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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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,” […]

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 […]

‘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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]