Tennessee

TODD STINNETT TO BE NOMINATED

Editor’s Note: David Leavell, pastor of First Baptist Church, Millington, has been announced as a nominee for president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Any other nominee for the offices of president and vice presidents are encouraged to notify the B&R and we will print those nominations as well. Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Knoxville native Todd Stinnett will be nominated as vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention during the

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TBC CP GIVING HOLDS STEADY

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave a total of $2,683,692 through the Cooperative Program in July. For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $25,524,540, a decrease of $474,241 or 1.8 percent over that given during the same time frame last year. With three months left in the 2016-17 fiscal year, receipts are $725,460 or 2.8 percent below budget needs.

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RURAL CHURCH FEEDS HUNGRY CHILDREN

By David Dawson Baptist and Reflector LAFAYETTE — The smell of chicken nuggets wafted through the fellowship hall at Calvary Baptist Church on this sticky Tuesday morning in late July. It was 8:30 a.m., and a group of about a dozen volunteers was happily humming along like an assembly line. In the kitchen, several ladies were watching the oven and putting the finishing touches on the baked goods. Things were

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FORMER TBC PRESIDENT RETIRES

Baptist and Reflector FAIRFIELD GLADE — Former Tennessee Baptist Convention president Leonard Markham will retire July 30 after 11 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Fairfield Glade. The 69-year-old Markham has served six churches in Tennessee as pastor — First Baptist Church, Elk Valley; West End Baptist Church, Knoxville; Ball Camp Baptist Church, Knoxville; First Baptist Church, Sweetwater; Bluegrass Baptist Church, Hendersonville (now Indian Lake Peninsula Church); and FBC,

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2016 CAMPERS RETURN TO LINDEN AS CHRISTIANS

By Courtney Swaw Summer Intern, Linden Valley LINDEN — Cypress Creek Baptist Church in Martin brought a large contingent of students to this year’s Journey Camp Weekend. And why wouldn’t they? Last year the church saw five young people accept Jesus Christ as Savior as a result of attending the weekend camp geared toward children having fun and learning from the Bible at the same time. Of those five, four

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LINDEN VALLEY HAD LIFELONG IMPACT ON 5-YEAR-OLD

By Courtney Shaw Summer Intern, Linden Valley LINDEN  — Most campers do not have the opportunity to attend Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center at the age of 5. Melissa Russell did and it has had an impact on her life ever since. When Russell was 5 years old, her mother taught Mission Friends at Northside Baptist Church in Columbia. One night the lesson focused on missions in China and her

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SHOWING NEIGHBORLY LOVE THROUGH LITERACY

By Kara Bettis ERLC Writer CORDOVA — Born and raised in the “birthplace of Rock and Roll,” Donna Gaines returned 25 years later armed with a background in education and a heart for the county that claims one of the highest rates of childhood poverty. Gaines is a women’s ministry leader and wife to Southern Baptist Convention president and Bellevue Baptist Church pastor Steve Gaines, where they minister together in

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FAITH CONTINUES TO SUSTAIN RUTH MARTIN

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector GATLINBURG — Ruth Martin is not likely to ever forget Nov. 28, 2016. That’s the day she became homeless. The 91-year-old widow of a Tennessee Baptist pastor left her home of 40-plus years that night with just the clothes she wore. As fire surrounded her home atop a mountain road overlooking the city of Gatlinburg, she and her son and daughter (who also

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PROTECTING STUDENTS WITH PRAYER

By David Dawson Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Driven by the belief that “school safety” should not be limited to fire drills and first-aid kits, many churches in Tennessee are doing their part to protect the spiritual safety of students, too. Numerous initiatives and programs have been designed in recent years to cover students in prayer as they enter a new school year. One of the most prominent programs is

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TBC CP GIVING HOLDS STEADY

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave a total of $2,683,692 through the Cooperative Program in July. For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists

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