Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

COUPLE MAKES LONG-TERM COMMITMENT

Dale & Frances Matthews provide home, long-term care to 10 special needs children

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

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Dale and Frances Matthews stand outside their home in Rutherford with 10 of their 11 adopted children and a friend who is staying with them. From left are, seated, Olivia, 17; Leah, 20; Elizabeth, 24; and Jesse, 22; standing, Tucker, 20; Joshua, 21; Dale; Kimberly, 33; Frances; Nicholas, 23; Emily, 21; Josh Baum, 18; and McKenna, 14.

RUTHERFORD — Dale Matthews admits that he was “drug kicking and screaming” into his current situation, which is being a father to 11 special needs children, including 10 who are still in their home.

With a smile, he blames Frances, his wife, who sheepishly agrees that she was the instigator. She has always been drawn to children and wanted a big family, she explained.

Frances operated a day care and they fostered over 100 children before they adopted their first special needs child in 1991. Many of the children they had fostered were challenges because they were teenagers so in that way they had some preparation, explained Frances. At that time, Dale was still in the U.S. Air Force. He retired after 21 years. They also have two other children who aren’t special needs. [Read more…]

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CHURCHES CROSS RACIAL BARRIERS

Churches in Columbia more concerned about winning people for Christ than racial issues

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Members of a multicultural church in Columbia, Immanuel Baptist Church, include, from left, Jeanne and Francisco De La Rosa; their daughter-in-law Stephanie De La Rosa; Sam Seagraves; and Dwight Church, pastor.

Members of a multicultural church in Columbia, Immanuel Baptist Church, include, from left, Jeanne and Francisco De La Rosa; their daughter-in-law Stephanie De La Rosa; Sam Seagraves; and Dwight Church, pastor.

COLUMBIA — Race relations often are tense across the United States, but in Columbia, especially in several Baptist churches, “we work together,” reported Dale Ledbetter, director of missions, Maury Baptist Association, based here.

During his 15-year tenure as DOM, racial tensions here have always been minimal, but recently, some great things have occurred which should encourage and be refreshing to all Tennessee Baptists, he said.

“Others should see God’s work in our little corner of the world to counteract all the negative we see and hear,” Ledbetter reported recently.

African-American and Anglo Baptist congregations in Columbia are crossing the racial divide, he noted.

Two players in these instances agreed. [Read more…]

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VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE HELP, HOPE

Tennessee Baptist DR volunteers continue to help South Carolina flood victims

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

A disaster relief team from First Baptist Church, Sevierville, gathers around to pray for Joe Ashley McClary Jr., and his friend Gail Hill. The team provided flood recovery for a home located on the banks of the Black River owned by McClary’s mother.

A disaster relief team from First Baptist Church, Sevierville, gathers around to pray for Joe Ashley McClary Jr., and his friend Gail Hill. The team provided flood recovery for a home located on the banks of the Black River owned by McClary’s mother.

MANNING, S.C. — Driving past homes in the low country region of South Carolina between Columbia and the coast, one might not suspect that less than a month ago many roads were impassable.

And, unless there was the obvious sign of water-logged furniture piled across the front yard awaiting trash pickup, one might not suspect that as much as 24 inches of rain fell upon the area in a three-day period between Oct. 3-5.

Yet, looks can be deceiving. Just ask the owners of those homes whose furniture and belongings have not been removed and the stench of mold and mildew fill the air.

Unfortunately, a month following the historic flooding caused by Hurricane Joaquin, there are many homes still untouched. And, numerous others that have been cleaned out still face massive rebuilding efforts. Some residents have insurance to handle the cost of remodeling/rebuilding. The majority of them do not. [Read more…]

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THREAT OF DIVORCE HARD TO SPOT AMONG CHURCHGOING COUPLES

By Lisa Cannon Green
LifeWay News

church divorce survey 3NASHVILLE – Before a divorce, churchgoers in troubled marriages look a lot like their happily married counterparts at church—participating, serving, and leading at similar rates.

After a divorce, the differences can be stark. Twenty percent have dropped out of church entirely. In many cases, their children have stopped attending too. A third give less to the church than they did before. Their churches report leadership voids and fractured relationships.

Yet pastors may have difficulty helping couples save their marriages, because churchgoers on the brink of separation often keep quiet at church about their marital woes.

Those are among the findings of new research by Nashville-based LifeWay Research. The study, sponsored by Focus on the Family, surveyed Protestant pastors, churchgoing Americans in healthy marriages, and churchgoing Americans who divorced in the past five years. [Read more…]

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MOST AMERICANS CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN: LIFEWAY RESEARCH

By Carol Pipes
LifeWay News Office

151028Avoiding-HalloweenNASHVILLE — When it comes to Halloween, most Americans don¹t have a problem celebrating the spooky holiday. Yet, one-third say they avoid Halloween or its pagan elements.

Although three in five Americans told LifeWay Research Halloween is “all in good fun,” 21 percent avoid the holiday completely and another 14 percent avoid the pagan elements.

Halloween has been known in North America since colonial days. But it wasn’t until Irish immigrants brought their Halloween customs to America in the 1840s the festival grew in popularity. Since then, it has been woven into the fabric of American culture. By the 1950s, Halloween was mostly considered a children’s holiday celebrated with costumes and candy. [Read more…]

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EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE TENNESSEE BAPTIST CONVENTION CLOSES ON NEW PROPERTY

By Chris Turner
Director of Communications, TBC

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Randy C. Davis, left, executive director/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, signs the closing documents on the new property that will house the convention’s Church Support Center. Looking on is Wes Turner, real estate attorney and former Executive Board member from First Baptist Church, Nashville.

BRENTWOOD — The Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention signed the closing documents on property in Franklin Oct. 26, preparing the way for construction to begin on a permanent location for the convention’s Church Support Center.

“We are thankful to have this step behind us and can now turn our attention to the construction,” said Randy C. Davis, executive director of the Executive Board. “This is a momentous day in the life of Tennessee Baptists and the future of our ministry to those in our state and around the world.”

The 2.3-acre mixed-use property is located in the Berry Farms business development located adjacent to I-65 and near the Goose Creek Bypass (State Route 248), just north of State Route 840. Construction on the 32,000-square-foot building is scheduled to begin March 1, 2016 with a completion date slated by March 1, 2017. The Executive Board Ministries will move into the location as soon as construction is completed. [Read more…]

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CHURCH MINISTERS DURING COMMUNITY CRISIS

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Pastor James Julian and his daughter, Natalie, 8, stand with children of the Crawford family by the new home which Spring Creek Road Baptist Church helped them obtain. From left are Taya, 2; Abby, 11; Brandon, 13; Destiny, 4; and first row, Natalie Julian, 8; and Kyla, 9. The parents and a new baby which is hospitalized were away from home.
Pastor James Julian and his daughter, Natalie, 8, stand with children of the Crawford family by the new home which Spring Creek Road Baptist Church helped them obtain. From left are Taya, 2; Abby, 11; Brandon, 13; Destiny, 4; and first row, Natalie Julian, 8; and Kyla, 9. The parents and a new baby which is hospitalized were away from home.

CHATTANOOGA — It seemed like another busy Wednesday night at Spring Creek Road Baptist Church here on Sept. 10. The church bus and van picked up about 40 people, mainly students, from several neighborhoods near the church. Everyone ate supper at the church and then students went to Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, Acteens, and tutoring while adults went to prayer meeting.

Just before everyone left to go home, Shari Stone, volunteer children’s ministry coordinator, received a call from the parent of a bus rider.

Fire trucks were in front of the Superior Creek Lodge so they should wait to bring home the folks who live there, said the parent.

The group returned to the church’s gym.

It wasn’t long, maybe 30 minutes later, when Stone received another phone call telling her that the reason the fire trucks were there was that the city was inspecting the lodge and officials had just condemned part of the lodge. The residents were being evicted but the kids could come home, reported James Julian, pastor.

The next morning, Julian and church member Blake Daffron arrived at the lodge to help in this crisis for the families. Superior Creek Lodge had about 1,000 residents, the pastor noted.

The two men talked to the residents they knew, trying to offer the little comfort they could. Everyone soon learned the entire lodge had been condemned. [Read more…]

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REVIVAL, COMMUNITY EVENTS YIELD RESULTS

Baptist and Reflector

Pastor Jamie Work (with hand raised) of Candies Creek Baptist Church, Charleston, prepares to baptize the Ensley family in the Hiwassee River. The church has seen more than 100 professions of faith in Jesus Christ and recommitments this summer as a result of community outreach and a harvest revival.

Pastor Jamie Work (with hand raised) of Candies Creek Baptist Church, Charleston, prepares to baptize the Ensley family in the Hiwassee River. The church has seen more than 100 professions of faith in Jesus Christ and recommitments this summer as a result of community outreach and a harvest revival.

CHARLESTON — In the fall of 2014 the Lord began to compel Candies Creek Baptist Church here to give themselves to a renewed emphasis on disciple-making for 2015, said Pastor Jamie Work.

He noted that ministry leaders and pastoral staff prayerfully planned the coming year around the theme of “Disciples Making Disciples: Reach, Teach, Equip, and Release.”

A team of the church’s pastors from both of Candies Creek’s campuses put together a “Disciple-Making Blueprint” designed to guide mature believers through a year-long process of discipling new, or soon-to-be, followers of Christ, Work said.

In the early part of this year, church members were asked to write the names of family members, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, neighbors, and relatives for whom the church could pray that they would experience spiritual transformation.

The names were written on a large, double-sided white board in the Worship Center during worship gatherings, Work said. [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE BAPTIST DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS MINISTER IN SOUTH CAROLINA

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Approximately 40 Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers served in South Carolina last week. Teams provided mud-out or flood recovery to residents who experienced damage to their homes from the massive flooding caused recently by Hurricane Joaquin. DR teams are based out of First Baptist Church, Manning. Additional teams will arrive this week and more will be needed. People interested in helping the relief efforts can give to the South Carolina Flooding Disaster Relief Fund at www.tndisasterrelief.org or to the Tennessee Baptist Convention, P.O. Box 728, Brentwood, TN 37027, designated for the fund. Prospective volunteers can contact Wes Jones, TBC disaster relief specialist at wjones@tnbaptist.org. B&R Editor Lonnie Wilkey is scheduled to travel to Manning this week for more extensive coverage. In top photo, Scott McGill of Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville, does clean up work while volunteers in bottom photo remove debris from a home. [Read more…]

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101-year-old’s salvation caps wife’s 24-year prayer

By Baptist Press

David Boothe (left) and David Brooks jointly baptized George Warshaw, who accepted Christ after his wife Lou and others prayed for him and showed Christian love for 24 years. Boothe is the teacher of his Bible study group at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, La., and Brooks is his pastor. - Photo courtesy of Calvary Baptist Church

David Boothe (left) and David Brooks jointly baptized George Warshaw, who accepted Christ after his wife Lou and others prayed for him and showed Christian love for 24 years. Boothe is the teacher of his Bible study group at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, La., and Brooks is his pastor.
– Photo courtesy of Calvary Baptist Church

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) — Lou Warshaw prayed for 24 years that her husband George would accept Christ as his Lord and Savior.

After years of refusing to give up on the hope that he would become a Christian, God answered her prayers when, at the age of 101, George made that decision and followed through with believer’s baptism.

“The devil kept telling me it wouldn’t happen,” Lou said, admitting to times when her faith was tested. “But I kept believing God would let it happen. I think I’m still on cloud nine.”

George’s conversion story began on July 24, 1991, when he and Lou became husband and wife. The two were of different faiths; George was a Jewish non-believer; Lou was a Christian.

Even so, George attended Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, La., most Sundays with Lou, where she was a member. They sat in the same pew every Sunday for worship and then attended a Bible study class.

Lou and other friends never pushed their faith on George through the years but showed him Christian love and prayed that he would come to know Christ. [Read more…]

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