Compiled by B&R Staff RICHMOND — The 2016 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions contained a “good news, bad news” scenario. The good news is that the offering reached its fourth highest total ever, closing at approximately $153 million, according to data released June 7 by the IMB. The bad news is that the amount was down by more than $12.8 million or 7.7 percent from last year’s record
By Lyle Larson Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Goodlettsville I have never been a member of Evansville Baptist Church but that congregation will always hold a special place in my life, having had a significant impact on my understanding of the Cooperative Program. Evansville Baptist is in a small community in northwest Tennessee near Dyersburg. When I was a teenager who had been called to ministry, that church allowed me
By Grace Thornton WMU Writer PHOENIX — Becky Sumrall, a Tennessee Baptist who has spent the past 40 years mentoring women from all walks of life, is the recipient of this year’s Dellanna West O’Brien Award for Women’s Leadership Development. The award, presented annually by Woman’s Missionary Union since 1998, comes with a $2,500 grant from WMU Foundation that will go to further Sumrall’s ministry at Begin Anew, Middle Tennessee’s
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector VONORE – Former Tennessee Baptist Convention president Doug Sager is the first to admit that he has never been a person to “stay inside the box.” And neither have most of the churches he served during his 62-year ministry. Upon retiring as pastor of First Baptist Church, Concord, in Knoxville in April of 2013, Sager began later that year as interim pastor of
By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector TOWNSEND — Joe and Linda Ledford and other Baptists were in the parking lot of the only grocery store in this small resort town in East Tennessee. They were standing at a table giving out free ice cream cones, Bibles, and Bible storybooks to people. As the couple and other Baptists explained that the ice cream was free, they told the
By Randy C. Davis TBMB President & Executive Director There are moments in life that are so obviously important that they need not scream to be recognized. The magnitude of their presence halts the daily hustle and quietly demands that we notice, and reflect, and determine that the nostalgic moment becomes a prelude to something greater. I believe God has granted to Tennessee Baptists such a poignant moment and we
By Julie Owens Baptist Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Southern Baptist medical missionary and martyr Bill Wallace suffered profoundly in his last weeks on earth, but he had long been prepared. “There is no sacrifice in all the world too great for a man to make for the Lord Jesus Christ,” he wrote in an emotional letter shared with his home congregation just before he left for his fateful mission
By Brian Frye National Collegiate Strategist, North American Mission Board If you’ve grown up in the church, you’ve likely been on and heard about all kinds of missions trips. If you’re new to following Christ, missions trips are a great way to grow in your faith, to develop confidence in sharing Christ, and to grow deeper in community with other believers. Here are a few pointers on planning and leading
By Michael Sams Chair, TN Baptist Mission Board Following last week’s meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, I drove to Bardwell, Ky., to be with my 85-year-old father who was at the point of death. Thankfully, I made it in time to spend the last few hours of his time on earth with him. Early on Wednesday morning (April 26), I watched as my dad opened his eyes wide
Baptist Press BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As the Smoky Mountain resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge continue to recover from last year’s devastating wildfires, a second $5,000 HEART (Humanitarian Emergency Aid for Rebuilding Tomorrow) Fund grant from the national Woman’s Missionary Union and the WMU Foundation will assist workers struggling due to the decline in tourism.
Compiled by B&R Staff RICHMOND — The 2016 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions contained a “good news, bad news” scenario. The good news
By Lyle Larson Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Goodlettsville I have never been a member of Evansville Baptist Church but that congregation will always hold
By Grace Thornton WMU Writer PHOENIX — Becky Sumrall, a Tennessee Baptist who has spent the past 40 years mentoring women from all walks of
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector VONORE – Former Tennessee Baptist Convention president Doug Sager is the first to admit that he has never
By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector TOWNSEND — Joe and Linda Ledford and other Baptists were in the parking lot of the
By Randy C. Davis TBMB President & Executive Director There are moments in life that are so obviously important that they need not scream to
By Julie Owens Baptist Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Southern Baptist medical missionary and martyr Bill Wallace suffered profoundly in his last weeks on earth,
By Brian Frye National Collegiate Strategist, North American Mission Board If you’ve grown up in the church, you’ve likely been on and heard about all
By Michael Sams Chair, TN Baptist Mission Board Following last week’s meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, I drove to Bardwell, Ky., to be
Baptist Press BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As the Smoky Mountain resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge continue to recover from last year’s devastating wildfires, a
