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.
The theme for Summit is “Connect Now … Whatever It Takes.”
The Tennessee Reunion will feature Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, and former University of Tennessee and NFL football star Todd Kelly Sr. Kelly helps lead Proverbs for Men Bible study at Fosters Baptist Church in Knoxville.
TBC President Roc Collins encouraged more than 200 participants at a recent church revitalization conference in Knoxville to make plans to attend the Summit in November. Collins is pastor of Indian Springs Baptist Church, Kingsport.
TBC church members are asked to consider attending the Tennessee Reunion that begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Sevierville Convention Center. The program will also include a pre-service concert at 6 p.m. by the Tennessee Baptist Mens Chorale and a concurrent Hispanic worship service, followed by a joint fellowship in the Exhibit Hall with snacks, fellowship, and networking.
There is no cost to attend the community worship service and fellowship and those attending do not have to be registered messengers for the convention.
“I’m looking forward to the Tennessee Reunion,” said TBC Executive Director Randy C. Davis. “It is seldom that Tennessee laypeople and church leaders from different churches have the opportunity to get together and worship.
“But that is exactly what will be happening on Sunday night in Sevierville. We need a revival that saturates our state. My prayer is that our Tennessee Reunion would be a holy spark that ignites spiritual awakening flames,” Davis said.
In addition to the Pastors Conference on Monday, breakout sessions on a variety of topics will be available that morning prior to the conference that begins after lunch. Breakout sessions will also be offered during the annual business meeting on Tuesday.
Pastors Conference speakers include Jim Collier, pastor, Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis; James Noble, assistant professor of pastoral ministry at Anderson (S.C.) University; Dean Haun, pastor, First Baptist Church, Morristown; Stephen Rummage, pastor, Bell Shoals Baptist Church, Brandon, Fla.; Monty Hamilton, pastor, Come As You Are Bible Fellowship, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Paige Patterson, president, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.
In addition to Gaines and Kelly, Summit program personalities will include Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville; O.S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas; and Travis Cottrell, worship pastor at Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson.
This issue of the Baptist and Reflector contains reports from the Committee on Boards, the Committee on Committees, and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. TBC bylaws require these reports be published 60 days prior to the annual meeting.
Messengers interested in presenting a resolution during the annual meeting are encouraged to submit resolutions in advance. They can be mailed to: Resolutions Committee, Executive Board, TBC, P.O. Box 728, Brentwood, TN 37024. Even if a resolution is presented in advance, it must still be presented from the floor during the annual meeting.
Online registration for Summit began Sept. 6 and continues through Nov. 9. Prospective messengers are encouraged to pre-register online, said TBC Registration Secretary Dan Ferrell. Messengers who do not pre-register can register in person beginning on Sunday, Nov. 13, from 5-8 p.m. in the Sevierville Convention Center.
Registration also will be open on Monday, Nov. 14, from 8 a.m.-
7 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; and on Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 8-11 a.m.
For more information about registration, contact Ferrell at [email protected] or 615-371-7910.
Childcare, provided by trained Tennessee Baptist childcare disaster relief volunteers, is available for babies-pre-K. Register online at www.tbcsummit.org.
The Summit officially concludes on Thursday, Nov. 17, with a golf tournament at Sevierville Golf Club. The four-man scramble (shotgun start) begins at 9 a.m. The cost is $44 and includes range balls. Register online at www.tbcsummit.org.