By Chris Turner
Director of communications, TBC

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.— The Executive Board Ministry Staff of the Tennessee Baptist Convention has named a long-time disaster relief and ministry veteran to lead its state disaster relief effort. The appointment culminates a nearly one-year national search process.

Wesley A. Jones, a former state disaster relief leader in Iowa and former International Mission Board missionary in Guatemala, was chosen to fill the role of Disaster Relief Specialist. The announcement of Jones’ hiring comes after disaster relief veteran, David Acres, retired last September. Jones is scheduled to be in his role with the TBC Sept. 1, 2015. Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief has been led by interim leader and retired TBC employee, Mike Overcash, since Acre’s retirement.

“We are very excited to have Wes joining our team and serving Tennessee Baptists in this role,” said Randy C. Davis, executive director/treasurer of the Executive Board ministries. “He brings a great deal of experience to the position. Our Tennessee Baptist disaster relief volunteers are a dedicated group of individuals who love to both serve and share the gospel. We wanted to find someone who shared that same passion, and we believe Wes does.” [Read more…]

By Baptist and Reflector

ALAMO — On July 14 a fire broke out in Cairo Baptist Church, Alamo, which may have completely destroyed the church’s main building. An educational building was not affected. The town is located about 15 miles northwest of Jackson.
There is no sign of criminal involvement and the cause is undetermined, reported Bob Dennison, pastor.

The church was insured for about $200,000 but that will not adequately cover all the damage, added Dennison.

At this time the congregation of about 65 people is meeting in the educational building. [Read more…]

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

LIVINGSTON — Many different languages were heard here, but mostly from adult sponsors and counselors. The children and teens spoke English — about American music, Facebook, and favorite soccer teams.

The campers of All Nations Camp represented 15 different countries they or their families are from. Now immigrants to the United States and Tennessee, they live in the U.S. where they enjoy being part of the increasingly pluralistic U.S. society.

But they face many stresses. At camp, for five days, those stresses faded as they spent time with fellow immigrants just like them. The campers ranged from ages 7-17 and represented Romania, South Korea, Africa, Nepal, and many Hispanic countries. [Read more…]

By Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,768,320 through the Cooperative Program in June.

After eight months of the current fiscal year, Tennessee Baptists have given $22,399,423.

The amount is $54,421 or 0.2 percent over what was given during the same time frame last year.

The total, however, is $433,910 or 1.90 percent below budget needs for the year.

TBC Executive Director Randy C. Davis noted that in the July 1 issue of the Baptist and Reflector there was an article about more than 13,000 people coming through the Jesus Tent at Bonnaroo.

They were served by Tennessee Baptists who introduced them to Christ and many were saved, he observed.

“That’s Great Commission giving through the Cooperative Program at work in Tennessee. Thank you TBC churches for your faithful giving,” he said.

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

CHATTANOOGA — When Eric Stitts, pastor of Bayside Baptist Church, Harrison, heard of the domestic terrorism attack on two military facilities in the city on July 16, his first thought was disbelief.

Then he turned his thoughts and prayers to the many policemen in his church who he knew would be called to the scene.

As it turned out, one of those officers (Dennis Pedigo), was one of two people wounded during the incident which took the lives of four United States Marines and a Navy sailor. The shooter, Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kuwait, was later killed. [Read more…]

By Landon Dickerson
B&R Intern

BRENTWOOD — In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling to legalize homosexual marriage in all 50 states, Baptist Collegiate Ministries around Tennessee are responding.

Because homosexuality is such a large issue on college campuses now, BCMs in Tennessee are seeking out God’s desire for the next step, according to Bill Choate, BCM director for the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

“This is not a new challenge for those ministering on university campuses. Secular universities have long manifested the tension between university support of the rights of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) people and university support of the expression of religious liberty on campus,” he said.

“We have been fortunate in Tennessee that, while universities hold clear non-discrimination positions, the institutions generally continue to allow for general expressions of religious liberty, including the recognition of religious student organizations,” Choate added. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Eeditor, Baptist and Reflector

NASHVILLE — Following the decision of the United States Supreme Court on June 26, two state representatives in Tennessee announced plans to draft a “Tennessee Pastor Protection Act.”

“It comes as no surprise that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage. I have had multiple constituents concerned with how the ruling may impact their church and their religious beliefs,” said Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro) in a press release.

He noted, however, if the “issue is truly about equality of civil liberties and benefits, then this ruling should have minimal legal impact on churches.”

Terry added that if “the issue and the cause is about redefining marriage to require others to change their deeply held religious beliefs, then the concerns of many will be valid.” [Read more…]

By Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Current Tennessee Baptist Convention president Michael Ellis, along with 20 former TBC presidents, have signed onto a statement first adopted by current Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd and all 16 former living SBC presidents since 1980.

Soon after the marriage and religious liberty statement was released during the SBC annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, former presidents of the Florida Baptist Convention also signed on as supporters.

“We are excited to join with our counterparts in Florida in affirming the SBC presidents’ statement on marriage and religious liberty,” said Randy C. Davis, TBC executive director/treasurer, and a past TBC president.

“This kind of solidarity is very necessary and extremely encouraging,” he said. [Read more…]

By Jim Guenther
TBC Attorney

There needs to be some clarity about exactly what the Supreme Court’s decision did and did not do. The decision was about a civil right, the right of same sex couples to be licensed by the states to marry. It was an interpretation of the 14th Amendment, a citizen’s right to equal protection under the law when it comes to marriage.

It was not about religious liberty. It was not about the First Amendment and a citizen’s right to exercise his or her religious beliefs and it was not about the prohibition against government establishing religion. So the decision did nothing to diminish religious freedom. [Read more…]