Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

SOUTHERN SEMINARY TRUSTEES INSTALL GAINES TO VISITING PROFESSORSHIP

By Andrew J.W. Smith
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines was installed as the first Herschel H. Hobbs Visiting Professor of Preaching at the April 10 trustees meeting.

Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines was installed as the first Herschel H. Hobbs Visiting Professor of Preaching at the April 10 trustees meeting.

Trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary unanimously approved all recommendations in the board’s April 10 meeting, including the installation of Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines to a visiting professorship honoring former SBC President Herschel H. Hobbs. The board also approved an expanded budget for the 2017-2018 academic year and elected three faculty members.

The trustees established the Herschel H. Hobbs Visiting Professor of Christian Preaching to honor the life and legacy of Hobbs, a two-time graduate of Southern Seminary. Hobbs was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1961-1963, served as chairman of the committee that revised the Baptist Faith and Message in 1963, and pastored several SBC churches.

“One of my encouragers all along the way was Dr. Herschel Hobbs — he was so committed to this institution, so committed to Southern Baptists,” said Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. to trustees during the meeting. “Very regularly we will have a visiting professor in his name come to this campus in order to educate students and honor Dr. Hobbs.” [Read more…]

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MUSLIMS OUTPACING CHRISTIANS IN BIRTHS, PEW SAYS

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

The growing birth rate among Muslims will put the group’s population at nearly equal that of Christians globally by 2060, according to Pew Research. In this BP file photo, Muslims are praying at Jakarta's Masjid Istiqlal, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

The growing birth rate among Muslims will put the group’s population at nearly equal that of Christians globally by 2060, according to Pew Research. In this BP file photo, Muslims are praying at Jakarta’s Masjid Istiqlal, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

NASHVILLE (BP) — Muslims are so outpacing Christians in births that the two population groups will be nearly equal by 2060, with Christians holding only a slight majority, according to newly released Pew Research data.

An increase in Muslim births compounded by an aging Christian population will put the Muslim share of the global population at 31 percent by 2060, just under the 32 percent for Christians, Pew said in its April 5 report.

Muslim births are nearly double the overall growth rate of the global population, Pew said, characterizing Islam as the youngest major religious group with the highest fertility. Atheists, agnostics and adults who don’t specify a religion, together classified as “nones” by Pew, lag far behind both Muslims and Christians in reproduction. [Read more…]

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HELPING GOD’S SPECIAL FRIENDS FOR 34 YEARS

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

David and Mary Demps, houseparents of Stoneway Acres White House of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes, for 20 years, recently retired. They stand with four of their eight residents or “sons.” From left are David Willoughby, Todd Black, Mary Demps, Sam Sloan, David Demps, and Raymond Benson.

David and Mary Demps, houseparents of Stoneway Acres White House of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes, for 20 years, recently retired. They stand with four of their eight residents or “sons.” From left are David Willoughby, Todd Black, Mary Demps, Sam Sloan, David Demps, and Raymond Benson.

LEBANON — David and Mary Demps fell in love with special needs folks about 34 years ago as young Christians.

Looking back, they see God’s direction to the ministry though they don’t have any family members who have developmental challenges.

The Dempses have recently retired from serving for 20 years as houseparents of the Stoneway Acres White House in Lebanon which is home to eight men with special needs. Stoneway Acres White House is a ministry of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes. [Read more…]

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C-N, TBCH ENJOY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIP

Carson-Newman University junior Caty Scarce, a member of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, helps a resident of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home with his homework while freshman Sarah White, of Central Baptist Church, Johnson City, reads to another TBCH resident during a recent spring break missions trip.

Carson-Newman University junior Caty Scarce, a member of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, helps a resident of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home with his homework while freshman Sarah White, of Central Baptist Church, Johnson City, reads to another TBCH resident during a recent spring break missions trip.

By Mark Brown
Carson-Newman News Office

JEFFERSON CITY — A ministerial partnership between Carson-Newman University and Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes goes back for more than a quarter century. And yet, officials of both entities say, the relationship deepens and blossoms each spring.

“We couldn’t function without the volunteers, the group that comes from Carson-Newman (and others),” said TBCH vice-president Patrick Addison, who directs residential care for the Chattanooga and Oakdale campuses. “Whether they’re painting, weeding flower beds, cleaning for us, or doing whatever, it’s saving our staff from having to do something, or potentially paying someone to do something, and that allows us to invest into our children.”  [Read more…]

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GOD GIVES HER MINISTRY TO ‘DAUGHTERS’

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Judy Holloway

Judy Holloway

BETHEL SPRINGS — Judy Hollaway knew that her family which included her two wonderful sons and her husband, Mike, a Baptist pastor, was complete. But she still regretted not having a daughter.

Then one day God spoke to her and told her that she would have many spiritual daughters.

That was years ago. Since then God has given Hollaway hundreds of spiritual daughters as He led her to begin holding retreats for ladies. She and others have held 12 annual “Refining Ladies” retreats. A recent retreat drew 366 ladies from 23 churches, mostly small churches in West Tennessee.  [Read more…]

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AFFECTS CHRISTIANS

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

dometic-abuse-woman-manELIZABETHTON — Christians and church members are not immune from domestic violence, says long-time Christian counselor Art Webb.

One in four women will experience some kind of abuse by the time they reach 18 years old said Webb, a Christian counselor who has served with Watauga Baptist Association, based in Elizabethton, for 30 years.

“I’ve seen domestic violence among Christians as well as church and non-church members,” Webb said.

In fact, it’s sometimes more difficult for Christian women, Webb said. It’s hard for a Christian woman married to a professing Christian man to acknowledge the problem. “It brings shame and disgrace on the family if they admit it,” he added. [Read more…]

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MONEY, NOT MORALITY, RULES

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Before it Hits the PressIf there was any doubt what’s most important to Americans, legislators in North Carolina cleared it up.

On March 30 North Carolina legislators repealed House Bill 2, a law that required individuals in state buildings to use restrooms corresponding to the gender indicated on their birth certificates. See article.

Last year at this time people were praising the legislators for their courage in standing up for morality and Christian values. What a difference a year makes.

Legislators bowed to the pressure of the NCAA which had mandated the state overturn its restroom bill or lose the opportunity to host championship events in 2018-22. [Read more…]

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COACHING LEGEND KEN SPARKS DIES

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Carson-Newman University coaching legend Ken Sparks died March 29 after a lengthy bout with cancer.

Carson-Newman University coaching legend Ken Sparks died March 29 after a lengthy bout with cancer.

JEFFERSON CITY — Carson-Newman University coaching legend Ken Sparks died March 29 at the age of 73 after a lengthy bout with prostate cancer.

Sparks retired last fall at the end of the season after 37 years as head coach at Carson-Newman. He is the fifth winningest coach in college football history with a record of 338-99-2. His career winning percentage of .7699 is the fourth highest in college football history.

The C-N Eagles won five NAIA national championships under Sparks and played for it six times. After transitioning to NCAA Division II, C-N played for the national title three times. Sparks recorded 21 South Atlantic Conference championships and 25 NCAA or NAIA playoff appearances. He was inducted into several hall of fames, including the NCAA Division II and Tennessee Sports Hall of Fames. [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE LEGISLATORS KILL BATHROOM BILL

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

public restroom signs male female gender bathroom toiletNASHVILLE — Tennessee state legislators will not act upon the so-called “bathroom bill” for the second consecutive year.

The bathroom bill (SB771) would prohibit public schools from having policies that would allow students to use the bathroom or locker room of their choice based on what sex the student chooses to be. [Read more…]

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TEAM SEES 9,000-PLUS DECISIONS

Baptist and Reflector

Latonya Chilcutt of Woodland Baptist Church, Brownsville, shares a testimony during a crusade in the Philippines.

Latonya Chilcutt of Woodland Baptist Church, Brownsville, shares a testimony during a crusade in the Philippines.

SOMERVILLE — A team of nine missions volunteers serving on the Cross Partners Ministry team recently returned from two weeks in the Republic of the Philippines where they served with about 40 churches in three different Baptist associations.  

The team participated in more than 100 evangelistic crusades with Filipino Baptists on Luzon Island and saw 8,663 professions of faith and more than 400 other decisions for Jesus Christ.    [Read more…]

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