News

‘LAKE CHARLES GRIT’ TESTED BY TWO HURRICANES IN WEEKS

By Diana Chandler Baptist Press LAKE CHARLES, La. — Trinity Baptist Church senior pastor Steve James calls it “Lake Charles grit,” an ability to persevere during hardship on top of hardship. “Grit up” is the local rallying cry after Hurricanes Laura and Delta hit western Louisiana just weeks apart. “We had one hand tied behind our back, and now somebody blindsided us,” James said on Oct. 12 after Hurricane Delta,

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SBTS TRUSTEES RETAIN BUILDING NAMES, ADDRESS HISTORY, ESTABLISH $5 MILLION SCHOLARSHIP FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS

By Jeff Robinson LOUISVILLE, Ky. —  In their annual fall meeting, trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary unanimously voted not to remove the names of the school’s founders from several campus buildings, but embraced steps to lament the institution’s racial history and provide up to $5 million in scholarships for African American students over the next few years. Meeting today, Seminary trustees responded to a call from several individuals

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LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING TOTAL EXCEEDS GOAL AT $159.5M

By Leslie Peacock Caldwell Baptist Press RICHMOND, Va. — The International Mission Board is reporting a 2019-20 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering total of $159.5 million, the second highest offering in history. This total exceeds by $4.5 million the 175-year-old organization’s budgeted goal of $155 million. IMB also received $97.2 million from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program for 2019-20. “I’m thrilled to report that the Lottie offering is growing again,”

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TRUSTEES: NAMB CELEBRATES OFFERING, PASSES REDUCED BUDGET, LOOKS TO 2021

By Mike Ebert Baptist Press ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Trustees of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) gathered Oct. 5-6 to celebrate God’s provision and Southern Baptist faithfulness during a year marked by a pandemic, economic uncertainty and social unrest. Most trustees attended the meeting in person with social distancing at NAMB’s building in Alpharetta while some participated online. At the group’s Monday evening celebration dinner, NAMB president Kevin Ezell noted

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MASK OR NO MASK? IT’S NOT AN ISSUE AT OAK VALLEY BAPTIST

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, B&R [email protected]  FRANKLIN — As the debate in the nation continues over wearing masks or not wearing masks, it has not been an issue for Oak Valley Baptist Church in Franklin. While many churches hold both traditional and contemporary worship services, Oak Valley decided to hold mask or no mask (optional) services, said pastor Jerry Winfield. He noted that when the church returned to live services

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NEW TBMB 317 MINISTRY TRAINING INSTITUTE WILL EQUIP, ASSIST LEADERS

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, B&R [email protected] FRANKLIN — The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is initiating the 317 Ministry Training Institute to provide a centralized repository of ministry training resources to assist pastors and other church leaders achieve their goals of being fully equipped for effective service. “For the last 10 years, I’ve listened to hundreds of pastors and ministry leaders as they have shared a desire to have access to

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TENNESCENE: OCT. 7

LEADERS James Hickey, director of missions for Union Baptist Association, Sparta, has resigned after serving in the position for just over five years. Prior to service in Union, he served as pastor of East Commerce Baptist Church in Lewisburg for 26 years, where he retired in 2012, after 44 years in ministry.  Other Tennessee churches in which he served include First Baptist Church, Benton; Saulsbury Baptist Church, Saulsbury; and Shiloh

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SHEPHERDS TO SHEPHERDS BUILDS ‘BAND OF BROTHERS’

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, B&R [email protected] CLEVELAND — A ministry initiated by First Baptist Church, Cleveland, prior to the beginning of a worldwide pandemic, not only continued but has met a tremendous need, agree organizers of Shepherds to Shepherds. Shepherds to Shepherds is the brainchild of Allen Lockerman, pastor emeritus of First Baptist and is an integral part of the church’s Lockerman Leadership Institute. “To Allen’s chagrin, we put his

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‘SIMPLE CHURCH’ LEADERS SHARE IDEAS, INSIGHTS AT WEBINAR

By David Dawson [email protected] FRANKLIN — As strange as it sounds, the concept of keeping things simple can sometimes become complicated.  This can be true for leaders and organizers of “simple church”— a form of ministry that gives attendees an opprotunity to “do church” in a low-key, low-cost setting outside of a traditional church building.   The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board recently hosted a webinar for simple church leaders. The

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A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NEW SC NOMINEE

Baptist Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has announced his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Here is what you should know about Judge Barrett, nominee for associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.  Age: 48 Birthplace: New Orleans Education: B.A. from Rhodes College; J.D. from Notre Dame Law

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TENNESCENE: OCT. 7

LEADERS James Hickey, director of missions for Union Baptist Association, Sparta, has resigned after serving in the position for just over five years. Prior to

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