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

Pastor David Mackens stands outside the current sanctuary of Lone Oak Baptist Church in Cumberland Furnace. Under his leadership the church has grown from about 45 to more than 450. The church is in the process of building a new facility in the nearby Cunningham community of Montgomery County.

CUNNINGHAM — David Mackens is well aware there are not many openings for former Pentecostal pastors in Southern Baptist life.

But nearly 12 years ago, there was an opening at Lone Oak Baptist Church in Cumberland Furnace and Mackens was asked to preach one Sunday. Though he was, indeed, a former Pentecostal pastor, they asked him to come back and serve on an interim basis until the church found a pastor.

Mackens agreed, but made it clear the pastor would not be him. He was wrong. In December of 2007, the church called him as pastor and he accepted. [Read more…]

Pleasant View Baptist in Clarksville revitalized by missions involvement, baptisms, ministries

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Pastor Jerry Jeter stands outside Pleasant View Baptist Church in Clarksville.

CLARKSVILLE — Church revitalization is one of the Five Objectives adopted by Tennessee Baptist messengers at their annual meeting at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood in 2014. [Read more…]