Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

HELPING REFUGEES IN LIGHT OF U.S. POLICY

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Ilsa Nagel, a student at Belmont University, Nashville, tutors Sangolo Mtambala, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, during a tutoring session at Woodmont Baptist Church, Nashville. Mtambala is a member of the Swahili Baptist Church of Woodmont, which meets at Woodmont.

Ilsa Nagel, a student at Belmont University, Nashville, tutors Sangolo Mtambala, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, during a tutoring session at Woodmont Baptist Church, Nashville. Mtambala is a member of the Swahili Baptist Church of Woodmont, which meets at Woodmont.

NASHVILLE — Refugee resettlement is in the news.

President Donald Trump recently issued a revised policy on refugee resettlement in the United States which is being challenged in court.

Refugee resettlement agencies are downsizing and closing offices in Tennessee in response.

Tennessee became the first state in the nation to sue the federal government over refugee resettlement. The lawsuit filed on March 13 argues that the federal government has unduly forced states to pay for the refugee resettlement program, reported The Tennessean.  [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE PASTORS SPOTLIGHTED IN UNION EVENT

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Steve Gaines

Steve Gaines

JACKSON — Four Tennessee Baptist pastors were front and center during the Festival of Preaching held March 8 at Union University.

The festival was held prior to Union’s REF500 Conference on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Festival of Preaching focused on the five central themes of the reformation. 

“Preaching played such a role in the Protestant Reformation,” said Ray Van Neste, director of the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University, which hosted both the Festival of Preaching and REF500. [Read more…]

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PHOTO GALLERY: 712 TEENAGERS ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR DURING ANNUAL YEC

Read the article here: 712 TEENS ACCEPT CHRIST AT YEC

All photos by Cari Griffith

  • Students across Municipal Auditorium in Nashville raise their hands to show their profession of faith during the Youth Evangelism Conference March 10-11. These students were among 712 teenagers who accepted Jesus Christ as Savior.
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712 TEENS ACCEPT CHRIST AT YEC

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Members of Tennessee Valley Community Church, Paris, worship at YEC 2017. From left are Dan Hassell, Haleigh Henegar, Hannah Henegar, Alayna Fuson, Michael Flowers, and Joey Craig. On the right is Shane Webb, youth director at Hamblen County Substance Abuse Coalition, Morristown, who brought a group of teens associated with the coalition. He is a member of Witt Baptist Church, Morristown. — Photo by Connie Bushey

Members of Tennessee Valley Community Church, Paris, worship at YEC 2017. From left are Dan Hassell, Haleigh Henegar, Hannah Henegar, Alayna Fuson, Michael Flowers, and Joey Craig. On the right is Shane Webb, youth director at Hamblen County Substance Abuse Coalition, Morristown, who brought a group of teens associated with the coalition. He is a member of Witt Baptist Church, Morristown.
— Photo by Connie Bushey

See also: YEC 2017 Photo Gallery

NASHVILLE — Youth Evangelism Conference 2017 drew about 7,383 participants to Municipal Auditorium here March 10-11. At least 712 teens made professions of faith during the Friday evening session.

In addition, 392 students recorded that they had been a lukewarm Christian but were ready to follow Christ as a dedicated disciple, 210 teens reported that they felt called by God to serve in missions and ministry, and 578 made other commitments.

Also, thousands accepted the “Oikos” challenge of YEC 2017. Kent Shingleton, coordinator of Youth Evangelism Conference for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, told the teens that “Oikos” (oiee-kahs), a Greek word, means extended family.  [Read more…]

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SINGLE ADULT NUMBERS ARE SOARING. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CONGREGATIONS?

By Jeff Brumley
Baptist News Global

Research shows that the number of single Americans is increasing, while marriages remain flat. Experts say churches should respond with more ministries geared to young singles. (Photo/Tammy McGary/Creative Commons)

Research shows that the number of single Americans is increasing, while marriages remain flat. Experts say churches should respond with more ministries geared to young singles. (Photo/Tammy McGary/Creative Commons)

Churches may want to take a hard look at what they’re offering young, single adults — and then boost it.

“Many churches are built around a family model,” Roxanne Stone, editor and chief of the Barna Group, said in remarks published with a survey about romance and relationships.

“They are most comfortable ministering to families and have developed an infrastructure to support couples and children,” she said. [Read more…]

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DISNEY’S ‘GAY MOMENT’ SOURS MANY CHRISTIANS

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

170315disneyNASHVILLE (BP) — A gay plot twist in Disney’s upcoming live-action “Beauty and the Beast” continues to stir discontent among Christians, with an online poll at Faith Driven Consumer (FDC) among the latest to voice displeasure.

The poll reports 95 percent of 6,700 consumers said they are less likely to see the film because of an intimate attraction the bumbling LeFou character expresses toward the villainous Gaston. And 94 percent of those polled said they will likely spend less money on all Disney offerings as a whole, the online forum of 41 million Americans reported March 14. [Read more…]

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CHURCH GIVES FACILITY TO CHURCH PLANT

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Phil Young, left, director of missions, Knox County Association of Baptists, based in Knoxville, visits with Jim Florea, church planter, Forward Church, Knoxville, in the church’s new sanctuary, which formerly was Gayland Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville.

Phil Young, left, director of missions, Knox County Association of Baptists, based in Knoxville, visits with Jim Florea, church planter, Forward Church, Knoxville, in the church’s new sanctuary, which formerly was Gayland Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville.

KNOXVILLE — Phil Young hoped the meeting would go well. He was going to meet with Gayland Heights Baptist Church members to discuss options. The congregation had declined to a very small group of older members.

Young, director of missions, Knox County Association of Baptists, proposed several revitalization ideas, including sharing their facility with a church plant or beginning church. Of course, the church could close and give its property to the association.

Thankfully, the meeting went very well, he recalled. The small group was very open minded, said Young.  [Read more…]

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BELLEVUE GIVES $1 MILLION THROUGH COOPERATIVE PROGRAM

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Bellevue Baptist Church

Bellevue Baptist Church

BRENTWOOD – Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova has become the first church in the Tennessee Baptist Convention to send $1 million through the Cooperative Program over a 12-month period.

In early March, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board received a check for $83,333 that brought Bellevue’s total giving through the Cooperative Program to $1 million since last April 2016. [Read more…]

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SCRIPTURE READING MARATHON CONTINUES AT UNION UNIVERSITY

By Tim Ellsworth
Associate VP for Communications, Union University

Union graduate Erin Mount takes part in the Scripture reading marathon under Miller Tower. -Photo by Kristi Woody

Union graduate Erin Mount takes part in the Scripture reading marathon under Miller Tower.
-Photo by Kristi Woody

JACKSON, Tenn. — Despite drenching rain and forceful winds, the Scripture reading marathon at Union University went on as scheduled.

About 500 volunteers from Union and the broader Jackson and West Tennessee communities are participating in the five-day public reading of the Bible from start to finish. The event was designed as a kickoff and wrap-up of sorts for REF500, a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, from March 9-11 on the Union campus. [Read more…]

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THANKS FOR HELP IN DENVER: MANDRELL

Editor’s Note: The Week of Prayer for North American Missions is underway this week as churches will soon begin receiving gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering which supports missionaries across North America, including former Tennessee Baptist pastor Ben Mandrell.

 

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Ben Mandrell, church planter and lead pastor, Storyline Fellowship, Arvada, Colo., stands in his adopted home of Denver with his wife Lynley and their four children, from left, Max, Ava, Jack, and Miles. Lynley is director of children’s ministry at Storyline Fellowship. Mandrell is former senior pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson.

Ben Mandrell, church planter and lead pastor, Storyline Fellowship, Arvada, Colo., stands in his adopted home of Denver with his wife Lynley and their four children, from left, Max, Ava, Jack, and Miles. Lynley is director of children’s ministry at Storyline Fellowship. Mandrell is former senior pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson.

DENVER, Colo. — Ben Mandrell has been a church planter in Denver for three years and has learned a lot, he said.

“Living in Denver, in the West, requires a whole different paradigm,” said Mandrell, former senior pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson.

Ranked 14th in top post-Christian cities in America according to one study, Denver is “a missions field like no other,” he noted.

Christians and especially pastors are considered anti-intellectual, old school, and out of touch with society, he explained.

A good portion of his audience on Sunday mornings are “unconvinced that this book (the Bible) is even reliable.” Many reject absolute truth, Mandrell stated. [Read more…]

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