Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

ON A MISSION

Pursuing their third straight state championship, The King’s Academy softball players keep Christ first

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

The members of The King’s Academy softball team, which captured its second consecutive state championship last year, gather for prayer. — Photos by Rich Baker, TKA

SEYMOUR — Having been in existence for less than five years, The King’s Academy softball team has quickly established itself as a genuine Goliath — in a David-sized body.

Proudly carrying the banner for a high school that has only about 160 students, the Lady Lions have captured back-to-back Division II-A state championships in the past two years, and they appear primed to make a push toward a third consecutive title in the next few weeks.

Owning a 24-2 record this season, the team is ranked No. 4 in the state (through April 27). The Lady Lions have compiled a 140-22 overall record in their four-plus seasons of varsity fastpitch softball, and have been ranked among the Top-25 teams in the country by USA Today.

The secret to all this success? Oh, it’s no secret at all. In fact, it’s a very visible, very prominent part of the TKA program. It can be seen in the Scripture references that some of the players write on their arms before games, and it can be spotted when the team gathers for prayer after each game and each practice. [Read more…]

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FUGE CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF MINISTRY TO STUDENTS

LifeWay News Office

FUGE campers rally around their recreational flags following an afternoon of sports. — Photo by Guy Lyons

NASHVILLE — Randy Parks remembers the music, the games, and the wacky events from the first summer he attended Centrifuge in 1979. But most of all, he remembers the clear message of the gospel and the strong conviction that a life following Christ was exciting and worth living. [Read more…]

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SBC DALLAS: GAINES URGES ‘GENUINE UNITY OF SPIRIT’

by Baptist Press staff

The SBC annual meeting will be held in the Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Photo courtesy of Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas

DALLAS — Going into this year’s annual meeting as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Steve Gaines acknowledged Southern Baptists face some critical decisions in the days and months ahead. [Read more…]

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CITY REACH OFFERS ‘NUTS & BOLTS’ MINISTRY

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN —  Rusty Sumrall said the momentum continues to build for City Reach Nashville.

In the weeks ahead, he is hopeful the excitement will transform into action.

“We have 30 churches across Tennessee who have shared interest in coming to Nashville,” said Sumrall, executive director of the Nashville Baptist Association. “So, now we need these churches, and other churches, to make the commitment to come.”

City Reach Nashville is one phase of a five-part initiative designed and implemented by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. [Read more…]

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WAFFLE HOUSE KILLER ARRESTED FOLLOWING ‘SCARY’ SUNDAY

NASHVILLE (BP) — With the lone suspect in a Nashville mass shooting still on the loose Sunday morning, area churches tightened security and heightened their focus on prayer.

“It was a scary thing to a lot of our people,” said Cathey Williams, the ministry

assistant at Hickory Hollow Baptist Church, which is less than two miles from a Waffle House where Travis Reinking is accused of killing four people and injuring four others shortly after 3 a.m. April 22.

After a Waffle House customer wrestled away Reinking’s AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, the suspected gunman fled seminude and likely armed, according to police. Some 160 law enforcement officials searched the area for more than 24 hours before Reinking, 29, was arrested today (April 23). [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE WMU TEAM PRAYS FOR BOSTON AREA

By Juliana Wilson
TENNESSEE WMU

A Tennessee WMU prayerwalking team prays over Kenneth Esterhuizen, a Southern Baptist church planter from South Africa. From left, are Shelby Lord, Colleen Richardson, Yolanda Heuser, and Bobby Turner.

BOSTON, Mass. — A team of Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union ladies recently traveled to the Greater Boston area to prayerwalk. The group, consisting of Bobby Turner, Shelby Lord, Yolanda Heuser, and Colleen Richardson, worked with Sam Taylor, director of missions for the Greater Boston Baptist Association.   [Read more…]

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HENRY MATRIARCH GOING STRONG AT AGE 100

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Jim Henry, right, and his brother, Joe, helped their mother, Katherine Henry, recently celebrate her 100th birthday. The brothers credit their mother for their spiritual foundation. Jim Henry is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention while Joe is an active Baptist layman.

HENDERSONVILLE — Former Southern Baptist Convention President Jim Henry is 80 years old and his brother, Joe, is 77. But rest assured, when their 100-year-old mother, Katherine Henry, speaks, they still listen.

And, they each call her at least once a day. “She won’t let us get off the phone,” Jim laughed.

The Henrys held a birthday celebration dinner for their mother a few days after her birthday with about 75 family members and friends present.

Mrs. Henry, who served for many years as a church secretary at several Nashville-area churches, is proud of the men her boys became. [Read more…]

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LOTTIE MOON GIFTS UP 4.4 PERCENT

Baptist Press

RICHMOND  — Southern Baptists’ contributions to support international missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering are 4.4 percent ahead of last year’s pace, according to a report by Rodney Freeman, IMB treasurer and vice president of support services. [Read more…]

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CHURCH HAS TRUST IN COOPERATIVE PROGRAM

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist & Reflector

Editor’s Note: View the Cooperative Program video featuring Todd Hallman at tnbaptist.org/CP, or see below.

ELIZABETHTON — Though the Cooperative Program did not come into existence until decades after First Baptist Church, Elizabethton, was established 175 years ago, missions has always been important to the church.

“From the very beginning, the church has been missions oriented,” said pastor Todd Hallman. “They’ve always given to missions in some way, shape, or form.” [Read more…]

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TENNESCENE APR. 18-MAY 1

LEADERS

Russ Wilkins

Russ Wilkins, former associate pastor for students, missions, and education at First Baptist Church, Huntingdon, has been named director of missions for Shiloh Baptist Association. Wilkins is a former admissions counselor at Union University in Jackson and youth pastor at Oakfield Baptist Church, Oakfield. Shiloh Association is comprised of 47 churches in McNairy and Hardin Counties.

John Adams, a former university administrator at Union University in Jackson who is now serving in his 31st interim pastorate at Spring Hill Baptist Church, Trenton, and Gayle Alexander, who has served as pastor of churches in Tennessee and Mississippi, have written Who Is In Control of The Church: A Guide to Unity and Peace Within the Church. The two men have more than 100 combined years of experience. The book offers a “big picture” look at what the church expects from the pastor, what the pastor should expect from the church, and how people in positions of authority can work together under the submission of God’s ultimate authority. The book is available on Amazon by title and authors. [Read more…]

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