KNOXVILLE — When Jay McCluskey celebrated his 37th anniversary as pastor of North Cleveland Baptist Church, Cleveland, in September, it was a major achievement for him personally. Though he acknowledged that crossing the “37th year milestone does not merit the notoriety of other major anniversaries” it did have special meaning for him. Jay McCluskey finally caught up with his dad — longtime pastor and former Tennessee Baptist Convention president Jim

ANDERSONVILLE — First Baptist Church, Andersonville, has a simple goal for every Southern Baptist or Tennessee Baptist offering. “We ask our members to give as God gave,” said Steve Lakin, who has served as pastor of the Clinton Baptist Association-affiliated congregation for 18 years. “We remind people that God gave His best — His Son. Our people respond every time,” Lakin said. “Our people have a heart to give and

MOUNT JULIET — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief is continuing to collect donations to aid the relief efforts in war-torn Israel following last month’s attack by the terrorist group Hamas. Tennessee Baptist DR is working with Harvest of Israel, a ministry of First Baptist Church, Morristown, and God’s Warehouse, a ministry of Nolachucky Baptist Association, on this project.

ELIZABETHTON — Jason Holly, the youth minister at First Baptist Church in Elizabethton, remembers when Texas Rangers rookie outfielder Evan Carter was a boy playing in the local Grasscutter football league for 6-8-year-olds. Holly had a tiny Superman logo printed specifically for Carter. “I stuck it on the back of his helmet, and only his,” Holly said. “And I said, ‘You’re Superman.’ He was just that good.” Rangers fans are starting

GOODLETTSVILLE — Giving their members and guests a safer alternative to traditional trick-or-treating, many Tennessee Baptist churches host Fall Festivals in October. The events — which serve as vital outreach for churches all across the state — often include “Trunk or Treating,” along with many other family-friendly activities. First Baptist Church, Goodlettsville held their Fall Festival on the church grounds on Oct. 22. In the photo to the right, Anna

JACKSON — Madison Baptist Church, a rural Southern Baptist congregation near Jackson, saw a need in the community and decided to make a difference.  The church opened a free health clinic in 2015 and serves a mixed community of Hispanics, African-American and Caucasians, said pastor Greg Gilbreath. After Gilbreath received a letter on how churches could start a free health clinic as a mission, he passed the information on to

DYER — For Doug Duncan, there was peace in the Middle East.  It was the peace that surpasses all understanding — even in the face of powerfully frightening circumstances. Duncan, a retired pharmacist and a lay leader at First Baptist Church, Dyer, was in Israel when Hamas militants attacked the country on Oct. 7. Duncan was traveling with nine other members from the church. The group, which had arrived in