Baptist and Reflector

RICHMOND — Southern Baptists gave an unprecedented $154 million to the 2013 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, breaking the record for the largest total in the offering’s 125-year history.

The 2013 offering, finalized June 5, reached $154,057,852.36. The total represents an increase of nearly $4.8 million over 2012, or 3.2 percent. It tops the previous record, $150.4 million in 2007, by more than $3.6 million, and marks the fourth increase since 2008. [Read more…]

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Two Baptist associations in Tennessee have elected directors of missions recently. Tennessee has 66 associations.

Phil Mitchell, pastor, First Baptist Church, Adamsville, for 14 years, was called as director of missions, Weakley County Baptist Association, based in Dresden, effective May 19. He also was pastor of Mount Gilead Baptist Church, Cedar Grove, for 12 years, and Davis Memorial Baptist Church, Dresden, for six years. [Read more…]

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

CLEVELAND — All Baptists want our churches to be healthy but when a church needs revitalization, it does not always occur the way we think, said Phil Taylor, director of missions, Bradley Baptist Association, based here.

That is the case for Stuart Park Baptist Church, Cleveland, which closed March 30 after holding its final service. Several weeks earlier it had transferred all of its facilities and assets totaling about $1.9 million to Bradley Association.

Then after weeks of study, the association transferred the properties to Candies Creek Church, Charle-ston, to assist its new satellite, Candies Creek City Church, which is meeting in a Cleveland high school. [Read more…]

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,940,748 through the Cooperative Program in May.

After seven months of the 2013-14 fiscal year, Tennessee Baptists have given $20,166,640.

The amount is $483,580 or 2.3 percent below what was given at the same point last year and is $1,125,027 or 5.28 percent below budgeted needs. [Read more…]

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Jeremy Westbrook, pastor of Living Hope Church in Marysville, Ohio, will be nominated for vice president of the Southern Baptist Pastors Conference next week in Baltimore.

The Pastors Conference precedes the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention which will be held June 10-11. [Read more…]

Baptist and Reflector

NASHVILLE — The Fellowship at Two Rivers (formerly Two Rivers Baptist Church), voted June 1 to sell its 220,000-square-foot building and 37.5 acres of land to the Catholic Diocese of Nashville.

The church is located off Briley Parkway across from the Opryland Hotel complex in Donelson. [Read more…]

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — The Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention is in the process of closing the doors for good at the Baptist Center in Brentwood where it’s been located for 45 years. The board is relocating, and will have a new address beginning next week.

The mailing address will continue to be P.O. Box 728, Brentwood, TN, 37024; the main switchboard number will remain (615) 373-2255, and toll free number will remain (800) 558-2090. Direct dial numbers will also remain the same. [Read more…]

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Approximately 45 years and one week after the cornerstone was placed in the new Tennessee Baptist Convention office located at 5001 Maryland Way, a ceremony was held to remove the time capsule that was placed in it.

“This is part of the grand plan for our transition celebration,” TBC Executive Director Randy C. Davis told nearly 200 people in attendance on May 19.

TBC offices are moving this week to a temporary site off Old Hickory Boulevard in Brentwood, about two miles from the current location.

Brentwood Mayor Betsy Crossley spoke, noting that when the TBC building was dedicated in 1969, “it was in the middle of nowhere.” [Read more…]

By Linda Lawson Still
Contributing Writer, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Citing a downturn in advertising revenue and increasing costs for printing and postage, Baptist & Reflector Editor Lonnie Wilkey announced the paper will cut back publication to biweekly, effective with the June 4 issue (there will be no issue on May 28 under the current publication schedule).

The electronic edition will follow the print schedule.

To supplement the every other week publication, breaking news will be released via the Tennessee Baptist Convention website (www.tnbaptist.org) and mass e-mails to those who want to add their names to the current list. Around November, a new B&R website will be launched to carry print stories and additional electronic content such as columns. Also, use of social media will be increased to facilitate dialogue on key issues impacting churches. Further down the road, a B&R phone app will be available. [Read more…]