Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

WHEN A TOY IS NOT A TOY

Before it Hits the PressThe world is getting crazier by the day.

When I was a kid, toys were a luxury. You usually received them on Christmas and birthdays. Now, kids get toys year-round, mainly from grandparents who spoil their grandkids (and I confess that I am among that number). Shame on us.

But one toy my grandkids won’t be receiving is the new gender-fluid Creatable World doll from Mattel (see BP story). Barbie, Hot Wheels and countless other toys have worked well for Mattel for years. The long-time toy company certainly didn’t need to join the gender debate. [Read more…]

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NEPALI FRESHMAN TRAVELS 8,000 MILES TO ATTEND UNION

By Sarah Goff
Union news office

Bishwa and Ramila Karmacharya traveled from Kathmandu, Nepal, to move their eldest son, Vishal, right, onto Union University’s campus for his freshman year as a mechanical engineering major. — Photo by Kristi Woody

JACKSON — Vishal Gaurav Karmacharya traveled farther than most freshmen to Union University: about 8,000 miles from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Jackson.

Vishal and his father, Bishwa, and mother, Ramila, arrived on campus Aug. 14 to move Vishal into his campus apartment. Bishwa and Ramila stayed in Tennessee for a few days before flying back to Kathmandu and their youngest son, leaving Vishal at Union for his freshman year as a mechanical engineering major.

So, what led an 18-year-old to travel halfway around the world for college? The answer goes back to 2010 in Spring Hill. Jay Strother and his wife, Tanya, were in the process of adopting their son from Nepal. Jay is the lead campus pastor at The Church at Station Hill, a regional campus for Brentwood Baptist Church. [Read more…]

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BABY LOVE

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Hannah Watson and her baby, McKinley, visit with Valerie Millsapps at the Pregnancy Resource Center. Hannah was one of the first clients to visit the center’s mobile unit which ultimately led her to choose life.

MARYVILLE — Hannah Watson is just one of thousands of young women who have made “life decisions” at the Pregnancy Resource Center in Maryville, including 905 women who chose life rather than abortion just last year, said Valerie Millsapps, executive director of the center.

Hannah, who was facing an unplanned pregnancy, acknowledged that she felt alone and afraid and incapable of raising a child. “When I saw my baby for the first time (during an ultrasound and later at delivery) I fell in love and I did not know that I could love another human being so much,” she recalled.

“I could not be more thankful that I did choose life.” [Read more…]

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VICTORY FORMATION

C-N football program sees 10 players make professions

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Carson-Newman volunteer kickers and punters coach Alan Duncan and team chaplain Marty Blakely baptized 10 players from the Carson-Newman football team in Mossy Creek following football camp.

JEFFERSON CITY —  Big decisions are often made at football camp. Who is going to be the starting tailback? What scheme is the new defensive coordinator going to install?  Is the kick returner going to be used at wide receiver?

Important choices, for sure. Choices that can ultimately determine a team’s success.

And yet, those types of decisions aren’t nearly as significant as the decisions that were made at Carson-Newman’s football camp this summer. These were life-changing — and eternity-altering — decisions. [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE DR ASSIGNED TO HUFFMAN

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has been asked to send flood recovery teams to First Baptist Church, Huffman, Texas, located on the north side of Houston, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Imelda.

Imelda dumped about 40 inches of rain on southeast Texas  last week. An estimated 4,000 homes were flooded, said Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. [Read more…]

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TBMB DIRECTORS ADOPT 2019-20 BUDGET, ELECT METTS AT SEPT. SESSION

UPDATED 9/23/19; originally posted 9/12/19.

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Directors of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board elected Glenn Metts, center, as chair-elect. With him are current officers, Mike Kemper, left, chair, and Clay Hallmark, right, chair-elect who will serve as chair for 2019-20 following The Summit in November. Metts will serve as chair in 2020-21.

David Green, president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, shared an update and a challenge for Tennessee Baptists to attend and to pray for the upcoming Summit at First Baptist Church, Concord, in Knoxville. “This year’s Summit will be a time of worship, celebration and inspiration,” he noted.

“The Tennessee Baptist Convention is a family and we should spend as much time together as possible, especially in corporate worship. I thank God for His favor on Tennessee Baptists.”

Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville, said that serving as president “is a true blessing and something I will never take for granted.” [Read more…]

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FREE PANCAKES KICK OFF BCM MINISTRY AT MTSU

By Ashley Perham
B&R contributing writer

Lisa Whitt, left, and Jennifer Choate make pancakes to help kick off the year for the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at MTSU.

MURFREESBORO — The Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Middle Tennessee State University kicked off the new school year by offering free, all-you-can-eat pancakes to students from 8 p.m. to midnight.

It is the second year the BCM has offered free pancakes the first week of school although they have been serving pancakes during finals week for more than 10 years.

Mark Whitt, MTSU campus minister, said the event was a great way to connect with students quickly because the event takes place on move-in day.

“It’s also an event right after the carnival, a big event on campus, and then there’s nothing planned afterwards so we were able to just continue in with a big welcome to campus,” Whitt said. “It’s a quick way to meet students in a real non-threatening kind of way.” [Read more…]

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WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN FROM OUR PAST?

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Eighteen years ago today, the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention (now Tennessee Baptist Mission Board) was preparing for its September meeting. Before it started, however, news of the terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C. and New York City began to spread.

People stood around a television set in the building and watched the horror unfold.

Then TBC executive director James Porch observed that “our world, our state, your hometown and mine have changed. It will never be the same again.” Describing the events of the day as “this generation’s Pearl Harbor,” Porch asked, “Can this nation become one under God? I hope that we will.” And, for a very brief time, we did. [Read more…]

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SUMMIT 2019 WILL FOCUS ON ‘BY ALL MEANS, WIN TN’

Hendersonville pastor Bruce Chesser to be nominated as TBC president; FBC Concord is hosting event

Baptist and Reflector 

FRANKLIN — “By All Means, Win TN” is the theme of the 2019 Summit, scheduled for Nov. 17-20 at First Baptist Church, Concord, in Knoxville.

Summit festivities begin on Sunday, Nov. 17, with the “Tennessee Reunion” at 6 p.m. at First Baptist, Concord. The worship service will feature Rick Barnes, men’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee, one of the most decorated and accomplished head coaches in school history.

Also on Sunday night, the All Nations Worship will be held at Black Oak Heights Baptist Church in Knoxville. [Read more…]

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GOLDEN MOMENT

Tennessee Baptists establish new record for giving through Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions

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

FRANKLIN —  Tennessee Baptists gave a record $1,920,733 through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions in 2018-19.

The amount is $77,222 over the old record of $1,843,511 which was set during 2016-17.

Tennessee Baptists have come to understand and value that “any way you slice it, Tennessee is a missions field,” said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

“We are excited and thrilled that Tennessee Baptists have given sacrificially to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in our state where more than 50 percent of the residents are unchurched,” Davis continued.

Vickie Anderson, executive director of Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union, which helps to promote the annual GOTM offering, agreed. “The churches who give through GOTM see that our state is a missions field,” she said. [Read more…]

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