Tennessee

GUIDESTONE INSURANCE, BENEFITS NOT JUST FOR MINISTERS

March 19, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] HARRISON — On Oct. 2, 1997, God called Charlie Brown (a Baptist layman, not the Peanuts cartoon version) home to heaven, leaving behind a widow and two small children, not to mention a mortgage on a house he and his wife had recently purchased. Though it has been almost 24 years ago, his widow, Angie Fielden (since remarried), still gets emotional as

‘PORTABLE CHURCH’ FINDS NEW HOME DURING COVID

March 18, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] SMYRNA — Only God. That’s the explanation pastor Kent Shingleton has for what occurred at Hope Fellowship Church in Smyrna during a year that will forever be known by a virus that brought the world to a screeching halt. For nearly nine years the former church plant met in a local elementary school and members spent a great deal of time each

TBMB ACCOUNTING OFFICE ASSISTING CHURCHES WITH ONLINE GIVING PROCEDURES

March 17, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] FRANKLIN — Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Englewood First Baptist Church collected its offerings as always — through the offering plates on Sunday morning. When churches were forced to suspend in-person services for several weeks at the onset of the pandemic, many churches in Tennessee were not prepared. On reflection, First Baptist pastor Russ Maples acknowledges the church likely

A YEAR LATER: TBC LEADERS REFLECT ON COVID’S IMPACT

March 16, 2021

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — It has now been almost one full year since COVID-19 first began reshaping the culture and forever changing “the world as we know it.” Recently, the Baptist and Reflector connected with the entity heads from the various Tennessee Baptist Convention organizations to get their thoughts on the past year in regard to how the pandemic has impacted their ministries. Here is what each had to

SANDEFUR UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED TO LEAD THE KING’S ACADEMY

March 12, 2021

Baptist and Reflector SEYMOUR — In a special called meeting March 4, the board of trustees of Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy/The King’s Academy unanimously elected Jeremy Sandefur as the 141-year-old institution’s next president and headmaster. “We are delighted to welcome Jeremy Sandefur and his family to The King’s Academy,” said board chair William Horner. “We believe he is God’s person to lead our school at this moment in its rich history.

DR LEADER: ‘RECOVERY IS JUST BEGINNING’

March 12, 2021

By David Dawson [email protected] FRANKLIN — More than a year after a series of tornadoes ripped through parts of Middle Tennessee, many people in the affected areas are still hurting. And Tennessee Baptists are still helping. Undaunted by the enormity of the workload, Tennessee Baptist disaster relief teams have remained in action, continuing to assist those in need. And there’s still a long way to the finish line. “The truth

TBC CP GIVING REMAINS CONSTANT

March 11, 2021

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches contributed $2,766,834 through the Cooperative Program in February. For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $11,612,365 through the Cooperative Program to fund missions and ministries in Tennessee and around the world. After the first quarter of the 2020-2021 fiscal year, CP gifts are $545,624 or 4.5 percent below what was given for the first quarter last year, but are on $54,302

SEVIERVILLE PASTOR RESIGNS AFTER SBC DISFELLOWSHIPS CHURCH

March 11, 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 disfellowshipped by the SBC Executive Committee. Antioch Baptist Church in Sevierville was dropped for employing a pastor who confessed to two counts of statutory rape. Also disfellowshiped for affirming homosexuality were Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Ga.,

A PERSONAL WORD FROM THE EDITOR

March 11, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] Thirty years ago this month, Tennessee Baptists and the Baptist and Reflector received a special blessing from God — Mary Nimmo joined the staff of the B&R. Mary came to us by way of Louisville, Ky., where she was born and raised. She later married Darrell Nimmo and moved to Richmond, Ky., where she attended Eastern Kentucky University. They then moved to

CROSSOVER TRAINING EVENTS AVAILABLE IN APRIL

March 10, 2021

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — What is Crossover? It’s an evangelistic experience held each year just a few days before the annual Southern Baptist Convention. This year, with the convention being held in Nashville, churches are encouraged to register to be a part of Crossover Nashville. The churches would conduct an evangelistic event (door to door, block party, concert, etc.) on Saturday prior to the start of the convention.

Tennessee

GUIDESTONE INSURANCE, BENEFITS NOT JUST FOR MINISTERS

‘PORTABLE CHURCH’ FINDS NEW HOME DURING COVID

TBMB ACCOUNTING OFFICE ASSISTING CHURCHES WITH ONLINE GIVING PROCEDURES

A YEAR LATER: TBC LEADERS REFLECT ON COVID’S IMPACT