Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, B&R
For decades, Elmer Fudd terrorized Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny with his rifle.
Daffy and the “wascally wabbit” probably couldn’t care less that Elmer Fudd’s rifle has been taken away. His bullets always missed.
Now, in a new “reboot” of the classic cartoons, Elmer Fudd can be seen wielding a farmer’s scythe. That’s a recipe for nightmares. [Read more…]
By Ternae Jordan, Charles Grant & Thomas Bester
Tennessee Baptist Mission Board
It’s a familiar story. Black man is taken into custody by a police officer and is murdered. Arrests follow, press conference held, speeches made, people march, people riot, politicians posture, reform is promised.
Nothing changes.
The pages of this tired script are frayed and stained with more African American blood. The sequels never end. But surely – surely – this time is different. This time America watched as George Floyd had his face ground into the asphalt for nearly 10 minutes as an officer’s knee crushed his neck until he asphyxiated.
It was brutal. It was inhumane. Another piece of the Black American soul died with George Floyd. Another piece of America’s soul died in the streets of Minneapolis, snuffed out by the centuries-old racial prejudice that festers like rancid gangrene eating away at our society. We can’t keep doing this to ourselves, but we can’t seem to stop. [Read more…]
By Baptist Press staff
Protest against police violence – Justice for George Floyd Fibonacci Blue / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
NASHVILLE — Southern Baptist leaders have published a statement grieving the recent death of George Floyd and calling for the end of “racial inequity in the distribution of justice in our country.”
The statement, co-authored by SBC president J.D. Greear and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary president Jamie Dew, was unanimously signed by all SBC officers, entity heads and state convention executive directors, including Tennessee Baptist Mission Board president and executive director Randy C. Davis.
Statement on the death of George Floyd
As a convention of churches committed to the equality and dignity of all people, Southern Baptists grieve the death of George Floyd, who was killed May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minn. [Read more…]
By Chris Turner
cturner@tnbaptist.org
I had an incident with a black teenager this morning at exactly 6:53 am while on my morning walk in my overwhelmingly white suburban neighborhood located in one of the wealthiest counties in the country.
He approached me dressed in a patterned white t-shirt, a pair of shorts I’d never pay the money for and a pair of Nike tennis shoes that, unlike mine, probably have no holes worn in the lining where the heel rubs.
We drew closer, and then it happened. The young man crossed the street. He literally crossed the street to avoid me. He then nervously fumbled for the phone in his pocket, diverting his eyes. The entire scenario was extremely awkward. It was obvious he was uncertain about where this encounter might head next. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
On Monday, May 25, many Americans across the nation have a paid holiday. Many will spend the day on golf courses, lakes, hiking trails, and numerous other places enjoying barbecue, burgers, hot dogs and all the trimmings.
I wonder, however, how many people actually know why they have the day off and, if they do, do they understand the sacrifices made by countless Americans so they can enjoy themselves?
Sometimes, I don’t even believe that some of our nation’s leaders — those elected to serve our country — truly appreciate the freedoms we enjoy. If they did, some might work harder to ensure that our country retains those freedoms in the years to come. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
Pete Tackett, left, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, Johnson City, and Lester Morelock, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jonesborough, share during Holston Baptist Association’s first online revival service.
JOHNSON CITY — What began as a conversation to discuss reopening churches in northeast Tennessee has turned into perhaps a month-long revival.
“The revival vision was birthed out of a Zoom meeting of Holston Baptist Association pastors to discuss everyone’s thoughts and plans about ‘going back to church,’ ” said Craig Ponder, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church, Limestone. [Read more…]
By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org
MURFREESBORO — In keeping with social-distancing guidelines, many churches have elected to use online streaming in place of their normal worship services and other gatherings.
The transition hasn’t been easy for all churches, especially those who had never before used live streaming. And that’s where New Vision Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, comes in.
New Vision has developed a ministry in which the church is helping other churches get started with online worship services and other events. The ministry includes helping churches with both the technical aspects of online services as well as the actual production itself. [Read more…]
By Tony Rankin
Special to the Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — These strange days of COVID-19 and the impact of tornados cause us to feel like we are juggling chainsaws on a tightrope. Frequently an overwhelming sense of gloominess or depression coincides with difficulties of addressing the ordinary stresses of illness or disaster. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
FRANKLIN — In his weekly COVID-19 update on April 8, Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, reminded Tennessee Baptists that the world is watching.
“How is this generation going to remember how we, as Christians, responded to this crisis?” [Read more…]
Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention leaders Randy C. Davis and Bruce Chesser have followed up on a resolution passed by Tennessee Baptists at their annual meeting in November at First Baptist Concord in Knoxville with a letter to Tennessee’s state senators.
Tennessee Baptists approved without opposition a resolution in support of life and Tennessee Senate Bill 1236. [Read more…]
