Featured

DONNA GAINES HONORED AT MINISTERS’ WIVES LUNCHEON

By Shannon Baker Baptist Press BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Donna Gaines was honored with the 2019 Willie Turner Dawson Award during the June 11 Ministers’ Wives Luncheon at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. In presenting the award to Gaines, wife of Bellevue Baptist Church senior pastor Steve Gaines, Mary Cox described what the award represents: “It’s about a woman who has godly character, who has served the

Read More...
Before it Hits the Press

DON’T BE ONE OF “THOSE BAPTISTS”

By Lonnie Wilkey I’ve been a Southern Baptist all my life. I have always taken great pride in being a Southern Baptist. We’re not perfect, by any means, but for the most part, true Southern Baptists believe that the Bible is the infallible, inspired Word of God, that the only way to heaven is through confession of sins, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ and that Jesus died on the

Read More...

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS AFFIRM STANCES ON SEX ABUSE, RACISM

By Baptist Press staff BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — By overwhelming votes, Southern Baptists strengthened their stances against sexual abuse and racism during the opening day of their June 11-12 SBC annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, told messengers after their votes, “I believe this is a very significant moment in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention. And I believe that every

Read More...

ACTEENS: 50 YEARS OF IMPACTING GIRLS FOR CHRIST

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Acteens, the missions education group for girls in grades seven-12, turned 50 years old this year. To kick off the celebration, Woman’s Missionary Union brought together former Acteens to reflect on the past and look to the future on June 7, just prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention which will be held in Birmingham (the

Read More...

CARSON-NEWMAN TRUSTEES ELECT FOWLER AS PRESIDENT

By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] JEFFERSON CITY — Tennessee Baptist pastor Charles A. Fowler was elected June 7 as the 23rd president of Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City. Fowler was the unanimous choice of both the C-N presidential search committee and the board of trustees. He was introduced as president on June 10 during a news conference on the C-N campus. “Our search was deliberate, intentional and process-oriented,” said David Ogle,

Read More...

RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE CHAMPIONSHIPS

University of Memphis baseball coach relies on his faith, develops close bonds with players  By Bill Sorrell Contributing writer, B&R MEMPHIS — On April 3, 2012, Clayton Gant, a senior pitcher at the University of Memphis, heard that his 19-year old brother Stephen Gant, who was going to pitch at Vanderbilt with potential to be a high Major League draft pick, had taken his own life. “I had to counsel

Read More...

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

Adamsville pastor keeps ministering while awaiting transplant  By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] ADAMSVILLE — It took a while, but Chad Ball has learned to say two words that aren’t in the vocabulary of most Southern Baptist pastors, “I can’t.” The 42-year-old pastor of First Baptist Church, Adamsville, was diagnosed in 2006 with FSGS, a leading cause of kidney failure. He further learned that his kidneys had been damaged by undiagnosed high

Read More...

COURAGEOUS ACTION, COURAGEOUS FAITH

Selmer congregation gives property, buildings to sister church after unanimous vote By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] SELMER — Though only 25 years old, Central Baptist Church in Selmer had fallen on hard times in recent years. Attendance had dwindled to less than 10 people and the church knew two years ago that something had to change for the church to survive, said pastor Stephen Davison. The members consulted with the local

Read More...

COURAGEOUS ACTION, COURAGEOUS FAITH

Selmer congregation gives property, buildings to sister church after unanimous vote By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] SELMER — Though only 25 years old, Central Baptist Church in Selmer had fallen on hard times in recent years. Attendance had dwindled to less than 10 people and the church knew two years ago that something had to change for the church to survive, said pastor Stephen Davison. The members consulted with the local

Read More...

‘OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE CHURCH’

Riverview Baptist in Savannah reaches community with ‘Loving God, Loving Others’ event By David Dawson Baptist and Reflector [email protected] SAVANNAH — Allen Guyer, pastor of Riverview Baptist Church, Savannah, believes that a church should be more than just a “holy huddle” that gathers on Sundays. The Riverview members obviously support that notion wholeheartedly. The church recently hosted its second annual “Loving God, Loving Others Day” — a ministry in which

Read More...