Rusty Sumrall was called to Christian ministry during high school, and during college he was called to pastor three small country churches, but he arrived in seminary knowing he did not want to be a pastor …
Blount County residents are still reeling from the tragic death of Blount County Sheriff’s Department deputy Greg McCowan who was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Feb. 8.
“Our goal was to help our pastors realize that church ‘health’ is what we are looking at. We want all of our churches to be healthy — and that can mean different things for each individual church.”
Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tennessee, reported major improvements with his cancer in a video posted March 1. He said he was excited to be able to preach again March 3.
Pastor Rich Murray of Mountain View Baptist Church in Johnson City, Tennessee, is bivocational and proud of it. “If it worked for (the Apostle) Paul, why wouldn’t it work for me?” he asked.
Change is inevitable in all areas of life and includes changes for individuals, businesses and even denominational organizations and churches, says seminary president Jeff Iorg.
Pastors are not “supermen,” and they still struggle with anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges that often lead to ministerial burnout and occasionally suicide.
In upper East Tennessee, pastor Don Winters of Sugar Grove Baptist Church in Butler is lovingly referred to by some family and friends as the
Planning team leader Ryan Scantling says participants can expect the interactive event to “help college ministry leaders capture God’s vision for their life and ministry, while forming layers of encouragement and accountability for it.”
“I am in awe of how God allows us to be part of His plan. It is very apparent that God wants, needs and desires for bivocational pastors … to take time to refuel,” Roger Britton noted.
