Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
-LifeWay photo
FRANKLIN — Though World Changers began as a program of the former Southern Baptist Convention Brotherhood Commission, it made a lasting impact on Tennesseans who both participated in the hands-on missions ministry and those who benefited from the work of countless teenagers and sponsors. [Read more…]
By Phil Young
Director of Missions, Knox County Association of Baptists
Last month I shared with you a quote from Tod Bolsinger regarding the rapidly changing culture we live in. Bolsinger writes, “The world in front of you is nothing like the world behind you.” Without question, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world we live in. We have all made adjustments in our lives – some we like, some we don’t, and some we never dreamed possible.
As the time period extends, our thoughts and efforts are beginning to shift from “how do we get through this” to “how do we emerge out of this better and stronger.”
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
FRANKLIN — For the past three years, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union prayer warriors have traveled to Colorado as part of the Send Denver partnership to meet and pray with church planters on their home turf.
Six teams which included 24 women were able to work with 14 church planters in and around Denver, said Vickie Anderson, executive director of Tennessee WMU.
Two trips were scheduled for April and May of this year before COVID-19 changed everyone’s plans. [Read more…]
By Shawn Hendricks
Contributing Writer, Baptist and Reflector
HENDERSONVILLE — For members of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, the news that their church led 30 people on a mission trip last week to New York City in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis could have seemed a little shocking.
“That’s right. They traveled right into the hotbed of the COVID-19 virus,” Bruce Raley, executive pastor of the Nashville area church, announced April 23 in his afternoon e-mail. But he quickly clarified by noting, “they did so through our first Virtual Mission Trip.” [Read more…]
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…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
TAZEWELL — The mission statement of Region Education Center Ministries doesn’t mention anything about furniture. But as it turns out, couches, loveseats and footstools have certainly become an important part of what REC Ministries does.
Roger Hansard, a former Tennessee pastor, and his wife, Judy, are the founders of REC Ministries, which provides career job training for individuals by teaching computer skills, GED, adult literacy and other skills. The organization operates with the primary purpose of “winning the lost to Christ” and strives “to educate, elevate, and evangelize the people in our region.” [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
Darrell and Sharon Bottoms of Philippi Baptist Church deliver food to the Cleveland Emergency Shelter.
FRANKLIN — Compassion ministries almost always involve a personal touch, whether it’s a hug, handshake or simply sharing the gospel up close and personal.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements, the personal touch may be gone but churches and associations across the state are still showing God’s love through compassion ministries. [Read more…]
Carson-Newman news office
Love from a distance
Logan Lewis, a volunteer at Carson-Newman University’s Appalachian Outreach, helps prepare food for distribution. The ministry, which has seen a surge of people in need since the COVID-19 outbreak (see story, page 13), is just one example of how believers, all across Tennessee, have jumped into action to help others during this unprecedented time. Today, the Baptist and Reflector is recognizing some of these heroes in this edition of the B&R, which is packed full of stories about Tennessee Baptists who have responded to the call during the pandemic.
JEFFERSON CITY — Carson-Newman University’s Appalachian Outreach Ministry continues to see a surge from those in need brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have seen an increase in numbers,” said Jean-Ann Washam, executive director of AO. “We are seeing people who have never received services before who have not been able to go back to work.” Washam cited that some are employees in the retail and restaurant business. “This past month we served over 400 families; that is over 100 new families for us,” she said. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
Marlin Curnutt, left, of FBC Morristown, talks with Sharon Wildner, the director of God’s Warehouse Coronavirus Plan, as they organize boxes for delivery from God’s Warehouse in Morristown.
FRANKLIN — Wes Jones is accustomed to dealing with the unpredictable. It’s his job.
He’s been involved with flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, power outages and all in between.
But even Jones, the Disaster Relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, admits that the current confluence of instability, uneasiness and confusion — created by the COVID-19 pandemic — has been a major challenge. [Read more…]
By Kim Cruise
Missions discipleship specialist, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union
While COVID-19 spreads sickness and death across many countries, responses vary, but the most common response is fear. Fear of a loved one contracting the virus and suffering alone because no visitors are allowed. Fear of doctors and nurses being spread too thinly to meet the needs. Fear of retirement savings being reduced to a pittance. Fear of not being able to pay this month’s bills or provide food for the family. Virtually no one is untouched by this pandemic.
Missionaries who are serving far from home are in a unique situation. Missionaries, with few exceptions, are helpers and givers. That’s why they have left everything to give the gospel and serve through meeting human needs in a myriad of ways. Being told to stay at home while surrounded by so many dire needs, many struggle with the tough decision: “Do I follow government and WHO advice, or do I take the risk and go help anyways? When I chose to follow Christ, wasn’t there an inherent risk involved?” During our years of service in the Philippines, we were often called upon to be the “ambulance” since most families do not own a vehicle. What does a missionary do when asked to drive a seriously ill person to the hospital but doing so may risk their own family’s lives? This is the same basic issue facing frontline doctors and nurses right now.
Many missionaries serve in countries where the income and standard of living is far, far below that of America. They often use portions of their own support to help the poor around them with medical expenses, food, etc. With many businesses closing down, those who live “hand to mouth” have no savings and will suffer the most. Missionaries often feel overwhelmed with the needs around them and that is going to be multiplied exponentially right now. Ask if they need extra funds right now to help out and take up a special offering to help them help others. [Read more…]
