Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

TRUE WORSHIP CHANGES PEOPLE: JARED

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Gary Jared, pastor of Stuart Heights Baptist Church, Chattanooga, delivers the convention sermon.

Gary Jared, pastor of Stuart Heights Baptist Church, Chattanooga, delivers the convention sermon.

SEVIERVILLE — “What is the one thing that God wants? … The one thing that God wants is worship,” said Gary Jared at the Tennessee Baptist Convention annual meeting. The meeting was held as part of the Nov. 13-17 Summit here.

At one time he thought worship was based on how well he preached or how well the baptismal service went, said Jared during the convention sermon.

“A lot of people will miss what worship is all about,” he explained. One of his professors described worship as a person giving God their undivided attention and undivided affection, added Jared who is pastor, Stuart Heights Baptist Church, Chattanooga. [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE BAPTIST MISSION BOARD

Messengers approve new name for Executive Board, elect Freeman

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

New officers of the Tennessee Baptist Convention are, from left, Todd Stinnett, pastor, Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville, second vice president; Steve Freeman, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, president; and Michael Crandall, pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, vice president.

New officers of the Tennessee Baptist Convention are, from left, Todd Stinnett, pastor, Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville, second vice president; Steve Freeman, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, president; and Michael Crandall, pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, vice president. -Photos by Corinne Williams

SEVIERVILLE — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention approved a new name for the Executive Board and elected Springfield pastor Steve Freeman as their new president.

The two actions were among many that took place during Summit: The Gathering of Tennessee Baptists held Nov. 13-17 at the Sevierville Convention Center.

The final unofficial registration tallied 1,211 registered messengers from 503 churches throughout the state. The numbers do not reflect the total number of people who attended various sessions. On Nov. 13, there was an estimated 2,000-plus people who attended the worship service led by Steve Gaines (see story here) and a concurrent Hispanic worship service.

Registration exceeded the 953 messengers from 322 churches who attended last year’s Summit in Millington and the 1,172 messengers who attended Summit in 2014 in Brentwood. [Read more…]

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SCENES FROM THE 2016 SUMMIT

  • University of Tennessee football great Todd Kelly Sr., speaks during the Sunday night worship service.
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C-N COACHING LEGEND KEN SPARKS RETIRES

Carson-Newman news office

Ken Sparks

Ken Sparks

JEFFERSON CITY — Carson Newman University football coach Ken Sparks, the nation’s active wins leader and the fifth winningest coach in college football history, announced his retirement during a press conference Nov. 14 inside the football athletic complex that bears his name.

Sparks, a member of Manley Baptist Church, Morristown, finishes his Carson-Newman career after 37 seasons with 338 wins, 99 losses and two ties.  His career winning percentage of .7699 is the fourth highest in college football history while the 338 victories amount to the fifth best total nationally. [Read more…]

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MEMPHIS TEAM AIDS STUDENT WORK IN LONDON

Editor’s Note: In September, the International Mission Board hosted Baptist state paper editors in London to introduce  its new media network and to explore its Global Cities Initiative, a part of IMB President David Platt’s desire to introduce a “limitless” missionary force of Southern Baptists.

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Two students take a break to visit some of the sites in London while serving recently on a missions trip to the city. — Photo by Todd Deaton, Western Recorder (Kentucky)

Two students take a break to visit some of the sites in London while serving recently on a missions trip to the city. — Photo by Todd Deaton, Western Recorder (Kentucky)

LONDON — The Southern Baptist International Mission Board’s plan to have an impact in London will require more than the missionaries who currently serve in the self-proclaimed “Capital of the World.”

London is home to about 270 nationalities with 300 spoken languages. The city is home to 66 unreached people groups (second highest in the world). In a city with an estimated population of 6.83 million (12 million in the greater London area), only 1 percent of the city is considered to be “reached” with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It will take retirees, students, and career professionals who can plant themselves in the city. But, it also will take volunteers — a large number of them. [Read more…]

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FREEMAN, CRANDALL, STINNETT ELECTED OFFICERS OF TBC

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

summit-logoSEVIERVILLE — Steve Freeman, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, was elected president without opposition during Summit, which includes the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Summit is meeting Nov. 13-17.

Michael Crandall, pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, was elected vice president over Kylan Mann, pastor, Central Baptist Church, Martin. Crandall received 363 votes (64 percent) over 205 votes for Mann (36 percent).

Finally, Todd Stinnett, pastor, Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville, was elected second vice president without opposition. [Read more…]

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MCGEHEE NEW PRESIDENT-ELECT OF TENNESSEE PASTORS CONFERENCE

Baptist and Reflector

Officers of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference are, from left, Derek Smith, pastor, Living Hope Baptist Church, Collierville, secretary/treasurer; Tim McGehee, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president-elect; and Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, president.

Officers of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference are, from left, Derek Smith, pastor, Living Hope Baptist Church, Collierville, secretary/treasurer; Tim McGehee, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president-elect; and Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, president.

SEVIERVILLE — Tim McGehee, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, was elected president-elect of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference on Nov. 14.

McGehee, who was chosen without opposition, will succeed incoming president Jim Collier, pastor of Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, next year.

McGehee was nominated for the position by David Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville. [Read more…]

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EXECUTIVE BOARD NAME CHANGED TO TENNESSEE BAPTIST MISSION BOARD

Baptist and Reflector

tbmb-logoSEVIERVILLE – Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention overwhelmingly voted Nov. 15 to change the name of the TBC’s Executive Board to Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

The action took placed during Summit, held Nov. 13-17, at the Sevierville Convention Center.

TBC Executive Director Randy C. Davis said the name has historic roots, noting the Executive Board was once known as State Missions Board before becoming the Executive Board in 1918. [Read more…]

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NEW CHURCH BAPTIZES 99 IN 9 MONTHS

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Nathan Thomason, founder and pastor, Outreach Baptist Church, Smithville, baptizes a boy outside the church facility in a strip mall near downtown Smithville.

Nathan Thomason, founder and pastor, Outreach Baptist Church, Smithville, baptizes a boy outside the church facility in a strip mall near downtown Smithville.

SMITHVILLE — Nathan Thomason wanted to be pastor of an evangelistic church here. So he started one.

Just nine months later, Outreach Baptist Church, which Thomason planted, has baptized 99 people.

All 99 people were baptized outside in the courtyard of the horseshoe-shaped strip mall which serves as the church’s facility. Thomason uses a portable baptistry.

One evening the courtyard “was full” as 21 adults, teens, and children were baptized, recalled Thomason. [Read more…]

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DUNNS CONTINUE MEDICAL MISSIONS, MINISTRY

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Dewey and Bobbie Dunn of Nashville have a strong commitment to medical missions overseas as well as locally which they still carry out.

Dewey and Bobbie Dunn of Nashville have a strong commitment to medical missions overseas as well as locally which they still carry out.

NASHVILLE — Friends around the world think of Dewey and Bobbie Dunn and medical missions synonymously.

The Dunns have been on about 100 missions trips, most of them overseas, and most of them led by Dewey, a gastroenterologist who is still practicing medicine full-time at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Nashville though he is 80 years old.

Dunn also is known for recruiting medical professionals with Bobbie’s help to serve on those teams. Two of the teams they led numbered 150 and 175. Over the years the Dunns led missions trips to support many Tennessee Baptist Convention partnerships including Venezuela; the Philippines; Poland; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [Read more…]

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