By Baptist and Reflector (UPDATED 12-9-14) HENDERSONVILLE – Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, based in Alpharetta, Ga., has been named interim pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church. The announcement was posted Dec. 4 on Long Hollow Baptist’s website. Ezell fills the void created by the death of David Landrith who served as pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church from 1997 until his death on Nov. 18

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — Worship leaders of churches should adopt a more active role in assisting their congregations to worship in a way which can help them mature as Christians, said Keith Getty, Christian music artist and composer, at The Summit of the Tennessee Baptist Convention Nov. 11. Solely “singing happy verses” or “songs that say little about little” won’t lead to worship

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector Editor’s Note: See an article on Ellis and the ministry of Impact Baptist Church in the Frayser community of Memphis. MEMPHIS — The new president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention downplays the fact that he is the convention’s first African-American president. “Being selected president is not about Michael Ellis. It’s about what God is doing,” said Ellis, pastor of Impact Baptist Church in

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector MEMPHIS — In 2006, Impact Baptist Church began as a church plant of Bellevue Baptist Church in nearby Cordova in the living room of its first pastor, Michael Ellis and his wife, Angela. The church began with 22 people and now averages between 175-200 people on any given Sunday. Impact Baptist had strong ties with Bellevue and was meeting in a church building

TBC elects first African-American president; strides made toward 50/50 CP distribution By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — By unanimous consent, messengers to the 140th annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention elected the first African-American president in convention history during the Nov. 11-12 meeting held at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood.

By Baptist and Reflector HENDERSONVILLE – David Landrith, 51, pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church, Hendersonville, died Nov. 18 at his home following an extended bout with cancer. Landrith was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called colorectal melanoma in March of 2013, according to a statement released by Long Hollow Baptist Church. Despite several surgeries and clinical trial medicines, the cancer spread throughout his body, including his lungs

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — At the beginning of this year, Randy C. Davis, executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, had an ambitious goal. His desire was to ring the “salvation bell” and to lead prayer rallies in every county of the state. And though the weather was not always cooperative (three rallies had to be rescheduled), Davis accomplished the goal on Nov. 3 with