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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF VBS

FRANKLIN — Southern Baptists are celebrating an important birthday this year, and a few Tennessee Baptist churches made the most of the occasion.  If fun music, crafts, snacks and lots of energetic kids and adults come to your mind, you are on the right track. Lifeway’s Vacation Bible School is 100 years old this year, and according to Liane Keaton, ministry assistant and VBS director with Sylvia Baptist Church in

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FBC HENDERSONVILLE GIVES $1M-PLUS THROUGH CP IN ONE YEAR

HENDERSONVILLE — First Baptist Church Hendersonville announced Sunday, Aug. 11, that it will be the first church in the state to ever give more than $1 million in one year through the Cooperative Program, to support Southern Baptist missions and ministry around the globe. The special presentation came as the church celebrated the 15th anniversary of their pastor Bruce Chesser. The church presented a check to Randy Davis, executive director

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VBS: EARLY REPORTS ENCOURAGING, MORE NEEDED

FRANKLIN — As summer winds down and students return to school in this month, Vicki Hulsey, childhood specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is hearing good reports from Tennessee Baptist churches regarding Vacation Bible School. “Vacation Bible School continues to be the one week of the year that mobilizes the entire church to reach the community with the gospel, while also providing a unique discipleship experience for children and

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IN THE FRONT DOOR, OUT THE BACK

BRENTWOOD  — Even as the front doors of churches swing wide to welcome new faces to the congregation, the back doors creak open as others make their way out to another church. For some, a residential move caused them to leave the church, but others simply moved to a church across town. A recent study by Lifeway Research found slightly more than half of churchgoers switch churches at least once

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church, structure, construction, sky, building, security

IN THE FRONT DOOR, OUT THE BACK

BRENTWOOD  — Even as the front doors of churches swing wide to welcome new faces to the congregation, the back doors creak open as others make their way out to another church. For some, a residential move caused them to leave the church, but others simply moved to a church across town. A recent study by Lifeway Research found slightly more than half of churchgoers switch churches at least once

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SNAPSHOTS IN TIME: PROMINENT TENNESSEE BAPTISTS: JOHN D. FREEMAN

John D Freeman holds a unique place in the history of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. He is the only man to have served as executive secretary (now director) of the TBC and editor of the Baptist and Reflector. Freeman served as pastor of Belmont Heights Baptist Church in Nashville before being named editor in 1925. He served until 1933 when he was named executive secretary. He held that position until

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THREE TENNESSEANS EARN WMU/CJC SCHOLARSHIPS

FRANKLIN — Tennessee set a new record this year, and Vickie Anderson, executive director-treasurer for Tennessee WMU, couldn’t be more proud of this one.   When this year’s Christian Job Corps Scholarship/Award recipients were announced, the list included three Tennesseans, marking the first time the state has had a trio of recipients in the same year.

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BACKPACK MINISTRY ALREADY IN CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

FRANKLIN — As the calendar turns over this week from July to August and the weather is still hot and humid, Beth Moore is already looking ahead to Christmas. Or, more specifically, the Christmas Backpacks ministry, which provides backpacks filled with toys, clothing, hygiene items, food and other items to children in low-income families. It also serves as a means of outreach and evangelism for participating churches. Moore, compassion ministry

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UTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOW A MUST

FRANKLIN — Social media no longer is confined to Generation Z, the generation born in the late 1990s or early 21st century, and it includes much more than Facebook. What’s more, churches can no longer continue to ignore social media, says Samantha Bligh, events and social media coordinator for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “Social media is one of those unavoidable things today with the way technology has advanced,” Bligh

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TBDR TEAMS CONTINUE BUSY STRETCH IN TEXAS

SPRING, Texas — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were reminded again this week that there is strength in numbers. Joining forces with other volunteers from several different states, a trio of teams from Tennessee was able to assist the recovery process in southeast Texas, where residents are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Beryl. The Tennessee groups included chain saw and heavy equipment teams.  Bill Lowe, disaster relief team

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