News

CALIFORNIA PASTORS BEGIN PLANNING FOR SBC ‘22; LITTON PRESENTS THEME

August 19, 2021

By Scott Barkley Baptist Press ANAHEIM — In terms of national influence and Gospel impact, the importance of Southern Baptist work in California cannot be overstated, agreed SBC leaders and pastors from the state gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center on Aug. 17. “Southern Baptists are made up of a lot of different people and this room personifies that,” said SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Ronnie Floyd to approximately

GEN Z WANTS TO SPREAD GOSPEL BY EXAMPLE AND UNDERSTAND OTHERS, STUDY SAYS

August 19, 2021

By Diana Chandler Baptist Press CHICAGO — Gen Z Christians prefer to share their faith by example rather than exhortation, according to a new Barna Research study in conjunction with Alpha USA, an evangelism program popular among many churches including Southern Baptists. More than half of Gen Z Christians, 53 percent, have a very positive view of letting the way they live be the primary witness of their faith to

FBC GALLATIN ADJUSTS MINISTRY AS COVID-19, DELTA VARIANT CASES RISE

August 17, 2021

By Scott Barkley Baptist Press GALLATIN – A week ago, pastor Travis Fleming of First Baptist Church, Gallatin, thought all-digital worship services, recommended masking and strict social distancing were a thing of the past. But after a July 25 baptism service, reports began to trickle in of members testing positive for COVID-19. By Thursday, when several positive cases had been reported at First Baptist, a team consisting of Fleming, deacons,

TENNESCENE: AUG. 11

August 12, 2021

EVENTS The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is sponsoring four Focus discipleship conferences in August: Aug. 19, 6-9 p.m., Faith Baptist Church, Arlington; Aug. 21, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., First Baptist Church, Sevierville; Aug. 26, 6:30-9 p.m., Judson Baptist Church, Nashville; and Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland. The conferences are designed to assist pastors, Sunday School directors, group coordinators and teachers in all age groups to expand their

LASTING LEGACY: TEACHING YOUTH TO LOVE GOD’S WORD

August 12, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] HUNTINGDON — Marge Tucker has no idea how many youth she has taught in Sunday School or led through Bible drills over the past 55 years. “It’s a bunch,” she acknowledged, but then again, it was never about numbers for “Miss Marge” as she is affectionately known at First Baptist Church, Huntingdon. Her main desire and love has been to teach

AMERICANS MOST WANT TO AVOID FEAR AND ANXIETY, GAIN FREEDOM AND SAFETY

August 11, 2021

By Aaron Earls Writer, Lifeway Christian Resources NASHVILLE — After what was a scary year for many, more Americans say they want to avoid fear. According to a study from Nashville-based Lifeway Research, when asked which feeling they seek to avoid the most, 4 in 10 U.S. adults (41 percent) say fear. Far fewer say shame (24 percent) or guilt (22 percent). Around 1 in 10 aren’t sure. Fear topping

DECLINING CHURCH FINDS NEW LIFE AFTER COVID-19

August 11, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] ALCOA — In November of 2020, following a year of challenges caused by COVID-19, the future did not look very bright for East Alcoa Baptist Church. Attendance had dwindled down to eight people and the church was holding regular yard sales to raise money to pay utilities. The church’s Sunday School rooms were filled with items for the yard sales and there

TBC CP GIFTS STILL ON TARGET AFTER NINE MONTHS OF FISCAL YEAR

August 11, 2021

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,833,923 through the Cooperative Program in July. For the first nine months of the 2020-21 fiscal year, Tennessee Baptists have given $26,337,904 through Southern Baptists’ missions and ministry giving channel. The amount is $505,941 or 2 percent more than was given over the same time frame last year and is $87,904 or 0.33 percent above current budget needs. Randy C.

ACP PACKETS AVAILABLE SOON

August 10, 2021

Editor’s Note: This issue contains a report of the leading churches in baptisms and Cooperative Program giving last year. See pages 6-8. These reports are usually printed in late May or early June, but due to coverage of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville this year, we had to delay publishing the reports until now. Keep in mind, the numbers for the 2020 ACP report were lower than normal

TBMB WEBSITE GETS ‘TOTAL OVERHAUL’

August 10, 2021

By David Dawson [email protected] FRANKLIN — Those who are paying attention might have noticed that the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s website has a new look. Actually, even those who aren’t paying close attention probably noticed. It’s kind of hard to miss. With the goal of making the site more user friendly and ascetically pleasing, the TBMB unveiled the redesign last month. “I am excited about offering Tennessee Baptists a website

News

CALIFORNIA PASTORS BEGIN PLANNING FOR SBC ‘22; LITTON PRESENTS THEME

GEN Z WANTS TO SPREAD GOSPEL BY EXAMPLE AND UNDERSTAND OTHERS, STUDY SAYS