Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
October 27, 2025
By Aaron EarlsLifeway Christian ResourcesBRENTWOOD — Life in rural America has its charms and challenges. Those who pastor in small towns across the United States recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities. A Lifeway Research study of pastors in small towns and rural areas identified […]
October 24, 2025
By Diana ChandlerBaptist PressNIAMEY, Niger (BP) – An evangelical Christian missionary from the U.S. was kidnapped late Oct. 21 in Niamey, Niger, less than 100 yards from the presidential palace, CBS News reported. Several news outlets, including Crosswalk and the Long War Journal, identified the missionary as Kevin Rideout of Serving in Mission (SIM) International. Rideout […]
October 21, 2025
By Erin RoachBaptist PressNote: Chapman will be remembered at a memorial service at 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at Triune Baptist Church, located at 8094 Horton Highway in Arrington, Tenn. The memorial service will be livestreamed at Triune Baptist Church’s Facebook page. Crawford Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. NASHVILLE (BP) – Morris H. […]
October 20, 2025
SEBTS staffWAKE FOREST, N.C. – Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel L. Akin announced on Oct. 14 that he will retire from the role at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. His official retirement date is July 31, 2026. Akin, Southeastern’s longest serving president, made the announcement in a chapel service during the SEBTS […]
October 16, 2025
By Diana ChandlerBaptist PressPHILADELPHIA, Pa. (BP) — Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults think the Bible is “just another book of teachings written by people,” the American Bible Society (ABS) said in its latest release from the 2025 State of the Bible. More people are skeptical of the Bible’s teachings than those who think the […]
October 14, 2025
IMB and NAMB StaffNASHVILLE – Southern Baptists continue to prioritize pushing back lostness through missions, marking another strong year of generous giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® and theAnnie Armstrong Easter Offering®. When the books closed on the SBC’s 2024-25 fiscal year Sept. 30, the Lottie offering totaled $207.2 million, and the Annie offering […]
October 9, 2025
Baptist Press staffNASHVILLE (BP) – Total Cooperative Program giving for the 2024-2025 fiscal year was $186,091,048.26, which is just over 2% below the budget goal of $190,250,000. “The Cooperative Program continues to provide the primary financial support for state conventions and national entities,” said SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Jeff Iorg. “We are grateful […]
October 7, 2025
By Aaron EarlsLifeway Christian ResourcesNASHVILLE — U.S. adults are nearly equally divided on how much of a role religion should play in public schools, according to a YouGov poll. A third (34%) say it doesn’t play enough of a role, a quarter (26%) say it’s involved about the right amount, and a quarter (26%) say religion plays too […]
October 6, 2025
By Scott BarkleyBaptist PressWASHINGTON (BP) – The case of a Colorado counselor’s right to express her faith values while discussing issues such as same-sex attraction and gender identity with adolescents will appear before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor, argues that the state’s 2019 Minor Conversion Therapy Law infringes on her […]
September 30, 2025
By Scott BarkleyBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – Executive Committee members discussed the potential merits and risks of filing countersuits in cases with fraudulent claims of EC responsibility at their fall meeting on Sept. 23. The conversation came from a motion at June’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting that instructed the SBC’s legal counsel to countersue former SBC President […]
September 30, 2025
By IMB StaffInternational Mission Board news roomCHESTER, Va.—International Mission Board trustees approved 54 fully funded missionaries for appointment during their Sept. 24-25 meeting near Richmond, Virginia. The missionaries approved for appointment were recognized during a Sending Celebration on Wednesday evening at Ironbridge Baptist Church in Chester, Virginia. Willie Smith, second vice chair, opened Thursday’s plenary […]
September 30, 2025
By Laura Erlanson, Scott BarkleyBaptist PressNASHVILLE (BP) – Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee members addressed referrals from messengers to the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting, heard reports and celebrated the highest Lifeway summer camps’ missions offering in eight years at their fall meeting, Sept. 22-23. One messenger suggestion adopted by the EC was the formation of […]