Announcements
Friendsville First Baptist Church named Timothy J. Bray as its new full-time lead pastor in June 2026.
Bray comes to Friendsville from Woodlawn Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La., where he served as interim discipleship minister.
“It is an honor and privilege to be a part of this incredible family of faith,” Bray said.
A native of East Tennessee, he brings more than 30 years of ministry experience across Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Bray earned a Ph.D. in theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2020, where he also served as an adjunct faculty member.
His ministry focus centers on expositional Bible preaching, doctrinal and missional training, and Christ-centered discipleship. He is joined by his wife, Emily, with whom he has served in ministry for more than 28 years.
The couple has two married daughters, Sarah and Olivia, and three grandchildren. B&R
Union University presented Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary president Danny Akin with its M.E. Dodd Denominational Service Award June 10 during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.
The Dodd Award is Union’s highest denominational service honor, given to an SBC leader who displays excellence, leadership and commitment to Union University. Past recipients include Adrian Rogers, R. Albert Mohler Jr. and David S. Dockery, among others.
Akin has served as Southeastern’s sixth president since 2004 and is retiring at the end of July. Prior to Southeastern, he held leadership roles at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Criswell College
Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, introduces a delegation from Bonn Seminary (Germany) to Tennessee Baptist messengers attending the TBC’s dessert fellowship. The group included, from left, Heinrich Derksen (president), Jakob Tissen (German Baptist convention president), Nathan Bubenzer (Crosspoint president), Corny von Stein (Crosspoint CEO), Viktor Schuetz (To All Nations VP) and Andy Wiebe (BSB Dean of Students). The dessert fellowship was held during the SBC annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
Evansville Baptist Church, Dyersburg, honored Danny Griffin with the title of “Pastor Emeritus.” Pastor Bill Taylor presented the plaque.
Publications
Gilbreath pens book on 2 Corinthians 5:17
Sam Gilbreath, pastor of First Baptist Church, Henderson, recently released “A New Creation: Seven Days of Meditation on the Identity of Christ.”
The book focuses on 2 Corinthians 5:17 and invites readers to experience a deeper understanding of the love of God and see how it transforms his people into something new. It can be purchased through Amazon.