Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

CONFERENCE CALLED ‘CATALYTIC MOMENT’

By Seth Brown
Biblical Recorder

Conference speaker J.D. Payne. -Photo by Seth Brown, Biblical Recorder

Conference speaker J.D. Payne.
-Photo by Seth Brown, Biblical Recorder

BRENTWOOD — A unique Southern Baptist missions conference encouraged attendees to leverage the historically unprecedented migration of peoples around the world for the sake of sharing the gospel with every tribe, tongue, and nationality.

The United States is one of the most common destinations for migrants, and the circumstances present the American church with a remarkable opportunity for evangelism, according to speakers at the  “Reaching the Nations in North America” conference at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood.

“God is the Divine Maestro, orchestrating the movements of the nations,” said J.D. Payne, pastor for church multiplication with The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala.

He emphasized the importance of churches engaging in diaspora missions, which is the task of evangelizing migrants. [Read more…]

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RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Van Richmond
Former Pastor of New Life Church, Nashville

grandfather-clock-vintageAnd he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15 ESV).

Proclaiming the gospel. Some find the prospect frightening.  Others find it exhilarating. For Charles Hand, talking about Jesus was as natural as breathing. Cancer gave him just another reason to talk — not about death, but about eternal life.

The physicians at the Veterans Administration hospital in Oklahoma City rotate regularly. They typically spend about two weeks before moving on to other patients, and Charles’ oncologist was nearing the end of his tour of duty with this particular group. As he walked into the hospital room, Charles greeted him quickly and immediately began sharing the gospel with him. The physician listened briefly before replying, “Oh yeah. I was saved as a 6-year-old boy.” Charles inquired, “Really? Tell me about that.” [Read more…]

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3,202 DECISIONS FOR CHRIST REPORTED IN BRAZIL

By Will Hall
Baptist Press

A church helper and a volunteer interpreter react with tears of joy upon learning an elderly woman could now see with the help of donated prescription eyeglasses fitted by Sue Johns, a member of First Baptist Church in Graceville, Florida, and mother of Brent Johns, administrative and discipleship pastor at First Baptist Church in Houma.

A church helper and a volunteer interpreter react with tears of joy upon learning an elderly woman could now see with the help of donated prescription eyeglasses fitted by Sue Johns, a member of First Baptist Church in Graceville, Florida, and mother of Brent Johns, administrative and discipleship pastor at First Baptist Church in Houma.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (BP) — Southern Baptists returning from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, are sharing testimonies of widespread revival in churches, communities, prisons and schools, following an 8-day schedule of crusades, medical ministries and other outreach efforts in this South American country.

Wayne Jenkins, director of evangelism and church growth for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said there were a recorded 3,202 salvation decisions resulting from events conducted July 10-17.

“God did exceedingly above all that we could think or ask,” Jenkins said.

“Even working for the first time with this Brazilian association, the way was smooth in constructing three church buildings in five business days and reaching the number of people who came to know Christ, especially in some difficult areas. [Read more…]

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CHALLENGES ABOUND IN RIO

Baptist Press

Sid Hopkins, shown at the 2010 Olympics, will serve once again this year in Rio.

Sid Hopkins, shown at the 2010 Olympics, will serve once again this year in Rio.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Sid Hopkins is an eye-catching sight when he visits the Olympics.

The retired director of missions for the Atlanta-area Gwinnett Metro Baptist Association dons a hat and vest decorated with hundreds of pins that people aren’t bashful about inspecting. Hopkins trades pins with other Olympics fans while distributing pins made especially for the Olympics that tell the story of Jesus.

“There is an openness by people to talk with one another and to talk about spiritual things,” Hopkins said. “So sharing the seeds of the gospel through the ‘storytelling’ witnessing pin is well-received. Then the seeds of the gospel go back all over the world as the people return home.”

Hopkins is in Rio de Janeiro as the world prepares to turn its gaze on the first South American city ever to host the Olympics. The Games, kicked off with the Aug. 5 opening ceremony, will become the centerpiece of family entertainment and workplace discussions for more than two weeks. [Read more…]

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ENGAGE POKÉMON GO PLAYERS: MINISTERS

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Cody Clark, student minister, Living Hope Baptist Church, Clarksville, checks out the Poké Stop of the Pokémon Go game which is located in the front of the church’s fitness center as students play the game outside the church.

Cody Clark, student minister, Living Hope Baptist Church, Clarksville, checks out the Poké Stop of the Pokémon Go game which is located in the front of the church’s fitness center as students play the game outside the church.

BRENTWOOD — Jay Barbier, minister of high school students, First Baptist Church, Millington, is from South Louisiana, so when one of his students offered to “drop a lure” his first thought was fishing. Then the young man and Joseph Brasher, minister of education at the church, said they needed some bottled water to give away to Pokémon Go players.

Barbier admitted he doesn’t play the game for mobile devices so he was out of the loop. But he quickly got involved when he learned about the opportunity, he said.

About a month ago on a Tuesday evening a Pokémon Go “lure” was dropped at First Baptist, Millington. Then about 20 Pokémon Go players arrived over the next hour. Students, Brasher, and Barbier were there to meet them. The church facility already was open for visitation activities. [Read more…]

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AMERICANS PREFER TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS RATHER THAN GOD

By Bob Smietana
LifeWay Research

160803religion-politics1NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Politics trumps God for most Americans when it comes to conversations with their friends.

Six in 10 Americans are more comfortable talking about politics than their spiritual beliefs. And most say they aren’t interested in having more spiritual conversations.

By contrast, evangelical Christians prefer talking about God over politics by a 2-to-1 margin.

Those are among the findings of an online survey of 1,004 Americans about their views on spirituality and politics from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.

Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, said Americans like to talk about both politics and religion, which are sometimes considered off limits in polite conversation. But they often prefer one to the other.

“People tend to discuss the things that matter most to them,” he said. “For evangelicals, that is their faith.” [Read more…]

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IT’S TIME TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME TO JESUS

By Ernest L. Easley
Professor of Evangelism, Union University

Ernest Easley

Ernest Easley

There was a lot of talk on the topic of evangelism during the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in St. Louis.

The sermons that were preached, the panel discussions that were presented, and our mission boards’ reports all made reference to the 15-year decrease in baptisms in our Southern Baptist churches.

Plenty of people are attempting to explain the decline. Some say it’s because so many of our churches are not filing their annual report, thus skewing the numbers. Others say the decline is theologically based while still others say it’s methodological. [Read more…]

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SERVING A DIVIDED COMMUNITY

By David Evans
TBC Evangelism Specialist

David Evans

David Evans

As you are aware, our nation is struggling with a great divide. Those that stand in the middle of the divide are our men and women police officers.  They wake every morning to fears that most of us cannot comprehend. They face the unknown everyday to protect and serve their communities. Lately they have been compensated with news of fallen officers. They are not paid enough and are not encouraged enough. [Read more…]

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‘THE WORLD HAS COME TO TENNESSEE’

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Some participants of “Coffee and Conversation” pause during one of their weekly gatherings at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry center of the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. This group includes students from Japan, China, and Thailand. Samantha Hawes, fourth from left, associate campus minister, UTK BCM, was a part of the group.

Some participants of “Coffee and Conversation” pause during one of their weekly gatherings at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry center of the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. This group includes students from Japan, China, and Thailand. Samantha Hawes, fourth from left, associate campus minister, UTK BCM, was a part of the group.

KNOXVILLE — A student from an Asian country visited the Baptist Collegiate Ministry Center at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville with her friend, Ladda Reed, who is from Thailand.

She felt comfortable as she enjoyed the luncheons for UTK students and met other students, even internationals just hanging out, playing ping-pong, and relaxing on some of the sofas.

She told Jiaxin He about “Coffee and Conversation” for international and American students at the BCM which Jiaxin He visited. Soon she was attending regularly, making a friend of her partner, practicing English, and getting to know America. She and Reed began talking about Jesus. Her mother was a Christian but she wasn’t.

Today, just about a year later, Jiaxin He is a “follower of Christ,” reported Samantha Hawes, associate campus minister, UTK BCM. She also is the international ministry coordinator of the BCM and lives in one of its apartments. [Read more…]

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“IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS …”

By Ken R. Speakman
Member, Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory

Ken Speakman

Ken Speakman

I Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to “in everything give thanks.” To give thanks when you don’t feel like it is not hypocrisy; it’s obedience. Does this mean even when my flight is cancelled, my vacation has been interrupted, or some difficulty comes my way? Yes it does. God often has something else, or something better for you.

In January 2010, I was the guest speaker at the Michigan Gideon Mid-Winter Conference in East Lansing. It was a weekend conference and I was scheduled to leave very early on Sunday morning.

On my return flight to Nashville, bad weather caused me to miss my connecting flight in Detroit. “Lord, why is this happening to me,” I asked? “You know how I want to get home!” I would now spend Sunday in the Detroit airport.  As I stood at the counter and saw my plane still at the gate but without me on it, I thought, “I don’t like this Lord; it’s not fair!” [Read more…]

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