News

SBC 2025: SWEET TIME FOR TENNESSEE BAPTISTS

June 10, 2025

DALLAS — With smiles on their faces and sweets on their plates, Tennessee Baptists gathered for a dessert fellowship on Monday night in Dallas. The event, hosted by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, serves as a “family reunion” (in the words of TBMB president and executive director Randy C. Davis) for Tennessee Baptists who are attending the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. This year’s gathering was once again well attended,

DEW TELLS PASTORS ‘DON’T QUIT,’ OFFERS FOUR TRUTHS TO ENCOURAGE THEM

June 9, 2025

DALLAS — Jamie Dew told pastors that he had one simple but honest question for them: “Do you ever want to quit?” “I can think of a million reasons we might feel that way,” said Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, as he spoke to the Southern Baptist Pastors Conference in Dallas on June 9. “The most important task to be done on earth right now is the

SBC EXPANDS ABUSE PREVENTION TRAINING

June 4, 2025

Updated curriculum adds safety coordinators and response plans for churches NASHVILLE (BP) – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee is relaunching its abuse prevention and response website with expanded resources to equip churches to create safe spaces for children and adults to worship God unhindered by abuse. An updated Essentials 2.0 curriculum, blog posts from experts in the field and a centralized landing page for all related state convention resources

TBDR ISSUES CHAIN SAW CALLOUT

June 2, 2025

FRANKLIN — Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, has issued a callout for Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief chain saw teams. Jones said the TBDR teams are needed “to support Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief (MODR) in the aftermath of the May 16 tornadoes that impacted both sides of their state — St. Louis and the Warsaw area (what they are calling the Truman Lake Tornadoes),” he

C-N GRADUATE CELEBRATES MEMORABLE SILVER LINING

May 30, 2025

JEFFERSON CITY — It was a drive not many would attempt given the circumstances. But this was no ordinary road trip. Shante Agnew had just earned her Master of Education degree from Carson-Newman University, and all the pieces were in place for her to reap her reward at the May 2 commencement ceremony. However, there was no way Agnew could have known the emotional roller coaster she and her family

TENNESCENE: MAY 28

May 28, 2025

FORMER SBC PRESIDENTS UNITE TO SAVE ERLC FROM ‘SLEDGEHAMMER’

May 22, 2025

An open letter released today (May 22) urges messengers planning to attend the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Dallas to vote to keep the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission as an entity of the SBC should the anticipated motion to abolish it be proposed. Ten former SBC presidents signed the letter that also notes concerns related to ERLC and acknowledges that “every entity — including the ERLC —

TENNESCENE: MAY 14

May 14, 2025

DEATHS Carl Hendrix Young died on March 28, 2025, at the age of 85. With his ministry, he led many souls to the Jesus Christ. To those who knew him, he was a wonderful husband, man, friend, pastor, counselor, and mentor. Young was born on April 6, 1939, in Kentucky and was the youngest of five children. Young married Mary Edna Galbway on Oct. 6, 1956. He was called to

SBC LEADERS CELEBRATE “100 YEARS OF COOPERATION”

May 13, 2025

MEMPHIS — Gathering just a few hundred yards from where it all began, a host of SBC leaders recognized and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program on Tuesday afternoon. The event, held at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, included praise music, an extended time of prayer and a message from Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the SBC executive committee. The special service was highlighted by the

MOHLER QUESTIONS ERLC’S ‘UTILITY,’ DRAWS PUSHBACK

May 9, 2025

NASHVILLE (BP) – An SBC entity president has expressed “grave doubts” about the usefulness of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) in Southern Baptist life. The ERLC and its advocates followed those comments with a flurry of defense for the Convention’s public policy Commission. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said he “has grave doubts about the utility of the ERLC. And it’s not just about the

News

SBC 2025: SWEET TIME FOR TENNESSEE BAPTISTS