coronavirus

CLEARVIEW STAYS ‘ON THE GO’ DURING PANDEMIC

December 10, 2020

By David Dawson [email protected] FRANKLIN — From pumpkin pies to flip-flops to trash bags, ClearView Baptist Church, Franklin, is using all kinds of items to meet needs in the community. Looking to make a difference in the lives of those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ClearView has joined forces with a host of local organizations to distribute food, household items, footwear and other things to those who

PERSONAL EVANGELISM: DON’T LET COVID-19 BECOME AN EXCUSE

December 9, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] FRANKLIN — Evangelism leaders for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board agree COVID-19 has impacted personal evangelism, but they also strongly affirm that Christians should not use it as an excuse to not witness. “The fact social distancing has been in place for months has certainly impacted our ability to communicate with others,” said Roc Collins, director of strategic objectives for the TBMB.

OUTREACH HAS NEW LOOK DURING PANDEMIC

December 8, 2020

By Aaron Wilson Writer, LifeWay Christian Resources MADISON — Sergio Arce knocks on the door of a home close to the church he pastors. Arce isn’t expected and doesn’t know if anyone is home. This is a cold-call visit. As a man walks to the door, Arce and the two church members with him take a few steps back to ensure social distancing. The trio wear masks because of the

DAVIS: TENNESSEE BAPTISTS ARE ‘RISING TO THE OCCASION’

November 24, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] FRANKLIN — As COVID-19 cases begin to rise throughout the state, Tennessee Baptist churches will rise to the occasion, said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. In a pre-Thanksgiving video update (view the video HERE), Davis acknowledged the spike in COVID cases. Davis observed he has seen it in a personal way through a conversation with his neighbor who

CHESSER: NOW MORE THAN EVER, PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF THE LORD

November 18, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] FRANKLIN — Even during a worldwide pandemic, God has done and “will continue to do wonders among us,” affirmed Bruce Chesser, pastor of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, and president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Due to the cancelation of the in-person Summit originally scheduled for Brentwood Baptist Church, Chesser gave an abbreviated message during the Virtual Summit. “I had expected to share

TBC CP GIFTS END YEAR NEAR GOAL

November 2, 2020

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — In a year when most churches across Tennessee could not meet in person for several months, Tennessee Baptists continued to faithfully meet missions and ministry needs in the state and around the world. Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,824,225 through the Cooperative Program in October. Tennessee Baptists gave a total of $34,203,543 through the Cooperative Program during the 2019-20 budget year which ended Oct. 31.

FEW CHURCHES BACK TO PRE-COVID ATTENDANCE LEVELS

October 20, 2020

By Aaron Earls LifeWay Research NASHVILLE — The vast majority of U.S. Protestant churches say they are holding in-person services, but churchgoers have yet to attend in the numbers they did before the coronavirus pandemic struck. According to the latest survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, 87 percent of Protestant pastors in the U.S. say their church met in person in September, while 13 percent did not hold physical gatherings. Since

MASK OR NO MASK? IT’S NOT AN ISSUE AT OAK VALLEY BAPTIST

October 13, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, B&R [email protected] FRANKLIN — As the debate in the nation continues over wearing masks or not wearing masks, it has not been an issue for Oak Valley Baptist Church in Franklin. While many churches hold both traditional and contemporary worship services, Oak Valley decided to hold mask or no mask (optional) services, said pastor Jerry Winfield. He noted that when the church returned to live services

HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU STAND?

October 7, 2020

By Randy C. Davis TBMB president & executive director One of the greatest and constant needs of the church since its birth at Pentecost is God-called, Spirit-filled, well-equipped leaders. Are you like me, some days just wondering: How much more can we stand? Some days it seems our entire culture is wondering the same. How much more can we collectively stand? Even a half-hearted glance at the news is overwhelming.

CHESSER: COVID MINISTRY PLANS SHOULD EXTEND 12-18 MONTHS

October 3, 2020

By David Roach B&R Contributing Writer HENDERSONVILLE — When Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee asked churches March 13 not to meet in person, leaders at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville thought they would have to suspend normal worship services two or three weeks, until Easter at the latest. When those plans didn’t materialize, they figured everything would be back to normal by the start of school. That didn’t materialize either. Today,

coronavirus

CLEARVIEW STAYS ‘ON THE GO’ DURING PANDEMIC