News Articles by David Dawson/Baptist and Reflector

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Somewhere between exercising, working tirelessly in his yard, rebuilding classic cars, cutting hair and serving multiple roles as a lay leader at his church, 82-year-old Neal Buchanan still finds time to volunteer as a reading tutor at the elementary school near his home. Buchanan, a member of Lincoya Hills Baptist Church in Nashville's Donelson community, has been passionate about childhood literacy for his entire adult life. He was recently honored for his devotion to the cause by being featured on two brands of Kellogg's cereal boxes -- Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes.

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BP) -- The concept of "giving the shirt off your back" took on an almost literal sense for 37 students and leaders who traveled to Guatemala for a weeklong mission trip in June. "Many of the kids left for the trip with a suitcase packed full of clothes and came home with a virtually empty suitcase," said Bruce Edwards, youth ministry specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. "We asked them to bring clothes that they would be willing to donate to the underprivileged in Guatemala, and I think the experience of doing that was very meaningful for many of the kids." The mission team, sponsored by the mission board and its Youth Evangelism Conference outreach, encompassed youth from five churches along with several TBMB personnel, including Edwards and disaster relief specialist Wes Jones and his wife Pam, former missionaries to Guatemala.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Kent Shingleton occasionally scratched his goatee and broke into a chuckle while reflecting on his two-decade tenure as the coordinator of Tennessee Baptists' Youth Evangelism Conference. Shingleton said he had a deep supply of stories he could share -- some funny, some touching and some truly miraculous. But Shingleton, who is passing the coordinator baton to TBMB evangelism event specialist Jay Barbier, said his biggest takeaway from his 20-year involvement with YEC has been seeing how many lives have been touched by the event -- one of the many youth rallies sponsored by state Baptist ...

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (BP) -- For pastor Kim McCroskey and his congregation, the odyssey appears to be nearly over. After spending nearly exactly one year in temporary venues, the members of Roaring Fork Baptist Church in Gatlinburg will soon be returning to their original location. "The light at the end of the tunnel is really bright," McCroskey said. "We know we are about to come back home." Roaring Fork Baptist was destroyed last November -- losing its sanctuary and family life center -- in the Great Smoky Mountain wildfires that swept through the region. But after a long and steady recovery process, aided by Tennessee Baptist disaster relief teams and Builders for Christ, the church is scheduled to start hosting services on its campus again within the next few weeks.

WHITESBURG, Tenn. (BP) -- The remains of Tennessee pastoral pioneer Tidence Lane have been moved to the grounds of a church he pastored beginning in 1785. Around 1779, Lane helped found what some believe to be the first organized church of any denomination in Tennessee, Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church near Jonesboro, according to Albert Wardin's book "Tennessee Baptists: A Comprehensive History, 1779-1999." Six years later, Lane -- a Revolutionary War veteran -- became founding pastor of First Baptist Church in Whitesburg, Tenn., when the congregation was known as Bent Creek Baptist Church.

MT. JULIET, Tenn. (BP) -- A mid-Tennessee church is trekking across the street to an elementary school for worship after sustaining damage from an EF-1 tornado, including a toppled steeple that left a hole in the roof above the sanctuary. Mark Marshall, pastor of The Glade Church in Mt. Juliet near Nashville, said he is thankful that Gladeville Elementary School is willing to lend its facilities. "We have a phenomenal relationship with them," Marshall said. "Over the years, this church has built a bridge with them."

WAVERLY, Tenn. (BP) -- Scott Brown, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Waverly, Tenn., doesn't think Christians should hide from Halloween. The members of his congregation obviously agree. Rather than avoiding the night that is traditionally linked to ghosts and goblins, First Baptist embraces it by hosting one of the largest fall festivals in the state. First Baptist, which has about 200 members, welcomed more than 7,000 ...

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (BP) -- It's not every day that a rendition of "Rocky Top" rings out from an orchestra in a church. But the University of Tennessee's signature song is how the evening began at Red Bank Baptist Church in Chattanooga where an energetic crowd -- including a large number of football players and coaches from the local area -- came together for "A Night of Orange and White." The July 27 event, which featured former Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer, ...