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THREE CHURCHES DEEMED ‘NOT IN FRIENDLY COOPERATION’ PLAN TO APPEAL

May 18, 2023

By Laura Erianson
Baptist Press

NEW ORLEANS — Three churches that were deemed not to be in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention by the SBC Executive Committee at its February meeting will be appealing that decision, it was announced Tuesday (May 16).

In total, eight churches have been deemed not in friendly cooperation with the SBC since the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim – two at the SBC EC’s meeting last September and six in February of this year. Though the SBC has disfellowshipped churches for various reasons over the years, none has appealed that decision until this year.

“The Credentials Committee reports that it has received appeals from Fern Creek Baptist Church, Louisville, KY; Freedom Church, Vero Beach, Florida; and Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California,” the Credentials Committee said in a statement May 16.

The deadline to file an appeal was May 15, and the Credentials Committee announced the next day that the three churches would be presenting their case June 13 at the SBC annual meeting in New Orleans. [Read more…]

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SADDLEBACK APPEAL ON BEHALF OF LIKE-MINDED SOUTHERN BAPTISTS, WARREN SAYS

May 18, 2023

By Scott Barkley
Baptist Press

Photo from Saddleback.com

LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Saddleback Church founder and former pastor Rick Warren has provided five reasons the megachurch will appeal the decision of the SBC Executive Committee to find the church “not in friendly cooperation” with the Southern Baptist Convention. The EC made the decision, based on a recommendation from the SBC Credentials Committee at its meeting in February.

The committee deemed the church not to be in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention’s statement of faith, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, due to “the church continuing to have a female teaching pastor functioning in the office of a pastor.”

The committee specified the teaching pastor role of Stacie Wood, the wife of Warren’s successor, Andy Wood. Since then, Saddleback announced May 7 that Katie Edwards would become the new campus pastor for its Lake Forest campus. Edwards was among three women ordained with the title of pastor at Saddleback in May 2021. [Read more…]

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FIRST RESPONDER SEES CAREER AS SPIRITUAL CALLING

May 17, 2023

By Timothy Cockes
Baptist Press

Tommy Neiman uses his career as a first responder to minister to others. — BP / Submitted photo

FORT PIERCE, Fla. – For Tommy Neiman, an award-winning firefighter and paramedic, the theme for his vocational calling has become about challenging first responders to be believers, and believers to be first responders.

Neiman described being fascinated with the lights and sirens of emergency vehicles as he was growing up. His curiosity would soon lead him to this spiritual calling.

“I remember following firetrucks and any vehicle with lights and sirens going as best as I could to find out where they were going,” Neiman said. “That intrigue led to me going into that kind of work full-time after college. I really felt that God’s calling in my life was to see the Lord work through my responses, and He certainly gives us the desires of our hearts.

“God is still using me in a very powerful, spiritual way to share His Word and to encourage others, even despite the tragedies and the emergencies that they’re going through.” [Read more…]

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C-N BEGINS ITS LARGEST-EVER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

May 17, 2023

By Carson-Newman news office

Carson-Newman University recently broke ground on a new student residence complex. From left are: Ondes Webster, C-N; Megan Chafin, BarberMcMurry Architects; Robert Key, C-N; Kristi Paczkowski, C-N trustee; Charles A. Fowler, C-N president; Patsy Wallace, C-N trustee; Hong Tjoa, chair of trustees; Chair; Derek Driskill, SGA president; Marshal White, C-N trustee; Jim Schmidt, University Housing Solutions; Gloria Walker, C-N; and David Haynes, Bank of Tennessee.

JEFFERSON CITY — Carson-Newman University broke ground April 20 on its largest construction project in the university’s history. 

Members of the campus community were joined by local representatives and friends of Carson-Newman who gathered for a special ceremony marking the event. West Campus Commons, a new residence life complex, is slated to welcome students in Fall 2024. 

 “What a tremendous day for Carson-Newman,” said C-N President Charles A. Fowler. “We are grateful to our campus family, community leaders and friends for joining us today in celebration of a new chapter in residence life for our students. 

“I especially would like to thank the board of trustees whose decisions regarding our strategic plan and 20-year master plan paved the way to consider this new residence life facility. We look forward to seeing this exciting project take form over the coming months and benefiting Carson-Newman students for years.” [Read more…]

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TITHING REMAINS A DIVISIVE TOPIC FOR MANY

May 16, 2023

By Marissa Postell Sullivan
Writer, Lifeway Christian Resources

iStock

BRENTWOOD — Most churchgoers say tithing is a biblical command and give at least 10 percent of their income. But they have more diverse opinions on the “where” and “how” of tithing.

More than three in four American Protestant churchgoers say tithing is a biblical command that still applies today (77 percent), according to a Lifeway Research study. One in 10 (10 percent) say it is not. And 13 percent are uncertain about the matter. 

Compared to 2017, fewer churchgoers today believe tithing is a biblical command that still applies (77 percent v. 83 percent) and more are not sure (13 percent v. 10 percent).

“Giving 10 percent of your earnings to God is still a widespread standard among churchgoers,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. [Read more…]

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UNION TRUSTEES ADOPT $94.5 MILLION BUDGET

May 15, 2023

By Tim Ellsworth
Union University news office

JACKSON — Union University trustees during their April 14 meeting on the Union campus approved a $94.7 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year and granted tenure and promotions to several professors.

The budget is an increase of about $1.55 million from this year’s budget.

Trustees also approved a new program at the Memphis College or Urban and Theological Studies. The Urban Pastoral Ministry Accelerated Program will allow students to complete a bachelor’s degree in urban theological studies and a Master of Christian Studies degree in five years. The program is designed for current urban pastors who lack undergraduate and graduate theological and ministerial training and young adults in urban environments who desire training for ministry specific to an urban context. [Read more…]

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MICHIGAN AVENUE BAPTIST MERGES WITH PARKWAY

May 15, 2023

By Jamie Henderson
CrossNet Baptist Network

Celebrating the merger of of Michigan Avenue Baptist Church and Parkway Baptist Church in Cleveland are the combined deacons along with the pastors, from left, back row, Terry Lewis, Joe White, Keith Lawson, Mickey Gaston, Kenneth Saffles; front row, Brendon Witte, interim pastor of Michigan Avenue, Geoff Ownbey, Jason Parker, Roy Williams, Rex Reagan and Joe White, former pastor of Parkway who will serve as pastor of merged congregations at Michigan Avenue Baptist. Not pictured is deacon Billy Belcher.

CLEVELAND — Members of Parkway Baptist Church and Michigan Avenue Baptist Church voted April 23 to merge the two churches. 

With the vote, Parkway Baptist was dissolved and the two congregations met at Michigan Avenue Baptist for their first service as one church. 

Organized in 1934, Michigan Avenue Baptist Church (MABC) has served the community for nearly 90 years. 

As a church, they have given over $470,000 through the Cooperative Program, about $250,000 in associational gifts, and more than $1,000,000 in total mission gifts, according to their Annual Church Profile.  [Read more…]

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AFTER HUSBAND’S DEATH, PASTOR’S WIFE ON NEW ‘MISSION’

May 11, 2023

By David Dawson
Communications specialist, TBMB

The late Eric McLemore, who was the senior pastor at Northside Baptist Church in Milan, stands with his wife, Leah, and their three daughters: Virginia, age 9, Layla, 7, and Lottie, 4.

FRANKLIN — As a registered nurse, Leah McLemore fluently speaks the complex jargon of the medical world. She knows and understands the elaborate-sounding words and intricate diagnoses that are frequently used in hospitals and doctors’ offices. 

But when discussing the recent death of her husband, McLemore uses terms that anyone can understand: He died from stress. 

Yes, there were other factors involved, she said, but the foremost cause of his death was a bleeding ulcer that was exacerbated by the pressures and constant weight of being in the ministry.  [Read more…]

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TENNESCENE – MAY 10

May 10, 2023

LEADERS

Bob Brown

Former Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member Bob Brown has been elected vice chairman of the trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Brown is executive director of Lakeway Christian Schools and interim pastor of Chilhowee Hills Baptist Church, Knoxville. He and his wife, Linnie, are members of First Baptist Church, Dandridge.

Danny Dixon began serving April 1 as interim pastor of Battle Creek Baptist Church, Springfield. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News Tagged With: TenneScene

MAY 21 — DAY OF PRAYER FOR OUR CENTERS

May 10, 2023

By Mark Proctor
Associate administrator, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

Proctor

Two hundred years ago, while envisioning the campus design for the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson wrote to a colleague describing how the buildings should be arranged: 

“… Would strongly recommend … instead of one immense building, to have a small one for every professorship, arranged at proper distances around a square, this village form is preferable to a single great building for many reasons, particularly on account of fire, health, economy, peace and quiet. …”  

Villages. 

Jefferson knew that growth, whether intellectual or spiritual, occurs more readily in communities — communities where people could interact in a safe and peaceful way both inside and outside the buildings.   [Read more…]

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