By Roc Collins President, TBC What a blessing it is to be a Tennessee Baptist. God has so richly blessed our state and convention, and we are seeing people saved, baptized, and set on the road of discipleship. The generosity of our churches is seen in both our local communities and across our state as a whole. With all that we see God doing in our state, I can hardly
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — The Tennessee Baptist Convention’s annual Summit: The Gathering of Tennessee Baptists is expanding this year. As always, the Summit (scheduled for Nov. 13-17) will include the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference and the annual business meeting, but this year will include the “Tennessee Reunion” on Sunday night, Nov. 13, and a golf tournament on Thursday, Nov. 17.
Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — We welcome the more than 6,000 new readers who are being provided a copy of this week’s issue through our Baptist and Reflector Day emphasis. Our staff hopes you will enjoy the articles and information provided. The B&R is printed 26 times a year and articles are added regularly to the baptistandreflector.org website. Due to the upcoming Labor Day holiday and the need to print
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — Steve Freeman, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, will be nominated for the presidency of the Tennessee Baptist Convention at The Summit in November. Freeman currently serves as chair of the Executive Board of the TBC. He is the only announced nominee to date. Chattanooga-area pastor Eric Stitts of Bayside Baptist Church, Harrison, informed the Baptist and Reflector May 23
By Roc Collins President, TBC Everybody has a name. It represents who you are. My given name identifies who I am and is used whenever I write a check, go to the dentist, or order a coffee at the coffee shop. Your name is your identification. Sometimes names are changed, as we see in the Bible. When Jesus met Simon Peter, He said to him, “… you shall be called
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector ROGERSVILLE — With a half year under his belt as interim bivocational ministries specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, John Parrott has confirmed what he already knew from his role as a director of missions — bivocational ministers are critical in helping to reach Tennessee Baptists with the gospel. Statistics show that approximately 65 percent of churches in Tennessee are served by bivocational
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — A highlight for Tennessee Baptists in 2015 was the news that baptisms increased in Tennessee Baptist Convention churches for the second year in a row. In 2014, 2,603 TBC churches reported 23,499 baptisms, the largest number of baptisms recorded since 2010. In 2013 churches reported 21,979 baptisms. The year saw leadership changes with TBC entities. Vickie Anderson began serving Jan. 1
By Tim Ellsworth, Contributing Editor, B&R MILLINGTON — “In ministry, it can be very difficult,” said Kevin Ezell, president, Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, based in Alpharetta, Ga. He preached during the Tennessee Baptist Convention annual meeting held here at First Baptist Church. Ezell speaks from experience. Of the churches he served, he only received one unanimous call to serve as pastor of a church and at one church,
By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector MILLINGTON — Pastors should lead their churches to become “soul-winning churches,” said Ray Newcomb, pastor emeritus, First Baptist Church, Millington, who preached during the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention last week here. He preached in the church he retired from because First, Millington, hosted the annual meeting. To lead their churches to become soul-winning churches, some pastors might have
By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector MILLINGTON — Michael Ellis, president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, reported that over the past year in his travels and service he observed that “we’re doing so many great things apart. We need to bring those things together.” Issuing “A Call for Unity in the Community,” Ellis preached last week during the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The pastor
By Roc Collins President, TBC What a blessing it is to be a Tennessee Baptist. God has so richly blessed our state and convention, and
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — The Tennessee Baptist Convention’s annual Summit: The Gathering of Tennessee Baptists is expanding this year. As
Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — We welcome the more than 6,000 new readers who are being provided a copy of this week’s issue through our
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — Steve Freeman, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, will be nominated for the presidency of
By Roc Collins President, TBC Everybody has a name. It represents who you are. My given name identifies who I am and is used whenever
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector ROGERSVILLE — With a half year under his belt as interim bivocational ministries specialist for the Tennessee Baptist
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector BRENTWOOD — A highlight for Tennessee Baptists in 2015 was the news that baptisms increased in Tennessee Baptist
By Tim Ellsworth, Contributing Editor, B&R MILLINGTON — “In ministry, it can be very difficult,” said Kevin Ezell, president, Southern Baptist North American Mission Board,
By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector MILLINGTON — Pastors should lead their churches to become “soul-winning churches,” said Ray Newcomb, pastor emeritus,
By Connie Davis Bushey News Editor, Baptist and Reflector MILLINGTON — Michael Ellis, president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, reported that over the past year
