Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
TRENTON — A West Tennessee Baptist pastor who wants small and medium membership churches to have a voice in the denomination is rallying churches to send messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention to be held June 12-13 in Dallas. [Read more…]
David Platt
Posted: Feb. 17, 2017
Written by: Lonnie Wilkey, B&R Editor
ONTARIO, Calif. – David Platt, president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, issued an apology to Southern Baptists on Feb. 15 for the IMB’s involvement in an amicus brief last summer. Platt apologized during a meeting of the Association of State Baptist Publications held in Ontario, Calif. He also apologized to Baptist state convention executive directors during their session on the same day. In May of 2016, the IMB, along with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, signed an amicus brief in support of a mosque to be built in New Jersey. The action, which was done without the knowledge of IMB trustees, led Tennessee pastor Dean Haun of First Baptist Church, Morristown, to resign as a trustee. “I grieve how the amicus brief in the recent mosque case has been so divisive and distracting,” Platt told editors, adding that his purpose in bringing it up “is not to debate religious liberty” but to say he wants the IMB to remain focused on its mission. [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — Record gifts through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions and disaster relief responses were among the top news stories in 2017 throughout the Tennessee Baptist Convention
Tennessee Baptists gave $1,843,511.03 through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions for 2016-17, just barely falling short of the $1.85 million goal. It’s the largest amount in the 115-year history of the GOTM, reflecting a 7.6 percent increase over the previous year. GOTM offerings have increased more than 20 percent in four years.
Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers responded to at least eight different disasters during the year, the most in recent memory. [Read more…]
By Todd Brady
Vice President for University Ministries, Union University
Union University faculty and students attending Summit were, from left, Todd Brady, vice president for university ministries; Alex Williams; J.P Barden; Joe Ball, director of discipleship and ministry; Josh Leamon; Joel Holland; Grant Allen; Andy Mayfield; and Michael Horton.
JACKSON — Driving back to Jackson from this year’s Summit, the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention which took place in Hendersonville, I found myself more encouraged than ever about the future of the state denomination. Although it was a good meeting with good people who were about good work, I was most encouraged by the group of students from Union that accompanied us to the Convention.
This was their first time to attend such an event. While I had spent time with them on our campus in classrooms, hallways and the cafeteria, it was good to share about 24 hours together at the annual meeting of Tennessee Baptists. [Read more…]
By Tim Ellsworth
Union University News Office
Officers for the Tennnessee Baptist Pastors Conference for the coming year are, from left, Scott Parkison, Stevens Street Baptist Church, Cookeville, president-elect; Tim McGehee, Grace Baptist Church, Tullahoma, president; and Daryl Crouch, Green Hill Church, Mount Juliet, secretary-treasurer.
HENDERSONVILLE — A sick church in today’s culture is likely the result of ineffective and ailing leaders and ministers, David Platt said Nov. 13 at the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference.
Platt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, was the final speaker for the conference at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville. He said the Old Testament prophets were addressing not just the sickness of the nation of Israel but their own shortcomings as well.
“It’s time for our hearts to be right before the Lord,” Platt said. [Read more…]
All photos by Corinne Rochotte.
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Another Summit has come and gone. Tennessee Baptists met last week at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, to worship, fellowship, and conduct business. They did all three well.
The convention started off on the right foot with the Sunday night service at First Baptist and an All Nations celebration service at nearby Long Hollow Baptist Church. Bartholomew Orr preached an outstanding message at First Baptist, the first of many good messages throughout the week. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Tennessee Baptist Convention President Steve Freeman, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, delivers the annual president’s address during the Tuesday (Nov. 14) session of Summit.
— Photo by Corinne Rochotte
HENDERSONVILLE — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention overwhelmingly spoke against racism and elected David Leavell, pastor of First Baptist Church, Millington, as president.
The annual meeting, held during The Summit Nov. 12-16 at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, drew 993 messengers from 422 churches. Attendance was down from the 1,228 who attended last year’s sessions in Sevierville but was up from the 984 who registered for the 2015 Summit in Millington. The messenger count did not include messengers from First Baptist Church, Jefferson City. Messengers voted overwhelmingly to not seat the eight messengers from First Baptist which called a woman senior pastor earlier this year (see story). [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
The “Rescue Now” display in the lobby of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville.
HENDERSONVILLE — David Leavell, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Millington, was elected president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention on Nov. 14 during the opening session of the convention’s annual meeting.
Leavell, who served as vice president of the TBC in 2015, was unopposed for the presidency. The session was moderated by current TBC president Steve Freeman, who opened the floor for nominees and conducted the voting via raised ballots.
Leavell currently serves as a director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. He was a member of the 2017 Committee on Resolutions for the Southern Baptist Convention, and is a trustee of New Orleans (La.) Baptist Theological Seminary, where his late father, Landrum P. Leavell II, served as president from 1975-94.
Charles Fowler, of Germantown Baptist Church, nominated Leavell. Fowler announced his plans to nominate Leavell to the B&R earlier this year, and said Leavell is an “excellent preacher and evangelist.” Fowler added, “He has been involved in Baptist life in multiple ways that uniquely qualify him to serve in this role for this season.”
In addition to Leavell, two others were elected as convention officers on Tuesday — Todd Stinnett, vice president and Brian Carmichael, second vice president.
Stinnett, who is currently serving as second Vice President, is the senior pastor at Black Oak Heights Baptist Church in Knoxville, and Carmichael is the senior pastor at Holy Temple Baptist Church in Memphis.
Dean Haun, pastor of First Baptist Church, Morristown, nominated Stinnett, and Michael C. Ellis, Sr., pastor of Impact Church in Memphis, nominated Carmichael. Both were unopposed.
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
TBC Registration Secretary Dan Ferrell, left, speaks with Ellen Di Giosia, right, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, and other church members. Messengers to the annual meeting later upheld a decision by the Committee on Credentials to not seat messengers from FBC. –B&R photo by Lonnie Wilkey
HENDERSONVILLE — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly during the opening session on Nov. 14 to not seat messengers from First Baptist Church, Jefferson City.
First Baptist attempted to register seven messengers, including new pastor Ellen Di Giosia, who has been in the position since Aug. 1.
In mid-October, the TBC’s Committee on Credentials met and agreed that a church with a woman pastor does not fit the definition of a “cooperating church” as defined by convention bylaws. The committee based its decision on Article VI of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 declaring that “the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” [Read more…]
