Tennessee Baptist and Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

LEXINGTON CHURCH EXCITED ABOUT DRAMATIC RISE IN GOTM GIVING

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
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LEXINGTON — With a three-step approach, First Baptist Church, Lexington, is making giant strides in its commitment to mission work in Tennessee.

Two years ago, the church adopted a mission strategy that focused on taking the gospel “across the street, across the states and across the seas.” The local component of the plan has led to a dramatic increase in the church’s giving through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions — from $805 in 2016 to nearly $17,000 this past year. [Read more…]

GOTM REACHES SECOND HIGHEST TOTAL IN 2017-18

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — In 2016-17, Tennessee Baptists gave a record $1,843,511.03 through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

A year later, Tennessee Baptists followed that record amount with the second highest total ever given — $1,797,423.72

“While falling short of our goal of $1,925,000, Tennessee Baptists still have a lot to celebrate with the 2017-18 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions,” said Vickie Anderson, executive director of Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union. [Read more…]

FORMER BAPTIST EDITOR, WIFE TAKE TO THE ROAD FOR MISSIONS

By Caleb Yarbrough
Baptist Press

Former Baptist editor and longtime Baptist communicator Trennis Henderson and his wife Pam will be traveling across the nation in their new RV writing missions stories for national Woman’s Missionary Union.
— Photo by Caleb Yarbrough

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — The rumble of the on-board generator lent a muffled, but noticeable, undertone as Trennis and Pam Henderson gave a tour of their new home.

Outfitted with all the modern comforts and conveniences expected in a 21st century home — if not in somewhat smaller proportions —- the Hendersons’ new home is a 24-foot-long Winnebago RV.

Since Aug. 1, the couple has been taking their RV across the country, working together to share the stories of Woman’s Missionary Union’s (WMU) various ministries with a new generation of Southern Baptists. [Read more…]

GOLDEN OFFERING HELPS ‘PURSUE THE ONE’

Vickie Anderson
TN WMU Executive Director-Treasurer

Vickie Anderson

Tennessee Missions Emphasis month is set to kick off on Sept. 1 For Tennessee Baptists, September brings the opportunity to observe and participate in the Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions. And while the offering is taken year-round, and the ministries happen throughout the year, September is the month we spotlight how together we support missions and ministries in Tennessee.

In 1902 W.C. and Mildred Golden challenged Tennessee Baptists to pray for and give to missions within the state and initiated the offering. The offering was named after them in 1943. Today, churches are still encouraged to learn about, pray for, give to and serve in missions and ministries in Tennessee.

[Read more…]

FORMER BUDDHIST GRATEFUL FOR BAPTISTS, CP

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
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Dixie Hausser shares her story with Joe Sorah, compassion ministries specialist with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and interim pastor at First Baptist Church, LaFollette, where Hausser is an active member at the age of 93.

LAFOLLETTE — At the age of 93, Dixie Hausser tells it like it is.

“If the missionaries had not come, I’d probably not be a Christian today,” said Hausser, who later moved to Tennessee as an adult and is an active member of First Baptist Church, LaFollette.

The missionaries she refers to were appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) and serving in the Orient prior to World War II. Once tensions increased worldwide, the IMB evacuated missionaries from China, Japan and other locations to Hawaii which was then a United States territory. [Read more…]

DYER TEAM RESPONDS TO MMC NEED

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
[email protected]

Glynn Reynolds of New Bethlehem Baptist Church, Dyer, repairs a brick wall on the mission home at the Missions Mobilization Center in Mount Juliet. — Photos by Lonnie Wilkey

MOUNT JULIET — When an unknown driver ran off the road earlier this year and crashed into the side of the mission house on the property of the Missions Mobilization Center (no one was hurt), Mark LeMay didn’t have to look far to find a repair team.

LeMay, properties management specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, called John Coleman, pastor of New Bethlehem Baptist Church in Dyer.

“I contacted John because he led the group that bricked the MMC mission house when the house was remodeled several years ago,” LeMay said. “John graciously agreed to put a team together to do the work,” he added. While there, the team also constructed brick columns for a new security gate to the MMC. [Read more…]

‘BUCKET LIST’ MISSION TRIP EXTENDS TO ETERNITY

By Cindy Lang
Chair of Education & Counseling, Carson-Newman University

I did my best to prepare them, I truly did.

I was gifted with the trust of Carson-Newman University parents who believed in my promise to diligently protect and educate their son or daughter while on a recent mission trip to Chokwe, Mozambique. Ten C-N students joined my husband (Al) and me on a 16-hour flight to South Africa. The trip included a night in Johannesburg, another flight to Mozambique (much shorter, thank goodness), and then a four-hour bumpy van ride to Chokwe. Around the world to a place where cold showers, one bathroom for 12 people, interesting food, little to no Internet, and being stretched to your limit in numerous ways were all a guarantee. So I, being the type-A, OCD person that I am, made sure we were prepared; or at least I tried. [Read more…]

REFLECTIONS FROM A MISSION TRIP TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

By Justin Wainscott
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jackson

I recently returned from Sub-Saharan Africa, where a team from First Baptist Church, Jackson, served for several days, seeking to make disciples and strengthen local churches. And though we had experiences that were of particular encouragement to our church and our partners, there were also aspects of this trip that I believe can provide encouragement to all Tennessee Baptists.

So, I offer the following reflections in hopes that they will instill confidence in you and your church as you think about what God is doing globally. [Read more…]

LEARNING FAITH LESSONS FROM MISSION TRIPS

By Rebekah Gardner
TBMB events and communications coordinator

Rebekah Gardner and her special friend in Haiti.

On June 30, I had the opportunity to go on my fourth trip to Haiti. This year 12 people went to Haiti, with my sister and brother-in-law’s ministry, Higher Hope Connect Ministries. We had planned to fly back to Charlotte, N.C., on July 7, but God had a different plan. With the extra time the Lord opened my eyes to things that I needed to learn and be reminded of. One thing the Lord reminded me of in Haiti was that I can trust Him.  [Read more…]

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