Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
November 7, 2024
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist & ReflectorNEWPORT — Presenting a fall festival for residents of Sevier County has become a tradition at First Baptist Church in Sevierville. The event usually draws between 12,000-13,000 people over four nights, said Craig Mintz, Grow and Go pastor at First Baptist. “We do it up big,” he said. The festival […]
November 6, 2024
By David Dawson Communications specialist, TBMBBRENTWOOD — Greg McCoy’s use of the word “historic” isn’t hyperbole. It’s factual. When Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes recently received a three-million dollar donation from Bill Yeaman as part of the Sumpter Yeaman Charitable Foundation, it marked the largest living-donor gift in the 133-year history of the organization. “We were […]
November 5, 2024
By Baptist and ReflectorSEVIERVILLE — East Tennessee Baptist Association director of missions Mike Hensley will be nominated as second vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Dan Spencer, pastor of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, notified the Baptist and Reflector on Nov. 2 of his intentions to nominate Hensley. “Mike Hensley brings to the table decades […]
November 5, 2024
By Baptist and ReflectorFRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $3,108,755 through the Cooperative Program in October. The 2023-24 CP budget year ended Oct. 31. Tennessee Baptists gave $34,772,896 during the year. The amount is $301,794 or 0.9 percent more than was given in 2022-23. This year’s gifts were $227,104 or 0.65 percent below budget […]
November 5, 2024
By David Dawson ddawson@tnbaptist.org STANTON — Although the Ford Motor Company is slowing down its production schedule at BlueOval City, there are no plans to pump the brakes on the evangelism efforts in that region. In fact, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and its partnering local churches say they plan to keep surging in West […]
November 4, 2024
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist & ReflectorELIZABETHTON — It’s been more than a month since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in northeast Tennessee but Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are still on the job. The TBDR incident command post that was previously at First Baptist Church in Dandridge transitioned two weeks ago to Grace Baptist Church, Elizabethton. […]
October 31, 2024
By Marissa Postell SullivanBaptist PressBRENTWOOD — It was the last night of a week of FUGE Camps in Mobile, Alabama, and groups were gearing up for Mega Relay – a high-energy relay race that involves everyone at camp and serves as the iconic close to each FUGE Camps session of the summer. As teams gathered […]
October 29, 2024
By Baptist and ReflectorMURFREESBORO — Middle Tennessee State University experienced a day on campus on Monday, Oct. 28, that you never want to see happen, said Mark Whitt, collegiate ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. According to Sidelines, MTSU’s student newspaper, a student died by suicide inside the James E. Walker Memorial Library on […]
October 28, 2024
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist & ReflectorELIZABETHTON — It’s been a month since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in northeast Tennessee but Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are still on the job. The TBDR incident command post that was previously at First Baptist Church in Dandridge transitioned last week to Grace Baptist Church, Elizabethton. The command post, […]
October 28, 2024
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist & ReflectorNEWPORT — While hurting people in Cocke County and other counties in northeast Tennessee welcomed Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers, not as much help was needed because members of local churches already were helping each other and their neighbors. “It is amazing what the Lord has done through our churches,” […]
October 24, 2024
By Baptist and ReflectorDANDRIDGE — When Kathy Henry was first approached about being a disaster relief chaplain she was hesitant because she saw it as more of a pastoral role. “I didn’t know if I was equipped to be a chaplain,” she said. After prayer and counsel from her husband Brock (who also is a […]
October 23, 2024
By Chris TurnerCommunications director, Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardLIMESTONE — Craig Ponder’s first impression of the ATV four-wheeler gang congregating in the church’s parking lot was not good. “I thought they were a bunch of tourists coming to check out the flood damage caused by Hurricane Helene,” he said. “I was wrong, and I’ve since apologized. […]