News

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ASKS CHURCHES TO CLOSE SUNDAY TO DETER COVID-19

March 12, 2020

By Diana Chandler Baptist Press FRANKFORT, Ky. — It appears unlikely many Southern Baptist churches will comply with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s request that houses of worship cancel services at least through Sunday (March 15) to deter spread of the new coronavirus, Kentucky Southern Baptists told Baptist Press. Kentucky congregations, while autonomous, will likely take seriously Beshear’s request, Kentucky Baptist Convention (KBC) Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Gray told BP. But congregations

LIFEWAY DEVELOPS FREE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE TRAINING RESOURCES

March 12, 2020

By Aaron Earls LifeWay news office NASHVILLE — As the coronavirus spreads in the U.S., congregations are facing a situation many have never considered. In response, the LifeWay Leadership team has developed pandemic response resources that are being made available for free to assist pastors and church leaders at MinistryGrid.com/coronavirus. “Pastors are asking questions about how their churches should react to the coronavirus,” said Todd Adkins, director of LifeWay Leadership.

TBMB SUSPENDS YEC AND GET-TOGETHER

March 12, 2020

By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBMB FRANKLIN — In an unprecedented move, leadership of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board made the decision to “suspend” both the 2020 Youth Evangelism Conference and the Woman’s Missionary Union annual Get Together/Connection. “We did not make this decision to suspend these two great events lightly,” said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “The COVID-19 situation moved

REVIVAL IN ROGERSVILLE!

March 12, 2020

Scheduled for four days, revival lasts four weeks at East Rogersville Baptist Church By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] ROGERSVILLE — East Rogersville Baptist Church planned and prepared for a four-day revival conference from Feb. 2-5. God had other plans. At the conclusion of the Feb. 5 meeting, members told pastor John Butler “we need to keep meeting.” Butler agreed and the revival extended four weeks, concluding on

TBMB LEADER OFFERS CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

March 11, 2020

Dear Tennessee Baptists, We have had several pastors contact us regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Questions have arisen about canceling services and other events, so I wanted to offer our perspective here at the TBMB and just a word of encouragement. Since all TBC churches are autonomous, the TBC has no comprehensive policy that dictates actions related to the COVID-19 virus. We encourage every church to consider how and if they

IMB RECOMMENDS MISSION VOLUNTEERS POSTPONE TRAVEL

March 10, 2020

By Tess Schoonhoven Baptist Press RICHMOND — In light of the continuing global expansion of the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus), the International Mission Board’s coronavirus task force and senior leadership recommend that mission volunteers from U.S. churches postpone international mission-trip travel through April 30. This date could be extended and will be reevaluated by April 15. IMB also recommends that people who have not yet purchased tickets for future travel wait

DAVIS OFFERS INSIGHTS ON SBC HAPPENINGS

March 10, 2020

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — A number of issues have risen to the surface across the Southern Baptist Convention and following the recent Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee Board of Directors meeting held in Nashville, Feb. 17-18, 2020. The issues have ranged from the 2020 SBC Pastors’ Conference lineup, to the Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission, to the formation of the Conservative Baptist Network, and many more. Overlooked to some

DAVIS EXTENDS URGENT CALL FOR TENN. BAPTISTS TO SUPPORT HB 1962

March 9, 2020

By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBMB There is almost a certainty that pro-life legislation in Tennessee eventually will be passed into law, but indecision abounds about what that legislation might look like when it finally lands on the governor’s desk for final approval. One thing about which there is no longer indecision is Senate Bill 1236, or the “conception bill.” “Senate Bill 1236 was an important bill that had

BAPTIST GLOBAL RESPONSE CEO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

March 9, 2020

By Tess Schoonhoven Baptist Press NASHVILLE — Baptist Global Response CEO Jeff Palmer announced Feb. 20 he will be retiring from his current position in the coming months, prospectively timed for June 2020. With prior overseas service experience, Palmer, a Tennessee Baptist from New Johnsonville, said his desire is to return to a more hands-on approach to ministry.

GOD AT WORK IN RECOVERY PROCESS IN BENTON COUNTY

March 6, 2020

By David Dawson [email protected] David Boyd, pastor at First Baptist Church, Camden, continues to hear harrowing tales about the tornadoes that tore through Benton County on Monday night. “(We’ve heard) things where you say, ‘wow, I thought that only happened in the movies,” Boyd said. “It’s almost hard to even imagine it.” Although the violent storms didn’t create as much damage in Benton County as they did in other

News

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ASKS CHURCHES TO CLOSE SUNDAY TO DETER COVID-19