Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $3,004,385 through the Cooperative Program in February.
For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $11,964,247.
After the first quarter of the fiscal year, the amount is $834,602 or 7.5 percent above what was given during the same time frame last year, and is $547,580 or 4.8 percent above budget needs. [Read more…]
By Baptist Press
The SBC Executive Committee gathered Feb. 22-23 for their meeting in Nashville. -Photo by Morris Abernathy
NASHVILLE (BP) — After nearly an hour of discussion, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s officers withdrew a recommendation to propose granting representation on three key SBC committees to Baptists in pioneer regions. EC leadership promised, however, to make an alternate proposal with the same goal but addressing logistical concerns raised by EC members.
In other business during the EC’s Feb. 22-23 meeting Nashville, the committee recommended a change in the method for asking questions of entity leaders during SBC annual meetings; approved a one-time transfer of funds from the North American Mission Board to the International Mission Board to assist IMB personnel leaving the board during its “organizational reset”; and withdrew the convention’s fellowship from a South Carolina church whose pastor performed a same-sex wedding ceremony with the deacons’ approval. [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,809,717 through the Cooperative Program in January.
After three months of the 2015-16 fiscal year, Tennessee Baptists have given $8,959,862.
The total is $312,199 or 3.6 percent more than what was given after the first quarter of the last fiscal year.
The amount also is 397,362 or 4.64 percent ahead of budget needs. [Read more…]
Baptist Press
NASHVILLE — Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist Convention national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are 6.07 percent above the year-to-date budgeted projection and 1.91 percent above contributions received during the same time frame last year, according to a news release from Frank S. Page, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee.
The total includes receipts from state conventions and fellowships, churches, and individuals for distribution according to the 2015-16 SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget. [Read more…]
By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director
Randy C. Davis
I love a good story and I love good storytellers and that may be one of the reasons I love the Bible. Talk about good stories. Begin at Genesis and read all the way through and you have real people living lives of suspense, drama, espionage, intrigue, romance, comedy, and more. However, the greatest story in the Bible is the overarching story of God’s activity in history culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son to save His enemies, to save us. What a story.
My friend and state missionary, Paul Clark Jr., and I share a favorite hymn: “I Love to Tell the Story.” I really love telling God’s story and I especially love sharing it with my grandkids. That’s exactly what the Bible tells us to do. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” [Read more…]
By Paul Chitwood
Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention
I received a letter recently from one of our International Mission Board missionaries who is taking the early retirement offer from the IMB but desires to return to the field. Without support from the IMB, the missionary is hoping to raise his own support from his network of relationships with pastors, associational directors of missions, and laypeople who might donate to his cause. Knowing all of the challenges that accompany “faith-funded” missions work, I felt great sympathy for this dear brother. Instead of remaining on the field, he is taking precious time away from the gospel work in order to raise financial support and will live with the stress of knowing his work is always in jeopardy if the pledges of support aren’t kept.
As much as my heart went out to this faithful brother, the letter also reminded me of my calling and how grateful I am for the churches and pastors who support Great Commission work through the Cooperative Program. Why am I so thankful? Four reasons rise to the top among many. [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptists gave a total of $3,871,421 through the Cooperative Program in December. It was the largest dollar amount for the Cooperative Program in a single month since January in the 2012-2013 budget year when Tennessee Baptists gave $3,897,791.
After two months of the 2015-16 budget year Tennessee Baptist churches have given $6,150,145 through the CP giving channel for missions and ministries throughout Tennessee, the nation, and the world. [Read more…]
BRENTWOOD – The staff of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention has been realigned in order to assist churches in accomplishing the Five Objectives.
The Five Objectives were adopted by messengers at the Summit in 2014 at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood as long-range goals for the convention. [Read more…]
By Eric Atkins
Pastor, New Friendship Baptist Church, Cleveland
Eric Atkins
Several months ago our church received a certificate and letter from the International Mission Board congratulating us on reaching one of the four Lottie Moon Challenge Levels. New Friendship has received these certificates before so I wasn’t surprised to receive another one. This year, however, it is starting to feel much different. In the weeks since, news about the IMB’s Voluntary Retirement Incentive was released. Missionaries that are close to our church have faced the challenging decision of staying on, or retiring from the field. The immediate questions of “Pastor, what can we do?” sent us to our knees in prayer and God began to move our church to do even more in the area of giving. [Read more…]
Some 287 registered messengers and 80 visitors attended the annual meeting of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists Oct. 12-13 in Overland Park, Kan. -Photo courtesy KNCSB
NASHVILLE (BP) — Twenty-three state conventions voted to increase the portion of Cooperative Program receipts being forwarded to Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries in the coming year, continuing a trend inspired by passage of the Great Commission Task Force recommendations five years ago. This year, Florida Baptists made the largest shift, moving from 41 to 51 percent allocated to SBC causes.
“This epic, pacesetting decision will set a precedent in the Southern Baptist Convention,” said Michael Tatem, president of Florida’s State Board of Missions. “We are doing what the Southern Baptist Convention was called to do in 1845 — to take the Gospel to the nations.” [Read more…]
