Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
January 11, 2019
Parsons church experiences revitalization one year after fire destroys sanctuary By Lonnie Wilkey lwilkey@tnbaptist.org PARSONS — As the first anniversary of the fire that destroyed the building of Bear Creek Baptist Church in Parsons approaches, the memory of Jan. 21 is still vivid in the mind of pastor Adam Wood, down to the exact minutes. […]
January 11, 2019
By Lonnie Wilkey lwilkey@tnbaptist.org DOVER — Three distinct Baptist associations voted during their annual meetings to become JST Baptist Association. For nearly 20 years, Judson Baptist Association, Stewart Baptist Association and Truett Baptist Association have been linked together by sharing one director of missions. William Gray served all three associations as DOM until two years […]
January 9, 2019
By Lonnie Wilkey lwilkey@tnbaptist.org LAFAYETTE — Though the front entrance door and windows were shot out of Calvary Baptist Church on Friday night, Jan. 4, and bullet holes remain inside the church, services went on as usual on Sunday, Jan. 6. Attendance was slightly below the normal average attendance of between 140-150 people each week, […]
January 8, 2019
Analytics of the B&R website reveal these stories to have received the most clicks in the past 12 months 1-5. RESIGNATION, TERMINATION OF PROMINENT SBC LEADERS MAKE UP TOP-5 STORIES OF 2018 Frank Page’s resignation as president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee in late March and Paige Patterson’s termination […]
January 8, 2019
It has been my privilege to serve the Lord in ministry for 69 years. During that time, I have mentored preachers, taught preachers, served with preachers, assisted preachers and loved preachers. It is my conviction that Todd Brady is absolutely “right on” in his estimation of the young preachers of today (see column in Dec. […]
January 8, 2019
Five Objectives progress, anniversaries top news of 2018 By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector lwilkey@tnbaptist.org FRANKLIN — Statistics indicating that the convention-adopted Five Objectives are having an impact in Tennessee, along with significant anniversaries of Tennessee Baptist Mission Board ministries, were among the top stories in the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2018. In addition, […]
December 31, 2018
By Jessica Tate Grainger Today BLAINE — Mouth of Richland Baptist Church in Blaine celebrated its 230th anniversary with a homecoming celebration on Oct. 28. The church opened in 1788, eight years before the establishment of the state of Tennessee and Grainger County in 1796. It was the first Baptist church in Grainger County and […]
December 28, 2018
TBMB retiree Tim Bearden excitedly prepares for the ‘next chapter’ of his life By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector lwilkey@tnbaptist.org LINDEN — Longtime Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member Tim Bearden has had a love for Christian camps since his early childhood in Georgia, growing up in a preacher’s home. “There never was a […]
December 26, 2018
Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD – Paul Clark Jr., retired director of worship and music ministries for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, died Dec. 24 after a long illness. Clark served on the TBMB staff from 2000 until his retirement in 2016 after suffering a stroke in November of 2015. During his tenure with the TBMB, […]
December 26, 2018
FBC, Andersonville, supports both CP and a missionary couple Editor’s Note: Churches all across Tennessee and around the nation are in the process of collecting the annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Read how a Tennessee church meets the needs of a missionary couple while continuing to give more than 10 percent of […]
December 21, 2018
By Bill Sorrell B&R contributing writer McKENZIE — On his cleats Sam Castronova wrote a soul message. “I try to carry myself the right way,” said Castronova, a record-setting quarterback at Bethel University. “I started writing AO1 on my cleats. I got it from (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback) Carson Wentz. I’m playing for an Audience of […]
December 21, 2018
By David Dawson Baptist and Reflector ddawson@tnbaptist.org HOHENWALD — Since his arrival at First Baptist Church, Hohenwald, roughly five years ago, pastor Bert Spann said he has seen the church undergo a change in culture. And it started with a change of clothes. Before Spann’s arrival, FBC had essentially been operating as a white-collar church […]