Josh Sullivan
(Facebook photo)

MARYVILLE — No major updates have been released as of April 12 regarding abducted missionary Josh Sullivan, who was taken at gunpoint on the evening of April 10, while delivering a sermon at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, South Africa (near Port Elizabeth, also known as Gqeberha).

His wife, Meagan, released a statement via Facebook and through other outlets on April 11 requesting continued prayer.

“We beg you to continue storming the throne room until Josh is safe at home,” she wrote.

More than 3,000 people have engaged with Meagan’s post, with more than 1,000 leaving comments and nearly 600 people sharing it (as of Saturday mid-afternoon). [Read more…]

Sandefur

SEYMOUR — Jeremy Sandefur will resign on May 31 as president and head of school at The King’s Academy (TKA) in Seymour to pursue a leadership role at a Christian school in Central Florida.

“While I hate to leave TKA, I am excited to serve at a church-based school in a role that will allow me to support teachers and students,” Sandefur told the B&R. This move will let him serve in an administrative role at a larger school, focusing directly on academic success, teacher support, and discipleship.

During his four-year tenure, Sandefur saw TKA grow from virtually no international students due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to “a full thriving program.” [Read more…]

SOMERVILLE—A team of four mission volunteers serving on the Cross Partners Ministry team returned last month from two weeks in the Republic of the Philippines. They served with over 10 churches in two different Baptist associations and participated in over 40 evangelistic crusades with the Filipino Baptists on Luzon Island.

Led by Dr. Charles Pratt, president and founder of the Cross Partners Ministry, Inc., the team saw 2,897 professions of faith and over 100 other decisions for the Lord Jesus. Pratt is retired with the Fayette Baptist Association and is the former mission’s director and a member of FBC of Somerville. He has been leading volunteer mission teams on five continents for over 36 years to serve on short time mission trips.

“Not only did thousands of lives get put on the road to Heaven, but the volunteers won personal victories of confidence in sharing their faith with the Filipino people. It is without question that the kind hospitality of the people aided our volunteers in boldly witnessing for Jesus,” Pratt said. [Read more…]

SELMER — Sometimes the best way to help is by assisting those who are assisting others. 

That’s exactly what First Baptist Church Selmer is doing in the wake of the deadly tornadoes that tore through parts of Tennessee during the first week in April. 

With the church’s ROC building (which, fittingly, stands for “Reaching Our Community”) serving as home base, FBC Selmer is housing Disaster Relief volunteers from Alabama. Will Shelton, associate pastor of discipleship at FBC, is helping coordinate the housing details for the teams from Alabama, who began arriving in Tennessee on April 5. The incident command center will operate out of the ROC building, and will be run by the Alabama volunteers.  [Read more…]

Ayers

NASHVILLE — Businessman and entrepreneur James Wesley “Jim” Ayers died on April 1, 2025, after battling several health issues. He was 81.

Born in Parsons, Tenn., Ayers lived by the Bible verse from Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” This principle guided his extensive business career and philanthropic efforts.

A self-described entrepreneur since childhood, Ayers began shining shoes for 10 cents a pair. By age 10, he was driving a tractor on the family farm. At 16, he traveled to Mississippi to sell Bibles door-to-door for the Southwestern Company. His high school nickname, “Speedy Ayers,” reflected his love for drag racing along the Tennessee River. [Read more…]

Union University photo

JACKSON — A weather event, likely a microburst carrying heavy rain and intense winds, caused major damage to the west end of Union University’s Penick Academic Complex April 3 around 8:30 p.m.

No students or personnel were injured. Union canceled all classes and activities in the PAC on Friday as contractors and engineers assessed the damage and university leaders made plans for how to manage the disruption.

“I want to start by saying our hope is in Jesus Christ,” Union University President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver told the Union community April 4 in a special worship service in the Brewer Dining Hall. “Our hope isn’t in buildings. We believe the truth of Scripture, as Psalm 20:7 reminds us, some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Richard Newman, building consultant for Elite Contractors, said after an initial investigation, his structural engineer determined that a microburst with wind speeds of more than 100 miles per hour compromised the roof over the art department and the old Wellness Center. An exterior wall also caved in, and water began pouring into the PAC.

Newman said the damage was not a result of a faulty roof or maintenance issues. The roof on that section of the building was replaced in 2024. An Elite Contractor crew late Thursday night tore down an exterior wall in the affected area of the PAC to prevent water from pooling on the roof and causing further damage.

The old Wellness Center space was empty, as Union opened a new and expansive Wellness Center in a different part of the building in August. Plans were to use that vacant area for a new academic space, but the space had been unused for several months.

“I praise God that if any part of the PAC roof was going to fail, the very best place for it to fail was the old Wellness Center that no one has been in for seven months and didn’t have anything in it,” Oliver said.

When the roof gave way, it broke a water line for the building’s fire suppression system, causing additional water to pour into the PAC and ruining the floors in both the Fred DeLay Gymnasium and the activities gym. Several faculty members were displaced from their flooded offices. The most heavily damaged areas were the offices for art; languages, literature and writing; social work; and athletics.

The total square footage of the PAC, the largest building on Union’s campus, is about 225,000 square feet. About 7,500 square feet of the building will be demolished because of structural instability. About 100,000 square feet were flooded and will require major cleanup efforts over the next few months.
Classes in the flooded parts of the building will be relocated for the remainder of the semester. Professors whose offices were flooded will also be provided temporary offices in other locations across campus.

Classes and activities in the unaffected portion of the PAC will resume on Monday. Oliver said he hopes the entire facility will be ready for full use by the start of the fall semester.