By Ashley Perham
Baptist and Reflector

— Photo: Crievewood Baptist Church

NASHVILLE — Crievewood Baptist Church was one of four Nashville churches affected by arson the night of June 25, 2019. Although the arson caused over one million dollars in damage, the church is rebuilding. And forgiving.

Alan Fox, 26, admitted to the arson and at the end of August, sent an apology letter to Ray Miller, pastor, and the church. Miller said Fox explained that a combination of trauma and drugs had led him to act violently the night of the fire.

A few months before the fire, Crievewood had studied forgiveness. “This is our moment,” Miller told the church after the fire.

In a Facebook post the day after the fire, Miller wrote to the church: “I believe we will have the opportunity to extend God’s forgiveness to this man one day.” [Read more…]

EDITOR’S NOTE: February is Black History Month

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

Kelly Miller Smith, Jr., preaching Sunday (Feb. 16) during a yearlong bicentennial celebration at Nashville First Baptist Church, exhorted Christians to love with the compassion characteristic of Jesus. — Photo by Scott Schrecker

NASHVILLE — Nashville First Baptist Church was willed an enslaved 16-year-old Nelson G. Merry in 1840, and by 1853 had baptized, discipled, freed and ordained him to pastor the First Colored Baptist Mission, a First Baptist church plant.

That church plant became First Baptist Church Capitol Hill, a majority black Nashville congregation led by senior pastor Kelly Miller Smith Jr. He participated Sunday (Feb. 16) in Nashville First Baptist’s yearlong bicentennial celebration, preaching the morning sermon and answering questions on race relations and civil rights during a luncheon afterward.

“Our congregation was born at a time when slaves were just being freed after the Emancipation Proclamation,” Smith told Baptist Press. “From the time of inception, Nashville First Baptist seemed to understand the value and importance [of] former slaves having their own identity and approach to worshiping and serving God. It is evident in our shared history.” [Read more…]

Edwards prepares for retirement after 25 years in youth ministry with TBMB

Baptist and Reflector

Bruce Edwards

FRANKLIN — After 25 years of ministry with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, youth specialist Bruce Edwards has announced his upcoming retirement.

Edwards has touched countless lives throughout the past two-plus decades, and God has used Edwards’ ministry to encourage and impact youth pastors, youth workers and youth themselves. [Read more…]

Church moves forward despite losing historic building

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

Firemen work to extinguish the blaze that burned down Forest Hills Baptist Church, Parrottsville, in mid-January. The church is hoping to rebuild a new facility on the same spot as the previous building, which was more than 100 years old.

PARROTTSVILLE — When pastor Michael Vickers talks about the fire that ravaged Forest Hills Baptist Church, Parrottsville, he immediately points out one important fact: The fire destroyed the church building; it did not destroy the church.

The fire occurred around 1 a.m. on Jan. 18, and decimated the building that had been standing for more than 100 years. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Vickers said the Forest Hill members, while certainly saddened about the loss of the facility, are excited about the future.

“We are going to get to rebuild,” said Vickers, “and our plan is to rebuild the church right where the (previous) building was, give or take a little bit. Our church sits on top of a little knob that overlooks the mountains, and it’s just beautiful.” [Read more…]

By Shawn Hendricks
Contributing writer, B&R

“Miss Helen”

SPRING HILL — After Pastor Jay Strother announced to the congregation at The Church at Station Hill his  challenge for them to read the entire Bible through in one year, Helen Tyler wanted to be the first to “sign up.” 

The 99-year-“young” woman, also known as “Miss Helen,” told Pastor Strother at the Spring Hill, campus of Brentwood Baptist Church it would be her 61st time to study through the Bible in a year. He also learned she’d be turning 100 in March.

Strother recalled her telling him, “I’ve been through the Bible 60 times and I might as well make it 61.” After announcing “The Whole Church in the Whole Word” challenge, Strother later followed up with Miss Helen for an “extended conversation” on the phone about her love for God’s Word.  [Read more…]

By Shawn Hendricks
Contributing Writer, B&R

Leighann McCoy, right, joins Trula Sager, left, and Georgianna Kiker in prayer at Thompson Station Church’s walk-in prayer clinic.

THOMPSON’S STATION — Do you have an emergency? Are you in the middle of a crisis? Or, do you simply need some encouragement? Go to the Prayer Clinic at Thompson Station Church, where volunteers are standing by every Sunday morning to meet your spiritual concerns – and send you off with a prescription of prayer and Scripture.

One way to describe the Prayer Clinic, said Leighann McCoy, prayer and family minister at the church in Thompson’s Station, is to compare it to a walk-in health clinic. The Prayer Clinic, she explained, is a specific room located near the church’s sanctuary where people can gather anytime Sunday morning between 8:45 a.m. to noon to share their burdens and concerns. They also receive prayer and Scripture verses that relate specifically to their needs. [Read more…]