By Carolyn Tomlin
Contributing writer, B&R

BROWNSVILLE — Woodland Baptist Church, located in eastern Haywood County, has completed a restoration of the 100-year-old auditorium. After 13 months, the congregation moved back into the renovated auditorium in February of 2021. 

Due to tithes, donations and other gifts, the renovation of Woodland Baptist is debt free.

After 10 decades, the auditorium was in need of repair. The plaster was cracking and the sheetrock was bulging. When the sheetrock was pulled off, there was black mold and rotted studs. Also, there were concerns about the foundation. Water was seeping into the basement. Serious structural problems were evident. 

After the deacons, pastor and committees met, it was decided to bring the matter of restoring the auditorium to the church body. In November of 2019, the church voted to proceed with the renovation. The project was begun in January of 2020, just prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read more…]

By Aaron Earls
LifeWay news office

NASHVILLE — Fewer churchgoers filled pews and Bible studies during the pandemic, but many still continued personal discipleship habits throughout 2020.

A study by Nashville-based Lifeway Research found U.S. churchgoers were less likely to be involved in small groups during the pandemic, but many added some digital and individual activities to their discipleship routines.

“Some have defined discipleship as a journey of following Christ in fellowship with other believers,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “COVID-19 appears to have had both positive and negative impacts on discipleship. Pre-pandemic churchgoers largely have shown more resolve in following Christ over the following year while altering how they engage with other believers.”  [Read more…]

After surviving COVID-19 and a double lung transplant, LaFollette pastor Zach Lloyd is eager to return home

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

NASHVILLE — When a local television station in Nashville aired footage of pastor Zach Lloyd recently leaving Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital, probably few people realized they were witnessing another one of God’s infinite miracles.

But that really is the only explanation for how Lloyd, pastor of East LaFollette Baptist Church in LaFollette, was able to leave after 175 nights in hospitals and a double lung transplant. 

While Lloyd is quick to praise the care he received during his illness, he is even quicker to point out that “God moved in ways that defy medical explanation.

“There were many nights that the hospital personnel did not know if I would make it through the night. Our stance is that God provided and will continue to provide and that He will move in a mighty way.” [Read more…]

By Aaron Earls
LifeWay Christian Resources

NASHVILLE — Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, churches responded to serve churchgoers in a variety of ways, and churchgoers are overwhelmingly proud of how their church handled the crisis.

According to Nashville-based LifeWay Research, almost nine in 10 Protestant churchgoers (86 percent) say they are proud of how their church has responded during the coronavirus pandemic, with 58 percent strongly agreeing. Few (9 percent) disagree.

Inversely, few (12 percent) say they are ashamed of how their church responded to the crisis. More than 84 percent disagree, with 73 percent strongly disagreeing. [Read more…]

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

MADISON — Like most every church in Tennessee, Madison Heights Baptist Church in Madison had to learn to adjust to the unique challenges of COVID-19.

After deciding to cancel in-person Vacation Bible School last summer, three ladies in the church (Cathy Searcy, Atley Spain and Stacey Spain) felt compelled to find ways to minister to children and families who live in an apartment complex across the street from the church.

Though members had visited the apartments in the past, it was the “traditional knock on the door,” said pastor Ray Marin. [Read more…]