Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

CONFERENCE CENTERS SPOTLIGHT: FOR MEANS, ALL ROADS LEAD BACK TO CAMP

By Katy James
Contributing writer, Baptist and Reflector

Marilyn Means recently returned to Linden Valley Conference Center, where she made a profession of faith as a child.

LINDEN — Marilyn Means spent her adult life traveling and presenting in West Tennessee schools. To talk with Means about her beloved electric company from which she recently retired, is to be inspired about the necessity of farmer established electric co-ops in the 1930’s. She speaks with such authenticity and inspiration about her former job, her faith and her journey with Christ — and it all began as a Girls in Action camper at Tennessee Baptist Conference Centers at the Linden Valley location.

Means, a member of Charleston Baptist Church, Stanton, recently visited the Linden Valley Conference Center, which marked her first time back on campus in 50 years. That day, she walked to the cabin up on the hill where she stayed, walking on the restored original wood floors and putting her hand on the bunk where she would’ve stayed in. 

She teared up and spoke with the same inspirational tone about how special it was to her that the same ministry is still reaching the lives of young people today. Now she returns to advocate for its well-being as a member of the board of directors.  [Read more…]

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TOTALLY WORN OUT, TOTALLY WORTH IT

By Laura Erlanson
Managing editor, Baptist Press

Laura Erlanson

During June, I did what many said could not be done. I pulled off the exhaustion hat trick, the triathlon of tired, the white whale of weariness — the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, Vacation Bible School and Centri-Kid in back-to-back weeks. It was the Baptist Ironman of sleep deprivation.

The first week of the month, I flew to Anaheim, where I worked eight 17-hour days in a row in a small, windowless room, though I did emerge for a few minutes to check out the Cooperative Program stage and the Lifeway store in the exhibit hall.

Two days after I returned home, my church (Inglewood Baptist in Nashville) started VBS. At ni

ght. That meant five days of working all day before heading to church to teach music (and choreography!) to sugared-up grade schoolers who hadn’t seen the inside of a school in over a month and acted like it.

Then two days after that, I left in a rented van with one other adult and 11 of those same grade schoolers to head to Campbellsville, Ky., for a week of Centri-Kid. 

Basically, we took the volume and activity levels achieved throughout our whole church building over five days of VBS and crammed them into a two-hour ride in a 15-passenger van. The results were what one would expect. [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE DR AIDS TORNADO VICTIMS IN OHIO

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

Tennessee Baptist DR volunteer Karen Wilson answers questions from a local reporter from Fox 19 in Cincinnati. — Screen capture

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has been on site in Goshen Township, Ohio,  assisting victims of an EF2 tornado which struck the area on July 6.

While only three people were injured in the tornado, more than 150 buildings were destroyed or damaged in some way, according to WCPO in Cincinnati.

An incident management team, led by John and Kaye Thomas of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, has been in place at Hill Station Baptist Church since July 13, said Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. 

In addition, a combined chain saw team from West Tennessee and Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, were on site the first week, along with assessors and chaplains.  A chain saw/ bucket truck team from Knox County Baptist Association worked during the week of July 24-30. A couple from First Baptist Church, Sevierville, also served, said Kaye Thomas,

Thomas and her husband, John, who are members of First Baptist, Sevierville, have coordinated teams from Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan. [Read more…]

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PASTORS’ BIGGEST CHALLENGE? STRESS

By Marissa Parsons
Writer, Lifeway Christian Resources

NASHVILLE — In the current fast-paced, high-pressure American culture, pastors are stressed, and they know that needs to change.

According to a recent release in Lifeway Research’s 2022 Greatest Needs of Pastors study, of all the mental challenges U.S. Protestant pastors face, stress stands out above the rest. Distractions and discouragement are also significant factors for pastors when it comes to mental challenges in ministry.

In this study, Lifeway Research interviewed 200 U.S. Protestant pastors who identified 44 issues they face in their roles and then surveyed 1,000 additional pastors to determine the greatest needs U.S. Protestant pastors face today. 

The nearly four dozen needs were divided into seven categories: ministry difficulties, spiritual needs, mental challenges, personal life, self-care, people dynamics and areas of skill development. Of these seven categories, 6 percent of pastors say mental challenges are currently the most challenging area for them or the area that requires the most attention. 

This study identified six specific mental challenges in ministry: depression, discouragement, distraction, loneliness or lack of friendship, lack of contentment and stress.

Most pastors point to stress as a mental challenge they are facing in ministry (63 percent). 

Nearly half of pastors say discouragement (48 percent) and distraction (48 percent) are ministry mental challenges, while less than one-third of pastors point to loneliness or lack of friendship (28 percent), depression (18 percent) or lack of contentment (17 percent). Another 14 percent aren’t sure or say none of these are mental challenges for them.

For more on pastor stress — and pastor care — see related story compiled by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff HERE.

Age is a factor

The youngest pastors (ages 18-44) are most likely to say they deal with stress in ministry (78 percent), while the oldest pastors (ages 65 and older) are the least likely (47 percent). 

Furthermore, pastors of the smallest churches (with worship service attendance of fewer than 50), are less likely than pastors of churches of any other size to say they face stress in their pastoral ministry (52 percent).

Age similarly affects a pastor’s likelihood of saying they face discouragement in ministry, with pastors over the age of 65 being least likely to say they struggle with this issue (35 percent). Pastors with doctoral degrees (30 percent) are also less likely than pastors with any other educational background to say they face discouragement.

Younger pastors are also more likely to say they face distractions and loneliness in ministry. Pastors ages 18 to 44 (54 percent) and 45 to 54 (51 percent ) are more likely to say distractions are challenging for them compared to pastors over 65 (39 percent).

Furthermore, pastors ages 18 to 44 (37 percent) and 45 to 54 (30 percent) are more likely than pastors over 65 (20 percent) to say loneliness and lack of friendships are a challenge for them.

“Americans have become much more aware of mental wellbeing, and young pastors have grown up in a culture with much greater transparency around these challenges than previous generations,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “The high number of young pastors wanting to address these mental challenges means although awareness is higher among them, many have not yet successfully embraced the boundaries, habits and preventative measures they need.” 

In half of the categories of mental challenges explored in this study, white pastors were more likely than African American pastors to say they face that challenge in ministry. 

Whereas half of white pastors (50 percent) say they face discouragement in ministry, 35 percent of African American pastors say the same. Similarly, nearly half of white pastors (49 percent) say distractions are a challenge for them, while 37 percent of African American pastors agree. 

When it comes to stress, the most cited mental challenge in this study, white pastors (64 percent) are once again more likely than African American pastors (52 percent) to say this is a ministry challenge they face. 

Greatest mental challenge

When asked to narrow it down to the area of mental challenges they most need to address today, stress, distractions and discouragement top pastors’ list. 

More pastors identify stress (31 percent) as their greatest mental challenge in ministry than any other challenge. Nearly one in 4 pastors (23 percent ) say distraction is their greatest mental challenge in ministry, and 18 percent say discouragement.

“It’s important for pastors to learn healthy ways of maintaining their mental health amidst the variety of pressures that continue to come their way,” McConnell said. “Ignoring stress is not the answer. Resilience requires investment.” 

Once again, younger pastors are more likely than the oldest pastors to say stress is the primary mental challenge they face in ministry. Whereas 37 percent of pastors ages 18 to 44 and 33 percent of pastors ages 45 to 54 say stress is their greatest mental challenge, 23 percent of pastors over the age of 65 say the same.

Pastors of large churches are more likely to identify stress as their greatest mental challenge than pastors of smaller churches. While 41 percent of pastors of churches with attendance greater than 250 say stress is their primary challenge, pastors of churches with attendance of 0-49 (22 percent) and 100-249 (31 percent) are less likely to agree. B&R — See the next edition of the Baptist and Reflector for more on “pastors dealing with stress.”

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ROLE OF PREGNANCY CARE CENTER IS ‘MAGNIFIED’ AFTER ROE’S REVERSAL

By Madison Burnette
Baptist Press

The role of pregnancy care centers across the state will become even more vital since the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Above, supporters of the Pregnancy Care Center in Old Hickory use fund raisers such as a Walk for Life to support the ministry.

NASHVILLE — Pregnancy care centers across the United States are working to combat the spread of misinformation so staff can continue to serve well those experiencing unplanned pregnancies. The overturn of Roe v. Wade caused a surge of anger and violence directed toward pregnancy care centers, so staff and volunteers must work harder to reach women in unique ways. Even though laws may change, the work and mission of the centers has not.

Lisa Cathcart, executive director of Pregnancy Care Center in Old Hickory, told Baptist Press that “pro-life voices matter right now.” Many people do not understand the purpose of pregnancy care centers and the services that they offer. Cathcart said that the work of pregnancy care centers is “not political work, but spiritual work as [we serve as] domestic missionaries. It’s relational and transformational, not transactional. Our work is modeled after Jesus’ ministry. We are dealing with hearts and minds.”

Scott McConnell, director of Lifeway Research and a Pregnancy Care Center board member, said, “Roe doesn’t change pregnancy care centers’ posture.” When anger rages from all sides, it’s easy to get lost, he said, adding: “the battle is not against flesh and blood as it says in Ephesians. Show compassion because radical shifts cause anger, but do not become consumed by it. Identify in Christ, not in a position.” [Read more…]

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RETIRED TBC LEADER JAMES PORCH DIES AT AGE 81

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

James Porch

NASHVILLE — James Porch, who served as executive director of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention (now Tennessee Baptist Mission Board) for 18 years (1992-2010) died Aug. 3 at the age of 81.

A native of Pelahatchie, Miss., Porch was elected to succeed D.L. Lowrie as executive director in September of 1992. He came to the position from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Tullahoma, where he had served since 1977. 

Porch was known for his strong support of the Cooperative Program. When he retired in 2010, he noted in an interview with the Baptist and Reflector that he made it clear at the beginning of his tenure that the Tennessee Baptist Convention would only support the Cooperative Program. When he was elected, there was turmoil in the Southern Baptist Convention and some state conventions offered multiple giving options and some even formed other state conventions.

At his retirement, Porch said, “One of the things I take great joy in is that there is only one Tennessee Baptist Convention today,” he said. [Read more…]

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HEUSER RESIGNS AS PRESIDENT OF TENNESSEE WMU

By Chris Turner
cturner@tnbaptist.org

Yolanda Heuser

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union president Yolanda Heuser announced her resignation effectively immediately, citing a recently developed chronic health issue as her reason for stepping away from continuing in the role. 

“It is with a heavy heart that I have made a decision to tender my resignation effective immediately, based on my current health issues,” Heuser said. “I love the women who make up the Tennessee WMU and the WMU mission to aid individuals into carrying out the great commission.”

Heuser, a member of Lantana Road Baptist Church, Crossville, was elected to become the 31st president of Tennessee WMU at the 2021 Tennessee WMU annual meeting in Cookeville since it could not be held in conjunction with the annual Mission Get-Together. She was reelected this year during the organization’s annual business session held April 2 in Gatlinburg in conjunction with Missions Get-Together.  [Read more…]

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PASTOR REJUVENATED AFTER ‘SABBATICAL’

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

Pastor Wayne Loveless, left, is still in the pastorate at Standifer Gap Baptist Church thanks to help from his friend and director of missions Dennis Culbreth.

CHATTANOOGA — In April, Wayne Loveless had made up his mind that he was going to announce on the following Sunday that he was resigning as pastor after 18 years of ministry at Standifer Gap Baptist Church in Chattanooga.

He had already informed his elders/deacons. But first he made a phone call to his friend and director of missions for Hamilton County Baptist Association, Dennis Culbreth, and set up a meeting for lunch.

Culbreth thought it was just to “visit” but when he walked into the restaurant, “I could tell by looking at his countenance that he was under some stress.” [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE DR RESPONDING TO FLOODING IN KENTUCKY

Baptist and Reflector

MOUNT JULIET — As disaster relief operations are coming to a close in Goshen Township, Ohio, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has been called to set up operations to assist flood victims in eastern Kentucky. View the Baptist Press story on the flooding at www.tnbaptist.org.

In addition, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is sending $50,000 in disaster relief funds to Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief.

Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the TBMB, sent a call out to volunteers on July 29. Eastern Kentucky was hit with yet another massive flooding event in Kentucky’s Appalachian region on July 28. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a state of emergency on the same day, calling the disaster “one of the worst, most devastating flooding events in Kentucky’s history,” according to the Lexington Herald Leader.

Tennessee volunteers will be based at Montgomery Baptist Church in Carrie, Ky., Jones said. The team originally was to go to Emmalena, Ky., but was relocated because of continued rain with chance of additional flooding. The move also puts the teams closer to one of the hardest hit areas, said Jones, who traveled to Kentucky over the weekend.   [Read more…]

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KENTUCKY PASTORS IN FLOODED AREAS CLEANING UP, REACHING OUT, AWAITING HELP

By Mark Maynard
Kentucky Today

People in Wayland, Ky., escape floodwaters in a canoe on July 28. — Photo from the Floyd County (Ky.) Sheriff’s Department

HAZARD, Ky. — Tim Reynolds, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Hazard, said the flood waters barely lapped up onto his parking lot.

“It didn’t get in here,” he said. “I can’t explain that our town didn’t get hit like Whitesburg and some of the other areas. We have some slides and slips in the road but in Hazard it is nothing like Hindman or Whitesburg.”

For much of the affected parts of east Kentucky though, the recovery from one of the worst floods in state history will be felt for a long time. Lives have been lost, homes destroyed and dreams have vanished.

“It’s one horror story after another. People going to sleep in their mobile homes and waking up a mile down the road; kids being swept from their mommy’s arms. It’s beyond tragic.” [Read more…]

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