TBC Church Support Center Archives

NAME CHANGE, FIRES TOP STORIES IN 2016

January 10, 2017

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

View from back of Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg. The church and vehicle were destroyed by wildfires which swept through Sevier County on Nov. 28.

BRENTWOOD — There was no shortage of news in the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2016.

The story that garnered the most national attention occurred Nov. 28 when fires swept across Sevier County, primarily in Gatlinburg, leaving 14 people dead, injuring at least 160 others, and damaging or destroying 2,400 structures including three Tennessee Baptist churches in Gatlinburg — Roaring Fork Baptist Church, Banner Baptist Church, and First Baptist Church.

After the fires, hundreds of Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR) volunteers provided assistance. Volunteers have done everything from providing hot meals and sack lunches to clearing charred trees off property and some demolition to sifting through ashes and debris in hopes of finding a family heirloom or simply an item with only sentimental value. [Read more…]

CHURCH SUPPORT CENTER ON TARGET

August 25, 2016

Construction is underway on the Church Support Center in Franklin. The new building, which will house the offices of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, is slated to be completed by the middle of April 2017.
Members of the Tennessee Baptist Convention staff provide refreshments to construction workers on site at the Church Support Center. (1 of 2)
Members of the Tennessee Baptist Convention staff provide refreshments to construction workers on site at the Church Support Center. (2 of 2)
Construction is progressing on the Church Support Center. Plans are for convention staff to move from rented space in Brentwood to the new facility during the first week of May 2017.

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — The Tennessee Baptist Convention’s new Church Support Center is well on its way to becoming reality.

Construction on the Church Support Center began soon after ground was broken on April 23 for the new facility, located just south of Franklin off I-65 on a former farm owned by the Berry family of Franklin for about 100 years. [Read more…]

TBC CHURCH SUPPORT CENTER GROUNDBREAKING

April 27, 2016

Baptists from across the state gathered April 23, 2016 for the official groundbreaking of the new Church Support Center that will serve as the offices of the Executive Board Ministries of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. More than 270 people attended the event that included dozens of children who participated in the ceremony and represented the “Next Generation” of Tennessee Baptists. The following series of photos are a sampling of the day’s event.

The groundbreaking at the Berry Farms location was a historic event. It has been nearly 50 years since Tennessee Baptists have broken ground on such a project as the new Church Support Center.
More than 275 people attended the groundbreaking for the Church Support Center.
Randy C. Davis, executive director/treasurer of the Executive Board, reminded those gathered that the Church Support Center is to be a location from where Tennessee Baptists and Tennessee Baptist churches will be served.
Roc Collins, pastor of Indian Springs Baptist, Kingsport, and current president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, addressed those gathered for the groundbreaking, sharing that he was excited about what "God was going to do in the future" through Tennessee Baptists.
Tim Bearden, director of Linden Valley Conference Center, pours soil from one of the bags gathered from across the state. More than 175 bags containing Tennessee soil were collected to represent Tennessee Baptist churches and associations, and served as a symbol that the future Church Support Center is intended to serve all Tennesseans.
Steve Holt of the Executive Board Ministries hangs bags as they arrive. The bags contained soil gathered from opposite ends of the state and everywhere in between.
Some of the Executive Boards longest-tenured employees take a turn "breaking ground" during the ceremony. There were several "waves" of ground breakers, including the newest employees and children under 16, representing the next generation of Tennessee Baptists.
Dr. James Porch, former executive director/treasurer of the Executive Board, shared a few words of encouragement. The journey to sell the former property and relocate began as an idea under Porch's tenure and he expressed how delighted he was to see that dream become a reality.
Churches sent their bags of soil to mix with others from across the state. Some, like this bag brought from FBC Tullahoma by Andy Stallings, minister of education/administration. were decorated by children in the church.
Dr. Samuel W. "Dub" Oliver, president of Union University (Jackson), deposits soil from the campus to mix with soil brought from churches across the state.
It wasn't just a great day for a formal ground breaking. It was also a great for kids to play in the dirt prior to the ceremony.
More than 175 bags of soil from churches and associations from across Tennessee were sent or brought to mix together. The mixing of the soil represented that the new Church Support Center belongs to all Tennessee Baptists.
Church Support Center Groundbreaking, Berry Farms, April 23, 2016.

TENNESSEE BAPTISTS BREAK GROUND

April 26, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Phil Lovelace, pastor of Allen Baptist Church, Brownsville, reads the names of churches and associations that sent bags of soil for the groundbreaking of the Church Support Center, held April 23 in Franklin. – Photo by Chris Turner

FRANKLIN – Approximately 275 Tennessee Baptists from every geographical area of the state gathered April 23 to break ground for the new Church Support Center.

The event featured soil from churches and associations statewide, including Sinking Creek Baptist Church, the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s oldest church.

The soil from more than 170 locations “is a single reminder that we serve a great state and a host of wonderful churches,” said Randy C. Davis, executive director of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

The Church Support Center will house the offices of the TBC’s Executive Board that have been located in rented office space since 2014. The former building, located at 5001 Maryland Way in Brentwood, was sold in late 2013.

The new location is just off I-65, south of Franklin on a former farm owned by the Berry family of Franklin for about 100 years. Davis noted that the site is located about 35 miles from the geographical center of Tennessee. [Read more…]

GROUNDBREAKING SLATED FOR SATURDAY

April 21, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Groundbreaking for the Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Board’s Church Support Center will be held Saturday, April 23, on the new site in Berry Farms, south of Franklin at 2 p.m.

“The Church Support Center groundbreaking/worship ceremony will be both exciting and historic,” said Randy C. Davis, TBC executive director/treasurer.

Davis observed that two elements of the event “will speak symbolically to our mission.” Children are encouraged to attend the event with their parents and will be involved. “We must passionately focus on reaching the youngest generation with the gospel,” Davis said. [Read more…]

CHURCH SUPPORT CENTER GROUNDBREAKING SET

March 29, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Groundbreaking for the Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Board’s Church Support Center will be held Saturday, April 23, on the new site in Berry Farms, south of Franklin.

Executive Board offices have been housed in the LifePoint Building in Brentwood following the sale of the former Baptist Center in 2013.

“The Church Support Center groundbreaking/worship ceremony will be both exciting and historic,” said Randy C. Davis, TBC executive director/treasurer. [Read more…]

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