News

DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS PREPARE FOR RESPONSE TO HURRICANE IDA

By Carrie Brown McWhorter The Baptist Paper PORT FOURCHON, La — Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams in several states are on alert for likely deployment in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm. Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, La., around noon Sunday as a high-end Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The strong winds downed trees and

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ARDMORE CHURCH JOURNEYS FROM COVID-19 TO CHAOS TO SALVATIONS

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] ARDMORE — A small country church “in the middle of nowhere” is doing quite well as it continues to rebound from an off year due to COVID-19, says pastor Michael Cothren of Kelly’s Creek Baptist Church. This summer, Kelly’s Creek held camps for youth and children and the result was 11 decisions for Christ at camp and three more who made decisions

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PREGNANCY CRISIS CENTER DIRECTOR HAS PASSION FOR MINISTRY

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] MORRISTOWN — Lanette Breeden was a stay-at-home mom with a small child and a baby on the way when she became a volunteer at the Pregnancy Crisis Center in Morristown. Two years later, she became interim director and within a few months, she was the director. Twenty years later, Breeden is as passionate about the ministry to help mothers with unplanned pregnancies

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LIFEWAY TRUSTEES HEAR STRATEGY FOR NEXT ERA OF MINISTRY

By Aaron Earls Writer, Lifeway Christian Resources NASHVILLE — In the first in-person trustee meeting since February 2020, Lifeway Christian Resources president and CEO Ben Mandrell shared the three-pronged strategy for the next phase of Lifeway’s ministry. “God is calling us to embrace a new season,” Mandrell said. “I believe Lifeway has great days ahead as we push forward into the future with confidence.” Mandrell said the first two years of his presidency were about narrowing the focus of the organization. “Lifeway must

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FACING THE FUTURE

BCM leaders cautiously optimistic about ‘returning to normal’ for 2021-22 year By David Dawson [email protected] FRANKLIN — Given all that they’ve been through over the past 18 months, Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) leaders are beginning to think that strange is the new normal.  Last fall, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, BCM leaders were sent scrambling when most college campuses became almost desolate. Classes were mostly held in online

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TENNESCENE: AUG. 25

LEADERS Kenny Bruce, pastor emeritus of Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis, will write the Bible Studies for Life commentaries for the Baptist and Reflector during the Sept.-Nov. quarter. Bruce is a graduate of Mississipppi State University, Starkville, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned a master’s degree and a doctor of ministry degree. Before being called into the ministry, he attended law school for two years.

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LEE SHOWED LOVE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Legendary Tennessee pastor was known to send letters of encouragement  By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] TULLAHOMA — Most Southern Baptists have heard of Robert G. Lee, the longtime former pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis.  He was a past president of both the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention and may be best known for his sermon, “Payday Someday.” Not many people, however, may

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EDUCATORS HONOR JIM GUENTHER WITH CHARLES D. JOHNSON AWARD

Baptist and Reflector NASHVILLE — The International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities honored Nashville attorney Jim Guenther during its annual meeting in June at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss., with its highest honor — the Charles D. Johnson Distinguished Educator Award. The award recognizes significant contributions to Christian higher education and the IABCU and its member institutions, said Pat Taylor, retired president of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar,

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PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF SOUTHERN BAPTISTS

Nashville attorney has spent lifetime helping entities preserve stewardship integrity By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] FRANKLIN — Mention the name Jim Guenther to any Southern Baptist who sits on the pew of an average Southern Baptist church across the nation and you will probably get a blank look. Few people know the name of the Nashville attorney who has spent the better part of seven decades protecting

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TENNESSEE DR TO PROVIDE FLOOD RELIEF

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] WAVERLY — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has set up an incident command post, recovery, chaplains and shower trailer at Trace Creek Baptist Church in New Johnsonville to assist flood victims in Humphreys County while First Baptist Church, Waverly, and other congregations also are responding to those devastated by the flooding that occurred over the weekend.  More than 17 inches of rain fell in

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TENNESCENE: AUG. 25

LEADERS Kenny Bruce, pastor emeritus of Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis, will write the Bible Studies for Life commentaries for the Baptist and Reflector during

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