Tennessee Archives - Baptist & Reflector

DOOLEY TO PREACH AT WEST TENNESSEE EVANGELISM RALLY

February 13, 2020

By Sarah Goff
Union University news office

Adam Dooley, senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, will be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual West Tennessee Evangelism Rally March 1 at Union University.

JACKSON, Tenn. — Adam Dooley, senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, will be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual West Tennessee Evangelism Rally March 1 at Union University.

The rally, co-sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and Union University, is designed to strengthen and equip churches in the areas of evangelism and outreach. John Kinchen, chair of Union’s Department of Music, will lead worship for the event.

“We are pleased to partner once again with the TBMB to host this strategic evangelism training event for West Tennessee,” said Ray Van Neste, dean for the School of Theology and Missions and professor of biblical studies. “We want to help Christians be better prepared to share their faith and make the most of every opportunity to call people to faith in Jesus.”

Breakout sessions will be led by Union faculty members, Tennessee pastors and TBMB leaders on topics such as “Creating an Evangelistic Culture,” “Urban Evangelism: The Harvest is Plenteous” and “Missional Hospitality.” The rally will also include a student track designed specifically for students.

The rally will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Registration is free, but space is limited. More information, including a list of the breakout sessions and online registration, is available at https://www.uu.edu/events/wter/. Registration will close on Feb. 23. B&R

MEMORIES, FRIENDSHIPS, MINISTRY

February 7, 2020

Edwards prepares for retirement after 25 years in youth ministry with TBMB

Baptist and Reflector

Bruce Edwards

FRANKLIN — After 25 years of ministry with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, youth specialist Bruce Edwards has announced his upcoming retirement.

Edwards has touched countless lives throughout the past two-plus decades, and God has used Edwards’ ministry to encourage and impact youth pastors, youth workers and youth themselves. [Read more…]

FIRE ISN’T THE END OF THE STORY

February 6, 2020

Church moves forward despite losing historic building

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

Firemen work to extinguish the blaze that burned down Forest Hills Baptist Church, Parrottsville, in mid-January. The church is hoping to rebuild a new facility on the same spot as the previous building, which was more than 100 years old.

PARROTTSVILLE — When pastor Michael Vickers talks about the fire that ravaged Forest Hills Baptist Church, Parrottsville, he immediately points out one important fact: The fire destroyed the church building; it did not destroy the church.

The fire occurred around 1 a.m. on Jan. 18, and decimated the building that had been standing for more than 100 years. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Vickers said the Forest Hill members, while certainly saddened about the loss of the facility, are excited about the future.

“We are going to get to rebuild,” said Vickers, “and our plan is to rebuild the church right where the (previous) building was, give or take a little bit. Our church sits on top of a little knob that overlooks the mountains, and it’s just beautiful.” [Read more…]

EACH BIBLE READING TEACHES 99-YEAR-OLD ‘NEW’ THINGS

February 5, 2020

By Shawn Hendricks
Contributing writer, B&R

“Miss Helen”

SPRING HILL — After Pastor Jay Strother announced to the congregation at The Church at Station Hill his challenge for them to read the entire Bible through in one year, Helen Tyler wanted to be the first to “sign up.”

The 99-year-“young” woman, also known as “Miss Helen,” told Pastor Strother at the Spring Hill, campus of Brentwood Baptist Church it would be her 61st time to study through the Bible in a year. He also learned she’d be turning 100 in March.

Strother recalled her telling him, “I’ve been through the Bible 60 times and I might as well make it 61.” After announcing “The Whole Church in the Whole Word” challenge, Strother later followed up with Miss Helen for an “extended conversation” on the phone about her love for God’s Word. [Read more…]

TBC CP GIFTS TOP $4 MILLION

February 4, 2020

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $4,083,899 through the Cooperative Program in January.

It is the largest single monthly amount ever and the first time CP gifts have exceeded $4 million in a month for more than a decade. It is the largest monthly amount since Tennessee Baptists gave $4,019,171 in December of 2008. [Read more…]

PRAYER WARRIORS AT THE READY

February 4, 2020

By Shawn Hendricks
Contributing Writer, B&R

Leighann McCoy, right, joins Trula Sager, left, and Georgianna Kiker in prayer at Thompson Station Church’s walk-in prayer clinic.

THOMPSON’S STATION — Do you have an emergency? Are you in the middle of a crisis? Or, do you simply need some encouragement? Go to the Prayer Clinic at Thompson Station Church, where volunteers are standing by every Sunday morning to meet your spiritual concerns – and send you off with a prescription of prayer and Scripture.

One way to describe the Prayer Clinic, said Leighann McCoy, prayer and family minister at the church in Thompson’s Station, is to compare it to a walk-in health clinic. The Prayer Clinic, she explained, is a specific room located near the church’s sanctuary where people can gather anytime Sunday morning between 8:45 a.m. to noon to share their burdens and concerns. They also receive prayer and Scripture verses that relate specifically to their needs. [Read more…]

FOOD PANTRY OFFERS MORE THAN GROCERIES

January 28, 2020

By David Dawson
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

A group of volunteers — including Janet Radar, Jimmy Vincent, Linda Faulkner and Annette Gwaltney — arranges items on the shelves at the Apison Baptist Church food pantry. The ministry, which has experienced incredible growth over the past year, is helping to share the gospel in the community.

APISON — With prayer, planning, promotion and persistence, the congregation at Apison Baptist Church has transformed a simple food pantry into a thriving ministry.

And they’ve done it in the span of about six months.

When Apison Baptist officially took over leadership of the food pantry last August, the ministry was feeding roughly 300 families each month.

Now, that number has essentially tripled, with an estimated 900 families — or perhaps more — being fed in December.

[Read more…]

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE, DOM AFFIRMS

January 27, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Jim Ramsey, director of missions for Central Baptist Association in McMinnville, works on his online degree. Ramsey returned to college at the age of 67 to earn his associate’s degree through the Tennessee Reconnect program.

McMINNVILLE — After graduating from high school, Jim Ramsey attended college for one semester, then joined the Navy Reserves. He planned to return to college later, but life happened as it often does and he didn’t return to college UNTIL decades after his high school graduation.

At the age of 67, when most men are retired and no longer thinking about college degrees, Ramsey learned about Tennessee Reconnect, an initiative of the state of Tennessee to help more adults return to higher education to learn new skills, advance in the workplace or fulfill a lifelong dream of earning a college degree.

Ramsey, director of missions for Central Baptist Association, based in McMinnville, also learned that he could apply for a Tennessee Reconnect Grant that would pay for an associate’s degree at one of Tennessee’s community colleges or offset the cost of an associate’s degree (excluding books) at a participating four-year public or private university. [Read more…]

MINCHEY: RESOURCES ARE HERE IN TENNESSEE

January 24, 2020

New team leader for church revitalization says Tennessee has what it needs

By David Dawson
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Kevin Minchey

FRANKLIN — Kevin Minchey is a firm believer in Tennesseans helping Tennesseans.

Minchey plans to promote that philosophy in the months ahead as he begins his new role as team leader for church revitalization at the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Minchey, who took over the new position on Jan. 1, said most of the resources — including manpower and materials — that many struggling churches need are available without having to leave the state’s borders.

“I think that we, as Tennesseans, understand our state better than anybody,” said Minchey. “And I think we have enough talented people — between authors, speakers, church leaders — to make it work. What I would like to do, as much as possible, is to have Tennessee Baptist pastors and leaders producing and/or providing the materials for churches who are looking to revitalize.” [Read more…]

BREAKING: GOV. LEE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR A NEW FETAL HEARTBEAT BILL

January 23, 2020

Editor’s Note: This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Compiled by B&R staff

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced during a press conference Jan. 23 plans for a new fetal heartbeat bill.

The announcement apparently means that Senate Bill 1236, which would have protected life from conception, will not be considered by the Senate this year.

The new approach announced by Lee will include abortion restrictions including requiring an ultrasound to be shown to a woman seeking an abortion and a ban on abortions based on race, sex or a Down syndrome diagnosis or diagnosis of a fetal abnormality, news agencies reported. [Read more…]

Edwards prepares for retirement after 25 years in youth ministry with TBMB

Church moves forward despite losing historic building

New team leader for church revitalization says Tennessee has what it needs

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