Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

ONCE ON THE VERGE OF CLOSING, RIVER ROCK IS NOW ROLLING

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Photo: River Rock Facebook page

MURFREESBORO — It’s been quite a journey for River Rock Baptist Church in Murfreesboro: In the past decade, the church has gone from survival to revival.

Under the leadership of pastor Don Herron — along with the help of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s revitalization team and abundant praying — the church has recovered from its darkest days and is now once again making an impact in its community.

Sandi Kirkwood, a member at River Rock, believes the transformation can be attributed to one simple concept — love. [Read more…]

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TENURE ENDS, LOVE REMAINS

The King’s Academy’s Walter Grubb retires after 31 years with TBC entity

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

Walter Grubb stands in front of the Anderson Building on the campus of The King’s Academy (Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy) in Seymour. Grubb retired July 31 after 31 years of ministry with the institution, including the last 24 as president/headmaster.

SEYMOUR — Walter Grubb’s nearly lifelong affiliation with The King’s Academy (Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy) has come to an end, but his love and passion for the school will last the rest of his life.

Grubb stepped down as president and headmaster of TKA on July 31 after serving in that role since 1994. He had been with the school since 1987 when he was named principal.

But being a native of Blount County and the son of a Baptist pastor (the late Glenn Grubb who served at Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Maryville for many years), Grubb was well acquainted with the Tennessee Baptist-affiliated high school. In fact, his dad attended the academy to complete his high school diploma after he was called to the ministry. “Not too many people get to see their dad graduate from high school,” Grubb said. [Read more…]

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CHURCH TAKES GOSPEL TO PRISON

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

Christian, persecution, prison, BibleMOUNTAIN CITY — When Gale Hartley moved to Mountain City nearly five years ago to become pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, he discovered the church had an active prison ministry thanks to the passion of deacon Mike Long.

Long felt called by God to minister to prisoners at Northeast Correctional Complex where its minimum security annex holds approximately 300 offenders and an additional 180 at its Carter County Annex in Roan Mountain.

Long initiated the prison ministry at Bethany Baptist, Hartley said. “When I came he encouraged me to get involved. God had already dealt with my heart and called me to jail and prison ministry years ago while I pastored at East Side Baptist Church in Elizabethton before we went overseas with the International Mission Board,” he recalled. [Read more…]

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CARSON-NEWMAN NAMES SEARCH COMMITTEE

Carson-Newman University News Office

JEFFERSON CITY — Tennessee State Representative Harry Brooks of Knoxville, chair of the board of trustees of Carson-Newman University, has announced the formation of two separate search committees as the university seeks a new president following the retirement of President J. Randall O’Brien, who will conclude his 10-year service in December.

A Presidential Search Committee will be tasked with finding the institution’s 23rd president, while an Interim Presidential Search Committee will seek leadership for the office until a new president can be named. [Read more…]

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MURFREESBORO CHURCH THINKS ‘OUTSIDE THE BOX’ WITH SOCCER PROGRAM

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

MURFREESBORO — Like most kids of his generation, Terry Wilkerson played baseball, basketball and football. Just recently he stepped “outside his box” in a major way.

Wilkerson, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, became a soccer coach. “I never played soccer in my life,” he acknowledged. “It’s been a new experience for me,” he added.

Earlier this year, Grace Baptist launched a church-only soccer league, quite a feat for a small congregation that only had 16 kids who participated on the teams. [Read more…]

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TRUSTEE, PHYSICIAN, UNION UNIVERSITY MOM

By Tim Ellsworth
Union University News Office

Lisa Rogers, a member of The Church at Sugar Creek, has juggled duties as chair of the trustees of Union University and her profession as a physician while also performing the role she truly enjoys — the mom of a recent Union University graduate.
— Photo by Kristi Woody

JACKSON — Lisa Rogers was walking in the woods, one of her favorite pastimes, when she got a phone call from outgoing Union University trustee chairman Norm Hill. Hill asked Rogers if she’d consider serving as the next chairman for the Union board of trustees.

Rogers immediately knew the answer: No. But she told Hill she’d pray about it.

“I figured I’d pray about it and then tell him no,” she says.

But as she considered the opportunity, God began to reveal to Rogers that she should accept. In November, she will rotate off the board and conclude her three years as chairman. [Read more…]

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TRUE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER

Community hero featured on cereal boxes for tireless tutoring efforts

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Neal Buchanan, a member of Lincoya Hills Baptist Church in Donelson, has been serving as a volunteer tutor at an elementary school near his house for almost 20 years. Buchanan was recently featured on the front of two brands of Kellogg’s cereal for his tireless efforts with students. In the photo above, Buchanan is working with Jonah, 8, who is a second-grade student at Pennington Elementary.

NASHVILLE — Somewhere between exercising, working tirelessly in his yard, rebuilding classic cars, cutting hair and serving multiple roles as a lay leader at his church, 82-year-old renaissance man Neal Buchanan still finds time to volunteer as a reading tutor at the elementary school near his home.

Buchanan, a member of Lincoya Hills Baptist Church in Donelson, has been passionate about childhood literacy for his entire adult life. He was recently honored for his devotion to the cause by being featured on two brands of Kellogg’s cereal boxes — Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes.

“I am not sure why they selected me; I guess it’s because I have been doing it longer than anyone else,” said Buchanan in his typical humble manner.

“I think they chose him because he is the oldest one on the list,” joked his wife, Gail.  [Read more…]

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CHURCH HELPS STUDENTS HAVE ‘STRONG START’

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

The Starting Strong ministry at FBC, Gallatin, provides new clothes and shoes for children in need. In the photo above, a young student tries on new shoes.

GALLATIN — It’s not easy to turn a church building into a shopping mall. But for one day each year, the members of First Baptist Church, Gallatin, make it happen.

Roughly five years ago, the church established the “Starting Strong” program — a ministry that provides brand-new school clothes and accessories to children who come from tough economic situations.

Throughout the year, the members of the “Starting Strong” committee watch the sales papers at local retail stores, and continuously purchase items (shirts, jeans, shoes, hoodies, etc.) that will be given away. Then, on a designated Saturday just before school begins, financially-challenged families are invited to come to “shop” at the church. [Read more…]

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KNOXVILLE CHURCH CONTINUES MISSION LEGACY WITH GIVING THROUGH CP

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Photo: Wallace Memorial Baptist Church

KNOXVILLE — John Green, pastor of Wallace Memorial Baptist Church in Knoxville, is proud of his church’s missions-giving legacy. But he has no intention of parking beside it.

Green believes his church should always be moving forward, and should constantly be seeking ways to make an even bigger impact in the future — and he believes giving through the Cooperative Program is the most effective and efficient way to reach those goals.

“As Southern Baptists, there’s no greater thing we can give to than the Cooperative Program,” he said. “If we say we’re really serious about taking the gospel to the ends of the earth, if we say we’re really about training our pastors in theological education, if we say we’re really about starting churches all across our country, if we’re really about ministering to the needy, and the helpless, and the poor, and the disadvantaged. If we say these things are who we are and what we’re about, then the Cooperative Program is the best way for us to put our money where our mouth is. [Read more…]

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FORMER BUDDHIST GRATEFUL FOR BAPTISTS, CP

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

Dixie Hausser shares her story with Joe Sorah, compassion ministries specialist with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and interim pastor at First Baptist Church, LaFollette, where Hausser is an active member at the age of 93.

LAFOLLETTE — At the age of 93, Dixie Hausser tells it like it is.

“If the missionaries had not come, I’d probably not be a Christian today,” said Hausser, who later moved to Tennessee as an adult and is an active member of First Baptist Church, LaFollette.

The missionaries she refers to were appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) and serving in the Orient prior to World War II. Once tensions increased worldwide, the IMB evacuated missionaries from China, Japan and other locations to Hawaii which was then a United States territory. [Read more…]

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