LEADERS Rob Burdette was elected as director of missions to lead Robertson County Baptist Association dur ing its annual meeting on Oct. 19. He is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, and holds a doctor of ministry degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in California. He has been in ministry for more than 20 years and has served as a missionary for the past eight

LEADERS Jack Hice recently celebrated his 31st anniversary as pastor of Marble Plains Baptist Church, Winchester. On his first Sunday at the church, there were nine people in attendance. On July 25, there were 131 people present and Hice baptized seven people that day, all of them adults or teenagers. Chris Hughes has been called as interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Elizabethton. The church also ordained Patrick Beasley as

LEADERS Marshall Key began serving Aug. 1 as associational missions strategist for Beulah Baptist Association, based in Union City. Key, who grew up in Union City, returns home from Danville, Va., where he served as a worship and discipleship pastor since 2017. Along with responsibilities at the church, he was a church planting coach and trainer with the Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia and the North American Mission Board. Prior

[three_fifth padding=”0 6px 0 6px”][/three_fifth][two_fifth_last padding=”0 6px 0 6px”] Auburn Baptist Church, Auburntown, recently gave out Bibles, snacks and bottled water to hundreds of attendees during August Red Apple Days festival which has been held since 1977. From left are Cindy Garrison, Kiley Hughes, 2020 Miss Red Apple Days, and Dannica Hughes. — Photo by Donna Nichols [/two_fifth_last]   [two_fifth padding=”0 6px 0 6px”] Pastor Wayne Whitaker, right, of Northport

LEADERS Kenny Bruce, pastor emeritus of Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis, will write the Bible Studies for Life commentaries for the Baptist and Reflector during the Sept.-Nov. quarter. Bruce is a graduate of Mississipppi State University, Starkville, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned a master’s degree and a doctor of ministry degree. Before being called into the ministry, he attended law school for two years.

EVENTS The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is sponsoring four Focus discipleship conferences in August: Aug. 19, 6-9 p.m., Faith Baptist Church, Arlington; Aug. 21, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., First Baptist Church, Sevierville; Aug. 26, 6:30-9 p.m., Judson Baptist Church, Nashville; and Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland. The conferences are designed to assist pastors, Sunday School directors, group coordinators and teachers in all age groups to expand their

LEADERS First Baptist Church, Newbern, recently called Mark LaRue as senior pastor. Mark previously served as senior pastor of Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Bethel Springs. LaRue was licensed to the ministry by the former Leaclair Baptist Church in Memphis. He was ordained by the former Dellwood Baptist Church in Memphis. A Memphis native, LaRue graduated from Crichton College (formerly Mid-South Bible College) and earned his master’s degree from Mid-America

CHURCHES Short Creek Baptist Church, Christiana, will hold Vacation Bible School July 15-18 for children ages 3 through eighth grade. Times vary. For information, call Annette Ball at 615-604-4678. The church did not conduct VBS last year due to COVID-19. Springfield Baptist Church, Springfield, will host Woman of Focus, a women’s conference on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Keynote speakers are Nancy Stafford (Hollywood actress, pastor’s wife and author),

DEATHS Retired Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff member Donald E. Mauldin died June 20 at the age of 88. A native of South Carolina, Mauldin served churches in his home state before moving to Nashville in 1966 to become minister of education at Woodmont Baptist Church. He later served as associate director of missions for Nashville Baptist Association before joining the staff of the Executive Committee of the Tennessee Baptist