Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

PASTOR: NINE STEPS TO RECOVERING YOUR JOY

By Randy C. Davis
TBMB Executive Director

It’s right there in the red letters:  “That my joy may be in you …”

This is a statement of fact made by Jesus Himself, and yet I’ve encountered so many pastors who haven’t experienced joy in a long time. The man behind the pulpit carries both pastoral and personal burdens, and it can be overwhelming. What once was a thrill becomes drudgery, and one day, pastor, you realize you’ve lost your joy. I know the feeling. Been there.

While I was a pastor, I signed articles and letters with the salutation, “It is a joy to be your pastor.” Once, however, the slightest typo slipped through — a single letter — and communicated something completely different: “It is a job to be your pastor.” [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE PASTORS SPOTLIGHTED IN UNION EVENT

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Steve Gaines

Steve Gaines

JACKSON — Four Tennessee Baptist pastors were front and center during the Festival of Preaching held March 8 at Union University.

The festival was held prior to Union’s REF500 Conference on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Festival of Preaching focused on the five central themes of the reformation. 

“Preaching played such a role in the Protestant Reformation,” said Ray Van Neste, director of the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University, which hosted both the Festival of Preaching and REF500. [Read more…]

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NASHVILLE NATIVE PENS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

By David Dawson
Contributing Writer, B&R

170313jim-henry-bookNASHVILLE — As those who have spent their lives in the ministry can attest, the phrase “retired pastor” is often a misnomer, perhaps even an oxymoron.

That is certainly the case for Nashville native and former Tennessee Baptist pastor (Two Rivers Baptist Church, Nashville) Jim Henry.

The former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church, Orlando, Henry definitely hasn’t been sitting around with his feet propped up since his retirement in 2006 — unless it was sitting in airports or vehicles getting to his next assignment.  [Read more…]

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AMERICAN PASTORS ARE OLDER, AND GETTING OLDER, THAN EVER

By Jeff Brumley
Baptist News Global

170310aging-pastors3If you’re noticing a lot of gray in the pulpit at your church these days, you’re not alone. Pastors are getting older.

“The aging of pastors represents a substantial crisis for Protestant churches,” David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, said in remarks included with a report titled “The Aging of America’s Pastors,” released Wednesday. [Read more…]

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BAPTISTS TAKE PART IN TRUMP INAUGURATION

Baptist Press

Evangelist Franklin Graham read from 1 Timothy 1 and 2 at President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. -Screen capture from Fox News

Evangelist Franklin Graham read from 1 Timothy 1 and 2 at President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
-Screen capture from Fox News

WASHINGTON — The participation of at least five Southern Baptist pastors in inaugural activities for President Donald Trump continues a tradition of prayer, Scripture and references to God surrounding presidential inaugurations dating back to George Washington.

Evangelist Franklin Graham read from I Timothy 1 and 2 at President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. [Read more…]

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PRIORITIZE EVANGELISM DESPITE DISTRACTIONS

By Ernest L. Easley
Evangelism Professor, Union University, Jackson

priorities-list-chalkboardA busy pastor recently asked me how to keep the main focus on evangelism while meeting all the other demands and distractions of church life.

Having served as a lead pastor for more than 30 years, I understand that frustration. I sometimes struggled to have any energy or drive left for evangelism after seemingly giving it all toward shepherding the flock.

So how do busy pastors and church leaders keep evangelism a priority with all the challenges and distractions? I have found these four ways helpful: [Read more…]

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FATHER/SON PASTOR TEAM LEADS TRANSITION

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Gene Mims, right, pastor of Judson Baptist Church, Nashville, for the past 11 years is now serving as co-pastor with his son Jeff. The transition officially began in September.

Gene Mims, right, pastor of Judson Baptist Church, Nashville, for the past 11 years is now serving as co-pastor with his son Jeff. The transition officially began in September.

NASHVILLE — For the past 11 years Gene Mims has served as pastor of Judson Baptist Church here.

Mims is still pastor but he’s no longer alone in the task. In September, his son Jeff Mims officially became the church’s co-pastor.

Jeff Mims is no stranger to the Judson family, having served in a variety of roles on the church’s staff since 2007. [Read more…]

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CONFERENCE HONORS ‘UNKNOWN HEROES’

By Tim Ellsworth
Contributing Writer, Baptist and Reflector

Officers of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference are, from left, Derek Smith, pastor, Living Hope Baptist Church, Collierville, secretary/treasurer; Tim McGehee, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president-elect; and Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, president.

Officers of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference are, from left, Derek Smith, pastor, Living Hope Baptist Church, Collierville, secretary/treasurer; Tim McGehee, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president-elect; and Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, president.

SEVIERVILLE — Pastors must guard against ambition and pride if their ministries are to be characterized by faithfulness and not by failure, Paige Patterson told pastors attending the 2016 Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference Nov. 14.

“The Lord is serious about this business of ministry,” said Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. “We need to make up our minds now that to the end we’ll be faithful to the Lord.” [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE BAPTIST MISSION BOARD

Messengers approve new name for Executive Board, elect Freeman

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

New officers of the Tennessee Baptist Convention are, from left, Todd Stinnett, pastor, Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville, second vice president; Steve Freeman, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, president; and Michael Crandall, pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, vice president.

New officers of the Tennessee Baptist Convention are, from left, Todd Stinnett, pastor, Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville, second vice president; Steve Freeman, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, president; and Michael Crandall, pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, vice president. -Photos by Corinne Williams

SEVIERVILLE — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention approved a new name for the Executive Board and elected Springfield pastor Steve Freeman as their new president.

The two actions were among many that took place during Summit: The Gathering of Tennessee Baptists held Nov. 13-17 at the Sevierville Convention Center.

The final unofficial registration tallied 1,211 registered messengers from 503 churches throughout the state. The numbers do not reflect the total number of people who attended various sessions. On Nov. 13, there was an estimated 2,000-plus people who attended the worship service led by Steve Gaines (see story here) and a concurrent Hispanic worship service.

Registration exceeded the 953 messengers from 322 churches who attended last year’s Summit in Millington and the 1,172 messengers who attended Summit in 2014 in Brentwood. [Read more…]

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MCGEHEE NEW PRESIDENT-ELECT OF TENNESSEE PASTORS CONFERENCE

Baptist and Reflector

Officers of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference are, from left, Derek Smith, pastor, Living Hope Baptist Church, Collierville, secretary/treasurer; Tim McGehee, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president-elect; and Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, president.

Officers of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference are, from left, Derek Smith, pastor, Living Hope Baptist Church, Collierville, secretary/treasurer; Tim McGehee, pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president-elect; and Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, president.

SEVIERVILLE — Tim McGehee, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, was elected president-elect of the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference on Nov. 14.

McGehee, who was chosen without opposition, will succeed incoming president Jim Collier, pastor of Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, next year.

McGehee was nominated for the position by David Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville. [Read more…]

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