evangelism Archives - Page 2 of 23

FLOYD ISSUES VISION 2025 CALL FOR EVANGELISM

February 18, 2020

By Jonathan Howe and Amy Whitfield
Baptist Press

SBC Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd announced a new five-year initiative in conjunction with multiple entities to reach every person with the Gospel in every town, every city, every state and every nation. — Photo by Eric Brown

NASHVILLE — SBC Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd announced a new five-year initiative in conjunction with multiple entities to reach every person with the Gospel in every town, every city, every state and every nation.

In his address Monday night (Feb. 17), Floyd presented this Convention-wide initiative to members of the EC and a packed crowd in attendance for the group’s February 2020 meeting.

“Vision 2025 is not a slogan or rallying cry,” Floyd said. “It’s a path forward to help us reimagine a new future together of reaching the world for Jesus Christ — every person, every town, every city, every state and every nation.” [Read more…]

YANES: CORONAVIRUS OPPORTUNITY FOR LOVE, UNDERSTANDING

February 7, 2020

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

NASHVILLE — The international coronavirus outbreak should not spread panic in the U.S., but should encourage Gospel love and understanding among the diverse body of Southern Baptists, Asian American relations leader Peter Yanes told Baptist Press.

Misinformation has spread across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok, NBC news has reported, spreading fear, racial stereotyping and xenophobia.

“We need to be gracious in our convention dealing with many of our Asian American brethren,” said Yanes, executive director of Asian American Relations & Mobilization for the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. [Read more…]

STORIES THAT SHAPED 2019

January 7, 2020

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

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…]

CATCH A VISION FOR SHARING GOSPEL IN 2020

December 26, 2019

By Bruce Chesser
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention

It is always an honor to be named as president of any organization of which you are a part. I am honored to have been elected to serve you for the next year as the president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

I have had the opportunity to live in Alabama, Texas and Arkansas prior to living in Tennessee. I was born and lived my young years in Andalusia, Ala. After college in Mobile, my wife and I went to Texas to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. [Read more…]

CHRISTMAS IS PERFECT TIME TO PROCLAIM JESUS

December 16, 2019

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

There has been growing evidence over the past two decades that Christians are becoming increasingly reluctant to openly share their faith. Research from The Barna Group, LifeWay Christian Research and others in recent years confirm that more and more Christians are having fewer gospel conversations.

That leads to the question: Why? Why are people who affirm their faith in Jesus so unwilling to share their faith with others. One reason is fear.

We are afraid of what people will think about us if we talk about Jesus Christ. We are afraid of being ridiculed. We simply need to get over it. Jesus was not afraid to die on the cross for you and me. We shouldn’t be afraid to tell others of His love for them. [Read more…]

GREEN’S CHALLENGE: EVANGELIZE, ENCOURAGE, EXTEND

December 2, 2019

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

David Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville, and president of the TBC during the 2018-19 term, delivered the president’s sermon on Nov. 19. Green served the traditional one-year term as TBC president after being elected last November. Bruce Chesser, pastor of First Baptist, Hendersonville, was elected president for the 2019-2020 term.
— Photo by James Wilson

KNOXVILLE — As his term as president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention came to a close, David Green offered some words of excitement. He also issued a challenge.

Delivering the president’s message at the 145th annual meeting of Tennessee Baptists, Green reminded those in attendance that they have the ultimate reason to rejoice: Salvation. Green also challenged attendees to “evangelize the lost, encourage the saved and extend our borders.”

Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville, delivered his year-ending president’s message during the Tuesday evening session of this year’s Summit, held at First Baptist Concord.

Green preached from Isaiah 54, and reminded attendees that they should “rejoice in the promises of God, respond to the plan of God, rely on the power of God and and remember our relationship with God.”

He also encouraged Christians to rejoice always, celebrating all that God has done for us. “The Lord inhabits our praise,” said Green. “So, if we want Him around, then why don’t we sing more than we cry? … We need to stop acting like God is dead. We need to stop acting like God didn’t promise us anything. We need to stop acting like Jesus didn’t die on the cross for our sins. We need to live our lives like free people.” [Read more…]

THE ROMAN ROAD AND A TESTIMONY

November 19, 2019

By Lonnie Wilkey

As one might expect, evangelism was a popular topic during this week’s Summit held at First Baptist Concord in Knoxville. The theme for the 145th annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention was Win TN By All Means.

Several excellent videos focusing on evangelism were featured throughout the sessions.

During the Tuesday night session on Nov. 19, Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, recognized the top churches in total baptisms and baptisms based on average attendance in 2018. [Read more…]

‘WE SERVE CHURCHES’ — IT ISN’T JUST A SLOGAN

November 13, 2019

By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director

You shared your concerns.

We carefully listened.

And now I want to prayerfully respond on behalf of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Several of us from the TBMB have recently engaged with over 500 Tennessee Baptists during nearly two dozen listening sessions across our state. We initiated these sessions with the sole purpose of learning from you and using what we heard to shape how we as a mission board serve your churches. For us, “We serve churches” is more than just a mission statement that hangs on a wall. It is our mission. [Read more…]

THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL, THIRTY YEARS LATER

November 11, 2019

By Mike Creswell and Joanna Pinneo
IMB communications

Editor’s note: Thirty years ago, on November 9, 1989, East Germans were allowed to travel to the West, and the Berlin Wall was subsequently dismantled. To commemorate this world-changing event, we’re republishing an excerpt from the Foreign Mission Board’s (now IMB’s) The Commission magazine. The following excerpt was printed in January 1990, two months after East Germans were allowed to travel to the West. We hope this article will inspire you to continue praying for the people of Europe and the peoples of the world who are still behind walls that bar them from hearing the gospel.

Soldiers stand on the Berlin Wall in front of Brandenburg Gate in November 1989 and watch the crowds below. That month, East Germans were allowed to travel to the West for the first time in 28 years. Today, only remnants of the Berlin Wall still stand as a reminder of the past. — IMB photo by Joanna Pinneo

When the Berlin Wall went up in 1961, a barrier 103 miles long and 13 feet high enclosed West Berlin. It cut off some people from jobs, churches, families and friends. Several Baptist churches in West Berlin lost hundreds of members, some half their membership. In East Germany the wall was considered a necessary way to staunch the loss of its people who went West and didn’t return. At least 77 people died trying to cross the barrier.

The middle of West Berlin became one big pedestrian mall in the days after the Berlin Wall opened last November. Hundreds of thousands of East Berliners visited former homes, friends and family, [and] looked and shopped in stores they had only heard about before. At least for a time, there were no barriers of age, background or ideology. Everyone, from old West Berliners to young East Berliners, celebrated just being together. [Read more…]

BIG BOOST FOR BIG EMORY

October 23, 2019

Location change has led to new ministry opportunities

Editor’s Note: Baptist associations are the emphasis on the Southern Baptist Convention calendar Oct. 20-26. Tennessee Baptists have 65 associations across the state. Here is a look at Big Emory Baptist Association based in Harriman.

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

Director of missions Randy Roper stands in Big Emory Baptist Association’s Great Commission Center which has enhanced the association’s ministry to churches.

HARRIMAN — Three years ago, Big Emory Baptist Association moved from the site it had occupied since 1969 to a new location on South Roane Street, not far from Interstate 40.

It has proven to be a huge boost for the association’s ministries and the association is still growing into its space, said Randy Roper, director of missions for Big Emory Baptist Association since 2015.

The association bought three former storefront buildings adjacent to each other and divided their project into three phases. Phase one consisted of the office facilities. The building now in use was completely gutted and remodeled, Roper said. The association moved into the new offices in 2016. [Read more…]

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

Location change has led to new ministry opportunities

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