By Rich Lloyd Pastor, First Baptist Church, Newport Focal Passage: Genesis 35:1-15  Leaving is never easy. Leaving family after a wonderful holiday season is never easy but is tempered with the knowledge that there will be another time. Leaving a job and friends is never easy even for a new opportunity but again tempered with the knowledge that some friendships will survive time and distance.  However, sometimes leaving means never returning. A bad job. A bad break-up. A bad mistake. Leaving means turning away from what was and starting new someplace else.   Being forced to le ..read more

By Darrell Nimmo Retired Tennessee pastor Focal Passage: Matthew 28:18-20;  II Corinthians 5:16-21  Everyone living today who has accepted the free gift of grace and found salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ has done so through the testimony of others. None of us experienced the physical presence of Jesus as the disciples did. We didn’t see first-hand the miracles He performed. None of us heard Him speak or walked by His side.   Everything we know and everything we believe about Jesus we learned from someone else.  That is not to say that Jesus was not in it because He mos ..read more

By David Dawson Communications specialist, TBMB Attendees at the 2024 State Evangelism Conference gather at the altar for a time of prayer, led by Jordan Easley, during the Sunday night session. The two-day event was held at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. — Photo by David Dawson MURFREESBORO — When it comes to sharing the gospel, there is no time like the present. This simple, but crucial, message was the focal point of this year’s State Evangelism Conference, held April 7-8 at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro.  The event, organized by the Tennessee Baptist Missio ..read more

By Baptist and Reflector The 2024 State Evangelism Conference opened on Sunday night at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. The two-day event opened with a Sunday night session that featured keynote speakers Jordan Easley, senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Cleveland, and Sam Landrith, senior pastor at Thompson Station Church. The two-day event continues through April 8 with a full lineup of speakers, breakout sessions and other activities. See the upcoming edition of the Baptist and Reflector for coverage of the conference. B&R The post STATE EVANGELISM CONFERENCE UNDERWA ..read more

By Rich Lloyd Pastor, First Baptist Church, Newport Focal Passage: Genesis 32:22-32  Jacob wrestled with God and lived! Yes, he walked with a limp because of his injury, but his life had been spared. He came face to face with God and lived. This was no dream and no accident.  Alone until daybreak, Jacob wrestled with God. His hip socket dislocated in the struggle did not stop Jacob from wrestling with all his strength and might. In the end he was given a new blessing, not one that came from deception, a new name, Israel, and a limp. Jacob deceived his brother and father to receive ..read more

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist & Reflector The cross from the Methodist church in Sunbright stood tall amid the rubble left behind by a tornado which struck the town on April 2. Schubert Funeral Home, middle building, received extensive damage. First Baptist Church, on the hill, received minor damage. SUNBRIGHT — Pastor Mike Hammonds of First Baptist Church, Sunbright, was on his way to Big Emory Baptist Association in Harriman on April 2 to teach a course when he received a call from his wife informing him a tornado had just hit the small town in Morgan County. Hammonds immediately ..read more

By Morgan Owen Collegiate Ministry Specialist Nancy Lovelace, far right, from Bible Union Baptist Church, Martin, gives directions to a group of BCM students who were serving as part of the new “late-night pancakes” moinistry at this year’s BeachReach. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — From various regions of the U.S., God assembled individuals, like John Hjelm, to join forces with churches and mission organizations to help make Beach Reach 2024 another successful ministry opportunity for college students to reach spring breakers in Panama City Beach, Fla. Hjelm, a member of Immanuel Baptist Churc ..read more

By Morgan Owen Collegiate Ministry Specialist A group of Baptist Collegiate Ministry students from East Tennessee State University stand in front of a decorated van — one of several vehicles used for the “free shuttle rides ministry” — during this year’s Beach Reach in Panama City Beach, Fla. Pictured here are, from left, front row: Holden Reid, Mark Reese, Nathan Aldana, Kinsey Ulrich and Meredith Smith; back row: Jackson Reese, Levi Thurman, Haley Wherry, Amber Henard, Holly Johnson, Elizabeth Petro.  PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — Free shuttle rides? Free pancakes? How can God use these ..read more

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist & Reflector Wilkey The Tennessee Baptist Convention is celebrating a historic milestone this year — 150 years as a convention of churches committed to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ while meeting ministry and missions needs throughout the state. The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year with a series of livestream events, beginning in May. The celebration will culminate in November at The Summit in Murfreesboro, where the convention was established in 1874. Last week the B&R introduced “Snapshots in Ti ..read more

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist & Reflector Raising their hands in worship, attendees sing praise songs at the 2024 Youth Evangelism Conference. The event, which was held at regional sites this year, drew more than 2,500 students from around the state and beyond. FRANKLIN — The three regional Youth Evangelism Conferences sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board throughout March drew  approximately 2,555 students and leaders from 204 churches across the state. “It’s been a joy to see our regional YECs grow over the last couple of years since going to this format,” said Jay ..read more