Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

BIG BOOST FOR BIG EMORY

Location change has led to new ministry opportunities

Editor’s Note: Baptist associations are the emphasis on the Southern Baptist Convention calendar Oct. 20-26. Tennessee Baptists have 65 associations across the state. Here is a look at Big Emory Baptist Association based in Harriman.

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

Director of missions Randy Roper stands in Big Emory Baptist Association’s Great Commission Center which has enhanced the association’s ministry to churches.

HARRIMAN — Three years ago, Big Emory Baptist Association moved from the site it had occupied since 1969 to a new location on South Roane Street, not far from Interstate 40.

It has proven to be a huge boost for the association’s ministries and the association is still growing into its space, said Randy Roper, director of missions for Big Emory Baptist Association since 2015.

The association bought three former storefront buildings adjacent to each other and divided their project into three phases. Phase one consisted of the office facilities. The building now in use was completely gutted and remodeled, Roper said. The association moved into the new offices in 2016. [Read more…]

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STILL JAMMING: GA EVENT TURNS 30

By Ashley Perham
Baptist & Reflector

Tennessee WMU missions and ministry advocate Linda Robbins leads a JAM small group as children learn more about missions.

NASHVILLE — JAM, a one-day mission event for children, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

JAM, which stands for Journey into Adventures in Missions, was started by the Tennessee WMU in 1989.

Originally, the event was only for 1st through 6th grade girls in the WMU Girls in Action (GA) program.

In 2001, the event became open to all children in 1st-6th grade. [Read more…]

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TOMLIN SHARES STORIES, SONGS AT UNION SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET

Union news office

Chris Tomlin performs at Union University’s 22nd annual Scholarship Banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

JACKSON, Tenn. — Chris Tomlin was 18 years old and had just finished leading worship at a weeklong youth rally. He’d never done anything like that. He hadn’t written any songs and admits that he had done a poor job.

At the end of the week, the speaker for the week’s rally – a man named James – approached him and told him two things. First, James told him that he had no idea what he was doing. And second, James told him that Tomlin had no idea how God was going to use his music in the world.

Tomlin, who has since sold more than 8 million albums and whose songs are sung in churches around the world, was the featured guest Oct. 15 at Union University’s 22nd annual Scholarship Banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.  [Read more…]

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IT’S A FACT: EVERY GREAT TEAM WORKS TOGETHER

By Matt Tullos
Stewardship Development Specialist, TBMB

The Evangels were a football team with a legendary record of wins. They had a storied history of some of the best players in the country who went on to win championships and drape banners and retired jerseys all over their stadium. It was the golden age of football for the Evangels.

Everything was going great until they had an idea to recruit the best quarterbacks available — ALL OF THEM. We’ll trade our best cornerbacks, linemen, running backs and kickers. We just want the best quarterbacks period. [Read more…]

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DOVER PASTOR NOT ‘PRONE TO WANDER’

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Melvin Dunaway delivers a message at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, where he served as pastor for 45 years. The church, which recently held a special service to celebrate its 100-year anniversary, called Dunaway as pastor when he was a young preacher who had only preached about a dozen sermons.

DOVER — Melvin Dunaway initially assumed he would only last about seven days at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Dover.

Turns out, his estimate was a little off — by about 16,500 days.

Dunaway recently announced his retirement after serving as Pleasant Grove’s pastor for 45 years — a tenure that spans nearly half of the church’s 100-year history.

“After I preached that first Sunday, I thought, well, they won’t want me back any more,” said Dunaway with a little laugh.

The church did indeed want him back the following Sunday … and the one after that … and ultimately, for the next half-century.

“Every member (at Pleasant Grove) has done nothing but love me,” said Dunaway. “And I loved them right back.” [Read more…]

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THE ABCs OF GEN Z

TBMB leads seminars on how to reach this easily-distracted demographic

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

SHELBYVILLE — “Does anyone know what a slo-fie is?” asked Donna Blaydes as she glanced around the classroom filled with adults.

After a few moments of mostly blank stares and silence, Blaydes explained that the term, which is only about three weeks old, refers to slow-motion “selfies” that can be recorded with the latest version of iPhones.

The response to Blaydes’ question perfectly illustrated the point that she was making: Technology is moving so rapidly that it can be challenging for parents and grandparents to keep up. [Read more…]

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GOVERNOR’S CALL TO PRAYER DRAWS BAPTIST LEADERS’ SUPPORT

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has asked the state to join him and his wife Maria in an official day of prayer and fasting Oct. 10.
-Facebook video screen capture

NASHVILLE (BP) — Southern Baptists across Tennessee told Baptist Press they support Gov. Bill Lee’s plea for the state to fast and pray Thursday (Oct. 10).

Tennessee Baptist Mission Board President Randy Davis, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd, Tennessee pastor and former SBC President Steve Gaines and others told BP it’s beneficial for governmental officials to invite citizens to pray and fast.

“Christ followers need to join our governor’s call to set aside Oct. 10 as a day of fasting and prayer,” Davis told BP. “I call on Tennessee Baptists to lead in covering our beloved state in prayer.” [Read more…]

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OUTSIDE THE BOX

By Jerry Jeter
Pastor, Pleasant View Baptist Church, Clarksville

About a year ago, our church started a chapter of F.A.I.T.H. Riders. This is a Southern Baptist ministry to motorcycle enthusiasts. 

This past year, our small chapter participated in witnessing at Daytona’s Bike Week, sharing testimonies with thousands and seeing hundreds come to faith in Christ. We also participated in serving at the Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham, Ala., and we helped raise money for the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home. Our chapter has grown from about five or six riders to nearly a dozen. Locally, some riders have come to faith in Christ, followed in baptism and some are already serving in various ways in our church. [Read more…]

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UNION UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT EXCEEDS 3,100 STUDENTS

By Sarah Goff
Union news office

JACKSON — Union University recently welcomed 400 new students to the Jackson campus. The freshmen hail from 35 states and 10 countries and have an average ACT score of 26.2 and GPA of 3.85.

“We are thrilled to welcome our bicentennial class of 2023 to campus,” Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said. “We pray that this academic year will be a transformative one for all of our students — that they would not only grow in their academic knowledge, but in their relationship with Jesus Christ.” [Read more…]

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COOPERATIVE PROGRAM: A MISSIONARY’S GRATITUDE

By Paul Chitwood
International Mission Board President

EDITOR’S NOTE FROM BAPTIST PRESS: Paul Chitwood is president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. October is Cooperative Program Emphasis month in the Southern Baptist Convention. Learn more about CP here.

RICHMOND, Va. — As I near the first anniversary of being elected president of the International Mission Board, I am incredibly encouraged about so many aspects of the Great Commission work of Southern Baptists.

At the top of the list are our missionaries. Over these months, my wife Michelle and I have met with more than half of our 3,700 Southern Baptist missionaries and their 2,880 children. [Read more…]

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