Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Staff members of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board have recently developed and produced Tennessee Golden Hour (TGH), a new podcast designed to inform Tennessee Baptists on a variety of topics.

“The Tennessee Golden Hour’s purpose is to provide a weekly treasure trove of stories, ideas and tools for Tennessee Baptists,” said Matt Tullos, stewardship specialist for the TBMB and co-host of the podcast. “Our goal is to do it in an entertaining and timely way. 

“Already we have a library of conversations on church planting, pastoring, LGBTQ issues, social media, crisis communications, preaching, church growth, evangelism and lots more,” he said.  [Read more…]

Standing in front of the plaque honoring former Tennessee Baptist pastor Phil Jett at Philadelphia Church in Porto Seguro are family members, from left, David Jett, Madilyn Larson, Karen Jett, Luke Larson, Susan Jett Larson and Lyle Larson.

FRANKLIN — By any measure, the late Phil Jett, who served as pastor and later on the staff of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson for 40 years, had a highly successful ministry.

Under his leadership Englewood saw continued growth over the decades while emphasizing missions and evangelism. While pastor of Englewood, he served as president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2005-06. 

He also served as a trustee and later chairman of the board at Union University and is a past recipient of the university’s Robert E. Craig Service Award. [Read more…]

Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer Claude Moore unloads debris in front of a residence in Okoboji, Iowa. Moore was part of TBDR’s response to the severe flooding that ravaged the area in late June. Heavy rains resulted in rivers rising to record-breaking levels, breaching levees and impacting thousands of homes.

SPENCER, Iowa — For many people, summertime means operating at a somewhat slower pace. However, the opposite is true for Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers. 

In the wake of multiple disasters — including a recent hurricane in Texas and flooding in Iowa — the TBDR teams are experiencing a hectic stretch, with volunteers responding to both states during the back half of July. 

Stanley Roach, DR director for Knox County Baptists, is overseeing the response in Iowa. Contacted by the Baptist and Reflector on July 17, Roach and his team were on the way to a job site in Spencer, preparing for a very busy week.

“They told us when we got here that were about 50 homes that were on the list for assistance,” said Roach. “And they’ve been adding even more (since we arrived).”  [Read more…]

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches are encouraged to participate in Baptist and Reflector Day on Sunday, Aug. 18.

Since 1835, Tennessee Baptists have had a newspaper, observed B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey. “We had a newspaper even before we had a convention. That’s how important some of the early Baptists in Tennessee felt about having a source for news,” he said.

A state paper is more than a source of providing news and information, Wilkey noted. “In the hands of God, it can be a tool to inspire and motivate people to ministry that will bring glory to God and ultimately expand His kingdom,” Wilkey added. “My hope and desire is that we still have people 189 years later who see the need for a resource such as the Baptist and Reflector.”  [Read more…]

Savage

As you walk among Union’s campus, you’ll see buildings with different names. These names are connected to many who greatly impacted Union’s growth and history. One such name often associated with Union is Savage which is on the current chapel and named in honor of G.M. Savage. 

George M. Savage was born in 1849 in Rienzi, Miss. One of 19 children born to a Baptist preacher, Savage began preaching in 1865 at age 17. He entered college in 1869 and was ordained as a pastor in 1870 having been invited to preach at his home church. While in college, Savage was a tutor and enjoyed teaching. [Read more…]

Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, sent an email alert on Wednesday (July 17), asking for more teams and volunteers to look into their availability regarding on-going responses in Texas and Iowa.

Jones said in the email that “trained chaw saw” teams are needed in Texas (where Hurricane Beryl produced major damage) and flood recovery teams are needed in Iowa (where certain parts of the state were hit with high waters in June). 

Some TBDR teams are already at work in Iowa and will be there through the remainder of the week. Several teams are also slated for Texas this weekend, but Jones said more are needed. [Read more…]

Nelson

FRANKLIN — Longtime Tennessee Baptist pastor Gene Nelson has been chosen as Harvest Field 6 team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, effective July 15. 

Nelson succeeds Randy Pressnell who retired from that role in May. 

A native of Knoxville, Nelson was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1996 at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church in Knoxville. He earned degrees from Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Nelson has served three Tennessee Baptist churches as pastor over the last 25 years — Russellville Baptist Church, Russellville (2012-2024), Trenton Street Baptist Church, Harriman (2006-2012), and Cherokee Hills Baptist Church, Morristown (1999-2006). He also served as minister of education/youth at First Baptist Church, Rogersville, from 1994-99.  [Read more…]