Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

NEW TENNESSEE LAW WOULD PROTECT CHRISTIAN ADOPTION AGENCIES

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

NASHVILLE — Tennessee state senators approved legislation on Jan. 14 that would prohibit the state from forcing Christian adoption agencies or other religious-based adoption agencies to place children in homes that would “violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.”

Senate Bill 1304 passed the Senate by a margin of 20-6. Sen. Steve Dickerson of Nashville was the only Republican voting against the bill, joining the chamber’s five Democrats, according to an article in The Tennessean.

The bill will now go to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature, having passed the house last year by a 67-32 margin. [Read more…]

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FOSTER FAMILY PLAYS CRITICAL ROLE IN YOUTH MINISTER’S JOURNEY TO CHRIST

BP EDITOR’S NOTE: Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is Jan. 19 in the Southern Baptist Convention.

By Tobin Perry
Baptist Press

Shaq Hardy preaches during a youth gathering at Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tenn. Abandoned by his mother not long after birth, Hardy often leans on his experience in foster care to minister to hurting kids. — Photo courtesy of Shaq Hardy

CHATTANOOGA — Much of Shaq Hardy’s childhood is a blur. For the first 10 years of his life, he moved from foster home to foster home, never able to put down roots.

Hardy longed for a sense of home, a place where he belonged.

But what Hardy does remember during that frantic decade in foster care is where he learned John 3:16 and how much Jesus loved him. Although he wouldn’t come to faith in Christ until five years after he left his last foster home, this last family introduced him to Jesus. For the last several years he was in foster care, the family took him to church just about every week and even involved him in Awana. That’s where he learned John 3:16.

“It was them having me in church that made me realize that the only thing that would last is Jesus,” Hardy said. “I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew I needed to find Jesus.” [Read more…]

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FORMER TBC PASTOR TO LEAD MISSISSIPPI BAPTISTS

By William H. Perkins Jr.
Editor, The Baptist Record

Former Tennessee Baptist Shawn Parker, pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbus, addresses members of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) on Dec. 19 at Garaywa Camp and Conference Center in Clinton. The Board voted to call Parker as the next MBCB executive director-treasurer to succeed Jim Futral, who is retiring. — Photo by William H. Perkins Jr.

JACKSON, Miss. — Shawn Parker, pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbus, was unanimously called on Dec. 19 by the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) to succeed longtime Executive Director-Treasurer Jim Futral, who will formally retire at the end of February after more than 21 years of service.

“We believe he is the Lord’s man. We believe he is a relational leader who knows how to cast a vision,” said Bobby Kirk, chairman of the search committee and member of Roundaway Baptist Church, Doddsville, in his presentation to the MBCB Executive Committee earlier in the day. [Read more…]

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STORIES THAT SHAPED 2019

Baptists experience monumental year: I Stand for Life initiative, record GOTM gifts among top news stories

SEE ALSO – RADIO B&R EP. 37: TBMB JANUARY UPDATE WITH RANDY C. DAVIS

 

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

FRANKLIN — Top news stories in the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2019 included the “I Stand for Life” initiative in support of SB (Senate Bill) 1236, the election of Charles Fowler as president of Carson-Newman University and record giving for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board initiated the I Stand for Life initiative on July 23 to garner thousands of signatures from Tennessee Baptists in an effort to let Tennessee lawmakers know that Tennessee Baptists would like to see legislation passed that protects the lives of unborn children.

The petition campaign was initiated by Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB who had a desire to make sure Tennessee Baptists were informed about the issue and that their voices were heard. [Read more…]

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MOST-READ STORIES OF 2019 COVER WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS

Stories about Lifeway’s change to pension plan and the “I Stand for Life” initiative had the most views on the B&R website

Baptist & Reflector Staff

FRANKLIN — The Baptist and Reflector website serves multiple purposes for the newspaper.

The website not only runs stories that are published in the print edition of the B&R, but also is the go-to place for breaking news pertaining to Tennessee Baptists.

This past year, the B&R website experienced several significant increases in readership (see chart). In looking at the year-ending numbers, it is interesting to note that the most-read stories of 2019 involved a wide range of topics, from economics to abortion to elections.

Listed below is a look at the most-read stories (based on website views) from the past year:

1. Lifeway to freeze pension plan for pension-eligible employees

• Date posted: July 31, 2019 • Written by: Lonnie Wilkey • Position: B&R editor

This story focused on LifeWay Christian Resources announcing changes to its retiree life insurance and pre-65 retiree medical benefits, including freezing its LifeWay Pension Plan (effective Jan. 1, 2020) for current pension-eligible employees. LifeWay shared the changes in letters to current and future retirees on June 29. The changes were approved by LifeWay trustees at their February meeting. [Read more…]

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PASTOR’S BOOK CHRONICLES HIS JOURNEY TO THE CROSS, PULPIT

By Joy Allmond
LifeWay news office

Robby Gallaty

HENDERSONVILLE — Robby Gallaty isn’t who you think he is. 

At least that’s what billboards in the greater Nashville area said of Gallaty, pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church in nearby Hendersonville, in the weeks leading up to the church’s 2016 Easter service.

The message — meant to mimic a smear campaign — gained national media attention and garnered 14,000 attendees on Easter, doubling the church’s usual attendance of 7,000. 

But the intent of this jarring billboard message went beyond piquing interest of locals and getting them through the doors at Long Hollow to hear the gospel preached; it was a preview of Gallaty’s testimony of radical life change.  [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE BAPTIST DISASTER RELIEF RESPONDS TO 18 EVENTS

Baptist and Reflector

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers responded to 18 events in Tennessee, throughout the United States and in different locations outside the U.S. in 2019, according to Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Those responses do not include a number of responses done locally by DR volunteers, he added. [Read more…]

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MORE THAN A GIFT

Christmas Food Project is life-changer for some

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Volunteers for the Christmas Food Project organize food and other items during the “packing night” event at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood.

BRENTWOOD — Purchase, pack and participate.

Those were the three ways that the staff at Brentwood Baptist Church encouraged its members to become involved in this year’s Christmas Food Project — an initiative that focuses on combatting food insecurity in Middle Tennessee.

The church responded in a big way, with roughly 1,000 people attending “packing nights” that were held at multiple locations on the evening of Dec. 13. The large group of attendees — which included members of Brentwood’s main and satellite campuses, along with invited friends and community members — helped pack and prepare boxes that included two weeks’ worth of meals. The boxes, which also included coloring books, a Bible, and other items, were then distributed to in-need  families for the holiday season. [Read more…]

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TBC LEADERS SEND LETTER TO STATE SENATORS

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention leaders Randy C. Davis and Bruce Chesser have followed up on a resolution passed by Tennessee Baptists at their annual meeting in November at First Baptist Concord in Knoxville with a letter to Tennessee’s state senators.

Tennessee Baptists approved without opposition a resolution in support of life and Tennessee Senate Bill 1236. [Read more…]

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