Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

STUDENT MINISTRY IN MCMINNVILLE THRIVING DESPITE COVID-19

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

John Templeton

McMINNVILLE — As John Templeton reflects on the past few months, he is awed by the way God has used these hard days as a time of transformation.

Exhaustion has turned into excitement. Frustration has been replaced by fruitfulness.

Despite the difficult circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Templeton has seen the Lord do a tremendous work in the student ministry at First Baptist Church, McMinnville, where Templeton serves as associate pastor and student pastor. [Read more…]

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F.A.I.T.H. RIDERS PRAY FOR TENNESSEE BAPTIST CHURCHES, PASTORS, LEOs

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

Tennessee F.A.I.T.H. Riders have gathered recently to ride in various areas of the state, praying for churches, pastors and law enforcement officers.

CLARKSVILLE — That distant rumble that is being heard in some areas of the state is not always thunder followed by lightning. It just might be a group of Tennessee Baptist F.A.I.T.H. Riders (FR), followed by prayer.

F.A.I.T.H. Riders is a national motorcycle ministry that is passionate about sharing Christ with the world, according to its website. The organization, which is rooted in Southern Baptist churches, has more than 350 chapters nationwide, including 38 in Tennessee. [Read more…]

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WE ALL NEED A BREAK FROM INFORMATION OVERLOAD

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

Though we are nearing the four-month mark of the pandemic and some churches have begun to meet again, we’re still not back to where we were (before COVID-19).

And what’s more, it may be a while before we get there.

Add to it over the past few months, tornadoes and other storms, racial tension and protests in our nation, a presidential election in November, a Supreme Court decision giving non-discrimination protection to sexual orientation and gender identity and who knows what else, our nation is dealing with a “brain overload.”

That’s why the June 24 issue of the paper advocated that churches give their ministers a break and allow them to regroup before the new church year begins in a few months and possibly a second round of COVID-19. But a break from the insanity of today’s world is good for everyone. [Read more…]

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BAPTIST EVANGELISTS: READY AND WILLING

By Jerry Drace
Evangelist / Senior pastor, Friendship Baptist Church, Friendship. 

At one time the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists (COSBE) had more than 600 members. Today it has fewer than 90 and less than 50 of these are preaching evangelists.

COSBE held its annual business meeting using a Zoom conference call on June 12. One of the areas of discussion was how COSBE members can help pastors and their congregations during this time of unrest and uncertainty in our nation. [Read more…]

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DON’T FORGET — REMEMBER RULE NO. 1

By Roc Collins
Director of Strategic Objectives, TBMB

From my early years of little league through high school, no matter what sport I played, I heard a common message from all my coaches.

Whether it was on the diamond, the hardwood floor or the gridiron, coaches would say it over and over. “Keep your eye on the ball!” Don’t look at the opponent’s eyes. Don’t second guess the play. Don’t get distracted by the crowd, the banners or the venue. Keep your eye on the ball! We’ve all seen what happens when an athlete fails to keep his eye on the ball. [Read more…]

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COVID-19 CRISIS FORCES CHURCHES TO ADAPT

Association’s 10 churches try new format, provide Backyard Bible Clubs ‘in a bag’

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

Leslie (left) and Jimmie Lee Nolen, Royal Ambassadors at Hickman Baptist Church, Hickman, help prepare bags for the Backyard Bible Clubs sponsored by churches in New Salem Baptist Association. Looking on is Sue Turner Hall.

CARTHAGE — For more than 11 years, New Salem Baptist Association had sponsored Backyard Bible Clubs in low income areas.

The plan was to do it again this year, but COVID-19 entered the picture and it appeared the association would not be able to minister to children in Carthage and surrounding areas, said Marty Dodge, director of missions for New Salem Baptists.

To not do anything was not an option for Dodge. “We’ve got to do something for the kids,” he said. Knowing that it was not feasible to do a live BYBC with volunteers working with the children, the association, with the help of the mission committee, developed “something different,” Dodge said.

The association decided to do a “portable” Backyard Bible Club that will be delivered in bags to neighborhood children.  Churches are in the process of preparing the bags that will include a Bible lesson for the week, activity page, pencils, crayons, tracts, Scriptures and, of course, the snacks and treats that go hand-in-hand with children’s activities. [Read more…]

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WHAT’S THE REAL INVISIBLE ENEMY?

By Matt Tullos
TBMB Special Assistant to the Executive Director

2020 will be remembered as the Year of the Pandemic. A new normal swept across our country as leaders grappled with circumstances that previously were only portrayed in doomsday novels and disaster movies. We’ve seen the best and worst of humanity. Mass graves, food lines, and market crashes flood our news feeds. The death tolls and statistics overwhelm us each day. [Read more…]

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VIRTUAL REVIVAL

Holston Baptist pastors lead revival online

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

Pete Tackett, left, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, Johnson City, and Lester Morelock, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jonesborough, share during Holston Baptist Association’s first online revival service.

JOHNSON CITY — What began as a conversation to discuss reopening churches in northeast Tennessee has turned into perhaps a month-long revival.

“The revival vision was birthed out of a Zoom meeting of Holston Baptist Association pastors to discuss everyone’s thoughts and plans about ‘going back to church,’ ” said Craig Ponder, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church, Limestone. [Read more…]

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‘TENT MINISTRY’ IS UNIQUE WAY TO PRESENT GOSPEL

By Ashley Perham
Baptist & Reflector

OAK RIDGE — Pastor Tim Kimsey, Woodland Park Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, was a successful tournament fisherman until the Lord convicted him to go all in with a ministry as a fisher of men.

In 1997, Kimsey walked away from tournament fishing to take a youth pastor position in Maryville, but he returned to the tournament circuit to pray for his fellow fishermen. He and his family would set up a tent at the boat ramp entrance and pass out breakfast and New Testaments to the competing fishermen. He would also ask how he could pray for them. [Read more…]

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TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR EASTER SERVICE

By Bruce Chesser
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention

Easter is just around the corner and if you are like most churches it will be one of our greatest opportunities to impact our communities in the entire year.

More people will attend church on Easter than any other day of the year.  But the reality is that you must plan to make it special.  It will not just happen.

Let’s start with the basics.  Pray.  Call your people to pray.  Have prayer gatherings.  Have people designated throughout the times of your services to pray for God to move.  Never forget that He is the One who must work in the hearts and lives and people. [Read more…]

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