By Tim Ellsworth Union University News Office JACKSON — Union University trustees approved a $91.1 million operating budget for 2015-2016 at their April 10 meeting and elected Lisa Williams Rogers as the next board chair, the first woman ever to hold that position in the university’s history. Rogers, a 1983 Union graduate and a physician in obstetrics and gynecology with the Jackson Clinic, will replace Norm Hill, who steps aside

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The “pastor’s heart” in Kevin Ezell would not let him say no when Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville asked him to serve as their interim pastor. The North American Mission Board president had intentionally not taken any interims after he joined NAMB in September of 2010 although he has filled the pulpit on occasion at First Baptist Church in

By Baptist and Reflector GATLINBURG — On March 21 Vickie Anderson was installed as executive director-treasurer, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union, as part of the Missions Get-Together held here. Anderson began serving in the role Jan. 1, succeeding Candy Phillips. Anderson, who formerly was missions growth/leadership development specialist, has served on the staff for 21 years.

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD – The Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Board unanimously approved a change in its organizational structure during its March 25 meeting held at Brentwood Baptist Church here. The Executive Board will now be structured around the Five Objectives adopted by messengers at last year’s annual meeting held during The Summit in November. The Five Objectives are:

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector 8,017 students, leaders attend annual Youth Evangelism Conference held in Nashville NASHVILLE — A total of 655 teens attending the YEC or Youth Evangelism Conference made professions of faith. In addition, 140 teens made commitments to specific roles in ministry including missionary work, 149 requested baptism, and 82 were other decisions. A total of 1,026 students made public spiritual commitments and

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector Despite war, even Russians in Slavic Baptist Church are helping Ukrainians FRANKLIN — Slavic Baptist Church here is a mixture of nationalities. The congregation includes people from Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Bulgaria. All of these countries except Bulgaria were a part of the Soviet Union and declared their independence after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990.