Tennessee Baptist and Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

HIRES AT IMB, EC LOOM LARGE FOR CONVENTION

Editor’s Note: This column expands upon a blog posted recently on www.baptistandreflector.org. Be sure to check the website regularly for articles and columns as they develop.

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

The SBC annual meeting will be held in the Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Photo courtesy of Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas

In February, the International Mission Board learned that President David Platt was returning to the pastorate, so trustees are now in the process of searching for a successor. This will be an important hire because the individual will be leading Southern Baptists’ largest missions-sending organization.

A search committee has been chosen and is in the process of looking for Platt’s successor. As I have said before, the person who leads the IMB ideally should have missionary experience and be a strong believer and supporter in the Cooperative Program. [Read more…]

CITY REACH OFFERS ‘NUTS & BOLTS’ MINISTRY

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN —  Rusty Sumrall said the momentum continues to build for City Reach Nashville.

In the weeks ahead, he is hopeful the excitement will transform into action.

“We have 30 churches across Tennessee who have shared interest in coming to Nashville,” said Sumrall, executive director of the Nashville Baptist Association. “So, now we need these churches, and other churches, to make the commitment to come.”

City Reach Nashville is one phase of a five-part initiative designed and implemented by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. [Read more…]

IMB TRUSTEES ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

IMB News Office

RICHMOND  — The International Mission Board’s Presidential Search Committee is accepting nominations for the agency’s next president. The committee, chaired by Chuck Pourciau, senior pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., released the following statement April 12, 2018:

“The International Mission Board Presidential Search Committee has benefited greatly from your prayers and input during the early stage of this process. We continue to desire your help as we seek the person God has chosen to be the next leader of the IMB.   [Read more…]

GIRLS CHALLENGED TO STAND FIRM AT CONNECTION

By Juliana Wilson
TN WMU Communications & Childhood Missions Specialist, TBMB

Teenage girls and their leaders worship together during Connection which was held during the annual Woman’s Missionary Union Get-Together held March 16-18 in Gatlinburg.

GATLINBURG — Connection 2018, a missions event for girls in grades 7 through 12, took place March 16-18 at the Gatlinburg Convention Center in conjunction with Missions Get-Together.

The group of 272 girls and leaders were among 1,495 total event attendees, including volunteers, exhibitors, personnel and staff who attended Connection and Missions Get-Together. The event centered around the theme “Stand Firm” and key Scripture from Galatians 5:1. Through worship, breakout sessions and hands-on experiences, the young women were challenged to stand firm on the gospel, in their faith and in their walk with Christ. [Read more…]

WMU EVENT LASTS BEYOND CONFERENCE

Attendees encouraged to stay engaged all year

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

GATLINBURG — From Vickie Anderson’s perspective, the most important piece of WMU’s annual Missions Get-Together and Connection conference doesn’t occur during the weekend of the event.

Rather, it is the days, weeks and months after the conference that are the most significant, and the most satisfying, to Anderson, the executive director of Tennessee WMU.

“For me, the most exciting part is to see how individuals and churches respond to the way the Lord nudged them during the conference,” Anderson said. “To see churches getting involved with a ministry or getting deeper in Bible study or mentoring and ministering to someone — those are the stories that excite us.” [Read more…]

REFUGEE EXHIBIT CREATES PERSPECTIVE

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

Upon entering the refugee simulation, the women were given a number and instructed to put all personal belongings in a trash bag.

GATLINBURG — According to recent data released by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, there are 65.6 million displaced individuals, or refugees, in the world today. It is the highest number in recorded history and is growing by hundreds of thousands each year.

Sadly, when hearing numbers like that, there is a tendency to forget that there are faces behind the figures. It almost becomes lost that these are real people, with real emotions and real families. And many of them are hurting.

In hopes of shining a light on these dark developments, national WMU has worked with several other organizations to create the “Refugee Simulation Experience” — an interactive, walk-through exhibit that enables participants to better grasp the hardships that many refugees are facing.  [Read more…]

DOMINICA: SMALL ISLAND, GIGANTIC NEEDS

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Volunteers Doug Morris, left, and Roger Nash of Tulip Grove Baptist Church work on a roof in the village of La Plaine, Dominica.
— Photo by Chuck Collins

LA PLAINE, Dominica — After three months of sending volunteers to help reroof homes in the village of La Plaine in Dominica, “the rough edges” are in the process of being smoothed out, said Phillip Hardee, a member of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, who is coordinating volunteer teams for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Each team that has been to Dominica thus far has provided “positive feedback,” Hardee said. They have pointed out things that need attention such as on-site organization and supplies, he noted. “We are addressing those issues.”

Tennessee Baptist volunteers have come away saddened by the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria and subpar living conditions faced by the majority of Dominicans. Six months after the hurricane, the majority of the island’s residents have no electricity unless they have gasoline-powered generators. [Read more…]

LAYMAN SEES DOMINICA FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Jeff Gilliam, left, of Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory, visits with Pastor David Serrant of Deliverance Baptist Church in Goodwill, Dominica.

LA PLAINE, Dominica — Jeff Gilliam of Tulip Grove Baptist Church in Old Hickory is no stranger to Dominica. He has led five missions trips to the country since 2007.

In mid-March he led his sixth trip, although in a totally different role. His first five trips were basically with teams that led conferences and did evangelism projects with Deliverance Baptist Church in Goodwill, a suburb of Roseau, the captitol of Dominica. This time, he led a 10-member construction team to build roofs on homes in the village of La Plaine that were severely damaged by Hurricane Maria last September.

Gilliam would be the first to admit he’s not a “handyman” but he was more than willing to help by carrying boards and supplies as well as shuttling tools back and forth between team members. [Read more…]

THE REASON BAPTISTS DO WHAT WE DO

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Faces of Dominica.
— Photos by Lonnie Wilkey & Chuck Collins

Tennessee Baptists are once again living up to their reputation as residents of the Volunteer state. Since January, Tennessee Baptists have been hard at work on the tiny island of Dominica in the Caribbean. And, let’s be clear. Dominica is not the Dominican Republic. They are easy to confuse because of the similarity in name.

Last September, Hurricane Maria slammed Dominica hard. It took the brunt of Maria’s destruction. The small village of La Plaine especially was hit with massive force as Maria made landfall there.

Six months later, the village of La Plaine, as well as the island of Dominica, are still in the recovery stage. [Read more…]

REBUILDING DOMINICA: ONE ROOF AT A TIME

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Dominicans and Tennessee Baptists work together in the village of La Plaine to put a roof on a home damaged by Hurricane Maria last September.

LA PLAINE, Dominica — It’s been more than six months since Hurricane Maria hit shore in La Plaine, Dominica, leaving behind a trail of devastation and destruction.

Yet, not much has changed for the better for the majority of Dominicans.

Most of the homes in the country still do not have electricity. Those that do are dependent upon gas-powered generators. Many homes have no roofs or are only protected by tarpaulins (tarps). [Read more…]

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