Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Jeff Brumley
Baptist News Global
If you’re noticing a lot of gray in the pulpit at your church these days, you’re not alone. Pastors are getting older.
“The aging of pastors represents a substantial crisis for Protestant churches,” David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, said in remarks included with a report titled “The Aging of America’s Pastors,” released Wednesday. [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD — 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…]
Baptist and Reflector
Bob Brown
BRENTWOOD — Bob Brown, church revitalization specialist, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, for two years, resigned Jan. 31 to become executive director, Lakeway Christian School System, based in Morristown. LCA operates a K-12 school, Cornerstone Academy, with plans to break ground for a new school in the next couple of weeks. He also has been serving as interim pastor, Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, Knoxville since last year. [Read more…]
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Steve Tiebout
COOKEVILLE — Steve Tiebout (tah-boo) believes in church planting. He has planted two churches and has led many others to plant churches and his church to support them financially.
Tiebout planted a church in California which he pastored for four years and then planted The River Community Church, Cookeville, 15 years ago. Today The River Community draws about 1,300 people to Sunday morning activities and baptized 63 people last year. He and The River Community also started the Church Planting Network to help develop other church planters and church plants. [Read more…]
Editor’s Note: The Week of Prayer for North American Missions is underway this week as churches will soon begin receiving gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering which supports missionaries across North America, including former Tennessee Baptist pastor Ben Mandrell.
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Ben Mandrell, church planter and lead pastor, Storyline Fellowship, Arvada, Colo., stands in his adopted home of Denver with his wife Lynley and their four children, from left, Max, Ava, Jack, and Miles. Lynley is director of children’s ministry at Storyline Fellowship. Mandrell is former senior pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson.
DENVER, Colo. — Ben Mandrell has been a church planter in Denver for three years and has learned a lot, he said.
“Living in Denver, in the West, requires a whole different paradigm,” said Mandrell, former senior pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson.
Ranked 14th in top post-Christian cities in America according to one study, Denver is “a missions field like no other,” he noted.
Christians and especially pastors are considered anti-intellectual, old school, and out of touch with society, he explained.
A good portion of his audience on Sunday mornings are “unconvinced that this book (the Bible) is even reliable.” Many reject absolute truth, Mandrell stated. [Read more…]
Mike Thrower
Mike Thrower, director of missions, Beech River Baptist Association, based in Lexington, retired Jan. 31 after serving almost 15 years. He has be en called as minister to senior adults and of pastoral care, First Baptist Church, Lexington. Formerly he was pastor, Brunswick Baptist Church, Brunswick, for 20 years; and pastor of two churches in Mississippi for six years. Thrower is a graduate of New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary.
David and Mary Demps, house managers of Stoneway Acres — White House (for men), Lebanon, of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes, based in Brentwood, are retiring. The couple has served TBAH for 20 years. The Demps also are directors of the special needs ministry of Immanuel Baptist Church, Lebanon. They will be honored by the church on Sunday, March 26 at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Tricia Culver at 615-444-8820 or wcba@wcbamissions.com. [Read more…]
C-N News Office
JEFFERSON CITY — Carson-Newman University students and members of the campus community waived traditional Spring Break activities to take part in the university’s annual spring SPOTS missions trips.
Beginning March 1, teams left campus to serve in locations including Chattanooga, St. Louis, Mo., and Washington D.C.
Carson-Newman also sent its first 11-member team to Nepal. Chad Morris, associate director of campus ministries and coordinator of the trips, said the trip will be memorable. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Levi Parish
NEWPORT – Levi Parish spent the better part of his ministry supporting and encouraging others to support the Cooperative Program.
So when he passed away on Feb. 26, it was only natural that the family wanted to do something special in his memory.
“He loved missions,” Sherry Parish said of her husband of 53 years. “In every church we served, he encouraged the church to increase its giving through the Cooperative Program,” she recalled. “He was a strong believer and supporter of the Cooperative Program his entire ministry. [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD – Tennessee Baptist Convention churches contributed $2,789,097 through the Cooperative Program in February.
For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $11,818,634. The amount is $145,614 or 1.2 percent below what was given at the same time last year. [Read more…]
