Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

The Cooperative Program in Tennessee

Editor’s Note: October is recognized as Cooperative Program month on the calendar of the Southern Baptist Convention. Selected articles from this issue demonstrate how the Cooperative Program is at work in Tennessee.

By Chris Turner
Director of Communications, TBC

Students at the University of Memphis learn about the Baptist Collegiate Ministry as they stop by its exhibit recently and visit with Jeff Jones, center, BCM director. — Photos by Royce DeGrie

Students at the University of Memphis learn about the Baptist Collegiate Ministry as they stop by its exhibit recently and visit with Jeff Jones, center, BCM director. — Photo by Royce DeGrie

MEMPHIS — The countenance on Abrahim’s* face betrayed the secret he was hiding inside, and he didn’t even know it. How could he? Only days before he’d accepted Christ into his heart and now he was home in a staunchly fundamentalist Islamic country.

But being alive in Christ changes everything, and Abrahim’s parents immediately noticed.

“I was only home three days and my father came to me and said I’d changed,” Abrahim said. “ ‘What is different about you?’ he kept asking. I only told him at that time that God changed my heart.”

God had changed his heart, and He used the faithful witness of fellow college students involved in the University of Memphis’ Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) to do it. [Read more…]

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TBC Recognizes Top Churches in Baptisms, Gifts

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — The Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention recognized churches that led the state convention in baptisms and gifts in 2013.

Representatives of the churches were recognized during a banquet held prior to the Sept. 9 meeting of the TBC Executive Board held at Brentwood Baptist Church here.

“We are grateful to these churches for their outstanding leadership in leading people to Christ, resulting in baptism and to those churches that lead the way in giving through the Cooperative Program,” said Randy C. Davis, TBC executive director/treasurer. [Read more…]

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Leavell to Be Nominated as TBC Vice President

Baptist and Reflector

David Leavell

David Leavell

MILLINGTON — David Leavell, pastor of First Baptist Church, Millington, will be nominated as vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in November.

Leavell will be nominated by friend and fellow Millington pastor Mark Tuso of Crosspointe Baptist Church.

“David is a brother filled with integrity and is a strong leader,” Tuso observed.

He also noted that Leavell is committed to and concerned about the convention. “His desire is to come alongside TBC staff and be a help as a pastor elected in this position,” Tuso said. [Read more…]

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Churches Can Address Political Issues

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

140923electionBRENTWOOD — To hear the other side tell it, abortion will be illegal in Tennessee if voters approve Amendment 1 of the state ballot on Nov. 4.

There is also a rampant myth that churches can’t legally encourage people to vote for or against public policy issues.

Nothing can be further from the truth.

Such statements are “scare tactics” offered by opponents of Amendment 1 to confuse the issues, say leaders in the state who support efforts to pass Amendment 1 in November.

Abortions are now legal in Tennessee and will continue to be legal the day after the election regardless of the outcome of the vote on Amendment 1, observed Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, based in Nashville. [Read more…]

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Executive Board Adopts Reduced Budget

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Randy C. Davis, right, executive director/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, stands with newly elected officers of the TBC Executive Board — Roc Collins, center, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, chair; and Michael Crandall, pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church, Ripley, vice chair. — Photo by Connie Bushey

Randy C. Davis, right, executive director/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, stands with newly elected officers of the TBC Executive Board — Roc Collins, center, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, chair; and Michael Crandall, pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church, Ripley, vice chair. — Photo by Connie Bushey

BRENTWOOD — The Executive Board adopted a budget of $34,250,000 for the 2014-15 budget year.

The action was one of several that took place during the Executive Board’s Sept. 9 meeting at Brentwood Baptist Church here.

Board members were informed that the new budget is a reduction of $2,250,000 or 6.16 percent from the 2013-14 budget. The new total is more consistent with income for the previous 12-month period, according to information supplied to board members. [Read more…]

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Search Committee Member Offers Perspective

Editor’s Note: Scott Harris, missions minister at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, served on the search committee of the International Mission Board that called David Platt as president. Here is his perspective on the new IMB leader.

By Baptist and Reflector

“Our ultimate goal in the process was to find the right leader for the ultimate responsibility of the Church; bringing the gospel to all nations.

“Shortly after our committee was formed in February, we knew that we needed feedback from the field, the Richmond home office, SBC pastors, and denominational leaders. We received 2,000 opinion surveys and over 100 nominations.

“We bathed the process in prayer and prioritized the qualities and values needed in a leader of the IMB in an ever-changing world and declining denominational landscape. The stark reality is that the SBC and our mission efforts are struggling; the baptism rate for last year — 314,000 — is at a 60 year low. Our missionary force has been drawn down in the last seven years from 5,620 to 4,860 due to lack of funding. If things don’t change, this number could go down to 4,200. [Read more…]

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Ellis To Be Nominated for TBC Presidency

By Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Michael Ellis, pastor of Impact Baptist Church in Memphis, will be nominated as president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention during The Summit, to be held Nov. 10-12, at Brentwood Baptist Church here.

Former TBC president Fred Shackelford informed the Baptist and Reflector last week that he would nominate Ellis, who served as convention vice president in 2013.

“He has proven himself as an excellent leader in our state,” said Shackelford, pastor of Ellendale Baptist Church, Bartlett. [Read more…]

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Platt Elected to Lead IMB

Editor’s Note: David Platt was elected as president of the International Mission Board on Aug. 27. The Baptist and Reflector posted a story on the Tennessee Baptist Convention website that day. This article is a shortened version with added comments from Tennessee Baptists who are serving as IMB trustees.

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

ROCKVILLE, Va. — Alabama Baptist pastor and noted author David Platt has been elected president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.

Platt’s election took place Aug. 27 during a trustee meeting held at the IMB’s International Learning Center in Rockville, Va.

Platt, 36, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., will take office effective immediately as president of the 169-year-old Southern Baptist missions entity, the largest denominational missionary-sending body among American evangelicals. More than 4,800 Southern Baptist international missionaries serve world-wide. [Read more…]

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Fire destroys BCM building

But not spirit at Cumberland

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

LEBANON – An early morning fire on Sept. 3 destroyed the Baptist Collegiate Ministries building at Cumberland University here, but it did not destroy the spirit of those involved with the BCM.

“There are no accidents with God,” observed Dave Shelley, director of missions for Wilson County Baptist Association, which owns the BCM building. “There will be good that comes out of this,” he affirmed.

Evan Owens, BCM director at Cumberland, was notified of the fire at 5:15 a.m. by Tyler Smith, BCM president, and Nick Sackman, BCM vice president, who lived in the BCM residence apartment upstairs. [Read more…]

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Association Names Roberts as DOM

By Baptist and Reflector

Mark Roberts, pastor, McPheeters Bend Baptist Church, Church Hill, has been called as director of missions, Holton Valley Baptist Association, based in Rogersville, effective Sept. 15.

Roberts has been pastor of McPheeters Bend Baptist for 16 years. He has led his church to do missions work and has been active in the association and Tennessee Baptist Convention. [Read more…]

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