Featured Archives - Baptist & Reflector

ACTEENS HELP RURAL CHURCH EXCEED GOLDEN OFFERING GOAL

October 27, 2021

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

Pastor Eric Atkins of New Friendship Baptist Church, Cleveland, holds the GOTM promotion display the church used with the help of his daughter, Anna, center, and wife, Cindy.

CLEVELAND — New Friendship Baptist Church in rural Bradley County has always been a strong supporter of missions, said pastor Eric Atkins.

Not only does the church give 12.5 percent of its undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program and 5 percent to CrossNet Baptist Association, the church sets lofty goals for the annual missions offerings — Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

“Like any other church coming out of the pandemic, we saw a greater need to support these offerings,” Atkins said.

This year, the church set a goal of $2,500 for GOTM, a challenging goal for a congregation that has averaged about 50 people weekly since the onset of the pandemic a year ago. [Read more…]

CARSON-NEWMAN FOOTBALL TEAM GAINS ‘TRUE’ VICTORIES

October 26, 2021

Eleven players baptized in Mossy Creek after recent professions of faith

Carson-Newman news office

Alan Duncan (left) and Marty Blakely baptize Carson-Newman football player Levi Myers in Mossy Creek as members of the football team watch from the creek bank. Meyers was one of 11 players who were baptized. — Photo by Charles Key

JEFFERSON CITY — Mossy Creek has held a special place in the hearts of Carson-Newman University students and alumni for generations. On Sept. 29, the creek became the scene of a life-changing event for 11 members of the Eagles football team.

Following afternoon practice, the 11 teammates walked from the University’s Burke-Tarr Stadium down the hill to the banks of the creek. They were accompanied by fellow players, coaches, administrators and staff, all gathering to witness and celebrate the athletes’ shared decision to make public professions of faith after accepting Christ. Historic Mossy Creek provided the appropriate backdrop.

Helping officiate the event were Marty Blakely, director of Lakeway’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Alan Duncan, who serves on staff at Morristown’s Manley Baptist Church. Over the last four years, the duo has baptized over 50 C-N players. Blakely noted that prior to his participation, Dr. Dean Haun, pastor of Morristown’s First Baptist Church, had helped with the team’s baptisms. [Read more…]

COMMON SENSE WAYS TO BLESS YOUR PASTOR

October 25, 2021

By Matt Tullos
Special assistant to the executive director

Pastors are amazing. They speak every Sunday. They provide leadership to teams and champion the vision of the church. They are there for the most joyous and most despairing moments of life: when babies are born, when brides are married, when people die.

Traditionally, October is a month we honor and bless our pastors. Some churches give a gift certificate, a book, or a tie. But if we all blessed our pastors in these practical ways, it would be worth so much more. These commonsense strategies cost you nothing, but they would be priceless to him.

1. Honor and appreciate his wife. Many churches assume that the pastor’s wife needs to fit the cookie-cutter model of the perfect wife. She plays the piano, quietly smiles, has no opinions, serves in the nursery, leads the women’s Bible study, decorates the wedding parlor, attends every WMU meeting, and always appears perfect inside and out. Here’s a shocker: This woman doesn’t exist. Your pastor’s wife might do one or two of these things, but she is unique and has an important role to play in your church. [Read more…]

ONLINE SERVICES EXPANDED REACH OF CHURCHES DURING PANDEMIC

October 22, 2021

By Aaron Earls
Writer, Lifeway Christian Resources

NASHVILLE —

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, online worship services were a novel concept for many churches. In the almost two years since, however, churches have adapted and reached new people with the adoption of digital streaming.

According to a new study from Nashville-based Lifeway Research, 45 percent of Americans say they have watched a Christian church service online during the COVID-19 pandemic, including some who say they don’t normally physically attend. Around half (52 percent) say they have not watched a church service during the pandemic, most of whom say they don’t normally attend church in person either.

“The distance to one’s nearest church has changed almost overnight,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “A form of communication that was not even used by most churches before the pandemic has now reached almost half of Americans.” [Read more…]

C-N DAY OF SERVICE ENABLES STUDENTS TO MINISTER IN JEFFERSON CITY AREA

October 22, 2021

Baptist Press

More than 500 members of the Carson-Newman University community banded together to take part in outreach projects across Jefferson, Hamblen, Blount, Grainger and Knox counties as part of the Operation Inasmuch day of service.

JEFFERSON CITY — More than 500 Carson-Newman University students, faculty and staff showed love and support for their community by participating in outreach projects across five counties during the annual Operation Inasmuch day of service.

Forty-three teams were sent to service sites Sept. 29 across Jefferson, Hamblen, Blount, Grainger and Knox counties. The projects included cleaning and organizing donation warehouses, collecting food donations, packing shelf-stable meals for food pantries, teaching lessons to elementary-aged students and cleaning homeless shelters among others.

More than 50 C-N student leaders from programs and organizations led teams and worked during the event.

In 2006, Carson-Newman was the first college or university to implement OI. Founded by former East Tennessee Baptist pastor David Crocker, OI has since been adopted by organizations across the country. [Read more…]

OPERATION LEGACY BENEFITING PASTORS

October 21, 2021

By Bill Gruenewald
President, Tennessee Baptist Foundation

In March 2021, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) and the Tennessee Baptist Foundation (TBF) launched an initiative to help all Tennessee pastors and ministers get their estate plans in place. We partnered with Philanthrocorp, a faith-based company that works with charitable organizations in the area of estate planning and planned giving.

They work with many other state Baptist foundations as well as the International Mission Board. The TBF believed with the size of this project, help would be needed, and felt Philanthrocorp was a good partner. The TBF has and will continue to work with all Tennessee Baptists in helping get their estate plans finalized.

Over the past six months, we have seen many pastors and ministers take advantage of this service, which is free of charge. As of August, there were 42 pastors in the planning process, with another 26 that were beginning the process. [Read more…]

LIFEWAY CAMPS PREPARED BCM LEADER FOR MINISTRY

October 20, 2021

Baptist Press

Tiffany Hudson is the BCM campus minister at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. — Photo provided by Lifeway Christian Resources

NASHVILLE — This summer, more than 87,000 kids and students attended Lifeway camps with more than 475 summer staffers providing fun and inspiring experiences at FUGE Camps, CentriKid Camps, Student Life Camps and Student Life Kids Camps. Summer camps are spiritually edifying not just for campers; they also provide the training, experience and passion for camp staff that develop the next generation of ministry leaders.

Tiffany Hudson served five summers with FUGE Camps from 2005 through 2009 and felt called into full-time ministry through her camp experience. Today, Hudson serves as the Baptist Collegiate Ministry campus minister at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

“The ministry experience I gained with FUGE Camps is immeasurable,” she said. “I began as a timid 20-year-old, afraid to have a conversation with my own camp director and graduated to a seasoned ministry leader because of the opportunities presented to me through FUGE to teach and lead others.”

Hudson credits the pre-camp training as pivotal in giving her practical skills to work with others, be a team player and build community. [Read more…]

EVANS: GOSPEL CONVERSATIONS DON’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT

October 19, 2021

By Timothy Cockes
Baptist Press

SPRINGFIELD — Many Christians spend time thinking about ways to start gospel conversations, but pastor David Evans says evangelism starts “way before” the actual in-person conversation.

Evans, senior pastor at Springfield Baptist Church in Springfield, said talk around evangelism often deals with what should be said during a conversation but neglects the preparation necessary long before the scenario arises.

“In all reality, evangelism conversations start way before that,” Evans said. “Are you preparing your mind, your psychology, your posture and your perspective so when that time comes it’s less about the particular words I use to open the door and more about ‘Am I willing and intentional in that moment.’ ” [Read more…]

MORE THAN TUNE UPS AND TIRE ROTATIONS

October 18, 2021

Round Lick Baptist provides ministry to single mothers, widows

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

Pastor Rick Burns does a routine maintenance check for Round Lick Baptist Church’s “Free Oil Changes for Single Moms” ministry held twice a month at the old city hall building in Watertown.

WATERTOWN — Bryan Howard grew up in a home led by a single mom so he is well aware of the struggles and issues they face.

That’s why he has always wanted to be involved in a ministry geared toward single mothers and widows, but until recently he had never found the opportunity.

That changed earlier this year when Howard, worship pastor at Round Lick Baptist Church, Watertown, attended a meeting hosted by Wilson County Baptist Association that focused on community outreach. That sparked the recall of an article he had read previously about a church that provided free oil changes for single mothers. “God gave me the vision for this ministry 20 years ago,” he affirmed.

Howard noted that single mom families “are a growing segment of our population. Some have never married or have been abandoned by their husbands; while others are widowed. [Read more…]

GOLDEN JOURNEY

October 15, 2021

Pastor rides across state to raise GOTM funds

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

Frank Webb, pastor of First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, recently logged more than 1,000 miles on his motorcycle in an effort to raise money for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

MOUNT PLEASANT — For a small congregation, First Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant has always given generously to missions.

Pastor Frank Webb, who also is a F.A.I.T.H. Rider, recently completed a motorcycle ride across Tennessee from Memphis to Mountain City to raise money for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions. Several church members pledged an amount per mile for the 1,000-plus mile ride. About $1,600 was pledged for the GOTM.

F.A.I.T.H. Riders is a national ministry developed in 2002 at First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Fla. According to the F.A.I.T.H. Riders website, what began “as a four-person step of faith has grown into a team of many dedicated believers committed to the cause of Christ and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ on and with their motorcycles to anyone who will listen.”

The ministry has expanded to more than 350 churches in 29 states, including Tennessee. [Read more…]

Eleven players baptized in Mossy Creek after recent professions of faith

Round Lick Baptist provides ministry to single mothers, widows

Pastor rides across state to raise GOTM funds

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