Nearly 40 gathered at Holston Baptist Association office for “Learning to Pray With Abandon” training event led by Tennessee Baptist Mission Board prayer catalyst Nancy Duggin (at podium). – Submitted photo

JOHNSON CITY — Pastor Pete Tackett of Antioch Baptist Church attended the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s “Learning to Pray With Abandon” event held at the Holston Baptist Association, bringing 10 members of his church’s prayer team with him.

He said the event’s core message was simple but clarifying.

“It was more about seeking the face of God than seeking the hand of God,” Tackett said.

Will Scott, bivocational pastor of Warrensburg Baptist Church, attended the same event alongside his wife and a member of his church’s women’s prayer group.

He said the training came at a critical time for his congregation, which is working to revive its Wednesday night prayer meeting. [Read more…]

The 2026 version of BeachReach was marked by record-high participation, with more than 2,000 students and leaders taking part. The unique ministry takes place in Panama City Beach, Fla., where Baptist Collegiate Ministry and church based college ministry students utilize simple acts of kindness to share the gospel with “spring breakers.” Thousands of gospel conversations are sparked through acts of service — such as free shuttle rides — along with other evangelistic methods.

2026 BeachReach totals from March 5-27:

• Passengers transported through BeachReach’s free shuttle service – 25,421
• Professions of faith and spiritual decisions made among spring breakers – 863
• Gospel conversations sparked through BeachReach’s acts of service and evangelism – 15,002
• Individuals prayed with, throughout the three-week BeachReach ministry – 19,953
• Record-setting number of students and leaders participating this year – 2,000-plus

From all over the state

This year’s BeachReach ministry event had a record-high 2,000-plus participants. The group included 294 students and leaders from the state of Tennessee, who represented nine different colleges, universities and church based collegiate ministries from the state:

• Belle Air Baptist
• Middle Tenn. State University
• University of Memphis
• University of Tenn.-Knoxville
• East Tenn. State University
• Tenn. Tech University
• University of Tenn.-Chattanooga
• University of Tenn.-Martin
• Vanderbilt University

Editor’s note: The last names of the teens in this story were not published for safety reasons.

FRANKLIN — In 2021, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union (TN WMU) launched the TN Youth Venture Team, an initiative for 10th-12th-grade students who are actively involved in missions.

From those who applied, TN  WMU chose 4-6 students from across the state to serve each year.

Participants commit to a year-long missions mentorship, which includes a launch retreat and monthly Zoom gatherings to read missionary biographies, watch missions videos, learn about unreached people groups, mission strategies, and how to live as a world Christian. [Read more…]

Pastor Steve Gaines leads a group at a Bellevue Baptist Church event. – Bellevue Baptist Church photo

NASHVILLE (BP) – Friends, family, and numerous others impacted by the ministry of Steve Gaines poured out their thoughts and remembrances after learning of his death. Gaines, 68, died on March 20 after a battle with cancer.

Bellevue Baptist Church, where Gaines served as senior pastor from 2005-24, announced his death on social media at 3:57 p.m. EDT.

“After a two-year long battle with cancer, Bro. Steve stepped into eternity earlier this afternoon, and he is now fully healed in the presence of the Lord,” it read.

“Please join us as we lift the entire Gaines family up in prayer during this difficult time. The Lord is faithful, and we trust in His goodness to be near Donna and the family and encourage them every day. Thank you for praying with us for Bro. Steve’s family.” [Read more…]

Salem Baptist, Hope Church celebrate ‘capstone moment’

Hope Church pastor Jeff Lane, left, and Salem Baptist Church pastor Allen James stand on stage at a joint service where the two congregations came together for a time of worship and praise. Hope Church launched three years ago as a church plant.

KNOXVILLE — It can be said that Hope Church is a plant that no longer needs to be watered.

After three years of hard work, steadfast praying and unwavering commitment, Hope Church has transitioned from being an extension of Salem Baptist Church into an autonomous church body.

Hope’s congregation officially celebrated the occasion in mid-January, gathering together with Salem Baptist for a time of worship.

“Our autonomous celebration (service) was a capstone moment,” said Jeff Lane, pastor of Hope Church. “It was a joy to reunite with friends from our sending church to celebrate what God has done.”

When the two congregations gathered, it was more than just a joint service. It was really a family reunion.

The Wednesday night worship service provided the opportunity for the “parent” church to reunite with its offspring, bringing together the two closely-linked groups for a time of praise, prayer and sharing the Lord’s supper. [Read more…]

Gaines

The Rev. Steve Gaines, longtime pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis and a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, died March 20, 2026, after a long battle with cancer. He was 68.

Gaines served as pastor of Bellevue for more than two decades and was known as an evangelist, revival advocate, and passionate preacher. He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and in other convention roles during more than 40 years in pastoral ministry before stepping away from full-time responsibilities at Bellevue in 2024 to focus on his health and pursue other ministry opportunities.

Born Dec. 31, 1957, in Corinth, Miss., Gaines was raised in Dyersburg, Tenn., where he first sensed a call to the ministry. He initially attended the University of Tennessee at Martin on a football scholarship but transferred to Union University in 1977 to prepare for ministry. He was licensed to preach that same year. [Read more…]

Retired policeman in Chattanooga shares love of Jesus  through ‘FCPO’   

Getty Images

CHATTANOOGA — The death of Paul Lee’s mother changed everything.

That was it. That was the thing that drove Lee over an emotional and spiritual cliff. The big, tough, cynical Chattanooga police officer couldn’t take any more. He thought he would hold it all together, treating it like another death — another case to manage.

“Keep your emotions out of it,” he told himself. Because that’s what he’d learned at the police academy. But that wasn’t working, not now. Being an only child, making all the arrangements, pressure from work, strain on relationships — it was all too much. It was the last straw.

[Read more…]