic. [Read more…]

COUPLE KNOWS SON’S DEATH WILL BE USED BY GOD

November 23, 2020

Baptist & Reflector

The Washam family, prior to a tragic accident in 2019 that took the life of their son – from left, Emma, Jean-Ann, Seth and Shannon.

FRANKLIN — Shannon and Jean-Ann Washam have walked with people facing crises many, many times throughout their lives while serving in compassion ministries.

Shannon is director of Western Heights Baptist Center in Knoxville while Jean-Ann is director of Appalachian Outreach in Jefferson City. They shared their story on video during the Virtual Summit on Nov. 10. See this video and others at TBCSummit.org.

But nothing could have prepared them for their own personal tragedy. In July of 2019, their son, Seth Washam, who would have been a freshman that fall at Carson-Newman University and his sister, Emma, then a rising junior at Carson-Newman, were in a tragic accident while on a mission trip in Guatemala. [Read more…]

FROM BODY SLAMS TO PREACHING JESUS

November 20, 2020

Former wrestler known as the ‘Wild Samoan’ now a church planter in East Tenn.

Baptist & Reflector

Pastor Elias Nech, a former professional wrestler, joins with others during a time of praise during a recent service.

FRANKLIN — For 30 years Elias Nech wrestled under the name of “The Wild Samoan.”

Today, however, he no longer body slams those he comes into contact with. Instead, he is more likely to tell people about the love of Jesus Christ.

And, instead of the Wild Samoan, he’s simply Pastor Elias.

Nech is pastor of Children of Christ Baptist Church in Morristown, a group of Micronesian believers. Micronesia is a country of more than 600 islands in the western Pacific Ocean.

The congregation is being assisted by Nolachucky Baptist Association and some missions-minded churches in the area. Pastor Elias and his congregation were featured in one of the Good News Vi

deos produced for Virtual Summit. The video and others can be accessed at TBCSummit.org. [Read more…]

HEALING STARTS WITH LISTENING

November 19, 2020

‘Barbershop conversation’ focuses on steps needed for racial equality

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Ternae Jordan, pastor of Mount Canaan Baptist Church, Chattanooga, and Grant Gaines, pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, engage in a discussion for a ‘barbershop conversation’ as part of this year’s Summit.

MURFREESBORO — Among the many powerful moments of the 2020 Virtual Summit was the “barbershop conversation” with Grant Gaines and Ternae Jordan.

The two pastors got together to discuss the topic of racial justice, and how the Bible promotes and defines it. Gaines, pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, and Jordan, pastor of Mount Canaan Baptist Church, Chattanooga, gathered at the Blue Raider Barbershop in Murfreesboro to film the video conversation.

A portion of their discussion was shown during Summit, and the entire conversation between the two pastors can be viewed at TBCSummit.org. Below are some excerpts from the discussion. [Read more…]

UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENT: VIRTUAL CHOIR IS TRICKY

November 18, 2020

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

The above photo is a screen shot from the video that Scott Shepherd (pictured) sent to each member of the Tennessee Baptist Virtual Choir to help them practice for the video song presentation.

FRANKLIN — In the world of music, timing is everything. If just one person is out of sync, it can be enough to ruin the whole song.

Now, think about this for a moment: how much more difficult would it be for everyone — the choir and the musicians — to be on the same page if they weren’t in the same room?

That was the challenge that Scott Shepherd faced when he decided to put together a special video presentation by the Tennessee Baptist Men’s Chorale and the Tennessee Ladies Chorus for this year’s Virtual Summit.

Each member of the two choirs (the Chorale and Chorus) recorded a video of themselves singing (and/or providing accompaniment) to the song “I Will Make All Things New.” Shepherd then took the videos and “layered” them on top of each other to bring together a full choir experience. [Read more…]

CHESSER: NOW MORE THAN EVER, PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF THE LORD

November 18, 2020

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

Bruce Chesser delivers an abbreviated president’s address during the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s first Virtual Summit.

FRANKLIN — Even during a worldwide pandemic, God has done and “will continue to do wonders among us,” affirmed Bruce Chesser, pastor of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, and president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

Due to the cancelation of the in-person Summit originally scheduled for Brentwood Baptist Church, Chesser gave an abbreviated message during the Virtual Summit.

“I had expected to share a message at Summit and preach in a more traditional way,” he noted, “but it’s an honor to be able to come to you in this way.” Chesser, who will serve another year as president, said he planned to present his original message at next year’s convention. [Read more…]

VIRTUAL SUMMIT — A FIRST FOR TENNESSEE BAPTISTS

November 16, 2020

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

TBMB president and executive director Randy C. Davis (left) and TBC president Bruce Chesser, pastor of FBC, Hendersonville, introduce the next segment at 2020 Virtual Summit.

FRANKLIN — The Tennessee Baptist Convention’s first Virtual Summit was not the original choice of convention leadership but it proved to be the most viable alternative during a worldwide pandemic.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Tennessee, the decision made in late August to cancel the in-person meeting set for Nov. 8-11 at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, proved to be prudent.

Convention president Bruce Chesser noted in his opening remarks that leadership listened to professionals in healthcare who predicted there would be a new wave of cases in the fall. “That has proven to be the case. It has been expedient to do this (Summit) the way we are doing it,” he said.

Prior to the Virtual Summit, Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said leadership made the call “to err on the side of protecting Tennessee Baptist messengers and guests. It was a tough call to cancel, but the right call,” he affirmed. [Read more…]

Former wrestler known as the ‘Wild Samoan’ now a church planter in East Tenn.

‘Barbershop conversation’ focuses on steps needed for racial equality

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