Editor’s note: This article was updated on May 10.

Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers from Nolachucky Baptist Association work on clearing trees in Tazewell.

MOUNT JULIET — A series of late spring storms that spawned tornadoes, hail, high winds and flooding, swept across Tennessee on May 8-9, leaving behind at least two known deaths, several injuries and thousands of people without electricity and extensive wind damage.

The storms affected nearly every region of the state from north to south and east to west, according to news reports from media outlets across Tennessee.

As reports of storm damage surfaced in the morning hours of May 8, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were among the first to respond. [Read more…]

During the past 10 years, Tennessee Baptists have focused on the Five Objectives, one of which was to see 50,000 people annually saved and baptized by 2024. Evangelism will continue to be a focus of Tennessee Baptists during the transition to the Acts 2:17 Initiative.

Tennessee Baptists’ concern for the lost is not new. Read a portion of this article which appeared in the Jan. 12, 1911 issue of the Baptist and Reflector. [Read more…]

With impending storms headed into the state, Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are now on alert, as of 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Wes Jones, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is asking volunteers to “please be on guard as the chance of storms is growing.” 

Jones said volunteers and DR team leaders should stayed tuned to their local weather sources and should “take care of (their) family first.”  [Read more…]

NASHVILLE — Tennessee lawmakers have approved an “abortion trafficking” ban making it a Class A misdemeanor to transport minors out of state for abortions without parental consent, or to procure abortion pills for minors.

Parents and legal guardians retain the right to get their children abortions outside Tennessee, and other adults may do so with the written, notarized consent of the pregnant mother’s parent. The bill does not impact the travel of adult expectant mothers seeking abortions elsewhere.

Downgraded from a Class C felony in previous language, the bill awaiting Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s signature stipulates a mandatory 11 months and 29 days prison term, and allows parents to file civil lawsuits for the wrongful death of the aborted child. [Read more…]

FRANKLIN — The Off the Grid Institute, a ministry of the Tennessee Baptist Conference Centers, will sponsor a one-day seminar on May 14 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center in Newport.

The seminar, “Introduction to Biblical Prophecy: Rightly Handling Revelation,” will be led by Mark Proctor of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff. 

The seminar provides a theological framework to interpret prophecy found in Revelation.

Attendees will hear various belief systems that students of Scripture sometimes adopt as well as tools to rightly evaluate and understand the true purpose of end time prophecies. [Read more…]

Scott and Jennifer Andrews, center, are flanked by their daughters, Lauren Kendall and Caitlin Neal, left, and Lindsey Barnett, right. Andrews, worship pastor, recently celebrated his 35th anniversary at First Baptist Church, Sevierville.

SEVIERVILLE — Scott Andrews recently celebrated his 35th anniversary as worship pastor at First Baptist Church, Sevierville. His ministry, however, goes beyond just music.

Andrews also serves as senior adult/pastoral care pastor and he’s been known to lead quite a few mission trips as well. 

In addition to the four pastors he has served with at First Baptist (Joe Wren, Rich Liner, Randy Davis and Dan Spencer), Andrews also served with Ray Newcomb at First Baptist Church, Millington; Bill Delaney at South Seminole Baptist Church, Chattanooga; and John Shepherd at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Oneida. “God has used every pastor I have worked with to pour into me and make me a better pastor,” he said.

Andrews also credits Billy Appling who was the music minister at Whitehaven Baptist Church in Memphis when he surrendered to the ministry in 1974 as an important mentor in his life. Appling later became minister of music at Red Bank Baptist Church in Chattanooga where he served for 25 years. [Read more…]

Attendees at the 2024 WMU Missions Get-Together worship together at the annual conference, which was held this year at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood. —  Photos by Tiffany Roy and Stephanie Evans

BRENTWOOD — Kasondra Pillow loved everything about the Tennessee WMU’s Missions Get-Together.

“I loved all of it!” she declared. “I’ve learned so much about Jesus!”

This was Pillow’s first time to attend the Missions Get-Together, which met April 11-13 at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood. She came with a group of seven from Immanuel Baptist Church in Trenton. 

“I loved interacting with the people, and the breakout sessions are the best,” Pillow said. “I learned about knowing God and trusting God. I love all of it!” [Read more…]