Welcome Letter from New Executive Director Bob Bickford

NBA Pastors, Leaders, and Churches,

I’m grateful for the opportunity and the call extended to me to serve your church in advancing the Gospel in your context, in greater Nashville, Middle Tennessee, and the world. The NBA has a rich heritage from which to draw wisdom, strength, and inspiration.

SOME WORDS OF THANKS

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors for the seriousness with which they approached the selection process. They truly care for the Association, its churches, and for you as its stakeholders, partners, and members.

In particular, I want to express thanks to Board Chair, Jeff Mims for his work and communication, John Gardner, and Steve Durham for their efforts to provide helpful information during the process and to Nik Lingle for engaging me some months ago regarding this opportunity to serve the churches of Nashville.

As well, I’m thankful for the Staff of the NBA–to Brett, Dwayne, and Alicia–for leading well during this interim time. They shouldered additional responsibilities and sought to fulfill them with excellence.

I would also like to thank previous Directors, Rusty Sumrall and Michael Kelley, for their work at the Association, their encouragement, affirmation, and pledge of support to me as I step into this role.

OUR FUTURE TOGETHER

I shared with our Board, and those gathered at the special called business meeting, several key priorities and actions which will direct me in these first few months.

• Continue the forward movement - Four years ago the Vision 2020 plan was announced. COVID, a tornado, and leadership transitions each had an impact on the implementation of those initiatives. I’m committed to leading us forward while clarifying and confirming the initial direction set forth during that season. 

• Acceleration toward our common mission - Our churches and leaders are ready for, and desirous of, action. Our mission is clear–advancing the Gospel in partnership together. I’m committed to smart, strategic, Spirit-led action. I want us all to join together in the work.

• Listening to the field - A colleague of mine shared this: “If you listen to the field, it will lead you to the future.” I want to hear from you. I’ll be reaching out and requesting time with you to listen, learn, and understand your church’s unique contributions in advancing the gospel. 

I would love to connect with you. Request a meeting using this link. Share your perspective or ask a question. 

PRAYING FOR OUR SBC FAMILY

In a few short days, churches from across North America and around the world will gather in Indianapolis for our annual Southern Baptist Convention. Each year we celebrate the important work we share together in making the Gospel known. As well, each year is preceded by many conversations and concerns about our future. I was encouraged by Nashville Pastor and TBC President Jay Hardwick’s letter in the Reflector. His words remind us of the reason we cooperate–to make the Gospel known. 

As we return from the Convention, I invite you to join me and the other NBA congregations in sharing the hope of Jesus in our mission fields.

For the Mission

Bob Bickford

Executive Director
Nashville Baptist Association

Dreams and Visions

Dag* introduced himself to the group as we sat around a table in the fellowship hall at a church in East Nashville. Dag was from a small village in the Middle East. He speaks in passable English but his mother tongue has probably never been uttered in this building. His people are predominantly Muslim and he is one of the few believers in Christ among them. He is of the first fruit, but everyone at this gathering prays to hasten the day when a myriad of believers from his people gathers around the throne to worship. We believe this vision God gave John of Patmos will become a reality one day.

After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!

– Revelation 7:9-10 (CSB)

Dag tells a strange tale of how he came to faith. His father was a devout Muslim and wanted his son to become strong in his faith tradition.  However, Dag wasn’t having it. His imam, the religious teacher, thought that Dag asked too many difficult questions and that he was an unruly student. His teacher thought Dag was under the influence of foreign ideas or maybe even Satan. 

This chapter of the Qu’ran was problematic for him: “O believers! ˹The law of˺ retaliation is set for you in cases of murder—a free man for a free man, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female.” – Surah 2:178 (Qu’ran)

Why are there three classes for humanity, he asked himself. Something stirred in his spirit. He began to doubt. Ultimately Dag was expelled from the religious class offered at his village’s mosque. Dag continued searching. Was God the author of this book or man? He searched for other religious texts and asked himself the same question. Dag finally found a Bible and began to read it. This verse from Matthew became a turning point in his life.

You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

– Matthew  5:43-48 (CSB)

The one who wrote this was only God and not man. Dag wanted to become a Christian, he believed and wanted to be baptized. So, he went to a local congregation from an ancient tradition in his hometown. They rejected his request.  This group of Eastern Christians had stayed faithful to Christ for six centuries of Muslim rule, but they had strict prohibitions against accepting the word of a Muslim coming to faith. They might accept him later, but he would have to prove himself. Dag would have to wait. 

Dag couldn’t wait. He was determined to be baptized. He gathered a few of his friends to travel to another town where he knew of a church. Maybe this church would allow him to be baptized. On this trip, all four of the friends fell asleep in the car, including the driver. Dag had a dream during this time, akin to an out-of-body experience. In this dream, he saw the present, that all his friends were sleeping in the car, and he envisioned the future, of a turn coming up and an eventual catastrophic wreck. Immediately, Dag was startled to wake, and he grabbed the wheel and saved the lives of everyone in his car. Dag would take this dream as a sign. That day he did find the church and through much pleading and resolute determination he was baptized that day.

Dag’s story and others like his were heard at a conference hosted last week by the Nashville Baptist Association. Due to the sensitive nature of the event, it was invitation only. If you would like to be on the invite list for next year or want to be invited to similar events, please write or call me.  Please be in prayer with these requests.

• Pray for Dag and his people’s group

• Pray that a church will be birthed to reach his people

• Pray for this conference of believers that supports the work 

Brett Boesch
NBA Connections Strategist
bboesch@nashvillebaptists.com

*Name changed.

How and Why Your Church Can Partner with Church Planters

The Nashville Baptist Association exists to cultivate and connect churches throughout the Greater Nashville Area to fulfill the Great Commission. We seek to accomplish this through four priority focus areas: Leaders, Connections, Church Revitalization, and Church Planting. In the Church Planting priority area, we are committed to reaching your community with the gospel, by walking alongside church planters and the churches who send them.

According to TBMB, approximately 80% of the population of most counties will not worship in any church this Sunday. In addition, more than 400,000 people of immigrant or refugee backgrounds live in Tennessee. 

According to Tennessee State Data Center, in 2023 Davidson County was the 2nd largest county in Tennessee. The county added 4,983 people since 2023, which is an increase of 0.7% and made it the 5th fastest growing county in the state. This is why we link arms with God and our Baptist churches to plant churches in new growing areas. 

With the population growth in Tennessee, we need new churches and church planters that are equipped, trained and sent by a mother church. As a church planter myself, I could not imagine planting without a mother church’s support, prayer, coaching and resources. 

How can your church partner with planting a church? Keep in mind, your church doesn’t have to have five hundred members. Your church can partner in other ways: 

• Engage the church in intercessory prayer for the new church and church planter.

• Contribute to the New Church’s Financial Needs.

• Share Resources (bible study, VBS materials), Equipment, Teachers, Leadership Teams.

• Share Campus Space

• Pray for People and Families to walk alongside New Church 6-12 months.

• Mentor Church Planting Leadership Teams.

One of the requirements for church planters at the Nashville Baptist Association is that they have a mother/sending church. If your church is interested in being a mother/sending church, please contact the Nashville Baptist Association Church Planting Team. We have resources and training for mother churches:

• Seven Steps to Church Planting

• MissionInsite

• Churches Planting Churches Training

• Disciples Making Disciples

• Best Practices To Identifying a Planter from your church

Just a couple of reasons to be a mother/sending church in Tennessee. There are several models of church planting but one of the most effective and healthiest models is when a church is a mother/sending church that plants a church!

Churches that send:

• Grow missionally

• Grow leaders

• Grow numerically

• Are intentional connectors

• Are knowledgeable missionaries

Join the Nashville Baptist Association for our Churches Planting Churches webinar. This takes place the fourth Tuesday each month at 11:00am (CST). In addition, join our Church Planters Cohort which will start in July 2024. During this cohort, we will journey together using monthly in-person gatherings and bi-weekly online interactions to strengthen our tribe to reach this culturally diverse world. There will be exercises and conversations to help planters reflect individually, relate to their teams, and practical steps to reaching their target areas. This cohort brings together pastors, planters, coaching, and practitioners from across our network, to encourage and help them stay focused on the mission to GO!

We believe that churches should plant churches, and the Nashville Baptist Association is here to “Help Churches, Help Churches and Help Churches, Plant Churches.” 

Dwayne Lewis
NBA Church Palnting Strategist
dlewis@nashvillebaptists.com

Bob Bickford selected as Executive Director elect by NBA Board

Dear NBA members and friends, 

The board of directors would like to introduce our candidate elect for the Executive Director position of the Nashville Baptist Association, Bob Bickford. 

Bob brings a wide variety of church and denominational experience to Nashville, having served as the Chairman of the Church Revitalization team of the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association. He led in the development of the Resound Network, a collaborative network of Associations in the state of Missouri, and he served as the Associate Director of Replant for the North American Mission Board. 

He has authored several resources including, Am I a Replanter?, Pathways to Partnership, and the Associational Replanting Guide. For nine years he pastored The Groves Church in suburban St. Louis, which was a Replant of Sherwood Baptist Church. 

He and his wife have three adult children and five grandchildren. They make their home in East Nashville. 

We will have a special called business meeting to vote on Bob June 2, 2024, at 6pm at Grace Baptist in North Nashville (1510 Old Hickory Blvd 37207). 

We would also like to invite you to come to the NBA office to meet Bob informally. Two times are available: May 22, 2024 from 11-1 or May 23, 2024 from 4-6. 

Jeff Mims, Chairman of the Board

2024 Bible Drill Participants

These children, youth, and high schoolers participated in the Associational Bible Drill held at Nashville First Baptist on April 21.

CHILDREN’S BIBLE DRILL – ASSOCIATION LEVEL

 FBC Nashville
Claire Pope – 5th Grade, 2 years
Cecily Pope – 5th Grade, 2 years
Curtis Pope – 6th Grade, 3 years
June Rodriguez – 4th Grade, 1 year 

Tulip Grove
Kyleigh Fisher – 5th grade, 2nd year
Rosie Boswell – 5th grade, 2nd year
Willow Sutherland – 4th grade, 1st year
Harper Anderson – 5th grade, 1st year
Skyler Fisher – 6th grade, 3rd year        

Brentwood Baptist
Will Brewer – 4th grade, 1st year
Clair Byun – 4th grade, 1st year
Wyatt Caldwell – 5th grade, 2nd year
Willa Claire Clark – 5th grade, 2nd year
Dean Doddigarla – 4th grade, 1st year
Tatum Forrester – 5th grade, 2nd year
Sailor Griffin – 4th grade, 1st year
Jack Quill – 4th grade, 1st year
Stone Suggs – 4th grade, 1st year
Kathryn Vaught – 5th grade, 2nd year 

Parkway
Charlie Mundy – 5th grade, 2nd year
Eli Dean – 5th grade, 2nd year
Harper Castleberry – 5th grade, 2nd year
Sally Elias – 6th grade, 3rd year
Olivia Rigsby – 5th grade, 2nd year

YOUTH BIBLE DRILL – ASSOCIATION LEVEL

 Parkway
Christian Espino – 9th grade, 3rd year youth

 Tulip Grove
Ana Bentschneider – 7th grade, 3 years children, 1st year youth
Molly Hacker – 8th grade, 2 years children, 2nd year youth|
Colton Fisher – 7th grade, 3 years children, 1st year youth

HIGH SCHOOL BIBLE DRILL – ASSOCIATION LEVEL 

 Tulip Grove
Ethan Bentschneider – 9th grade, 1 year children, 3 years youth, 1st year HS
Lauren Briggs – 9th grade, 2 years children, 2 years youth, 1st year HS

Houses of the Holy

I met Wagdi a few months ago. I was presenting a talk to the Concord Baptist Association, which is a sister association of Baptist churches in Murfreesboro. I was invited to speak to a group of pastors on the refugee situation in Nashville. As it turns out Wagdi was part of this gathering and because he is originally from Egypt, he knew more about the situation than I did.

 After that initial meeting, Wagdi and I became fast friends. He and I have visited Coptic Egyptian refugees in Southeast Nashville, and we have delivered food and clothes. Wagdi not only speaks Arabic but their Egyptian Arabic dialect. He has led impromptu sermons and we have prayed together for these refugees. Last week we met at The Branch of Nashville, where he was giving away more clothes on the same day Belmont College of Nursing held a mobile health clinic.

 Wagdi grew up in Egypt, he has also lived in Jordan and then immigrated to New Jersey before he moved to Tennessee. Wagdi is the pastor of the Arabic congregation that meets at LifePoint church in Smyrna.  Their congregation is fully integrated into the life of the English-speaking congregation. Their youth and children go to age-specific classes and activities at the church, but the adults who speak Arabic have English sermons translated with the help of interpreters and earphones. However, the native Arabic speakers long to worship in their mother tongue.

 That brings me to last Friday night. Wagdi invited me to a monthly gathering of his congregation that meets as a house church. I went with my eleven-year-old daughter, Naomi. We showed up to his door empty-handed. That was a cultural mistake, and I should have known better. We arrived ten minutes early, again another mistake. I did remember to take my shoes off at the door as we entered a Middle Eastern-style house in the heart of middle Tennessee. The juxtaposition couldn’t have been starker. The church members came 30-45 minutes later, in other words, right on time.

 We gathered for worship in the salon. Arabic worship lyrics were on the television, and a keyboard was set up ready to go. Every few minutes more people arrived at the door and were greeted with warm hugs and kisses from Wagdi and his wife. The church was assembled, and worship commenced. A strange feeling of holiness overwhelmed me. There was nothing significant about this neighborhood. The feeling I had came from the people and the presence of the Spirit among the people. I was surrounded by the holy ones, the saints, as they were singing praise songs to God, I was privy to this event. These were Jordanians, Egyptians, and Lebanese all worshiping the triune God in Arabic.

 Wagdi then preached on Psalm 23 specifically verse 6. “Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life.” I couldn’t follow along, so the worship leader, fluent in English whispered a rough translation in my ear. The Father is in pursuit of all of us, not the other way around. It is this aspect of his character, his goodness, and his faithful love for us that is pursuing us all of our days. What amazing hope and freedom wash over us when we remember these simple words.

 The good is from God, and hard things are as well. Some of these were Muslim background believers. At one point in their lives, they gave up their faith in Islam and decided to follow the path of the Messiah. Some were from families of Christians, who date back generations. In either case, they all had stories of hardship, ostracization, or outright persecution because of their faith.

• Please pray for this small congregation of Arabic-speaking believers that meets in SE Nashville.

• Please pray for Wagdi and grace and protection for his family.

• Please pray for Muslim background believers here in Middle Tennessee and abroad.

Write to me if you want to be a part of our next Diaspora Missions Collective so you can learn about other opportunities to serve these believers and groups like them.

Brett Boesch
Connections Strategist
Nashville Baptist Association

Church Planting Update - March 2024

In the Church Planting priority area of the Nashville Baptist Association, we are committed to reaching our communities with the gospel, by walking alongside church planters and the churches that send them. Here is how we are doing that in 2024.

First, we are connecting churches with church planters, in an effort to Help Churches Help Churches. For example, church planter Juan Natal is in talks with the leadership of Rosedale Baptist Church about sharing their campus space. Likewise, we have connected planter Monterrey Lee with Third Baptist Church for a potential partnership.

Second, we are encouraging pastors to identify potential church planters from within their congregations. Travis Tullis at Priest Lake Community Church is working with me to recognize and develop men in his church.

Third, we are helping church planters settle into two of our main target Church Planting areas. Robert Vickers of Way Truth Life Church is in the Church Planting process in Lavergne, with the NBA and TBMB. Gary Morgan is preparing to launch Story Church in downtown Nashville.

Our Churches Planting Churches webinars have been going strong since October of 2022. Most recently, we heard from Gary Morgan about apartment ministries. This month, I will speak about how your church can plant or be a part of a church.

Finally, we are starting a Church Planters Cohort called “Pioneers” in May. This will be a space of collaborative learning, where local church planters can help each other grow by sharing ideas and best practices. Areas of focus will include strategic planning, action steps toward church growth, financial planning strategies, vision casting, discipleship strategies, and more. We will also discuss how ministries like those in nearby apartment communities can be good outreach for church planters.

If you would like more information about the Church Planting process, or how you and your church can help, send me an email using the address below or call the NBA office.

Dwayne Lewis
NBA Church Planting Strategist
dlewis@nashvillebaptists.com

Diaspora Missions Collective Update: Sheep and Goats

Have you ever preached a sermon, taught a Sunday school class, or even tried to teach a life lesson to your kids, and immediately God tested you to see if you meant what you said or practiced what you preach?

Last month at the Diaspora Missions Collective gathering we had a great turnout for our Refugee Roundtable.  Siloam Health was represented by David Rogers. They have two clinics in South Nashville providing health care for refugees and the uninsured. 

Melissa Thomas introduced The Branch of Nashville, a ministry operating like a regional food pantry. Andrew Phay represented Only Together, a yearly conference that brings together many ministries and churches that support the refugee and immigrant communities. Bruce Krapf presented Thrift Smart, a store for those in need to buy new and used clothing and housewares. Finally, Tennessee Resettlement Aid is headed by Katie Finn. They are a relatively new refugee aid organization that seeks to fill in the gaps for those new arrivals to our city.  Light bulbs came on as local pastors realized that they did not need to reinvent the wheel when it came to plugging their churches into existing refugee work in the city.

I thought it was appropriate to lead off our discussion with Jesus’s teaching about ministering to the hungry, the poor, and the strangers:

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’– Matthew 24:35-36 (CSB)

You can see why I chose this passage as it perfectly encapsulated the theme of the event. Feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and taking care of the sick and foreigners are the reasons each of these ministries exists. However, what I did not remember was that this familiar passage was nested in his larger teaching on the sheep and the goats:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  - Matthew 24:31-33 (CSB)

In the end, King Jesus will separate his true followers from the false ones, the sheep from the goats, and those bound for glory from those cursed.  The main idea of the passage is how they will be separated.  Some feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and visit and care for the foreigners and prisoners.  And some do not. 

Last Friday I had one of those days. I was late to work and when I got there a homeless man was camping on the steps of our office in East Nashville. This is not out of the ordinary for working near downtown. I told the guy in a gruff voice that he couldn’t stay there, and that he would have to move on since this was a place of business. Just then the Spirit reminded me of what I had so recently preached but was failing to live. I had an agenda for my day. God had a different one.

The guy’s name was Roy. He was dressed in fatigues but wasn’t a veteran. I bought him lunch and over the next hour or so I listened to his story. He sunk into his chair, rarely looking in my direction. He grew up in Whites Creek, graduated high school, and was raised in a religious household. But like many prodigal sons, he was down on his luck, without a house, a car, or a job.  After he finished his meal, I prayed for him.  His countenance changed. He looked me in the eye and said he had not heard a prayer like that in many years.  As we parted ways I wanted to bring him to a shelter for the night, but he wanted me to drop him off downtown at a park. 

Pray for Roy and pray for the thousands of souls like Roy in our city. Pray that they cross our path and that we have the eyes to see them as Christ sees them – as prodigal sons waiting to come home.

Here are the links on how you and your church can be involved. Call or email if you have any questions.

https://siloamhealth.org/
https://thriftsmart.com/
https://www.thebranchofnashville.org/
https://www.onlytogethernashville.com/
https://tennesseeresettlementaid.org/

Brett Boesch
NBA Connections Strategist
bboesch@nashvillebaptists.com

The Power of Easter

Easter Sunday is the day that gives people the opportunity to encounter the presence of the Holy Spirit that can change their lives forever. Easter Sunday is real and undeniably the best day for a fresh start for anyone. 

Lives around the world are filled with valleys and mountains and Easter is one of those Sundays people attend church. We must continuously be reminded that our Savior Jesus Christ is RISEN from the grave.

Remember in Luke 24, the two disciples traveled from Jerusalem to Emmaus and had an encounter with Jesus? They were in a state of shock that they crucified Jesus and the women returned from the tomb that Jesus’ body wasn’t there.

“They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

The resurrection is clearly real! People will come to your church disappointed, depressed, broken hearted, and lost looking for more to their lives. On Easter, their miracle can happen! No matter where they are in their lives, Jesus is always present.

That’s the value of Easter. Easter causes people to reconsider their situations and circumstances, that they can find victory in Jesus Christ our RISEN Savior. 

Dwayne Lewis
Church Planting Strategist
dlewis@nashvillebaptists.com