Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
Baptist and Reflector
MANCHESTER — David Evans, director of evangelism at the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said Jesus Tent is just one example of the impact that can be made through servant evangelism — a means of sharing the gospel while also performing acts of service.
“Every local church in Tennessee and across the world can do a servant evangelism project,” said Evans. “And you’ll be amazed by how effective it can be in reaching people for Jesus.” [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
Bonnaroo attendees take advantage of the phone-charging stations and free snacks inside Jesus Tent.
— Photos by Dan Ferrell
MANCHESTER — Although the final numbers are still being calculated, the final assessment can already be made: Jesus Tent was a massive success. Again.
“It was phenomenal,” said David Evans, director of evangelism for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.
Located amid the sprawling campgrounds at the Bonnaroo music festival at Great Stage Park, Jesus Tent is an outreach ministry of First Baptist Church, Manchester, and is supported through a team of churches from Duck River Baptist Association and several other associations. [Read more…]
By Aaron Earls
LifeWay Research
NASHVILLE — Spiritual topics aren’t a part of regular conversations with fellow believers for many Protestant churchgoers, but most seem at least somewhat confident others know they’re a Christian.
The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found those who regularly attend Protestant churches are split on how visible and pervasive their faith is in their daily lives. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
-Photo: Inglewood Facebook page.
NASHVILLE — In the business world, this method would be referred to as “flooding the market.”
In the spiritual vein, it’s a means of carrying out the Great Commission.
During the past few weeks, the members of Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville, have been involved in “Saturation Saturdays” — an initiative in which church members fan out in the community to distribute door-hanging bags that contain information about the church, DVDs about Jesus, invitations to VBS and other items. [Read more…]
Completing one of the many service projects at this year’s ‘Loving God, Loving Others’ event were (first row, from left) Samuel Evans, Sandy Clapp, Carol Gravett, Amy Byrd; and (back row from left) Dwayne Smith, Steve Clapp, Don Brown and Gay Brown.
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
SAVANNAH — Allen Guyer, pastor of Riverview Baptist Church, Savannah, believes that a church should be more than just a “holy huddle” that gathers on Sundays.
The Riverview members obviously support that notion wholeheartedly.
The church recently hosted its second annual “Loving God, Loving Others Day” — a ministry in which church members perform a series of service projects and other acts of kindness throughout the community.
The Riverview congregation fully embraced the project, with 140 people — from the church’s roughly 200 regular Sunday attendees — participating in the ministry. The event took place on the Saturday prior to Palm Sunday. [Read more…]
By Tim Ellsworth
Contributing Writer, B&R
MILAN — When Dinah Hufstedler of Milan heard about the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s “Bless Every Home” initiative, she was quick to sign up.
She began praying for her neighbors. But that was just the start.
“After approximately six or seven months of praying for them, I thought, ‘I want to do something where they know there’s somebody there for them,’ ” said Hufstedler, a member of Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Milan. [Read more…]
Baptist Press
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Keeping the focus on the “Gospel Above All” theme is Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear’s main goal going into SBC’s annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala., June 11-12.
But following a year of transition among five SBC entities searching for new leadership and the convention responding to reports of sexual abuse, Greear noted there will be other issues demanding attention.
Greear, who is expected to be reelected SBC president without opposition, acknowledged that confronting sexual abuse is among them. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
SPRING HILL — Relationship experts often say that the ability to “speak someone’s language” is a crucial component in making a connection.
Jason Davis, pastor at Grace Park Baptist Church, Spring Hill, is using that philosophy in a unique way. He is forming relations and building bonds — and even evangelizing — through his knowledge of, and interest in, video games. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
Dean Haun
WHITE PINE — According to the flyers, the Go Tell Lakeway Area Crusade started on April 28.
But the crusade’s chairman, Dean Haun, says it might have actually started long before that.
Haun, pastor of First Baptist Church, Morristown, said the crusade — which resulted in more than 340 professions of faith and drew a four-day attendance total of roughly 17,500 at the Walters State Community College Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center — may have begun to take shape more than a decade ago. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
Evangelist Rick Gage leads a prayer at the Go Tell crusade at the Walters State Community College Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center in White Pine.
— Photos by Brooks Gray
WHITE PINE — During his years of ministry, Dean Haun, pastor of First Baptist Church, Morristown, has experienced both ends of the “success spectrum” in regard to certain events and projects. He has seen some that fall flat and some that surpass all expectations.
So, when he was asked to serve as chairman of the Go Tell America Lakeway Area Crusade, Haun prepared himself — and his team — for what might lie ahead. [Read more…]
