By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Editor’s Note: This issue of the Baptist and Reflector contains in-depth articles about the significance of the Supreme Court’s decision and its potential impact on churches, ministers, and laity. Visit www.tnbaptist.org/marriage for additional resources.

BRENTWOOD — Less than three weeks after the United States Supreme Court redefined the traditional, biblical definition of marriage, the full ramifications from the decision are yet to be seen.

The court’s ruling that state prohibitions against same-sex marriages are unconstitutional dramatically signals that the culture and the law are changing, said Jim Guenther, attorney for both the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.

“While churches are not of this world, they minister in this world. This decision both reflects and contributes to these changes. It will have an indirect but significant effect on churches. There will at least be a ripple effect from this decision — some think a tsunami — that will reach many corners of the law,” he observed. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

MILLINGTON — As a new year is set to begin, thousands upon thousands of people make that traditional New Year’s resolution to lose those extra pounds gained during the past year.

For most, it is easier said than done, says Willie McLaurin, special assistant to the executive director/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

McLaurin led a breakout during the November Summit at First Baptist Church, Millington, entitled “Fit for Life, Fit for Him.”

The TBC staffer speaks from experience. He once weighed 384 pounds, but over the past eight to nine years, he has lost 165 pounds and has maintained that weight loss. [Read more…]