Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

GO ‘BOTH FEET IN’ FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL

Editor’s Note: The Week of Prayer for International Missions is currently underway. The goal of the 2015 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is $175 million. To learn more, visit imb.org/offering.

By Wanda S. Lee
Executive Director, National WMU

Wanda Lee

Wanda Lee

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In his book Both Feet In, retired missionary Bud Fray references an African proverb that says: “Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.” It’s like testing the temperature of the pool water before you jump in; we stick our toe in first and if it’s too cold we have the option of pulling back. Once we jump in with both feet we are committed … and we better know how to swim!

After serving 28 years among the people of Zimbabwe and South Africa, Bud and his wife, Jane, know firsthand what the Africans mean by this proverb. The Africans’ life experiences taught them to tread cautiously before committing to something. They worshiped many different gods, holding many beliefs that were contrary to the gospel. So when confronted with the truths of the Bible, they hesitated to commit to the One True God of Scripture. Carefully and wisely, missionaries like Bud taught them to weigh all the consequences and then, when they were ready, when they were totally committed to Jesus’ teaching, then put both feet in, knowing there is no turning back. [Read more…]

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DOES YOUR MISSIONS RHETORIC HAVE SUBSTANCE?

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Randy C. Davis

Randy C. Davis

The world is in chaos. Wars rage. Terror perpetrated by evil people has nations on edge. Millions are displaced, and the debate over refugee resettlement is burning white hot. The world’s spiritual soil is as fertile as it ever has been and cries out for a broad spreading of gospel seeds. This world desperately needs Jesus.

Southern Baptists have historically rallied to the moment and responded to the call of Christ to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. However, I believe we as Southern Baptists stand at a crossroads. Either our action will be the substance that validates our calling, or it will be hollow “Great Commission” rhetoric with no action and it will expose the superficiality of our Christianity.

In other words, it is time to put our money where our mouth is. [Read more…]

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IMB NOTES WAYS TO SUPPORT RETURNING MISSIONARIES

Baptist Press

imb-logoRICHMOND, Va. (BP) — With the International Mission Board expecting hundreds of missionaries to leave their positions in the coming months, the board has published a list of ways individuals and churches can support field personnel returning to the U.S.

According to a Q&A posted on the IMB website and updated Nov. 18, at least 600 field personnel and stateside staff members are expected to resign as a result of a voluntary retirement incentive (VRI) offered to all personnel 50 and older with five or more years of service and a subsequent “hand-raising opportunity” for all remaining personnel to indicate a call from God to pursue non-IMB ministry opportunities.

An undated document titled “Ways to Support Your Field Personnel as they Return to the U.S.” recommends that churches form “re-entry teams” to assist returning missionaries with practical services, friendship and prayer. Among the IMB’s suggestions: [Read more…]

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ROC COLLINS ELECTED TBC PRESIDENT

Messengers celebrate heritage of partnership missions, approve new partnership

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Elected as new officers of the Tennessee Baptist Convention were, from left, Michael Crandall, pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, second vice president; James Noble, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Memphis, vice president; and Roc Collins, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, president. — Photo by Corinne Williams

Elected as new officers of the Tennessee Baptist Convention were, from left, Michael Crandall, pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, second vice president; James Noble, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Memphis, vice president; and Roc Collins, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport, president. — Photo by Corinne Williams

MILLINGTON — Messengers to the 141st annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention elected a new slate of officers and celebrated 35 years of partnership missions during the Summit held Nov. 9-11 at First Baptist Church, Millington.

The Summit drew 953 messengers from about 322 churches (unofficial total). Last year’s Summit at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, drew 1,172 messengers. Messengers were welcomed by Mark Luttrell, mayor of Shelby County; Terry Jones, mayor of Millington; and David Leavell, host pastor.

The attendance in Millington exceeded the 926 messengers registered at Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett, three years ago, the last time the annual meeting was held in West Tennessee. “The attendance is a tremendous indicator of the health of where we (the convention) are,” observed Randy C. Davis, executive director/treasurer of the TBC. [Read more…]

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IN PARIS, ‘DEATH, PAIN & TERROR’ MET BY PRAYER, HOPE

by Charles Braddix
Baptist Press

France, Map, French, Paris, Dark, black color, Europe, redPARIS (BP) — Friday the 13th became a day of infamy in Paris after a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris left at least 129 people dead and 350 wounded.

“This has been the worst attack in Paris since World War II,” said Tara Chaney*, an International Mission Board worker in France. “People are in a state of shock and mourning; however, there is also a sense of resolve. Parisians are slowly going about their lives. They want to prove to the terrorists that they have not won.”

IMB officials reported all of their personnel in Paris are safe, although four were at the national stadium that was one of six locations targeted by terrorists. [Read more…]

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FBC MORRISTOWN WELCOMES HELP FROM TENNESSEANS

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Volunteers from First Baptist Church, Morristown, circle to pray for a container of supplies that will be sent to the Holy Land as part of the church’s Harvest of Israel Missions Initiative. The church has sent seven 40-foot containers to Israel over the last four years.

Volunteers from First Baptist Church, Morristown, circle to pray for a container of supplies that will be sent to the Holy Land as part of the church’s Harvest of Israel Missions Initiative. The church has sent seven 40-foot containers to Israel over the last four years.

BRENTWOOD — In September the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention approved a two-year volunteer missions initiative with First Baptist Church, Morristown.

Tennessee Baptist churches and associations are invited to join forces with First Baptist Church for the Harvest of Israel Missions Initiative. A partnership initiative involves the convention partnering with a TBC church to help them with a specific work, said Kim Margrave, volunteer missions specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

“The partnership initiative with First Baptist Church, Morristown, working with the Harvest of Israel Ministry, will give our churches an opportunity to be involved with on-the-ground ministry through the filling of containers that will be shipped to help ministry partners share the gospel,” Margrave said. [Read more…]

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MISSIONARIES MAKE TOUGH DECISION

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Peter & Jennie Stillman

Peter & Jennie Stillman

MOUNT JULIET – Jennie and Peter Stillman, 35-year career missionaries with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, were pre­paring to leave for Tennessee for stateside assignment in September when they received notice in late August that the IMB was going to have to reduce its missionary/staff personnel by 600-800 people.

The first wave of cuts was slated to come from voluntary reti­r­­ement ­incentives for missionaries/staff over the age of 50 who have been with the IMB for at least five years. [Read more…]

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UNION STUDENTS ASSIST ORPHANAGE

Engineering students/profs travel to Honduras to help orphanage become energy efficient

By Nathan Handley
Union University News Office

Union engineering professors, from left, Randy Schwindt and Georg Pingen and senior engineering students Erin Picard and Chris Boccarossa build a rough design of a solar water heater at an orphanage in Honduras.

Union engineering professors, from left, Randy Schwindt and Georg Pingen and senior engineering students Erin Picard and Chris Boccarossa build a rough design of a solar water heater at an orphanage in Honduras.

JACKSON — Union Univer-sity engineering students are using their skills for service. Last month, a team of engineering students and faculty traveled to Honduras to assess the needs of an orphanage.

Randal Schwindt, professor of engineering, said the goal of the trip was to find ways to help the orphanage save money using the skills engineering students learn in class. He said the orphanage, Orphanage Emmanuel, spends most of its funds on electricity, so the main focus of the project was reducing power consumption.

Schwindt said the orphanage spends about $24,000 per month on electricity, and about $13,000 of that is for current consumption. The rest goes to pay fees brought on by changes in the government of Honduras.

“The government made promises that it did not keep, and it is all very political,” Schwindt said. “We aren’t going to be able to fix that, but what we’re trying to do is reduce the costs where we can.” [Read more…]

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IMB Announces Budget Shortfall; 600 to 800 Positions to Be Eliminated

imb-logoBy IMB Staff

Editor’s Note: For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions released by the IMB following this article.

RICHMOND —International Mission Board leaders have outlined a plan to address IMB’s revenue shortfalls and complete a reset of the organization in order to move forward into the future with innovative vision, wise stewardship and high accountability. [Read more…]

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WMU Dedicates Missionary House

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Leaders of the dedication program stand in front of the house. They included, from left, Gary Rickman, director of strategic relationships, Tennessee Baptist Convention; Tammy Saffel, former Tennessee WMU president of Ruston, La.; Candy Phillips, Tennessee WMU executive director; and Bobby Turner, Tennessee WMU president of Knoxville.

Leaders of the dedication program stand in front of the house. They included, from left, Gary Rickman, director of strategic relationships, Tennessee Baptist Convention; Tammy Saffel, former Tennessee WMU president of Ruston, La.; Candy Phillips, Tennessee WMU executive director; and Bobby Turner, Tennessee WMU president of Knoxville.

MOUNT JULIET — Despite “the rough spots” a dream became a reality for Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union on Nov. 1.

It was because of those rough spots that “we knew that God was in this,” said Bobby Turner, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union president, at the dedication of the missionary house built by Tennessee WMU.

She quoted Hebrews 3:4 — “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”

“This was a God-sized task,” said Turner of Knoxville. [Read more…]

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