evangelism

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEEDED TOOL FOR MINISTRY

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — While enrollment and attendance numbers for Sunday School have declined across the Southern Baptist Convention in recent years according to Annual Church Profile (ACP) reports, Sunday School remains a much needed ministry tool in churches, says Mark Miller. Miller, Sunday School specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, cited research on “transformational groups” provided by LifeWay Christian Resources. “Worship attenders who also

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YEC TEAM SERVES IN GUATEMALA

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — “We went to Guatemala to change people there and show them Jesus, but we came back with changed hearts and opened eyes,” said Jania Howe, 17, who ministered recently in Guatemala. Howe and 77 other teens and adults served in Guatemala as a part of the Youth Evangelism Conference missions team. They went to support the Tennessee/Guatemala Baptist Partnership.

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EVANGELISTS EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS

By David Roach Baptist Press ST. LOUIS — Building relationships with pastors was the emphasis of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists as it gathered in St. Louis June 12 for a worship service and business meeting preceding the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting there. “I really felt led of the Lord this year to make this the year we mix and mingle with pastors at the convention,” COSBE President

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LACK OF EVANGELISM A DISCIPLESHIP ISSUE

By Harper McKay Baptist Press ST. LOUIS — The lack of evangelism among Southern Baptists is at its heart a discipleship issue according to panelists at the Replicate Ministries breakfast. “I think the challenge we have in our convention and our churches is that we have seen discipleship and evangelism as pitted against each other,” said Robby Gallaty, president of Replicate Ministries, during the June 14 gathering at the Southern

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THOMASES LIVE OUT MISSIONS CALLING

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector PALMER, Alaska — John and Kaye Thomas can be found in their Sevierville home about 100 days a year — mostly for Kaye’s part-time job. The rest of the time they are away doing missions work. Even while they are at home they often are found plugging into missions opportunities. Currently they are based out of their RV in Palmer, Alaska,

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‘IT WASN’T ABOUT THE SHOWERS’

By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector DAMASCAS, Va. — Tony Broyles was a little out of his comfort zone. A lot of the folks he was meeting at Damascas Trail Days for “through hikers” of the Appalachian Trail were different from most folks he knows. “Back in the 60s, when folks like these became popular, I was just a kid,” explained Broyles. And he didn’t live around

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STUDY: UNCHURCHED WILL TALK ABOUT FAITH

Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) — Americans who don’t go to church are happy to talk about religion and often think about the meaning of life, according to a new study released today (June 28). They’re also open to taking part in community service events hosted at a church or going to a church concert, the research revealed. But only about a third say they’d be interested in going to a

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BELLEVUE’S STEVE GAINES ELECTED TO LEAD SBC

Tennessee Baptists second in number of Southern Baptist Convention messengers with 824 By David Roach Baptist Press Editor’s Note: Due to the publication schedule of the Baptist and Reflector, this issue contains a condensed wrap-up of the SBC annual meeting held June 14-15 in St. Louis. Extensive stories were posted on the B&R web site last week. ST. LOUIS — The election of Tennessee pastor Steve Gaines as president on

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A LIGHT IN MOUNTAINS OF DARKNESS

By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBC VIRACO, Peru — Julissa knelt beside her daddy and urged him to get back on the donkey. He’d collapsed by the side of the road, torso in the bushes, legs and feet stretched out into the dusty mountain road. “C’mon Papi. We need to go home.” But he was barely conscious and unable to move, a stupor brought on from a morning of

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CHURCH SEES 34 BAPTIZED IN FIVE MONTHS

Small East Tennessee congregation, Pastor Dwight Torbett featured on Reaching app By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector MADISONVILLE — Westside Baptist Church, Madisonville, is making waves in its community, which is why its pastor, Dwight Torbett, is featured on the new “Reaching” app of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, explained David Evans, TBC evangelism specialist. Evans said he is thrilled at the response to the app. About 1,000

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