Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

GATLINBURG FIRES CREATE CHALLENGES

Tennessee Baptists find ways to minister in Sevier County

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Kim McCroskey, right, pastor of Roaring Forks Baptist Church, describes the destruction to Joe Sorah, left, of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff. In the background is Wes Turner, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief specialist.

Kim McCroskey, right, pastor of Roaring Forks Baptist Church, describes the destruction to Joe Sorah, left, of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff. In the background is Wes jones, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief specialist.

SEVIERVILLE — Though homes, businesses, and churches in Sevier County are in ruins, residents of the area know it could have been much worse.

“Had it not rained the night of the fire (Nov. 28), Sevier County would not be here,” said Robert Nichols, director of missions for Sevier County Association of Baptists.

And God did not stop there. Additional rain on Nov. 29-30 quenched the fires that devastated the Gatlinburg area.

As of Dec.1 there were seven confirmed deaths and an estimated 45 people injured. Additionally, numerous people are still unaccounted for. The Tennessee National Guard spent all day Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 searching for victims or survivors. [Read more…]

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SEVIER COUNTY CHURCHES WILL REBOUND

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

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More than 14,000 people were evacuated from Gatlinburg, when a series of wildfires threatened buildings across the area. -Screen capture from Twitter

GATLINBURG — Though the wildfires that swept through the community Nov. 28 destroyed or damaged three Baptist churches, leaders are not discouraged.

Of the three churches affected by the fire, Roaring Fork Baptist was completely destroyed, losing its sanctuary and all of its other buildings. Pastor Kim McCroskey noted that while the buildings are gone, the church (the people) remains.

“We’re hopeful. We will persevere and we will rise out of the ashes,” he predicted. “For whatever reason God let it happen. We’ll rebuild and will be better than ever for His glory.” [Read more…]

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FIRES DESTROY GATLINBURG CHURCH, PARTS OF TWO OTHERS

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg stands in ruins Nov. 29 following fires that swept across the Smoky Mountains.

Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg stands in ruins Nov. 29 following fires that swept across the Smoky Mountains.

GATLINBURG — The sanctuary and Family Life Center of Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg burned down Nov. 28.

In addition, a building at First Baptist Church, Gatlinburg, and the fellowship hall of Banner Baptist Church, all in Gatlinburg, were destroyed

The fires which have been burning for about 17 days in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina began their destruction Nov. 28 when a storm front came through with winds 40-60 mph, according to Wes Jones, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief specialist and Robert Nichols, director of missions, Sevier County Baptist Association, based in Sevierville. At one time about 160 fires were identified, added Jones. [Read more…]

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JUDGE’S BLOCK OF OVERTIME RULE RECEIVES PRAISE

By Tom Strode
Baptist Press

punch-clock-handWASHINGTON (BP) — A federal judge has blocked a looming Department of Labor overtime rule considered burdensome by Southern Baptist and other nonprofit entities.

Amos Mazzant, a judge in the Eastern District of Texas, issued a nationwide temporary injunction Tuesday (Nov. 22) to prevent enforcement of a DOL regulation that would have increased the number of workers eligible for time-and-a-half overtime pay by more than 4 million. The rule was scheduled to go into effect Dec. 1.

The regulation would double the salary threshold for overtime eligibility to $913 a week or $47,476 a year, meaning 4.2 million more workers would qualify to receive extra pay beyond 40 hours weekly. As a result, employers would have to pay the overtime, increase salaries to reach the new threshold or restrict employees to 40 hours a week. [Read more…]

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COLLINS NAMED DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM FOR TENNESSEE BAPTIST MISSION BOARD

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Roc Collins

Roc Collins

BRENTWOOD – Kingsport pastor Roc Collins, immediate past president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, has been named director of evangelism for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB).

Collins has been senior pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church in Kingsport for the past 11 years. He informed his congregation Nov. 27 of his decision to join the TBMB staff in January.

In his new role, Collins will direct all efforts in achieving Objective 1 of the Five Objectives that Tennessee Baptist Convention messengers adopted as their long-range goal in 2014. Objective 1 is to see at least 50,000 Tennesseans saved, baptized, and set on the road to discipleship annually by 2024. [Read more…]

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CONFERENCE HONORS ‘UNKNOWN HEROES’

By Tim Ellsworth
Contributing Writer, 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 — Pastors must guard against ambition and pride if their ministries are to be characterized by faithfulness and not by failure, Paige Patterson told pastors attending the 2016 Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference Nov. 14.

“The Lord is serious about this business of ministry,” said Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. “We need to make up our minds now that to the end we’ll be faithful to the Lord.” [Read more…]

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TENNESCENE NOV. 23-DEC. 6

LEADERS

Glen Cummings, pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Maryville, has resigned effective Dec. 18.

Will McReynolds was called as pastor, West Hills Baptist Church, Lebanon, effective Nov. 6. He comes to the church from Blue Springs Baptist Church, Rutledge.

First Baptist Church, Maryville, has called Bill Booth as pastor effective Dec. 4. He formerly was pastor of a church in Virginia. [Read more…]

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GAINES: WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY?

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

SBC President Steve Gaines delivers the message during the “Tennessee Reunion” at Summit on Sunday, Nov. 13.

SBC President Steve Gaines delivers the message during the “Tennessee Reunion” at Summit on Sunday, Nov. 13.

SEVIERVILLE – Nearly 2,000 Tennessee Baptists from across the state gathered at the Sevierville Convention Center Nov. 13 for a “Tennessee Reunion.”

An estimated 1,600 people attended the worship service led by fellow Tennessean Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, and president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the opening night of Summit scheduled for Nov. 13-17. Another 400 people attended a concurrent worship service for Hispanic Baptists in an adjoining hall.

Former University of Tennessee football legend Todd Kelly Sr. joined Gaines at the worship service that featured music from the Tennessee Men’s Chorale and praise team from First Baptist Church, Sevierville. [Read more…]

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‘IT’S LATER THAN YOU THINK’

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Roc Collins, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, delivers his president’s address.

Roc Collins, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, delivers his president’s address.

SEVIERVILLE — “It’s later than you think, but it’s not too late,” declared Roc Collins, president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention at the TBC annual meeting. The meeting was held as part of the Nov. 13-17 Summit here.

“We believe Jesus is coming and because we believe He is coming we want to tell somebody who doesn’t know He is coming. I don’t understand what has happened to us that we seem to have lost our fervor. Friend, it’s later than you think. …

“We’ve become satisfied in too many of our churches, satisfied. We have no burden for a lost world. We don’t care if people die and go to hell,” Collins proclaimed in his president’s address. He spoke from Romans 13:11-12. [Read more…]

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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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