Featured

FUTURE BRIGHT FOR IMB, PREDICTS SCOTT HARRIS

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — As Scott Harris enters his eighth and final year as a trustee of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, he has witnessed a lot of change. He became a trustee in 2009 just after the economy had bottomed out. He has served with three different presidents (Jerry Rankin, Tom Elliff, and David Platt) in addition to Clyde Meador who served

Read More...

HOPE BEYOND THE RAZOR WIRE

By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBC DANDRIDGE — It is a familiar routine. First there is the sizzling sound of an obnoxious buzzer, then the sudden firing of a heavy deadbolt that unlocks the gray steel door separating freedom from incarceration. The closing slam reverberates down the gray cinderblock hall sending an authoritative reminder that freedom is not an option. Freedom was forfeited three felonies ago. Buzz. Fire. Open.

Read More...

STATE DR, OTHERS RESPOND TO LOUISIANA FLOODING

UPDATED 8/22/16 By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector MOUNT JULIET — Two Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief shower trailer units are serving flood victims in Louisiana and Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams who are willing to do mud out are needed, said Wes Jones, director of Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief. Also, assessors and chaplain units are needed, added Jones. If the mud out or flood recovery teams have

Read More...

SHARING JESUS CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector CLARKRANGE — When it comes to sharing the love of Jesus Christ in the marketplace, Robby Cardwell has done it — literally. What’s more, he has done it in one of the largest marketplaces in the nation (and maybe the world) — the (Highway) 127 Yard Sale. The 127 Yard Sale is billed as “The World’s Longest Yard Sale” (according to its own

Read More...

TENNESSEE BAPTISTS PREPARE TO HELP IN LOUISIANA

TN Baptist Disaster Relief Slow-moving storms are causing record flooding and significant damage as they move across South Louisiana. Thousands of residents have evacuated, at least three people have died and there is significant property damage and loss to more than 50,000 homes. At least three interstates are closed by the flooding of the Amite River and much of Louisiana State University’s campus is covered by water. The rising water

Read More...

CAPTIONING FOR THE HARD OF HEARING

CHATTANOOGA — “Now we’re offering ‘writing on the wall,’” said David Harrison, somewhat facetiously, referring both to the time God did just that  (see Daniel 5) and to captioning for hard of hearing people. “It’s incredible.” Recently The Access Church premiered captioning of its Sunday morning worship service, Harrison reported. The use of the technology is rare, certainly in churches, said Harrison. Captioning is mostly available at the University of

Read More...

CHALLENGES ABOUND IN RIO

Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Sid Hopkins is an eye-catching sight when he visits the Olympics. The retired director of missions for the Atlanta-area Gwinnett Metro Baptist Association dons a hat and vest decorated with hundreds of pins that people aren’t bashful about inspecting. Hopkins trades pins with other Olympics fans while distributing pins made especially for the Olympics that tell the story of Jesus. “There is an

Read More...

ENGAGE POKÉMON GO PLAYERS: MINISTERS

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — Jay Barbier, minister of high school students, First Baptist Church, Millington, is from South Louisiana, so when one of his students offered to “drop a lure” his first thought was fishing. Then the young man and Joseph Brasher, minister of education at the church, said they needed some bottled water to give away to Pokémon Go players. Barbier admitted

Read More...

MINISTRY MEETS HUNGER NEEDS

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector ROGERSVILLE — Hunger is a reality across the United States and Tennessee is no different. Some people view hunger, however, as a need found only in the larger cities in the state. That’s simply not true. According to Feeding America, one in six people in Tennessee struggles with hunger. In the state there are 1,103,580 “food insecure” people. The food insecurity rate for

Read More...

AMERICANS PREFER TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS RATHER THAN GOD

By Bob Smietana LifeWay Research NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Politics trumps God for most Americans when it comes to conversations with their friends. Six in 10 Americans are more comfortable talking about politics than their spiritual beliefs. And most say they aren’t interested in having more spiritual conversations. By contrast, evangelical Christians prefer talking about God over politics by a 2-to-1 margin. Those are among the findings of an online survey of 1,004

Read More...