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SBC DISFELLOWSHIPS SEVIER COUNTY BAPTIST CHURCH

February 26, 2021

Compiled by B&R staff NASHVILLE — A Southern Baptist Convention church affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the Sevier County Association of Baptists is one of four churches that have been disfellowship by the SBC Executive Committee (EC). Antioch Baptist Church in Sevierville was dropped for employing a pastor who confessed to two counts of statutory rape. Also disfellowship for affirming homosexuality were Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Ga., and St. Matthews Baptist

ROOTED IN GALLATIN, VIRTUAL CHURCH PLANT NOW REACHING THE WORLD

February 25, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] GALLATIN — A year ago, a virtual church plant was unheard of in Tennessee Baptist life. Now, thanks to Hispana Iglesia Bautista Gallatin, the concept is “a new tool in the toolbox,” according to William Burton, church planting specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Hispana Iglesia Bautista was birthed in September last year after Burton had preached earlier in the summer

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APPLICATION PROCESS FOR BHSET GRANTS UNDERWAY

February 25, 2021

Baptist and Reflector KNOXVILLE — Applications are now being received for grants from the Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee Medical Missions Fund. The Baptist Healthcare System of East Tennessee was begun by Tennessee Baptists soon after the end of World War II. More than $2 million was contributed by 800 churches in 32 counties of East Tennessee. The hospital began service on November 30, 1949.

TENNESCENE: FEB. 24

February 25, 2021

LEADERS Michael Julian will write the Bible Studies for Life lessons for Baptist and Reflector for the March-May quarter. A native of North Carolina, Julian is pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, Kenton. He formerly served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Obion. He is a graduate of Mars Hill (N.C.) University and holds a master of divinity degree with an emphasis on pastors and teachers from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,

LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT STARTS WITH ‘PUTTING MISSIONS INTO THE DNA OF NEW BELIEVERS’

February 23, 2021

By Trennis Henderson WMU National Correspondent KNOXVILLE — How can your church start a missions group like Love World to help young women develop a heart for missions? Kim Cruse, a former International Mission Board collegiate church planter in the Philippines, insists the need is urgent. “If you can put missions into the DNA of a new believer or of a young believer early on in their Christian life, they

SAFETY, SECURITY AND SALVATION

February 23, 2021

Love World, Welcome House impact Knoxville, and the world, for Christ By Trennis Henderson WMU National Correspondent KNOXVILLE — How can the crisis of an Iraqi refugee family’s house fire help churches engage young women in missions involvement amid their busy 21st century lives? Several congregations in the Knoxville area are discovering the answer through hands-on interaction with such ministry groups as Love World, Welcome House Knoxville and Knoxville Internationals

GREEAR DECRIES DIVISION, REPUDIATES PHARISAICAL SPIRIT IN SBC EC ADDRESS

February 23, 2021

By Timothy Cockes Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) – Saying the global pandemic didn’t cause the crisis in the Southern Baptist Convention, but revealed “a deeper, more insidious crisis,” SBC President J.D. Greear challenged members of the SBC Executive Committee to “repudiate” a pharisaical spirit and unite for the sake of the Gospel. “The last year has revealed areas of weakness in our beloved convention of churches,” Greear said Monday (Feb.

FLOYD URGES ‘RETURN TO GREAT COMMISSION COOPERATION’ IN VISION 2025 RELAUNCH

February 23, 2021

By Diana Chandler Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) – Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd urged Southern Baptists to return to unified Great Commission cooperation as he lamented “a sound of war in the camp” of Southern Baptists and issued an updated Vision 2025 tonight (Feb. 22) at the EC meeting in Nashville. Before laying out the details of Vision 2025, Floyd urged EC members to put aside pride,

NAMB APPEALS TO SUPREME COURT IN MCRANEY CASE, CLAIMS FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS

February 17, 2021

By Jonathan Howe Baptist Press WASHINGTON — The North American Mission board has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the United States in its ongoing case involving a lawsuit against the board filed by a former Southern Baptist state executive director. The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2017 by Will McRaney, former executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCMD), alleges NAMB had intentionally defamed him

LONG DAYS FOR LEADERS

February 17, 2021

Pastors express ‘decision fatigue’ and ‘ministerial frustration’ as COVID-19 pandemic lingers By Diana Chandler Baptist Press LEXINGTON — For the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Rock Hill Baptist Church in rural west Tennessee was resuming onsite worship. Then, Pastor Richard Bray was exposed to the virus and the church had to transition once again to remote worship while Bray waited weeks for his test results. Bray became a

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SBC DISFELLOWSHIPS SEVIER COUNTY BAPTIST CHURCH

ROOTED IN GALLATIN, VIRTUAL CHURCH PLANT NOW REACHING THE WORLD