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C-N STUDENTS SHARE HOPE ON GENSEND TRIP

JEFFERSON CITY — Life changing. That’s how Carson-Newman University senior Keaton Hubbs describes her recent mission trip to Denver, Colo., with six other Carson-Newman students. The December trip allowed the group to work with unhoused and refugee communities, as well as receive poverty relief training from North American Mission Board’s GenSend missionaries. GenSend gives college-age students a chance to be on mission within one of the North American Mission Board’s

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PHONE CALL FROM PASTOR LEADS TO 50-YEAR MINISTRY

HARRIMAN — Ted Taylor was a relatively new member of Trenton Street Baptist Church in 1972 when his pastor, John Shepherd, called him and asked if he could use his talents to design the bulletin and church newsletter due to the absence of the church secretary. Taylor, who has a degree in commercial art, went to the church from his office at The Harriman Record where he served as advertising

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BLUE OVAL CITY – A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

In Acts 16, the Apostle Paul received a vision from the Lord that was the beginning of a movement of God that literally changed the world.  In verses 9-10 of that chapter, we read: “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought

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TENNESSEE BAPTIST DR TO PROVIDE AID FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKES

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief is partnering with sister organizations of the field to bring help, hope and healing to people affected by multiple, massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, according to Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. More than 22,000 are dead following two major earthquakes that rocked southern Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6. Thousands are injured and millions of people

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BOONES CREEK HONORS VET ON 100TH BIRTHDAY

JOHNSON CITY — Retired pastor Julian E. Hodges, a member of Boones Creek Baptist Church, Johnson City, is in rare company. Not only did he turn 100 years old on Feb. 5, Hodges is one of a very small minority of Navy veterans who survived the Battle of Midway during World War II when the U.S.S. Yorktown was struck by enemy torpedoes and later sank. Hodges was one of two

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VOCATIONAL EVANGELISTS SEE UPTICK AFTER COVID-19

JOHNSON CITY — Tennessee Baptist vocational evangelists agree they have had to be more creative than normal since the onset of COVID-19 three years ago. Leaders of the Fellowship of Tennessee Baptist Evangelists (Phil Glisson of Memphis and Skip Youngcourt of New Johnsonville, along  with Keith Cook of Springfield, president of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists) met with the Baptist and Reflector to discuss the state of vocational evangelism

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ORR: HOLISTIC APPROACH NEEDED AFTER NICHOLS’ DEATH

MEMPHIS — The swift criminal indictment of five police officers and the release of camera footage after the death of Tyre Nichols are positive steps toward transparency in policing, Southern Baptist pastor Bartholomew Orr told Baptist Press after meeting with local and federal officials. But preventing police brutality and achieving widespread reform will require a holistic approach that addresses the many facets of such evil, said Orr, senior pastor of

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EVANGELISM CONFERENCE RECAP: PRAYER, UNITY, URGENCY AT FOREFRONT OF EVENT

MURFREESBORO — Without even looking at attendance figures or reading through response surveys, Roc Collins confidently said that the 2023 State Evangelism Conference was an effective event. He based his assessment on one simple fact: “It was a great success because you could not leave the conference without being challenged in the area of evangelism and winning the lost for Jesus,” said Collins, the director of evangelism and strategic objectives

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GROWTH AND MOMENTUM HIGHLIGHT LIFEWAY TRUSTEE MEETING

ORLANDO, Fla. — In their first meeting of 2023, the Lifeway Christian Resources Board of Trustees heard how the organization plans to leverage recent growth momentum and better serve the church in coming years. During the January 30-31 meeting, key leaders at Lifeway shared encouraging financial news and updates on new and upcoming ministry initiatives. Southern Baptist Convention president Bart Barber participated in the biannual meeting and expressed gratitude to

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THE GREAT COMMISSION AND THE CHURCHES OF WEST TENNESSEE

According to the latest reports, more than 12 percent of Tennessee Baptist churches are without a pastor. That is about 400 churches. Among the pastors we do have, the average age is increasing dramatically because fewer and fewer young men are entering the ministry, and men who are ready to retire must be pressed back into service.  Our rural churches are particularly hard hit. Many of the people of God

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