Featured Archives - Page 167 of 234

EXPERIENCE IS THE PATH TO EXPERTISE

July 11, 2019

Parents of special needs children know there is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to everyday challenges

By Laura Hurd
Baptist Press

Our son is five years old. He has autism spectrum disorder.

The Mayo Clinic defines autism as “a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. The term ‘spectrum’ in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity.” [Read more…]

WHY BUY THE STATE BAPTIST PAPER?

July 10, 2019

Factual reporting, resources for real-life issues, good news about Baptists are among the reasons that state papers are still important

By Margaret Colson
Executive Director, Association of State Baptist Publications

BIRMINGHAM — In an era of subjective news and social media frenzy, where do Southern Baptists turn for a trustworthy source of information? For almost 200 years, amid significant societal and technological change, the answer has been the state Baptist paper.

State Baptist papers have been the go-to source for trustworthy information and inspiration since Georgia’s The Christian Index was established as the first Baptist state paper in 1822. At least nine other state papers were founded in the 1800s; 21 papers in the 1900s; and three papers in the 2000s, according to the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention Annual. [Read more…]

CYCLE OF LOVE

July 9, 2019

Pastor bikes across state in support of Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

David Simmerman, pastor of First Baptist Church, Leoma, poses by the Tennessee state line sign near the end of his 500-mile journey.

LAWRENCEBURG — David Simmerman encountered numerous hardships during his five-day, 500-mile bicycle ride.

Searing heat, loose gravel, relentless hills, unexpected potholes, heartless headwinds — all were working against Simmerman as he made the journey from Mountain City to Memphis in an effort to raise awareness, and money, for the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes.

But Simmerman, pastor of First Baptist Church, Leoma, said the obstructions were ultimately the most significant aspect of his mission. It was the challenges, he said, that truly expanded his perspective on what he was doing — and why he was doing it. [Read more…]

READING YOUR BIBLE DAILY? STUDY GIVES CLOSER LOOK

July 5, 2019

By Aaron Earls
Baptist Press

NASHVILLE — Christians say the Bible is God’s Word, but even among Protestant churchgoers only a third spend time reading it every day, according to a study released Tuesday (July 2).

The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from LifeWay Research, conducted Jan. 14–29, found those who regularly attend Protestant churches are inconsistent in their reading and thinking about Scripture. [Read more…]

WHAT JULY 4th MEANS TO ME

July 3, 2019

By Chap. Lt. Col. Larry M. Kirk, USAF (Ret)

Independence Day is that day of celebration on which I hang my heart. My heart rejoices that while our country wasn’t founded as a Christian nation, our forefathers did instill Godly values into our document — The Declaration of Independence.

Our forefathers rejected the idea of a state-run church in favor of freedom of religion for all. Our government cannot dictate how or when we worship. Our founding fathers recognized God established the government; the government did not establish God. This government assures us that we are free to live where we please, move about as we desire and vote as we want, without government infringement. [Read more…]

NOT ALL STORIES HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS, BUT GOSPEL PREVAILS

July 1, 2019

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Participating in a recent Backyard Kids Club, sponsored by Hermitage Hills Baptist Church, Hermitage, were, from left, pastor Poly Rouse, Vicki Hulsey and Rick Short.

HERMITAGE — In the perfect world, every story has a happy ending.

Unfortunately, due to sin introduced in the Garden of Eden, there is no such thing as a perfect world. As a result, some stories end tragically.

A case in point is the story of Clayton Gangji. Clayton would have been 16 years old on June 6. Yet, two years ago, Clayton was killed by gunfire at the age of 14 after being involved in a robbery involving stolen cars.

But as always, God can use evil for His good. [Read more…]

NEW CARSON-NEWMAN PRESIDENT EXCITED FOR FUTURE

June 28, 2019

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

Charles and Sandra Fowler, center, were introduced June 10 as the new president and first lady of Carson-Newman University by David Ogle, left, chair of the presidential search committee, and Harry Brooks, right, chair of the board of trustees.
-Photo by Charles Key.

JEFFERSON CITY — When Charles Fowler was notified last fall that he had been nominated to serve as president of Carson-Newman University, he admitted it was “quite a surprise.”

Months of prayers, discussions, and meetings culminated June 7 when trustees of Carson-Newman unanimously elected Fowler as the university’s 23rd president, succeeding Randall O’Brien who retired Dec. 31, 2018. See original story, “Carson-Newman Trustees Elect Fowler as President.”

Fowler is the first Tennessee Baptist pastor elected to lead Carson-Newman since at least the 1920s, coming to the position from the pastorate of Germantown Baptist Church in Germantown, near Memphis. He assumes his new role on July 1. [Read more…]

TENNESSEE BAPTISTS ON MISSION: DESTINATION GERMANY

June 27, 2019

By Chris Turner
cturner@tnbaptist.org

The city of Düsseldorf was a key hub of industry for the Germans during World War II. These days is a cosmopolitan city that blends old and new. There are many churches in the city but the number of people who attended those churches has significantly dwindled through the years. — Photo by Chris Turner

DUSSELDORF — Statistics will tell you Germany is a Christian nation. Heinrich Derksen will tell you it is not.

“The (spiritual) soil in Germany is very hard,” he says. “It is a post-Christian country and in many ways a pre-Christian country. It has drifted far from being the birthplace of the Reformation and Protestantism. Martin Luther brought the Bible to the people. We now must bring the people to the Bible.”

It is the task of “bringing people to the Bible” that Tennessee Baptists will have the opportunity to engage through Tennessee Baptist Mission Board Partnership Missions. Tennessee Baptist messengers to the 2018 annual Summit approved a five-year missions partnership with International Missions Board missionaries serving in the Germanic People Group. Throughout this year, TBMB Volunteer Missions Specialist Kim Margrave has been leading vision trips helping Tennessee Baptist churches and associations find places to engage missions in Germany. [Read more…]

TENT REVIVAL — WITH A TWIST

June 26, 2019

Jesus Tent offers ‘servant evangelism’ to Bonnaroo attendees

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Bonnaroo attendees take advantage of the phone-charging stations and free snacks inside Jesus Tent.
— Photos by Dan Ferrell

MANCHESTER — Although the final numbers are still being calculated, the final assessment can already be made: Jesus Tent was a massive success. Again.

“It was phenomenal,” said David Evans, director of evangelism for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Located amid the sprawling campgrounds at the Bonnaroo music festival at Great Stage Park, Jesus Tent is an outreach ministry of First Baptist Church, Manchester, and is supported through a team of churches from Duck River Baptist Association and several other associations. [Read more…]

LOOKING BACK ON BIRMINGHAM

June 25, 2019

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

SBC president J.D. Greear adresses the crowd at the 2019 SBC annual meeting in Birmingham.
— Photo by Kathleen Murray

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tennessee Baptists were well represented among the 8,183 messengers who registered for the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, held June 11-12, in Birmingham.

The Tennessee Baptist Convention ranked third among Baptist state conventions with 738 messengers. The Alabama Baptist Convention had 1,366 messengers while the Georgia Baptist Convention was represented with 834 messengers.

Prior to the start of the annual meeting, Southern Baptists knocked on the doors of 10,409 homes, had 1,817 gospel conversations, prayed with 2,251 people and saw 364 people place their faith in Jesus, according to organizers of the annual Crossover evangelism outreach. [Read more…]