Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
September 23, 2025
By David DawsonManaging editor, Baptist and ReflectorKitchen director, Grace Baptist Church JOHNSON CITY — Keith Davenport is an avid golfer. He plays several times a week, often arriving at the first tee box before most people have had breakfast. Last fall, Davenport found himself setting his alarm clock even earlier than usual. And the early […]
September 23, 2025
By David DawsonManaging editor, Baptist and ReflectorFBC Greeneville partners with churches to reach big goals in short time GREENEVILLE — David Green was planning to be out of town on the final weekend of September last year. Green, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Greeneville, had two weddings on his schedule. Those plans, however, […]
September 23, 2025
September 23, 2025
By Zoë WatkinsCommunications specialistRIENZI, Miss. — When Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and east Tennessee last fall, Brandon Moore felt called to help. The Rienzi farmer and trucking company owner didn’t know his small Mississippi community would rally to donate more than $100,000 worth of supplies. “I saw it was devastating. So I started […]
September 23, 2025
By Chris TurnerEditor, Baptist and ReflectorELIZABETHTON — David Baines walked 50 yards from his home to Grace Baptist Church, driven by curiosity that changed his life. Baines, a retired construction worker, faced a challenge after Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters devastated Elizabethton and surrounding areas. Unable to assist due to selling his equipment, he noticed skid steers […]
September 23, 2025
By David DawsonManaging editor, Baptist and ReflectorGod’s Warehouse responds to storm ‘in its backyard’ MORRISTOWN — Don Owen’s ministry work with Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has sent him all over the map. Last fall, however, the disaster came to him. When Hurricane Helene tore through sections of the South last September, it ravaged large regions […]
September 23, 2025
By Lonnie WilkeyContributing writer, B&RGREENEVILLE — Six families in Greene County whose homes were heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene last September were back in their homes on Thanksgiving Day or shortly thereafter. First Baptist Church, Greeneville, in conjunction with Aidnet of Greene County, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, coordinated a four-day […]
September 23, 2025
By David DawsonManaging editor, Baptist and ReflectorGREENEVILLE — Although the campus of Grace Baptist Church was not directly impacted by Hurricane Helene, the church body certainly has been. Since last September, when storms and flooding tore through the Johnson City area, the Grace Baptist congregation has been fully engaged in the recovery efforts, working together […]
September 23, 2025
By David DawsonManaging editor, Baptist and ReflectorJOHNSON CITY — For decades, Mary Danner never even realized the letters existed. Now they are some of her most cherished possessions. This summer, Danner, who lives in the Johnson City area, received a phone call from Tina Golden, the DR coordinator for the teams serving in Johnson City […]
September 23, 2025
By Katie Linksy Shaw Contributing writer, B&RTennessee Baptist Disaster Relief Coordinators ELIZABETHTON — For Kaye and John Thomas, Hurricane Helene wasn’t just another disaster. Instead, it became their most demanding mission in nearly 30 years with Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR). “It’s taken some creative minds,” Kaye explains, describing their role, from overseeing massive repair […]
September 22, 2025
Baptist and ReflectorHOT SPRINGS, N.C. — When ministry wives traded their familiar routines for hiking boots and backpacks, they discovered more than mountain vistas along the Appalachian Trail. Off the Grid, a ministry within the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is designed to push ministers and their families beyond comfort zones while providing respite. The program […]
September 11, 2025
By Zoë WatkinsCommunications specialistHUMBOLDT —A small Baptist church on the brink of closure experienced a remarkable turnaround after forming an unexpected partnership with a men’s recovery facility. Fruitland Baptist Church was facing the same fate as many rural congregations across the South. With attendance dwindling to mostly members in their 60s, 70s and 80s, church […]