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HELP SOUGHT TO COMPLETE COMPENSATION STUDY

February 1, 2016

GuideStone News Office

DALLAS — GuideStone Financial Resources, along with LifeWay Research and Baptist state conventions, including the Tennessee Baptist Convention, has opened the biennial SBC Church Compensation Survey in 2016.

Ministers and church employees are invited to participate in the survey, a resource used by churches of all sizes to determine fair wages and benefits. Survey participants will have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win an iPad®. The survey and complete contest rules are available at GuideStone.org/CompensationSurvey.

The survey’s results will be made available in the early fall, in time for many churches considering their 2017 budgets. The survey is the largest free church compensation study conducted in the United States. The most recent survey results, conducted in 2014, have been visited almost 55,000 times.

“GuideStone works tirelessly to be an advocate for pastors and church staff, ensuring that they are compensated fairly,” said O.S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone Financial Resources.

“The surveys can help churches benchmark their own salary and benefits packages against churches of like size within Southern Baptist life,” he added.

Gary Rickman, ministry coordinator for the TBC, observed that the study can be invaluable for churches as they consider compensation packages for pastors and other staff members.

For the survey to be most effective, however, churches of all sizes need to complete the survey, he urged.

“If churches will spend just a little time to complete this survey, they will have a valuable resource to use when it comes time to determine their own compensation packages,” Rickman said.

Contact GuideStone Financial Resources with any questions or issues. Call toll-free at 1-888-984-8433 Monday–Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CST to speak with a customer relations specialist.

FORMER PASTORS REPORT LACK OF SUPPORT LED TO ABANDONING PASTORATE

February 1, 2016

By Lisa Cannon Green
LifeWay News Office

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No sabbatical. No help with counseling. No clear picture of what’s expected.

Hundreds of former senior pastors say these were the crucial elements missing from the final churches they led before quitting the pastorate.

A recent study by LifeWay Research points to ways churches can encourage pastors to stay in the ministry, said Ed Stetzer, Executive Director of the Nashville-based research organization. [Read more…]

BIVOCATIONAL PASTORS PLAY KEY ROLE: PARROTT

January 5, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

John Parrott

ROGERSVILLE — With a half year under his belt as interim bivocational ministries specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, John Parrott has confirmed what he already knew from his role as a director of missions — bivocational ministers are critical in helping to reach Tennessee Baptists with the gospel.

Statistics show that approximately 65 percent of churches in Tennessee are served by bivocational pastors — men who also hold another job, Parrott said.

Though they have other professions, bivocational ministers are not part-time, stressed Parrott, who retired last year as director of missions for Holston Valley Baptist Association, based in Rogersville. [Read more…]

MINISTERS’ WIVES: SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS

December 19, 2015

By Barney Self
Pastoral Counseling Minister, Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville

Barney Self

A minister’s wife lives in a fishbowl. She is viewed from every angle and in every way. Pressures are brought to bear on her that others can barely imagine. The daily life struggle is to maintain an appearance that is acceptable including make-up, clothing, and hair style. Next, the children have to be presentable and dressed “appropriately” as well and their actions must conform to a standard that is above the rest of the population. Her house must be ready for House and Garden inspection at any point. She must relate to everyone as her best friend even if others are hurtful to her or her husband. She must be willing to pick up any task in the church when there is a need even if it is not in her gifting because she is considered part of the paid staff because her husband is the pastor. If these stressors and pressures were not enough, the Holidays arrive. [Read more…]

WHERE IS JESUS? MINISTERS’ WIVES AND CHRISTMAS

December 17, 2015

By Donna Gaines
Member, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova

Donna Gaines

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And yet for those of us in ministry, it can be stressful, overly busy, and can leave us exhausted as we roll into a new year. How do we prepare for the season in such a way that it doesn’t leave us depleted? How do we prevent our schedules from crowding out the very One we are celebrating?

When our children were small there was a popular character in children’s books by the name of Waldo. It was always a challenge to find him. He was hidden in the midst of very “busy” pictures with a multitude of things taking place. I remember their excitement when with a squeal of delight they let us know they had located him! There he was, hidden in plain sight. [Read more…]

PRODIGALS CHALLENGE FAITH OF EVEN MINISTERS

December 7, 2015

Parents who are ministers, ministers’ wives and children relate their prodigal “journey”

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Parable of the Lost Son, Luke 15: 11-32.

MILLINGTON — A prodigal or child who rebels against the Christian teachings of their parents can bring the strongest Christian to their knees. It is especially difficult for Christians who are ministers or ministers’ wives.

Shame, embarrassment, criticism, and resignations from ministerial positions often ensue.

One child and two parents shared their journeys at “The Good Cup,” a meeting for ministers’ wives held Nov. 9 here as part of the Summit. The Summit is the annual gathering of Tennessee Baptists.

[Read more…]

ARABIC BAPTIST LEADER RAOUF GHATTAS DIES AT AGE 69

November 27, 2015

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

MURFREESBORO — Raouf W. Ghattas, a Tennessee Baptist pastor known for his work in reaching Muslims with the gospel, died Nov. 25 of an apparent heart attack at his home in Murfreesboro.

Raouf W. Ghattas was noted for his love of Muslims and his desire to educate others about Islamic culture and how to share the gospel with Muslims.

Ghattas, 69, was pastor of Arabic Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, a congregation he helped establish in 2011 along with his wife, Carol.

Ghattas was born in Cairo, Egypt to an Evangelical Presbyterian family. He received a degree from Cairo University and immigrated to the United States in 1976. He worked for 12 years as a nuclear engineer. God called him to pastor the Arabic Mission of University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX where he served from 1985-1990. While serving as pastor, he earned both his M.Div. and D. Min. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, completing his doctorate in Muslim Evangelism. [Read more…]

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS CHALLENGE TENNESSEANS

November 18, 2015

Randy C. Davis, executive director/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, recognized new and outgoing officers during the final session of the 2015 Pastors Conference held Nov. 9 at First Baptist Church, Millington. From left are Jim Collier, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, 2017 president-elect; Todd Stinnett, Black Oak Heights Baptist Church, Knoxville, 2016 president; Michael Crandall, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Dyersburg, secretary-treasurer; Steve Gaines, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova outgoing president; and Davis. — Photo by Corinne Williams

MILLINGTON — Focusing on the theme from Isaiah 64:1 of “Rend the Heavens and Come Down,” speakers at the 2015 Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference at First Baptist Church in Millington addressed a number of topics related to revival.
Grant Gaines, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson, emphasized the need for sound doctrine in churches as the basis for revival and for the well-being of believers.

Preaching from I Timothy 1: 3-4, Gaines said if churches are to be healthy, sound teaching must be established and false teaching must be stopped.
A revival of sound teaching, Gaines said, requires the care of church leaders, the rebuke of false teachers, an understanding of false teaching, and order in God’s house.

“If we are going to experience revival, it’s not going to be because we have discovered some new revelation,” Gaines said. “If we are going to experience revival, it’s going to be because we have rediscovered some very ancient revelation.”
Ted Traylor, senior pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., reminded pastors that when they preach the gospel and during times when they struggle, God is their helper. [Read more…]

Would You Pay You What You Pay Your Pastor?

August 25, 2015

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

New Hope Baptist Church in Leakesville, Miss., knew they were overpaying their 20-year-old preacher. He knew it too. At $125 a week, neither was real sure of what they were getting into. However, those sweet people were patient, kind, nurturing, and at every turn looked for ways to take care of their preacher boy and his new bride. For instance, there was the Christmas they gave his wife an oak coffee table and matching end tables, and gave him a Remington 1100 vent ribbed shotgun. Why? Just to tell that young couple, “We love you and appreciate you and your ministry to us.” [Read more…]

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