By Jim Collier
Senior Pastor, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis
Jim Collier
Over the past several years, Tennessee Baptists have grappled with their direction and purpose. Led by Randy C. Davis, we were asked to examine our efforts and determine the way forward. Emerging from this examination, Tennessee Baptists have applauded and embraced our Five Objectives: more baptisms, more renewed churches, more new churches, more cooperation through the Cooperative Program and more investment in reaching our state through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions. These objectives have unified our efforts and increased our awareness of the work yet to be done. We reaffirm, Tennessee is a missions field!
Because Tennessee is a missions field, we as Tennessee Baptists must live, work, and act like missionaries. The reality became clear. We could not continue the status quo. We were (and are) determined to change our stewardship, our evangelistic efforts, and our methods of church planting in order to penetrate the spiritual darkness around us.
In order to capitalize on this renewed missionary zeal for our home state, your Executive Board began an informal discussion regarding our name. We asked, “Does ‘Executive Board’ capture our purpose and work within the convention?” Let me ask you, do you think of highfalutin office-types jetting around the state eating steak dinners, or do you think of yokefellows begging the Lord of the Harvest to raise up more laborers? It is certainly the latter. We decided we needed a more accurate moniker.
In November, Mike Sams, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Martin, and chair of the Administrative Committee of the Executive Board, asked me to lead a small team to formally consider a name change. Larry Robertson (Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville) and Robbie Leach (Beech Park Baptist Church, Oliver Springs) joined me in this deliberation. Partnering with Bro. Randy and others from his leadership team, we began a prayerful investigation.
Our task began with some research. We noted that several peer bodies from other state conventions used different names besides “executive board.” Bro. Randy developed a history lesson for us, apprising our team of the other names our board has used since 1833. Our TBC legal counsel, Jim Guenther, informed us on the legal realities surrounding such an alteration. Finally, we discussed the possible impact and reception of a name change.
Armed with this information, we moved to the next phase which was consideration of alternative names. Once several were offered, we compiled them for consensus. Each of us, without further discussion, ranked our top three preferences. “Tennessee Baptist Mission Board” sat atop each of the three lists. Our team was (and still is) unanimous in our recommendation.
Our team reported back to Pastor Sams for action from the Administrative Committee. From that committee, the recommendation traveled through the Executive Board itself. Both bodies ratified our recommendation, and so it comes to you. This November, at the Summit, you will have your opportunity to affirm our recommendation.
Your Executive Board, when it meets, prays, thinks, and talks about nothing other than how best to win Tennesseans to faith in Jesus. I’ve never flown to a meeting, never eaten a steak at one, nor are we “in charge” of anything. But, I have sat in a room full of Baptist men and women just like me begging the Lord to thrust out laborers into His harvest. And, I have been in those same meetings and was moved over the spiritual condition of our state. Tennessee is a missions field. It needs a body that recognizes itself as a “Tennessee Baptist Mission Board,” and takes the responsibility in strategy and resourcing the effort to make disciples of all Tennessee … and beyond.
