CHATTANOOGA — COVID-19 put a halt to many ministries across Tennessee at all levels, from the local church to the association and the state convention. Prior to COVID, Tina Williams, WMU director for Hamilton County Baptist Association, had accepted the task of bringing the women’s groups in her association together to focus on a missions endeavor they could all embrace. COVID interrupted those plans, she said. Three years later, she

MOHAWK — Concord Baptist Church, Mohawk, celebrated its 200th anniversary on June 11. The church was organized in 1823 with 32 members.   The congregation celebrated its anniversary with 110 worshipers. The ministry of the church was highlighted during the morning service followed by dinner on the grounds.  The church members came dressed in pioneer era clothing to commemorate the bicentennial.   There was also a “Photo Memories Walk” where

LINDEN — Mena Girgis admits that when he went to All Nations Camp for the first time, he was simply looking for a good time.  As it turns out, the Egyptian-born Girgis found something far more important — a personal relationship with the Lord.  Attending All Nations Camp with some of his friends six years ago, Girgis made a profession of faith, and his whole life changed, he said.  “Basically,

FRANKLIN — Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said that he and the others in his travel party were determined to make the most of every minute of their recent trip to war-torn Ukraine. It certainly sounds like they succeeded.   “We didn’t have any down time,” Jones said with a little laugh. “But we never expected to. That wasn’t part of the bargain for

All Nations Camp expands to both Baptist conference centers NEWPORT – For the first time in the history of All Nations Camp, two camps were held, one at each Tennessee Baptist conference center. Two-hundred, ninety-eight children, from elementary age through high school, attended ANC at Carson Springs Baptist Conference earlier in June. Forty-three campers made salvation decisions while 21 recommitted their lives and three were called into full-time Christian service,

MANCHESTER  — The Bonnaroo Music Festival is back to full capacity, and so is the Jesus Tent. Since its beginning in 2002, the Bonnaroo festival has generally attracted an estimated 80,000 to about 100,000 visitors each year to Manchester. The festival was shut down in 2020 due to COVID-19, followed by an abbreviated fall version in 2021. Last year, the event drew about 60,000, far from its normal capacity. This

Today, on this special day when we salute our great nation, the staff at the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board want to wish all of you a happy Independence Day! We are blessed to live in America, and we are thankful for ALL the men and women who have sacrificed so much to provide the freedom that we celebrate today. Faith, family, friends and fireworks — a perfect combination!  

All across our state — and all around the world — children’s lives are being forever changed at Vacation Bible School. The dedication of the VBS volunteers is what drives the ministry, and Becky McCray is a prime example. McCray, who will turn 90 this month, has taught Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church, Dandridge, for 60 years. She is the widow of Bob McCray who served as pastor of

Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, issued a call-out Thursday for teams to respond to the Memphis area, including the Bartlett and Millington areas. “We have over 140 work requests already,” Jones said. The DR teams will be working out of Bellevue Baptist Church. The list of needed volunteer positions includes chaplains, assessors, chain saw teams and heavy equipment operators bucket truck/skid steers. Jones said

FRANKLIN — The future looks bright for Tennessee Baptists, said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. In a video released to Tennessee Baptists on June 28 (click below to view the video), Davis observed that while “we live with cultural uncertainty and uncertainty even with the Southern Baptist Convention, there is good news. “God is on the move in Tennessee and that’s why