Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,678,899 through the Cooperative Program in October.
For the 2021-22 fiscal year, which ended Oct. 31, Tennessee Baptists gave $34,791,766. The amount is $122,693 or 0.4 percent below the amount given at the same time last year.
The year-end total is $208,234 or 0.59 percent below the budget goal of $35 million. [Read more…]
Union University students complete service projects during the school’s Campus and Community Day.
JACKSON — Over 800 Union students, faculty and staff volunteered at over 50 service projects throughout the Jackson and surrounding community as part of the university’s annual Campus and Community Day Nov. 1.
Union University has dedicated an annual day of service in the local community for 20 years to remember the Lord’s faithfulness and the Jackson community’s service after devastating tornadoes that hit Union’s campus in 2002, 2003 and 2008.
Union’s Student Activities Council served at the Boys and Girls Club in Humboldt, Tenn., where they organized school, kitchen and recreational supplies as well as repainted the outside playground. [Read more…]
JEFFERSON CITY— If there is a primary take away from Carson-Newman University’s fall board of trustees meeting, it is that the university is committed to a proactive stance on planning for its future.
“I am grateful for a board of trustees who wants to see Carson-Newman’s mission and vision advanced,” said President Charles A. Fowler.
“Their votes last week were significant. They demonstrated their confidence in our mission and communicated their enthusiasm for building and resourcing a meaningful and impactful vision for our future.” [Read more…]
Martha Wilson and her son, Daniel, of Omega Baptist Church, White Pine, delivered backpacks to God’s Warehouse in Morristown and visited with Beth Moore, right, compassion ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Tennessee Baptists provided 6,440 Christmas Backpacks this year. — Photos by Lonnie Wilkey
FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptists gave a record 6,440 backpacks to the Christmas Backpacks ministry, which provides backpacks filled with toys, clothing, hygiene items, food and other items to children in low-income families.
It also serves as a means of outreach and evangelism for participating churches, said Beth Moore, compassion ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.
Tennessee Baptists joined Christmas Backpacks (a nationwide ministry) in 2018. That year, roughly 150 Tennessee churches participated, and provided more than 3,500 backpacks.
In 2019, Tennessee Baptists gave 5,524 backpacks, followed by 5,345 in 2020 and 5,781 in 2021. [Read more…]
Compiled by B&R staff
Burdette
SPRINGFIELD — Messengers to the annual meeting of Robertson County Baptist Association voted Oct. 18 to change its name to Harvest Baptist Association.
Director of missions Rob Burdette shared the rationale for the name change in the association’s September newsletter.
Our associational office is proudly located in Springfield, right in the heart of Robertson County, but not all of our churches are,” Burdette wrote.
“Even now, we have four of our active churches that are in Sumner and Cheatham Counties. Our most recent church plant is located in Portland, and we have three churches that are located outside of the county that are inquiring about uniting with us. [Read more…]
Operation Inasmuch ministry director Gene Whaley, center, works with Carson-Newman students as they pack food for those in need. The effort was part of Carson-Newman’s annual Operation Inasmuch day of service.
JEFFERSON CITY — Classrooms were empty on Carson-Newman University’s campus on Sept. 28, but it was not a holiday.
More than 550 members of the Carson-Newman community took part in the university’s annual Operation Inasmuch (OI). Teams of students, faculty and staff banded together to help at 38 service project sites across Jefferson, Hamblen, Knox and Grainger counties.
The intentional decisions to not hold classes provided time for students to gain experience serving others, and to do so as a community.
The volunteers helped organizations such as Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies, Habitat for Humanity, YWCA, elementary schools and Boys & Girls Clubs to name a few. Cleaning, organizing and even gardening was on the “to-do” list. Projects were coordinated with the local organizations through Carson-Newman’s Center for Community Engagement. [Read more…]
Nashville Baptist Association
Rusty and Becky Sumrall are presented with a gift from the Nashville Baptist Association by board member Steve Durham as chairman Scott Patty looks on. Sumrall was honored for 30 years of service with the association.
NASHVILLE — The Nashville Baptist Association recognized Rusty Sumrall’s 30 years of faithful service during its annual meeting on Sept. 25.
Sumrall stepped down as executive director, handing the reigns of the association to Michael Kelley.
Sumrall took his first position with the NBA as Church Development Director in 1993. In that time, he grew the Ska-Mo-Bow Youth lock-in, expanded the Disaster Relief and Missions programs, led 13 churches through a Refocus strategy process, and also served on the boards of both the Metro Association of Religious Education Directors and the Tennessee Baptist Christian Education Association.
He became the NBA’s executive director in 2005. Under his leadership, the NBA moved from a program-based organization to resourcing, networking and assisting churches and church leaders. [Read more…]
Go Tell America evangelist Rick Gage leads attendees in prayer on the final night of the Go Tell Crusade in Rogersville . — Photo by Josh Lykins Visuals
ROGERSVILLE — More than 350 commitments, including 160 professions of faith, were recorded during the Upper East Tennessee Go Tell Crusade in late August at Cherokee High School football stadium in Rogersville.
The event, which included 25 participating churches, reached nearly 5,000 students through Go Tell’s On Track school assemblies.
Each night before the crusade, free meals were served to educators and their spouses (on Aug. 28), first responders and their spouses (Aug. 29), U.S. active military, veterans and their spouses on (Aug. 30) and students (Aug. 31).
Go Tell America evangelist Rick Gage said, “We had a great week here in Rogersville. … Our team was able to get into many of the public schools in Hawkins County, speaking to several thousand students. The testimonies at our noon follow-up luncheons have been great.
“Sheriff Ronnie Lawson was very involved,” Gage said. “I know of one entire family who got saved. All that God did here was because of prayer.” [Read more…]
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OLD HICKORY — Matt Ford normally sits in front of the fireplace as he reads a children’s Bible during nightly family worship. He started in Genesis 1:1 and has made it to Jesus feeding the 5,000.
“Matt, can we see the pictures?” someone asks.
The home is Brooks House, a Tennessee Baptist Adult Home in Hermitage. And the family is Ford, his wife Alli, their four sons and seven women residents, all of whom have special needs.
Ford has been the Brooks House manager for just over 18 months. He and his family live at the two-story house every other week while a team of other house parents covers the off weeks.
Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes provides residential care for senior adults and adults with special needs. There are multiple group homes across the state for those with special needs. [Read more…]
