Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave a total of $2,875,804 through the Cooperative Program in September.
For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $30,736,482.
The amount is a slight decrease of $91,126 or 0.3 percent below what was given during the same time frame last year. [Read more…]
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
More dangerous world requires travelers to be ‘wise as serpents,’ says security expert
John Tallman, left, of Fort Sherman Academy visits during a break of the conference with, from left, Al Nickel of Thompson’s Station Baptist Church, Thompsons Station; Ron Wilson of Magna View Baptist Church, Talbott, who also is a Jefferson County deputy sheriff; Scott Johnson, pastor, Lantana Road Baptist Church, Crossville; and David Carothers, pastor of missions and discipleship, First Baptist Church, Jackson.
MOUNT JULIET — Missions volunteers and missionaries must be as wise as serpents as they travel, advised John Tallman of a personal protection training company which trains missionaries for the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board and missions volunteers of Baptist state conventions.
Tallman led “Faith-focused Travel Security” for the Tennessee Baptist Convention Sept. 17. The event was held at the Missions Mobilization Center of the TBC in Mount Juliet. [Read more…]
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
These two military chaplains have a lot in common. Besides their military service as chaplains, they both preach at Hobson Pike Baptist Church, Nashville. Larry Kelly, left, retired chaplain for the U.S. Navy, preaches at the church. Seth Rone, U.S. Army National Guard chaplain, is pastor of Hobson Pike Baptist.
HERMITAGE — Larry Kelly, a member of Hobson Pike Baptist Church here, preached at the church Sept. 13 because the pastor had to be away. He often preaches at the church though he just turned 100 years old.
Kelly was recognized by the church on Sept. 13 on his upcoming birthday.
Amazingly, Kelly just returned to Hobson Pike Baptist as a member in the spring after serving as pastor of a Presbyterian church in Unionville for six years. He left that church mainly because it was some distance away from his home. His wife, Ruth Ann, needed to be closer to home for medical treatments. Kelly stopped driving a few years ago but is helped by family members who transport him and Ruth Ann where they need to go.
“He often says he feels the call to preach today as strong as he did when he started,” reported Carolyn Atkinson, a fellow member of Hobson Pike.
Another member of the church, Steve Freeman, deacon, spoke of Kelly during the Sept. 13 worship service. Freeman reported that Kelly joined the church when he was 93 years old and “started working.” Then Kelly became pastor of the church so he left for six years. [Read more…]
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Doug Mitchell, right, pastor, Midland Baptist Church, Bell Buckle, speaks during a breakout session of the church revitalization conference. Listening are, from left, Mark Ellison, student minister, Harpeth Heights Baptist Church, Bellevue (metropolitan Nashville); Eugene Norris, pastor, Range Hills Baptist Church, Memphis; and Joe Sorah of the Tennessee Baptist Convention staff.
HERMITAGE — If a person attends or serves a church in Tennessee, chances are that church is either plateaued or declining because 90 percent of churches are, said Joe Sorah, compassion ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, at the Church Revitalization Conference: Giving Hope for Change. [Read more…]
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Lewis McMullen
HERMITAGE — “Just as it says in Ecclesiastes, there’s a time and a season for everything and that’s true for churches,” said Lewis McMullen, church planting specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention. “That means replanting or restoring a dying congregation is needed some of the time.” [Read more…]
By Baptist and Reflector
Pastor Phillip Chambers, left, and John Clardy, right, baptize Allen Bieda.
CUNNINGHAM — Yellow Creek Baptist Church members saw 102 people make salvation decisions during a nine-day period from Aug. 22-30 as a result of their various ministries.
It began on Aug. 22 as Yellow Creek hosted its Third Annual Cruisin‘ The Creek Car, Truck, Tractor, and Motorcycle Show. There were 327 vehicles entered and that many more in attendance for their chance to win door prizes including a 1986 Corvette, a 1985 Ford Mustang Convertible, a $500 Harley Davidson gift card, a $500 John Deere gift card, a $500 gift card for a new set of tires and much more. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Alli McCarty, right, a member of Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, visits with a fellow student on campus. McCarty accepted Christ through the BCM ministry at Austin Peay. Her story is featured in one of the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions videos this year.
CLARKSVILLE — In her own words, Alli McCarty was just “going through life” when she realized something “was missing.”
Through the Baptist Campus Ministry program on the campus of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, McCarty soon discovered the missing element in her life was Jesus Christ. [Read more…]
By Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD — A new era in the 180-year-old Baptist and Reflector will officially launch Oct. 7.
The newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention will have a dedicated website — www.baptistandreflector.org.
B&R stories have been posted on the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s website. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Elects new officers, approves Church Support Center design
Steve Freeman, left, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield was elected chair of the TBC Executive Board for 2016 while Mike Sams, pastor of First Baptist Church, Martin, was elected chair-elect.
BRENTWOOD — Members of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention approved for recommendation to the messengers of the TBC annual meeting a budget of $34,250,000 for 2015-16. [Read more…]
Pastor Bill Blair, left, Mill Creek Baptist Church, Nashville, and his wife Jennifer visit with David Taft, pastor, First Baptist Church, Hermitage, following a breakout session of the Church Revitalization Conference.
By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
HERMITAGE — “This is a story of coming from dying to being healthy again,” said Bill Blair at the Church Revitalization Conference: Giving Hope for Change of his journey.
Blair was referring to his experience with revitalization as pastor of Mill Creek Baptist Church, Nashville. The conference was held last week at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church by the Tennessee Baptist Convention in partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources and Nashville Baptist Association. [Read more…]
