Baptist and Reflector

Pastor Jamie Work (with hand raised) of Candies Creek Baptist Church, Charleston, prepares to baptize the Ensley family in the Hiwassee River. The church has seen more than 100 professions of faith in Jesus Christ and recommitments this summer as a result of community outreach and a harvest revival.

CHARLESTON — In the fall of 2014 the Lord began to compel Candies Creek Baptist Church here to give themselves to a renewed emphasis on disciple-making for 2015, said Pastor Jamie Work.

He noted that ministry leaders and pastoral staff prayerfully planned the coming year around the theme of “Disciples Making Disciples: Reach, Teach, Equip, and Release.”

A team of the church’s pastors from both of Candies Creek’s campuses put together a “Disciple-Making Blueprint” designed to guide mature believers through a year-long process of discipling new, or soon-to-be, followers of Christ, Work said.

In the early part of this year, church members were asked to write the names of family members, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, neighbors, and relatives for whom the church could pray that they would experience spiritual transformation.

The names were written on a large, double-sided white board in the Worship Center during worship gatherings, Work said. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

LEOMA – The Lawrence County Association of Baptists voted during its annual meeting Oct. 12 to withdraw fellowship from Greater Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Lawrenceburg.

The African-American congregation, which was a church plant of Faith Baptist Church in Loretto in 1992, recently called a non-Baptist woman as pastor (Shonda Reynolds-Christian).

The association voted 73-4 to remove Greater Tabernacle Baptist Church immediately from its list of cooperating Baptist churches, according to Mike Kemper, director of missions of the association. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Pastor Jonathan Curry, right, pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church, Shelbyville, helps church member Robert Woolbright load toiletry items collected by church members for his ministry to veterans at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro. Woolbright is a Vietnam veteran.

SHELBYVILLE — A few years ago Air Force veteran Robert Woolbright had to spend three days in intensive care at the Veterans Administration hospital in Murfreesboro.

After being moved to his room, Woolbright discovered the room had no personal hygiene items such as toothpaste or shampoo. The only thing in the bathroom was a dispenser with liquid soap.

Woolbright learned during his stay there that the hospital had only a certain allotment of hygiene items and if they were used up, the hospital staff had to wait on the next allotment.

Woolbright called his wife who had gone home to rest and asked her to bring enough items for himself and the rest of his floor at the VA hospital. [Read more…]

Wes Jones

STORY UPDATED UPDATED 10/12/15

MOUNT JULIET —Three Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief have responded to the historic flooding in South Carolina, reported Wes Jones, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief specialist.

Though Tennessee is not in the region organized by Southern Baptist Disaster Relief to be the first responders to disasters in South Carolina, Tennessee was asked for help by North Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief, explained Jones. North Carolina Baptist DR is leading efforts in the northeast part of South Carolina, he explained.

“It’s important to help our sister states when they need us whether we’re in the region or not,” said Jones. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Elects new officers, approves Church Support Center design

Steve Freeman, left, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield was elected chair of the TBC Executive Board for 2016 while Mike Sams, pastor of First Baptist Church, Martin, was elected chair-elect.

BRENTWOOD — Members of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention approved for recommendation to the messengers of the TBC annual meeting a budget of $34,250,000 for 2015-16. [Read more…]