FRANKLIN — Social media no longer is confined to Generation Z, the generation born in the late 1990s or early 21st century, and it includes much more than Facebook.

What’s more, churches can no longer continue to ignore social media, says Samantha Bligh, events and social media coordinator for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

“Social media is one of those unavoidable things today with the way technology has advanced,” Bligh affirmed.

Bligh was featured recently on the “Tennessee Golden Hour,” a podcast produced by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and hosted by TBMB staff members Matt Tullos and Beth Moore. [Read more…]

Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers, from top of photo, Kenny Street, Tommy Wilson and Butch Porch, work on a clearing a tree at a resident’s home in Spring, Texas.

SPRING, Texas — Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were reminded again this week that there is strength in numbers.

Joining forces with other volunteers from several different states, a trio of teams from Tennessee was able to assist the recovery process in southeast Texas, where residents are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Beryl. The Tennessee groups included chain saw and heavy equipment teams. 

Bill Lowe, disaster relief team leader for JST, arrived with his team in Spring, Texas, on Sunday, July 21, along with a team from West Tennessee, led by Butch Porch. Lowe said the teams went right to work — and there was plenty to do.

“At this location alone, there were 333 job requests,” he said. “So far, 170 of those have been completed.” [Read more…]

Wilson

BRENTWOOD — Creely Wilson, Tennessee WMU’s first state coordinator for Christian Women’s Job Corps (CWJC), died July 18. She was 92.

CWJC began in Tennessee in 1997. Soon after National WMU launched CWJC, Wilson came to the office and told the staff that Tennessee WMU needed to start this ministry, recalled Vickie Anderson, now executive director of Tennessee WMU. “Her passion for women and meeting the needs of women through CWJC was clear,” Anderson said.

She noted that Wilson made a difference by attending site coordinator training, finding a location for the first Tennessee site in Nashville (now called Begin Anew), meeting with local and state government leaders, finding teachers and volunteers, leading Bible Study, mentoring, developing a computer lab, promoting CWJC across Tennessee and teaching others to have a CWJC site. [Read more…]

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Staff members of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board have recently developed and produced Tennessee Golden Hour (TGH), a new podcast designed to inform Tennessee Baptists on a variety of topics.

“The Tennessee Golden Hour’s purpose is to provide a weekly treasure trove of stories, ideas and tools for Tennessee Baptists,” said Matt Tullos, stewardship specialist for the TBMB and co-host of the podcast. “Our goal is to do it in an entertaining and timely way. 

“Already we have a library of conversations on church planting, pastoring, LGBTQ issues, social media, crisis communications, preaching, church growth, evangelism and lots more,” he said.  [Read more…]

Standing in front of the plaque honoring former Tennessee Baptist pastor Phil Jett at Philadelphia Church in Porto Seguro are family members, from left, David Jett, Madilyn Larson, Karen Jett, Luke Larson, Susan Jett Larson and Lyle Larson.

FRANKLIN — By any measure, the late Phil Jett, who served as pastor and later on the staff of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson for 40 years, had a highly successful ministry.

Under his leadership Englewood saw continued growth over the decades while emphasizing missions and evangelism. While pastor of Englewood, he served as president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2005-06. 

He also served as a trustee and later chairman of the board at Union University and is a past recipient of the university’s Robert E. Craig Service Award. [Read more…]

Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer Claude Moore unloads debris in front of a residence in Okoboji, Iowa. Moore was part of TBDR’s response to the severe flooding that ravaged the area in late June. Heavy rains resulted in rivers rising to record-breaking levels, breaching levees and impacting thousands of homes.

SPENCER, Iowa — For many people, summertime means operating at a somewhat slower pace. However, the opposite is true for Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers. 

In the wake of multiple disasters — including a recent hurricane in Texas and flooding in Iowa — the TBDR teams are experiencing a hectic stretch, with volunteers responding to both states during the back half of July. 

Stanley Roach, DR director for Knox County Baptists, is overseeing the response in Iowa. Contacted by the Baptist and Reflector on July 17, Roach and his team were on the way to a job site in Spencer, preparing for a very busy week.

“They told us when we got here that were about 50 homes that were on the list for assistance,” said Roach. “And they’ve been adding even more (since we arrived).”  [Read more…]

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches are encouraged to participate in Baptist and Reflector Day on Sunday, Aug. 18.

Since 1835, Tennessee Baptists have had a newspaper, observed B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey. “We had a newspaper even before we had a convention. That’s how important some of the early Baptists in Tennessee felt about having a source for news,” he said.

A state paper is more than a source of providing news and information, Wilkey noted. “In the hands of God, it can be a tool to inspire and motivate people to ministry that will bring glory to God and ultimately expand His kingdom,” Wilkey added. “My hope and desire is that we still have people 189 years later who see the need for a resource such as the Baptist and Reflector.”  [Read more…]