Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

CARVING A PATH IN A SPIRITUAL DESERT

NAMB NEWS OFFICE

Heiden and Neena Ratner, with son, Epaph, planted WALK Church in Las Vegas, Nev. They are featured missionaries during the Annie Armstrong Eastering Offering 2018 Week of Prayer.

Editor’s Note: Heiden and Neena Ratner are church planting missionaries featured in the Week of Prayer for North American Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.® This year’s theme is “On Mission Here and Now.” The national AAEO goal is $70 million.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Established in 1905 near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, this city that was once a pass-through in the Mojave Desert has become one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Las Vegas hosts more than 42 million visitors each year. The draw includes novelty resorts and casinos with enough lasers and neon lights to make it visible from space, earning NASA’s distinction for Brightest Spot on Earth. But spiritually, the statistics tell a different story. [Read more…]

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MORE THAN 800 ATTEND WEST TENNESSEE EVANGELISM RALLY

Union University News Office

James Merritt addresses participants at the West Tennessee Evangelism Rally held March 4 at Union University.
– Photo by Kristi Woody

JACKSON — Christians must ask everyone to follow Jesus and willingly associate with those who don’t follow Jesus, Georgia pastor James Merritt said at Union University March 4 during the West Tennessee Evangelism Rally.

“The business of the church, and the business of every follower of Jesus Christ, is to find missing people and invite them to follow Jesus,” said Merritt, pastor of Crosspointe Church in Duluth, Georgia. “If we are not in that business, we are out of business.”

Merritt was the keynote speaker at the third annual evangelism rally that drew more than 800 people to the Union campus for a worship service, dinner and breakout sessions. The event included for the first time a women’s track and a student track. [Read more…]

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TENNESCENE: MAR. 7-20

EVENTS

The Bells Community Revival is scheduled for March 18-21 and will rotate between Walnut Hill Baptist Church and  Cross Roads Baptist Church. The Sunday night service features The Barnett Family in concert at Cross Roads at 6:00 p.m. Remaining services are at 6:30 p.m.  The Monday night service is at Walnut Hill with Josh Simmons.  The Tuesday night service is at Cross Roads with Justin Moreland and the Wednesday night service is at Walnut Hill with Larry Murphy.

ASSOCIATION

Lawrence County Baptist Association is sponsoring “Returning to Holiness Through Spiritual Renewal” April 22-25. Sessions and locations include Summertown Baptist Church, Summertown, April 22, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; First Baptist Church, Loretto, 6:30 p.m., April 23; Leoma Baptist Church, Leoma, 6:30 p.m., April 24; and Macedonia Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg, 6:30 p.m., April 25. Gregory Frizzell, founder and president of Gregory Frizzell Prayer & Renewal Ministries, will lead the sessions. [Read more…]

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APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR BHET GRANTS

Baptist and Reflector

submit, button, online, form, computer, keyboardBRENTWOOD — Applications are now being received for grants from the Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee Medical Missions Fund.

The Baptist Healthcare System of East Tennessee was begun by Tennessee Baptists soon after the end of World War II. More than $2 million was contributed by 800 churches in 32 counties of East Tennessee. The hospital began service on Nov. 30, 1949. [Read more…]

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IMB APPOINTS MISSIONARIES; COMMITTEE

IMB news office

Rick Dunbar (right), IMB trustee chairman, announces the 16 members of the IMB’s presidential search committee during the trustees’ March 1 plenary session. The committee’s first meeting was planned to follow the session.
-IMB Photo

RICHMOND — The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention appointed 20 new fully-funded missionaries to serve around the world at their Feb. 28-March 1 meeting.

In addition, trustees appointed a search committee to find a successor to IMB President David Platt who announced plans to return to the pastorate in February. The committee will be chaired by Chuck Pourciau, senior pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA. Andy Davis, senior pastor/elder of First Baptist Church, Durham, N.C., will serve as vice-chair. [Read more…]

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WALTER GRUBB TO RETIRE

Baptist and Reflector

Walter Grubb

SEYMOUR — Walter Grubb, president of The King’s Academy  (Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy), will retire July 31. Grubb joined the academy as principal in 1987 before being named president and headmaster in 1994.

Grubb announced his plans to the academy’s board of directors on Feb. 27 and shared his intentions with faculty, staff, and students the following day.

“What a wonderful journey this has been for me over the last 30 years,” Grubb said. “No head of a school could have asked for a more supportive and cooperative board to work for, or a greater group of professional educators and staff to serve alongside.  The highlights of my time here involve amazing students who have blessed me daily.  I am honored to have known these students and their parents.” [Read more…]

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NEW CHURCH START HAS VETERAN LEADERSHIP

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, B&R

Pastor Gene Mims leads the worship service at The Gathering at 840 which meets on Sunday mornings at Page Middle School in Franklin.

FRANKLIN — The Gathering at 840 would not be considered the typical new church start in Tennessee today. [Read more…]

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BGAV TO STOP FORWARDING CHURCHES’ GIFTS TO CBF

By David Roach
Baptist Press

The Baptist General Association of Virginia, pictured here at its 2016 annual meeting, announced Feb. 26 it will no longer forward churches’ gifts to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Photo courtesy of BGAV

HENRICO, Va. — The Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) has become the second Baptist state convention in the past week to announce it will stop channeling churches’ contributions to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. [Read more…]

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DEADLY DEADLY CENTRAL-U.S. STORMS MOBILIZE DR IN 5 STATES

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

As storms swept across the central-U.S. Feb. 24-25, tornadoes destroyed and damaged homes in two subdivisions in Clarksville, Tenn., where Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are already responding. (WSMV-TV video screengrab / Baptist Press)

CLARKSVILLE — Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers are on the ground and others are on standby after weekend tornadoes and flooding killed five people and damaged homes in five states. [Read more…]

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