Messengers united on task force, elections, budget By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, B&R [email protected] BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention messengers overwhelmingly approved a recommendation from directors of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board to establish a sexual abuse task force, elected new officers and approved changes to the convention’s Constitution and Bylaws. Four recommendations were approved regarding the Constitution and Bylaws, but two of those must be approved again next year by

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] FRANKLIN — Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, often says, “Any way you slice it, Tennessee is a mission field.” Truer words could not be said about the growth of ethnic ministry in Tennessee over the past decade. The world is moving rapidly to the Volunteer State and William Burton, new churches team leader and

Tennessee pastors Travis Henderson and Scott Brown elected as vice presidents Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention elected Lexington pastor Clay Hallmark as president of the convention Nov. 16 at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood. Hallmark was elected without opposition for the office. David Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville, nominated Hallmark, a director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, for

By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention messengers overwhelmingly approved a recommendation from directors of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board to establish a sexual abuse task force. The action occurred during the opening session of the TBC annual meeting Nov. 16 at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood. When the session convened, there were 938 registered messengers from 450 churches. The TBMB recommendation came at the request of TBC President

Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — Officers for the 2022 Tennessee Pastors Conference were elected during the afternoon session of the 2021 conference on Nov. 15 at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood. Derek Smith, pastor of Living Hope Baptist Church, Clarksville, and president-elect this past year, will become president, succeeding Corey Cain, pastor of First Baptist Church, Seymour. Chattanooga pastor Ternae Jordan of Mount Canaan Baptist Church was elected president-elect. He will

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Wayne Causey, associate pastor of music and worship at Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville, has been chosen as the recipient of the annual Paul B. Clark Church Music Ministry Award. The award is presented by the Tennessee Baptist Church Music Conference to recognize individuals who exemplify outstanding, courageous leadership through their commitment, influence and contributions to the ministry through music in the local church, said

By Tom Strode Baptist Press MARYVILLE — Pregnancy Resource Center in Maryville held the first dedication ceremony Oct. 21 for an ultrasound machine placed as the result of a partnership between the Psalm 139 Project and the state of Tennessee. The Psalm 139 Project, a ministry of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), received a grant of $182,900 from the state this year to place seven ultrasound