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FBC GALLATIN ADJUSTS MINISTRY AS COVID-19, DELTA VARIANT CASES RISE

August 17, 2021

By Scott Barkley
Baptist Press

During a virtual worship service, Travis Fleming, lead pastor of First Baptist Church, Gallatin, explains the church’s recent steps to address a rise in the Delta variant of COVID-19.

GALLATIN – A week ago, pastor Travis Fleming of First Baptist Church, Gallatin, thought all-digital worship services, recommended masking and strict social distancing were a thing of the past.

But after a July 25 baptism service, reports began to trickle in of members testing positive for COVID-19. By Thursday, when several positive cases had been reported at First Baptist, a team consisting of Fleming, deacons, lay leaders and medical professionals determined that an all-virtual worship service Aug. 1 would be the best course of action. The team had expected the case number to grow, and they were right, as the number ticked up throughout the following days.

The church hosted a funeral service on Aug. 2, although masks were required. The following day, the church’s Wednesday night activities were canceled. Worship services were changed to all-virtual, Fleming said. [Read more…]

LONG HOLLOW SEES 1,000 BAPTISMS SINCE DECEMBER

April 27, 2021

By Scott Barkley
Baptist Press

Long Hollow senior pastor Robby Gallaty (left) assists Dylan, a former Satan worshiper who recently gave his life to Christ, in baptizing his friend Patricia, who had also worshiped Satan. — Photo courtesy of Jacob McKaig, Long Hollow Baptist Church

These days at Long Hollow Baptist Church, interruptions aren’t considered bad. The plan isn’t as crucial as the response. Things flow from a position of prayer, ultimately pointing toward Christ.

Structure exists, sure. There’s still an order of worship. Trained childcare workers remain ready and available. Pastor Robby Gallaty prepares and prays over his sermons. But anyone feeling led to come to the altar can do so at any time. Gospel conversations occur throughout the week. Baptisms are conducted while worshipers sing. They also take place after Gallaty’s message and invitation, continuing as long as 45 minutes after the benediction regardless of lunch plans.

Such steps are needed to meet the response the church has witnessed since December. That marked the beginning of a wave of baptisms that exceeded 1,000 on April 11. Gallaty, who began at the church in 2015, estimates that 70-75 percent of those are from first-time confessions of faith and 83 percent are adults.

He’s quick to point out that it is all due to God. And really, it couldn’t occur until Gallaty got out of the way. That realization happened after the suicides of two of Gallaty’s close friends: ministers Jarrid Wilson and Darren Patrick.

“Both of those men preached at Long Hollow within six months of their passing,” he said. “They both sat at my dining room table. It made me realize that the last person to say he’s burning out or that ministry is tough is usually the one burning out. [Read more…]

‘PORTABLE CHURCH’ FINDS NEW HOME DURING COVID

March 18, 2021

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

Kent Shingleton, pastor of Hope Fellowship Church in Smyrna, is helping guide the church through the process of relocating — a move that has been made through a series of miraculous events.

SMYRNA — Only God.

That’s the explanation pastor Kent Shingleton has for what occurred at Hope Fellowship Church in Smyrna during a year that will forever be known by a virus that brought the world to a screeching halt.

For nearly nine years the former church plant met in a local elementary school and members spent a great deal of time each week setting up and tearing down their “portable church.”

In the fall of 2019, Shingleton felt called to lead the church to begin its first ever fund-raising campaign to begin the process of buying property for future relocation.

On Jan 1, 2020, Hope Fellowship launched its “Hope for the House,” a two-year campaign to fully fund the church’s ministry budget while intentionally raising money for a future church home. [Read more…]

OCT. 18: GOD LISTENS

October 12, 2020

By Glenn Metts
Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, Seymour

Focal Passage: Isaiah 37:14-20, 30-35

God listens to the prayers of His children. Indeed, He hears, He cares and He responds to us according to His righteousness, His love and wisdom. He is never too early. He is never too late. He is always on time. It stirs in my heart that I do not pray enough!

Franklin Graham, the son of the late Billy Graham, said that one regret his father had was that he didn’t pray enough. He felt that if he had prayed more and preached less, that he would have seen God do even greater things than he had witnessed over the course of his ministry.

King Hezekiah is described in the Bible as one of the most godly kings of Judah who had a close relationship with God. He was known as a reformer. When he became king, he was most concerned with Judah’s present obedience to the Lord. [Read more…]

TBC COOPERATIVE PROGRAM GIFTS HOLD STEADY

August 5, 2020

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches contributed $2,941,530 through the Cooperative Program in July.

For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $25,831,963.

In the midst of a pandemic, the amount is just $295,149 or 1.1 below what was given at the same time last year. In addition, gifts are $418,037 or 1.59 percent below budget needs after the first nine months of the budget year. [Read more…]

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