Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
January 15, 2026
By Diana ChandlerBaptist PressTEHRAN, Iran (BP) – Christians have been shot as police respond to protests across Iran, a U.S.-based evangelist told Baptist Press, with Southern Baptists requesting prayer for persecuted Christians and others across the nation. Communicating through Starlink satellite and bypassing the government-enforced internet blackout in Iran, Iran Alive Ministries founder Hormoz Shariat […]
January 12, 2026
By Chad AustinBiblical RecorderWASHINGTON, D.C. — Former North Carolina Baptist pastor and congressman Mark Walker announced Jan. 8 that he has accepted a new role within the Trump administration focused on advancing religious liberty around the world. Walker, who had been under consideration to serve as the United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, said […]
January 12, 2026
By Diana ChandlerBaptist PressSANTA ANA, Calif. (BP) – Nigeria, Rwanda, China, Mozambique and Mexico were the most dangerous countries for Christians from 2023-2025 in five distinct categories of persecution, Global Christian Relief (GCR) said in its second annual Red List. Nigeria leads in the category of killings, with 590 documented and verified killings from the […]
January 9, 2026
By Brandon PorterBaptist PressKNOXVILLE (BP) – Tennessee Supreme Court justices sought clarity regarding the church autonomy doctrine Jan. 8 in a case focused on the Southern Baptist Convention’s protocols to address claims of sexual abuse. Attorneys for Preston Garner, who has brought a defamation lawsuit against the SBC and others, asserted that a letter sent […]
January 8, 2026
By Aaron EarlsLifeway Christian Resources The latest Pew Research study finds Christianity remains stable after decades of decline, while the story for young adults remains complicated. Since 2020, The percentage of Americans who identify as Christian has hovered in the low to mid-60s. Those with no religious preference have consistently made up almost 30% of the population, while those of […]
January 7, 2026
B&R staff reportNIGER STATE, Nigeria — Militants have killed at least 58 people in Christian villages in northern Nigeria since Christmas, and kidnapped others from a Catholic boarding school, according to multiple media reports. At least 14 people are dead and four remain missing after suspected Boko Haram militants attacked three villages Dec. 29 in […]
January 5, 2026
By Scott BarkleyBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – As the U.S extraction of now-former President Nicólas Maduro brought widespread celebration among Venezuelans amid pockets of protest inside and outside the country, Baptist leaders are calling on others to keep the country in consistent prayer for peace now and in times ahead. The Venezuelan National Baptist Convention released […]
January 5, 2026
By David RoachBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – The Cooperative Program (CP) landscape continues to change, but the rate of change may be slowing. This fall, just five of the 42 state and regional Baptist conventions in the Southern Baptist family adjusted the percentage of CP receipts they forward to SBC causes. In comparison, 11 states made […]
January 5, 2026
By Brandon PorterBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – Former Southern Baptist Foundation President Hollis E. Johnson, III. died Dec. 29 at the age of 90. Johnson led the foundation from 1977 until 2002. During his tenure at the SBF, it grew from $17 million in assets to more than $226 million, according to a 2002 Baptist Press story marking […]
January 2, 2026
By Timothy CockesBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s 2025 was highlighted by impactful Supreme Court amicus briefs, a new emphasis of the Psalm 139 Project, and a variety of new church resources, events and advocacy work. ERLC Interim President Gary Hollingsworth expressed his thankfulness for the work of the entity and […]
January 2, 2026
By Skylar SpradlinLifeway Christian ResourcesAt what point does someone qualify as a regular church attendee? A Lifeway Research study found answers vary. Pastors are most likely to say attending church twice a month qualifies as being regular (30%). Others say attending once a month makes someone a regular churchgoer (24%). Perhaps most intriguing, older pastors are […]
December 24, 2025
By Kyle BueermannLifeway Christian ResourcesThe question before us seems simple enough. Yet the answer is a bit more elusive than it may appear at first glance. At its most simple, the definition of a rural church would be: A rural church is a body of believers who gather in and serve in a rural community. […]