Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — The Baptist and Reflector, one of the nation’s longest continuously published newspapers, was awarded second place in the “Best Overall Publication: Newspaper” category by the Baptist Communicators Association (BCA) at the organization’s annual Wilmer C. Fields Awards on April 21.
The B&R also captured four additional national awards — including second place for best series or package — during the BCA’s annual awards ceremony, which was held virtually this year as a safety precaution related to COVID-19.
“The staff of the Baptist and Reflector is committed to telling the news of Tennessee Baptists with excellence,” said Lonnie Wilkey, editor of the Baptist and Reflector. “To be recognized as one of the top two state Baptist papers in the Southern Baptist Convention by our peers is an honor and a testimony to our staff. It also underscores our belief that we are headed in the right direction.”
The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board video team collected three awards for video content, including first place in script writing.
“It truly is an honor for TBMB to win multiple BCA awards,” said Chris Turner, director of communications for the TBMB. “There are so many high-quality communicators across the SBC who are producing award-winning content. So, for our communications staff to be honored — let alone win eight awards — is quite a milestone for us.”
The complete list of awards garnered by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board communications team, which includes the B&R, were:
• Overall Publication: Newspaper
Second Place, Baptist and Reflector
• Opinion / Editorial writing
Third place, Lonnie Wilkey, “Sometimes ‘Good’ is Just Not Good Enough”
• News writing (750-1,500 words)
Second place, Lonnie Wilkey, “TBMB leader challenges ERLC”
Third place, David Dawson, “Going above and beyond”
• Feature writing: Best series or package
Second place, David Dawson, Chris Turner, Lonnie Wilkey, “Hope Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic”
• Scripts
First place, Chris Turner, “Normal”
Second place, Chris Turner, “Change”
• Video
Third place, TBMB video team, “2020 TBC Virtual Summit”
Turner said he was excited to the TBMB communications team capture awards on a national level, and said it reflected the staff’s desire to use these platforms as a ministry.
“I think the most important thing is that we are being recognized for work our team does on a daily basis in support of our organizational mission to make Christ known by serving churches,” said Turner. “Our desire is to glorify God through what He’s called us to do vocationally, while serving Tennessee Baptists and the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.”
Wilkey said the awards were a testament to the TBMB’s commitment to disseminating the news.
“We also are blessed to be part of the communications team of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board that provides us added resources that we otherwise would not have,” he said. B&R
