2025: A TIME OF TRANSITIONS

Year shaped by internal restructuring at TBMB, continued progress of Arise and Build, and record-breaking giving from Tenn. Baptists

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptists experienced a year of transition in 2025, marked by structural changes, leadership shifts, and continued recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.

The Baptist and Reflector underwent significant change, too, as Chris Turner stepped into the role of editor last January following the retirement of Lonnie Wilkey, who had served as editor since 1998. Tuner now serves as both the TBMB director of communications and editor of the B&R.

Here’s a look at some of the top stories that shaped 2025 and made headlines in the Baptist and Reflector:

TBMB restructures staff

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board announced staff restructuring as part of the Acts 2:17 Initiative, resulting in layoffs and position eliminations. Roles like Baptism-Discipleship Team Leader and Youth Ministry Specialist were cut to reallocate resources toward supporting local churches.

“These are important days of transition for Tennessee Baptists,” said Randy C. Davis, TBMB president and executive director.

The changes followed a two-year process involving input from ministers and laypeople statewide. The restructuring, which is on-going, aims to place more practitioners directly in harvest fields while reducing personnel costs.

BCM and CP turn 100

Baptist Collegiate Ministry and the Cooperative Program both celebrated their centennial anniversaries in 2025.

For 100 years, BCM has been a transformative presence on college campuses across Tennessee, connecting students with faith, fellowship and purpose during some of the most formative years of their lives. BCM operates through a partnership between the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, local Baptist associations and local Baptist churches.

“Just like with any of our campus ministries, relationships are a key component to a successful ministry,” said Stacy Murphree, collegiate ministries director for TBMB.

Tennessee Baptist churches gave just over $34 million through the Cooperative Program for the fiscal year ending Oct. 31, falling just short of the $35 million goal but maintaining the state’s position as a national leader in giving.

GOTM surpasses goal

Tennessee Baptists surpassed their $2.7 million goal for this year’s Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions, raising $2,731,089.91 by Aug. 29.

The total represents a significant increase from previous years. The 2023-24 campaign raised $2,448,557, while 2022-23 brought in $2,240,421.

Including Golden Opportunity projects, which contributed an additional $157,093.49 in cash gifts, the combined total exceeded $2.8 million.

Murphree succeeds Choate in BCM role

For the first time in nearly 27 years, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board hired a new director of campus ministries.

Stacy Murphree, who previously served as the Baptist collegiate specialist at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, was announced in June as the successor to Bill Choate.

Murphree stepped into a role that will see her lead ministers at 24 Baptist Collegiate Ministries on campuses across Tennessee. Choate served in the role since 1998.

“After a comprehensive, thoughtful and prayerful process that included a national search to find our next director of collegiate ministries,” Davis said, “the position was offered to and accepted by a stellar member of our TBMB team.”

Hurricane Helene: One year later

The remnants of Hurricane Helene unleashed devastating floods across Appalachia and East Tennessee over a year ago, but the storm still rages for many. The quiet, persistent work of Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continues, helping people rebuild and recover.

“Over 500 homes were destroyed and another three or 400 homes were damaged bad enough that they couldn’t be lived in until they were repaired,” said Garry Maddox, coordinator for TBDR’s Arise and Build initiative.

Teams had been put on standby the day before the storm, with the expectation of possible severe wind and flood damage. The damage covered from beyond Mountain City south to the Newport area and was extensive along the Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers.

“This has been one of the worst disasters that has ever hit Tennessee,” Maddox said. “However, it’s also given us lots of opportunities to serve people in Jesus’ name.”

New officers elected at Summit 2025

For the first time, Tennessee Baptist Convention messengers voted and elected regional vice presidents to represent each of Tennessee’s three Grand Regions.

Officers for 2025-2026 are Dan Spencer, pastor of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, TBC president; David Evans, pastor of Springfield Baptist Church, TBC vice president; Ben Cowell, pastor of Brownsville Baptist Church, West Tennessee regional vice president; Maurice Hollingsworth, pastor of Pleasant Heights Baptist Church, Columbia, Middle Tennessee regional vice president; and Shane Johnston, of Notchey Creek Baptist Church, Madisonville, East Tennessee regional vice president.

Messengers at the annual gathering — which had the theme “All Aboard: Advancing Together” — displayed unity while unanimously electing Spencer as president and unanimously approving a $35 million budget. The event at West Jackson Baptist Church drew 944 registered messengers, representing 449 churches, and 179 guests.

The Summit collectively celebrated the centennial anniversaries of three Baptist cornerstones: the Cooperative Program, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, and the Baptist Faith and Message.

Mandrell recommended at Bellevue

The pastor search committee at Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, unanimously recommended Ben Mandrell, CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, to become the church’s next senior pastor.

Mandrell preached in view of a call July 13.

Mandrell fills the role vacated by Steve Gaines, who announced in September 2024 his plans to transition into an itinerant preaching ministry. Gaines, who followed Adrian Rogers, has served at Bellevue since 2005.

Mandrell, 48, has led Lifeway since August 2019. During his tenure, he guided the organization through a global pandemic, the move to a new building in Brentwood, and four consecutive years of financial growth.

Leatherwood resigns from ERLC

Brent Leatherwood resigned as president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, ending nearly nine years of service that began in 2017 as director of strategic partnerships.

The ERLC Board of Trustees accepted Leatherwood’s resignation in a called meeting July 31 in Nashville.

“Brent has led the commission well and demonstrated loving courage in the face of a divisive and increasingly polarizing culture in America,” trustee chairman Scott Foshie said in announcing the change.

Leatherwood left the ERLC weeks after it survived an attempt by SBC messengers to disband the entity.

Other 2025 Tennessee Baptist news:

• TBDR aids explosion recovery: Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers aided recovery efforts in Hickman County following a deadly explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant. Volunteers from Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson, operated a DR mass feeding trailer on the AES campus, providing meals for first responders and investigators. The explosion resulted in at least 16 deaths.
• SBC votes down transparency amendment: Southern Baptist messengers to the 2025 Annual Meeting rejected an amendment that would have required the Southern Baptist Convention to publish detailed financial information like IRS Form 990 disclosures. The proposal sparked debate on the convention floor, with defenders of transparency opposed by those warning of legal and practical consequences.
• Law Amendment fails again: Messengers to the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention also failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority to amend the denomination’s constitution and bylaws to restrict the title and role of pastor/elder/overseer to men only. The proposal, introduced by Juan Sanchez, pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, marked the third consecutive year the amendment failed to pass. B&R