Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

FORD’S $19.5B EV SHIFT WON’T ALTER TBMB PLANS

By Zoë Watkins and David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

STANTON — Although the Ford Motor Co. ended production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning this month as part of a broader shift away from large electric vehicles, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board isn’t backing away from its evangelism efforts in BlueOval City.

“We are just going to keep pressing the gas every time Ford taps the brakes,” said Danny Sinquefield, coordinator of the TBMB’s BlueOval City partnership. “Nothing is really going to change for us in terms of how we move forward.”

Ford will take a $19.5 billion hit as it reshapes its EV strategy, with the costs stemming from its decision to produce fewer electric vehicles and more gasoline-powered and hybrid models. [Read more…]

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DOOLEY NOTED: DON’T LET FAMILIARITY ROB YOU OF CHRISTMAS JOY

By Adam Dooley
Pastor • Englewood Baptist Church • Jackson

Dooley

Most have heard the ancient proverb, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Some trace the pithy premise back to Aesop’s fable of a fox that lived in such proximity to a lion that he was terribly afraid. Over time, though, the interaction between the animals became more casual. Soon, the fox strolled up to the lion, only to be devoured as a result.

No matter the origin, the principle is painfully clear. Constant exposure to anything can dull our sense of awe, gratitude, and reverence. Certainly, the lesson applies to the holy realities of our faith. Much to our chagrin, our commitment sometimes grows cold and our enthusiasm tends to wane. Regarding Christmas specifically, genuine Christians would never show open contempt for the nativity, but our familiarity can rob us of its joy.

Think I am overstating our pattern? When the is the last time you pondered the details surrounding Jesus’ birth? Do you still find the gift of God’s Son touching? Or, has the most remarkable story in history become mere wallpaper amidst a busy holiday schedule? Is it possible for us to understand what Christmas is about without being moved by it anymore?  Sadly, we are quite capable of singing carols, attending services, and hanging decorations while our hearts barely flicker. [Read more…]

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PEW RESEARCH FINDS NO CLEAR EVIDENCE OF RELIGIOUS REVIVAL AMONG YOUNG MEN

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

Getty Images

WASHINGTON (BP) – Young men are not leading a revival in religiosity, Bible reading and churchgoing in the U.S. today, Pew Research said in its latest findings, bucking 2025 reports from other top researchers.

“Our recent polls, along with other high-quality surveys we have analyzed, show no clear evidence that this kind of nationwide religious resurgence is underway,” Pew said Dec. 8, referencing several years of data since 2020. “On average, young adults remain much less religious than older Americans. Today’s young adults also are less religious than young people were a decade ago. And there is no indication that young men are converting to Christianity in large numbers.”

By the numbers, 32 percent of 18- to 30-year-olds told Pew they pray daily, compared to 49-to 59 percent of those born in 1965 and earlier; 33 percent of the younger group said religion is very important to them, compared to 53-55 percent of the older group; and 31 percent of the younger ages attend religious services at least monthly, compared to 36-43 percent of the older. The numbers have been fairly steady since 2020, Pew said. [Read more…]

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INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK SHOW BIGGEST GAINS IN SOCIAL MEDIA USE, PEW FINDS

By Scott Barkley
Baptist Press

NASHVILLE (BP) – YouTube and Facebook are the top social media sites, regardless of demographics. Instagram and TikTok are the two gaining the most ground.

The latest Pew Research report on social media also notes that “the ‘gram” is where you’ll find the biggest age difference in users, with only 19% of users age 65 and over there versus 80% of 18-to-29-year-olds. (Also, if you call it “the ‘gram” you’re probably one of those on the older side.)

The study included results from several platforms, including WhatsApp, Reddit, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Bluesky and Truth Social. Demographic breakdowns included gender, age, race, household income and education. Living location among urban, suburban and rural areas was also taken into consideration as well as Democrat and Republican party political leanings. [Read more…]

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WMU’s SANDY WISDOM-MARTIN ANNOUNCES 2027 RETIREMENT PLANS

By Julie Walters
WMU

WMU executive director Sandy Wisdom-Martin addresses attendees at Missions Get-Together in 2023. – B&R file photo

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director-treasurer of WMU, SBC, announced Dec. 10 that she will retire in January 2027, which will mark 36 years of devoted ministry service. Wisdom-Martin has led WMU, SBC, since October 2016.

She shared her intention to retire with the WMU, SBC general board — comprised of state WMU presidents and executive directors — during a called meeting and then with WMU, SBC staff.

“After much prayer, reflection and conversation with my family, I am asking the WMU executive board to begin the search for a new executive director-treasurer as I will retire January of 2027,” Wisdom-Martin shared. “Faithfulness in this season calls me to be present with my family in a way that cannot be sustained by the obligations of my current ministry role. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: SBC

FORMER TRUETT-MCCONNELL VICE PRESIDENT INDICTED ON FELONY CHARGES

By Henry Durand
Christian Index

Photo by Henry Durand/Christian Index

CLEVELAND, Ga. — Former Truett McConnell University vice president Brad Reynolds has been indicted by a White County grand jury on three felony counts of making false statements to law enforcement, according to court records and officials.

The indictment was issued Monday, Dec. 8, when the October term of the White County Grand Jury reconvened. The charges stem from a March 2024 interview between Reynolds and White County Sheriff’s Office investigator Sgt. Anthony Sims.

Prosecutors allege Reynolds lied when he told Sims he never had a sexual relationship with former student Hayley Swinson. They also allege he lied when he denied controlling an email account that sent more than 300 emails that Swinson provided to investigators. Finally, they allege Reynolds lied when he denied telling Swinson that his wife was going to die and that he intended to make her his second wife. [Read more…]

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CHARLIE BROWN’S CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: SURVIVING NETWORK EXECUTIVES

By Kelly Boggs
Guest writer

Kelly Boggs

“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the beloved animated television program, turns 60 this year. It is hard to imagine that it almost did not air.

Network executives thought it moved too slowly for a Christmas special. They also were convinced that the absence of a laugh track, a staple of 1960s-era comedies, would be the kiss of death.

To further complicate matters, the man behind the cast of animated characters insisted on using real kids for the voice-overs. As a result, only a couple of the children who were cast had any acting experience. [Read more…]

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COOPERATIVE PROGRAM SEES HEALTHY START TO FISCAL YEAR

Baptist Press

NASHVILLE (BP) – Cooperative Program giving continued to be strong during the second month of the fiscal year, again coming in above the budget goal.

November undesignated giving came in at $15,318,466.87 which was 2.06% above the budget goal of $15,010,000. The monthly total was 2.99% less than last November’s total of $15,790,038.73.

Designated receipts came in 7.10% less than November 2024 but are still ahead of 2024 year-to-date.

November National Cooperative Program giving:

  • Monthly budgeted amount: $15,010,000.00
  • November 2025 giving: $15,318,466.87
  • Above/below budget: $471,571.86 (2.06%) above budget

Total National Cooperative Program giving:

  • Year-to-date budgeted amount: $30,020,000.00
  • Year to date giving: $30,391,635.50
  • Above/under budget: $371,635.50 (1.24%) above budget

Designated giving:

  • November giving: $3,863,943.22
  • Year to date giving: $8,142,003.45
  • Previous year to date total: $7,885,633.73
  • Above/below previous year: $256,369.72 (3.25%) above the previous year

The Convention-adopted budget for 2025-2026 is $190,000,000 which includes a $3,000,000 special priority allocation for the SBC legal expenses.

Cooperative Program funds are then disbursed as follows:

  • 41% to international missions through the International Mission Board
  • 22.79% to North American missions through the North American Mission Board
  • 22.16% to theological education through the six SBC seminaries and the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives
  • 2.99% to the SBC operating budget
  • 1.65% to the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

If national CP gifts exceed the budget projection at the end of the fiscal year, the balance of the overage is distributed according to the percentages approved for budgetary distribution. The SBC Executive Committee distributes all CP and designated gifts it receives on a weekly basis to the SBC ministry entities.

CP allocation budget gifts received by the Executive Committee are reported monthly to the executives of the entities of the convention, to the state convention offices, to the state Baptist papers and are posted online at sbc.net/cp.

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EIGHT SIGNS A PASTOR HAS STAYED TOO LONG AT A DYING CHURCH

By Chuck Lawless
Southeastern Seminary • Wake Forest, NC

Chuck Lawless

Some time ago, I posted, “Ten Factors that Help Long-Term Pastors Stay at Their Church.” Since that time, I’ve also worked with declining churches whose pastors have, in my opinion, stayed too long in their current place of service. Here are some of the clues that move my thinking in that direction:

  1. The church is in continual decline, and the pastor blames the congregation. I know there are many troubled churches—and decline cannot be attributed to only one cause—but long-term pastors leading churches into decline must take some responsibility for the problem.
  2. The pastor no longer has vision for the church; he lives in survival mode. Everything is about paying the next bill and getting through next Sunday. Any sense of future life is long gone.
  3. If anyone would offer the pastor a new job, he’d likely take it. He might even be looking, but few churches want to interview a leader whose church is in constant decline. If they do talk with him and he blames the church, they have even more reason to discontinue the process.
  4. The church has lost any sense of passion for what they do. Often, a church in a state of decline follows the lead of the long-term pastor into pessimism and hopelessness. Nobody takes needed steps toward change because everybody’s just tired of the struggle.
  5. The only people left in the church are long-termers who will die as members of the church. They don’t like what’s happening to their church, but they’re also not moving their membership. They’ll wait out this pastor like they’ve waited out others.
  6. Paying the bills takes priority over everything else. As the church declines and givers decrease, the bills nevertheless remain the same. This problem is especially acute if the church is still making building and property payments.
  7. The pastor finds himself isolating from the church family.It’s just hard to “hang out” with people when his ministry doesn’t seem to be going well. He retreats into his office and closes the door more often than he used to.
  8. The pastor is willing to let the church die on his watch. You’d hope that would never be the case—and I’ve not seen it happen often—but I have seen it . The pastor guides the ship to its death and blames the congregation all the way.

Leaving a declining church is seldom easy for a pastor, however. Nobody wants to feel like he is “abandoning the ship,” and no pastor wants to look back on a seemingly failed ministry. Rather than condemn any pastor, let’s pray for all pastors today who may be wondering about God’s will for their lives. B&R – Chuck Lawless is Dean of Doctoral Studies and Vice-President of Spiritual Formation and Ministry Centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, where he also serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions. He is also Team Leader for Theological Education Strategists for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

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TBMB INTRODUCES 545 WELLNESS COMMUNITY SESSIONS FOR PASTORS

Baptist and Reflector

Joe Sorah

FRANKLIN — The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board is launching a new health and wellness program aimed at helping pastors develop consistent exercise habits and improve their physical fitness in 2026.

The 545 Wellness Community, an online accountability program, will offer two five-month sessions next year designed to address what organizers say is a significant fitness gap among Tennessee Baptist Convention ministers.

According to a February 2025 TBC minister survey, 61% of pastors exercise once or twice a week or less, with 30% exercising twice monthly or less — well below the American Heart Association’s recommendation of at least 150 minutes of weekly exercise to maintain health. [Read more…]

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