Tennessee Baptist and Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

THE LAW AMENDMENT: A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE PEW

By Dani Bryson
Guest columnist, Baptist and Reflector

Necessary legal disclaimer: I’m a lawyer. I’m not your lawyer. I’m not the SBC’s lawyer. This article isn’t legal advice or intended to create a lawyer-client relationship between the SBC or any other party and me.

Bryson

Mike Law circulated a letter last year informing the Southern Baptist Convention that for the sake of clarity he intended to propose an amendment that churches were not in friendly cooperation when they employed a female pastor.

But the amendment that passed didn’t say that.

It said something else entirely and MEANT something else entirely.

This is not a theological analysis by a seminarian. I’m not talking about women pastors. I’m a lawyer – not the SBC’s lawyer, not even a lawyer that practices civil law – but reading the amendment, I cannot overlook what we are about to do. [Read more…]

DOOLEY NOTED: SEEKING GOD’S PRESENCE AND KNOWING HE IS NEAR

By Adam Dooley
Pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson

Dooley

I will never forget the day God visited my college campus. None of the songs we sang that day readily come to mind. The subject of the visiting preacher’s message is less familiar to me than what I had for dinner on this same date last year. What I do remember, though, is that God showed up in an unusual way during our campus wide revival.

Students began confessing their sins. Professors repented of their pride. Our president openly apologized to numerous faculty members. Testimonies of God’s goodness abounded. Personal pettiness and secret grudges seemed to dissipate in the shadow of God’s undeniable presence. No excessive displays for attention monopolized the time. Miraculous signs or gifts were the farthest things from my mind. Overwhelmed like never before, I wanted to hide my face as I considered just how near God was that day. [Read more…]

FIRST-PERSON: A PERSPECTIVE ON THE PROPOSED SBC AMENDMENT REGARDING WOMEN IN PASTORAL MINISTRY

By Jeff Iorg
President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee

Iorg

The Southern Baptist Convention will soon consider final action on an amendment to the SBC Constitution stating that a cooperating Southern Baptist church “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”

This is a significant decision which raises important issues related to Baptist theology, polity and practice and has the potential to profoundly impact not just the Southern Baptist Convention, but the entire Southern Baptist denomination.

When the SBC Executive Committee forwarded the amendment to the Convention in 2023, it did so with a recommendation that the amendment be declined. This remains the position of the Executive Committee and reflects my position as well. Here are some of the reasons for our position, along with some suggestions for a path forward. [Read more…]

EVANGELISM CONCLAVES: SIX SITES, ONE UNIFIED GOAL

By Baptist and Reflector

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s NOW evangelism conclaves were held at regional sites in late April and early May.

Dates and host sites for the conclaves included: April 29 at Ellendale Baptist Church, Bartlett; April 30 at FBC Columbia; May 2 at Judson Baptist Church, Nashville; May 6 at Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Maryville; May 7 at Sullivan Baptist Church, Kingsport; and May 9 at Oakwood Baptist Church, Chattanooga. [Read more…]

FBC BLOUNTVILLE HONORS RETIRING PASTOR CLAY AUSTIN

By Baptist and Reflector

Joe Davenport, right, chairman of the personnel team of First Baptist Church, Blountville, recognizes Clay Austin and his wife, Anita, upon his retirement after 38 years with the church. The Austins received several gifts and he was bestowed the title, “Pastor Emeritus.” — Photo by Lonnie Wilkey

BLOUNTVILLE — Members of First Baptist Church, Blountville, said goodbye to their pastor Clay Austin on April 28 after 38 years of ministry.

The church showered Austin and his wife, Anita, with several gifts and capped it off by naming him pastor emeritus.

“No church in this world wouldn’t be honored to have had Clay Austin as their pastor for the past 38 years. Pastor Clay exemplified what it means to be a pastor. He shepherded the flock through the good times and bad,” said Adam Sells, minister of students, who served with Austin for 13 years. [Read more…]

FBC CLARKSVILLE HELPS KIRKWOOD REVITALIZE, REENERGIZE — AND RECONSTITUTE

By David Dawson
Communications specialist, TBMB

CLARKSVILLE — It is said that the key to good parenting is knowing when to hold your child’s hand and when to let go. 

Ronny Raines, in a sense, feels the same is true in church planting. 

Raines is the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Clarksville. When he arrived at FBC, the church was in the process of helping “replant” Kirkwood Baptist Church — a once-thriving church that had dwindled to less than a dozen regular attendees in 2016.

With FBC’s help, Kirkwood experienced revitalization and began to regain its footing. Still, Raines believed even bigger things were in store.  [Read more…]

BCM LEADERS RENEWED, REFOCUSED AFTER SUMMIT

By David Dawson
Communications specialist, TBMB

BCM leaders from across the country enjoy a time of fellowship around the tables during this year’s Baptist Collegiate Network Leadership Summit at First Baptist Church, Collierville.

COLLIERVILLE — Cole Rogers said he picked up numerous new ideas during the 2024 Collegiate Leadership Summit. 

But Rogers, collegiate ministry specialist at Belmont University, said that wasn’t his biggest take-away from the three-day event.

Instead, Rogers said that being reminded that college ministry is about “being centered on prayer more than trying to plan things and get down all the details” had the biggest impact on him during the event, which was held this year at First Baptist Church, Collierville. 

Rodney Norvell, collegiate ministry specialist at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, agreed that the conference was much more than just a seminar on how to better organize activities and events. [Read more…]

SUMMER IS COMING — AND SO ARE THE KIDS

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Lonnie Wilkey

For more than 35 years, I have attended countless events at Tennessee Baptists’ two camps/conference centers at Carson Springs in Newport and Linden Valley in Linden.

But it wasn’t until the last two-plus years that I have truly come to understand the treasure Tennessee Baptists have at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center and Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center.

About three years ago, I sensed my time as editor of the Baptist and Reflector was nearing an end, so my wife and I began planning for the future. We had no intent of selling our home in Nashville but in 2021, God moved in such a way that we know it was His will for us to sell. [Read more…]

TBAH MINISTRY REACHES ‘THE LEAST OF THESE’

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist & Reflector

FRANKLIN — In 1974, Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes was founded when Tennessee Baptists saw the need for developing a residential ministry for the aging senior adult population in the state.

Fifty years later, TBAH is still meeting that original need, but has expanded its ministry to include residential care for adults with exceptional needs.

The ministry of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes is as important as ever, especially when it comes to taking care of adults with exceptional needs, observed Mark Anderson, who is only the fourth president/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention entity in its 50-year history. The others were Wade Darby, J.L. Ford and Kenny Cooper. [Read more…]

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

By David Dawson
Communications specialist, TBMB

JOHNSON CITY — Let the celebration begin, Tennessee Baptists!

Propelled by a combination of energy, nostalgia and gratitude, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is kicking off the “2024 Celebration Tour” — commemorating and saluting the 150th anniversary of the Tennessee Baptist Convention — with a stop-over in one of the most tradition-steeped locations in the state: Sinking Creek Baptist Church. 

The church, established in 1772 and recognized as the oldest church in Tennessee, is the host site for a celebration program entitled “Humble Beginnings.” The program will be streamed on May 21, and will feature bluegrass music, Scripture reading and a deep-dive into the history of Sinking Creek Baptist Church and the TBC as a whole.  [Read more…]

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