Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

TN Baptist messengers adopt $35 million budget; Sexual Abuse Task Force gives final report

  • November 18, 2022
  • Tennessee Baptist and Reflector
  • Conferences, Latest News, Tennessee
The choir from First Baptist Church Lexington, sings during the Tuesday evening (Nov. 15) worship session at the Tennessee Baptist Convention’s annual meeting.
(Photo by James Wilson/Tennessee’s Baptist and Reflector)

TN Baptist messengers adopt $35 million budget; Sexual Abuse Task Force gives final report

Tennessee Baptist Convention messengers adopted a $35 million budget for 2022–23, approved a constitutional amendment on second reading, renewed a missions partnership with Guatemala and dealt with a variety of resolutions among a myriad of business conducted Nov. 15–16 during their annual meeting at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova.

Messengers also received a final report from the Tennessee Baptist Sexual Abuse Task Force and received a resource entitled “Ministering Well: Best Practices and Resources Related to Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response.” The theme of the meeting was “Across the Streets, the States and the Seas.”

The convention drew 843 messengers and 104 visitors from 444 churches. Last year’s annual meeting at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, drew 943 messengers. The last annual meeting held in West Tennessee (2018, West Jackson Baptist Church, Jackson) drew 934 messengers).

Budget

In presenting the 2022–23 budget, Jeff Bowden, chair of the budget and ministry committee of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and associate pastor of education at Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville, noted that Cooperative Program gifts began strongly last year but dropped off toward the end of the year.

The committee decided to recommend the same $35 million budget as the previous year with the same allocation percentages — 52.5% for TBC causes and 47.5% for SBC causes.

Acts 2:17 Initiative

The Acts 2:17 Initiative was officially launched during the Tuesday afternoon session (Nov. 15) of the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The initiative will provide Tennessee Baptists across the state the opportunity to speak into future priorities of the state convention. 

Prior to the Summit, Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, wrote in a recent column that the initiative “could become the most consequential process in the TBC’s recent history and at its heart is us working together in seeking God’s preferable future for our network of churches. 

“We want to understand what opportunities God wants us to seize together; what needs He wants us to meet across out state and hearing what dreams and visions He will speak through grassroots Tennessee Baptists.” 

TBC President Clay Hallmark, who was re-elected to a second term, called the Acts 2:17 Initiative “a watershed mark in our history. We have been working and praying for this day,” he said. 

Officers

Messengers veered from tradition by re-electing Clay Hallmark, pastor of First Baptist Church Lexington, to serve a second term as TBC president.

Hallmark ran unopposed and was re-elected by acclamation.

Joel Pigg, senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Trenton, was elected as vice president and Gene Nelson, senior pastor of Russellville Baptist Church, Russellville, was elected second vice president. Pigg and Nelson both ran unopposed and were elected by acclamation.   

Since 1942, TBC presidents have generally served only one year on a rotating basis among the three grand regions of the state, although there have been two exceptions. Hallmark ran unopposed and was re-elected by acclamation. 

Constitutional amendment

Tennessee Baptist messengers approved on second reading by a two-thirds majority an amendment to the constitution which allows a church giving to the TBC-only portion of the Cooperative Program to seat messengers at the annual meeting.

David Worley, chair of the committee on constitution and bylaws and pastor of Mount Gilead Baptist Church, Cedar Grove, reminded messengers that the amendment did not redefine the Cooperative Program. “It reaffirms the autonomy of the local church,” Worley said.

During discussion, Bartlett pastor Fred Shackelford of Ellendale Baptist Church expressed support of the amendment and noted that the change “better reflects Baptist polity,” but he encouraged Tennessee Baptists to remember that “cooperation is important. That is the heart of the Cooperative Program,” he said.

Ministering well

During the meeting, the TBC Sexual Abuse Task Force presented its report and introduced messengers to the booklet, “Ministering Well: Best Practices and Resources Related to Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response.” The task force was authorized by messengers during last year’s annual meeting and was appointed by TBC President Clay Hallmark.

Hallmark noted the task force was formed with the purpose of “being proactive in helping victims, churches and Baptist people deal with the hurt, pain and challenges of sexual abuse, allegations and harassment.”

In a letter included in the booklet, Hallmark added that the goal of the task force “is not to just resource Tennessee Baptists but to equip them.”

Messengers also approved resolutions on avowing opposition to casinos in Tennessee, sexual abuse, revival, biblical sexuality and gratitude.

The 2023 annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention will be held Nov. 1-15 at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lonnie Wilkey and David Dawson of Tennessee’s Baptist and Reflector. 

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.
    Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far
    Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: Refocusing on the main thing
    First person: Refocusing on the main thing
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.

If you’re looking to brush up on your business and financial reports knowledge ahead of this year’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Dallas (June 10–11), the SBC has released its 2025 Book of Reports online.

Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far

A second nominee has been announced for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, making it the first contested race for an SBC post so far this year. Craig Carlisle, current Alabama convention president, will be nominated.

First person: Refocusing on the main thing

New Coke was a colossal failure. In 1985, after decades as a premier global brand producing the world’s most popular soft drink, the Coca-Cola Company’s

Faith, funerals and foxhounds: How one bivocational pastor ministers in times of grief

Those who know Rusty Walton best might say that this bivocational pastor, who also helps run a funeral home, is “dead serious” about ministry.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel