Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

STORIES THAT SHAPED 2019

Baptists experience monumental year: I Stand for Life initiative, record GOTM gifts among top news stories

SEE ALSO – RADIO B&R EP. 37: TBMB JANUARY UPDATE WITH RANDY C. DAVIS

 

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

FRANKLIN — Top news stories in the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2019 included the “I Stand for Life” initiative in support of SB (Senate Bill) 1236, the election of Charles Fowler as president of Carson-Newman University and record giving for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board initiated the I Stand for Life initiative on July 23 to garner thousands of signatures from Tennessee Baptists in an effort to let Tennessee lawmakers know that Tennessee Baptists would like to see legislation passed that protects the lives of unborn children.

The petition campaign was initiated by Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB who had a desire to make sure Tennessee Baptists were informed about the issue and that their voices were heard. [Read more…]

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BELMONT HONORS LEGACY OF HERBERT GABHART

Belmont University News Office 

Herbert C. Gabhart

NASHVILLE — In the spirit of giving thanks, Belmont University today dedicated its chapel in honor of a man long deemed the “heart and soul” of the institution.

Herbert C. Gabhart died in September 2009, but the former chancellor and president left behind a 50-year legacy of impact on this campus and the surrounding community. The Herbert C. Gabhart Chapel will now bear his name in gratitude for his service to Belmont and in honor of the committed Christian example he set.

“Dr. Gabhart represented the heart and soul of Belmont, and we still miss him deeply,” said Belmont President Bob Fisher. “He led this institution through incredibly challenging seasons, forging relationships and casting a vision that set Belmont on a course to achieve what then seemed impossible. His guidance, compassion and dedication cannot be replaced, but by naming our chapel — a centerpiece of campus life — in his honor, we intend to keep his memory alive to nurture our future course.”  [Read more…]

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CHRISTIANS SHOULDN’T BE INTIMIDATED BY OTHER VOICES

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

In 2015, Tennessee legislators passed a state law that authorized local school boards across the state to put policies in place allowing students to be excused during the school day to attend a class in “religious moral instruction.”

The freedom to have release time for biblical or moral instruction actually has occurred for more than a century and possibly longer. It was contested in 1952 and the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Bible Release Time (Zorach versus Clauson, 343 U.S. 306). [Read more…]

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STILL JAMMING: GA EVENT TURNS 30

By Ashley Perham
Baptist & Reflector

Tennessee WMU missions and ministry advocate Linda Robbins leads a JAM small group as children learn more about missions.

NASHVILLE — JAM, a one-day mission event for children, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

JAM, which stands for Journey into Adventures in Missions, was started by the Tennessee WMU in 1989.

Originally, the event was only for 1st through 6th grade girls in the WMU Girls in Action (GA) program.

In 2001, the event became open to all children in 1st-6th grade. [Read more…]

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CARSON-NEWMAN, TBMB TEAM UP TO RALLY FOR CHRIST

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Roc Collins

JEFFERSON CITY — As they prepared for the East Tennessee Rally for Christ at Carson-Newman, the leadership team at the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board said they wanted the event to have a two-pronged purpose: To ignite the believers and offer hope to the spiritually lost.

By the time the rally came to a close, it was clear that both objectives had been met: The saints were stirred and the lost were found.

The rally, held at Holt Fieldhouse on the C-N campus on the night of Sept. 8, drew more than 900 attendees, who were treated to a night of praise, worship and encouragement. The evening also featured several life-changing decisions, including three professions of faith, three commitments to baptism and one rededication. [Read more…]

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COMING IN STRONG

Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City recently welcomed its largest freshmen class in history — 557 students. They are included in Carson-Newman’s highest enrollment in its 168-year history — 2,725 students. The enrollment also includes a record graduate class of 885 students. Since 2010, C-N has seen a 40 percent increase in total enrollment. In the photo above, C-N president Charles A. Fowler and his wife, Sandra, front center, along with faculty and staff, led the freshmen and their families on a prayerwalk through the campus on Aug. 24.
— Photo submitted by Carson-Newman University

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VICTORY FORMATION

C-N football program sees 10 players make professions

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Carson-Newman volunteer kickers and punters coach Alan Duncan and team chaplain Marty Blakely baptized 10 players from the Carson-Newman football team in Mossy Creek following football camp.

JEFFERSON CITY —  Big decisions are often made at football camp. Who is going to be the starting tailback? What scheme is the new defensive coordinator going to install?  Is the kick returner going to be used at wide receiver?

Important choices, for sure. Choices that can ultimately determine a team’s success.

And yet, those types of decisions aren’t nearly as significant as the decisions that were made at Carson-Newman’s football camp this summer. These were life-changing — and eternity-altering — decisions. [Read more…]

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FREE PANCAKES KICK OFF BCM MINISTRY AT MTSU

By Ashley Perham
B&R contributing writer

Lisa Whitt, left, and Jennifer Choate make pancakes to help kick off the year for the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at MTSU.

MURFREESBORO — The Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Middle Tennessee State University kicked off the new school year by offering free, all-you-can-eat pancakes to students from 8 p.m. to midnight.

It is the second year the BCM has offered free pancakes the first week of school although they have been serving pancakes during finals week for more than 10 years.

Mark Whitt, MTSU campus minister, said the event was a great way to connect with students quickly because the event takes place on move-in day.

“It’s also an event right after the carnival, a big event on campus, and then there’s nothing planned afterwards so we were able to just continue in with a big welcome to campus,” Whitt said. “It’s a quick way to meet students in a real non-threatening kind of way.” [Read more…]

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SPECIAL THANKS

Ashley Perham, a summer intern for the Baptist and Reflector, interviews pastor Micah Creekmore of Living Water Church, Murfreesboro, while writing news articles on City Reach Memphis.

If you have read the Baptist and Reflector regularly over the past few weeks, you have seen the name Ashley Perham quite often.

Ashley is a student at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro who served as an intern for the paper this summer. Though she received college credit for the experience, the B&R was the real winner.

Ashley did an outstanding job. She assisted in writing feature stories, proofing the paper and did some photography. She took on every assignment we gave her and responded with professionalism and enthusiasm. She took every task seriously and always gave her best effort. [Read more…]

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BOWDEN TALKS FAITH, FOOTBALL AT STUDENT EVENT

By Timothy Cockes
Baptist Press intern 

Former college football coach Tommy Bowden, center, stands with Clay Hallmark, left, pastor of First Baptist Church, and Bryant Hollingsworth, head football coach at Lexington High School.

LEXINGTON — Tommy Bowden, former college football coach at Clemson University, recently spoke to hundreds of Tennessee high school football students about the importance of making good decisions in life.

Bowden said he wanted to emphasize for the more than 700 players, representing more than five counties and 12 schools, the importance of having the right priorities in life by putting God first. The event was held at First Baptist Church, Lexington, on July 18. [Read more…]

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