STANTON — Although the Ford Motor Company is slowing down its production schedule at BlueOval City, there are no plans to pump the brakes on the evangelism efforts in that region.  In fact, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and its partnering local churches say they plan to keep surging in West Tennessee, even after the Ford Company’s recent announcement that the launch of its next-generation electric truck would be delayed

BRENTWOOD — It was the last night of a week of FUGE Camps in Mobile, Alabama, and groups were gearing up for Mega Relay – a high-energy relay race that involves everyone at camp and serves as the iconic close to each FUGE Camps session of the summer. As teams gathered to prepare for the race, one group had a different routine than the rest. As other groups began the

MURFREESBORO — Middle Tennessee State University experienced a day on campus on Monday, Oct. 28, that you never want to see happen, said Mark Whitt, collegiate ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. According to Sidelines, MTSU’s student newspaper, a student died by suicide inside the James E. Walker Memorial Library on Monday afternoon. University president Sidney McPhee sent out a statement to the campus confirming the death. The school

ELIZABETHTON — It’s been a month since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in northeast Tennessee but Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are still on the job. The TBDR incident command post that was previously at First Baptist Church in Dandridge transitioned last week to Grace Baptist Church, Elizabethton. The command post, led by John and Kaye Thomas, takes over cleanup efforts previously coordinated by Texas Baptists in Johnson City. The Texas

NEWPORT — While hurting people in Cocke County and other counties in northeast Tennessee welcomed Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers, not as much help was needed because members of local churches already were helping each other and their neighbors.  “It is amazing what the Lord has done through our churches,” said Mike Hensley, director of missions for East Tennessee Baptist Association.  Every one of the association’s 38 churches (of which

DANDRIDGE — When Kathy Henry was first approached about being a disaster relief chaplain she was hesitant because she saw it as more of a pastoral role.  “I didn’t know if I was equipped to be a chaplain,” she said.  After prayer and counsel from her husband Brock (who also is a DR volunteer) and a trusted friend, she agreed to accept the role and was trained as a chaplain

LIMESTONE — Craig Ponder’s first impression of the ATV four-wheeler gang congregating in the church’s parking lot was not good.  “I thought they were a bunch of tourists coming to check out the flood damage caused by Hurricane Helene,” he said. “I was wrong, and I’ve since apologized. They were people coming to check on family members and friends cut off and stranded on the other side of the river.”