Opinion Column Archives - Baptist & Reflector

THE GENEROSITY GOD SEEKS

May 28, 2020

Editor’s note: This guest column replaces the Clarity column normally written by Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Davis expressed his gratitude for the generosity of Tennessee Baptists: “Thank you for your financial generosity experienced by missions and ministries of giving through the Cooperative Program and Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.”

By Adam Dooley
Senior Pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson

Her words stopped me in my tracks.

“I need to verify your insurance information, Mr. Dooley, but you will never receive a bill from the hospital,” she stated casually. I should have known; after all, I see the same commercials that you see from time to time. Yet, I am embarrassed to admit that previously I failed to pay attention. At this point, I knew little about childhood cancer and even less about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. What was second nature to the woman in registration was news to me. [Read more…]

HOW TO FIND TRUE HEALING FROM COVID-19

May 27, 2020

By Mike Dawson
Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia

COVID-19: we know that “COVID” is the five-letter acronym for “Corona Virus Disease” and that the number 19 is for the year 2019 (since the disease originated in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China). And we’re well aware that it spread to become a global pandemic in the early months of 2020 and essentially shut down the world as we all had known it. [Read more…]

DO WE TAKE MEMORIAL DAY SERIOUSLY?

May 24, 2020

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…]

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND MENTAL HEALTH

May 21, 2020

By Cody Glen Barnhart
Director of music and media, First Baptist Church, Alcoa

Recently, Seacoast Church announced that former Southern Baptist pastor Darrin Patrick passed away from what “appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” The news sent shockwaves through social media. Patrick’s passing is a devastating blow. We seem to have lost another one of our brothers to the crisis of mental health.

Patrick’s death serves as a somber reminder that the effects of the coronavirus outbreak are not only physical: isolation feels ever-present.

Because 2020 has gone awry, an entire generation of pastors feel (perhaps for the first time) the need for pointed, calculated and faithful leadership. Pastors have a lot of stress right now. And in the midst of this, they can’t even hug one another as a reminder of the brotherhood they share in Christ. [Read more…]

REGATHERING WILL BE NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ALL

May 19, 2020

By Bruce Chesser
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention

Most of us are trying to determine the best course of action in reengaging in on campus worship. Notice I did not say “reopening.” We haven’t been closed. Almost all of us have continued to lead our people in Sunday worship, Wednesday night Bible studies, and we have engaged many of our small groups in some new thing called Zoom. Zoom, zoom, zoom. We’ve zoomed all over the planet in the last few months.

Here are a few things to remember.

First, no one knows exactly how to handle this. Unless you were alive 100 years ago, none of us have ever been through a pandemic. Your pastor has not been through it, your director of missions has not been through it, your state executive director has not been through it, and you have not been through it. No one but the Lord knows what the next few weeks and months are going to hold.

Second, we must have a plan. Leaders lead. We must develop a plan to reengage. For most, it will be done in phases. The reality is that the date might change. But whatever the date happens to be, there has to be a plan. [Read more…]

15 IMPORTANT WORSHIP ‘HELPS’ FOR CHURCHES

May 18, 2020

By Scott C. Shepherd
Tennessee Baptist Mission Board music and worship specialist

In the coming weeks and months, churches across Tennessee will make the decision to gather again for worship. These services — though COVID-19 restrictions have been reduced — will not be a return to “worship as usual.”

Here are 15 worship related helps for churches to consider as they prepare to regather.

Maintain social distancing in worship. Restrictions have been lessened, but social distancing must continue.

• Arrange the congregation so families are at least six feet apart from other families. Block off certain pews or remove chairs, and utilize staff, ushers and deacons to direct traffic, but these guides should also maintain social distancing. [Read more…]

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

May 15, 2020

By Mark Proctor
Associate administrator, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

God sings, says the Hebrew prophet Zephaniah, when His children come home. Your Tennessee Baptist Mission Board Conference Center staffs at Carson Springs and Linden Valley have heard those joyful songs thousands of times. But this year those songs will go largely unheard on the English Mountain and the Buffalo River. As a result of the pandemic, most summer events have been cancelled and the silence is deafening. Will you pray with us that the music of restoration and salvation would once again visit us?

The third Sunday of May each year, this year May 17, is set aside for a Day of Prayer for Tennessee Baptist Conference Centers. This year we need those prayers more than ever before. Like our churches, the pandemic has brought unprecedented times to our doorstep at the Conference Centers. A moment of personal prayer, a designated time in Sunday school, and an intentional segment in Sunday’s worship would gather us together at the throne for this tremendous need. Would you join us? We are encouraging three specific points of prayer. [Read more…]

HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUTH MINISTRY

May 15, 2020

By Jay Barbier
Youth Specialist, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

The Great Commission has given followers of Jesus an adventure to live by. Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples as they go! The question many are facing today is how can we do this now? We need to take a serious look at how we can manage to do the work of the Lord in the coming days as we enter new phases from the quarantine. Let’s look at two different ways we can be the church and make disciples during this process.

First, use any and every opportunity you can through online platforms, social media — and over-communicate to youth and their families. The church can reach a larger nonaffiliated audience than ever before. People are stuck at home and so many are looking for something new to do. Netflix and other viewing platforms are being uploaded like crazy. The time is now to put daily devotionals online, resource your people and equip the church to fall deeper in love with the Word.

Give students and parents opportunities to lead in this. Let them share testimonies, preach and teach the Bible. Honestly, most people love to hear real life and how does faith intersect with real life. When students take the lead, their peers will listen. Use this to draw the attention of youth and point them to Jesus. [Read more…]

WHAT’S THE REAL INVISIBLE ENEMY?

May 14, 2020

By Matt Tullos
TBMB Special Assistant to the Executive Director

2020 will be remembered as the Year of the Pandemic. A new normal swept across our country as leaders grappled with circumstances that previously were only portrayed in doomsday novels and disaster movies. We’ve seen the best and worst of humanity. Mass graves, food lines, and market crashes flood our news feeds. The death tolls and statistics overwhelm us each day. [Read more…]

AN EXCUSE BAPTISTS CAN NEVER USE AGAIN

May 13, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

“We’ve never done it that way before.”

If Southern Baptists had a national motto, it would be that simple sentence.

I have attended a Baptist church all of my life — and that now spans 62 years. I have heard that Baptist motto all of my life, and sadly, I have used it myself more than once. And, my guess is that most Baptists, if honest with themselves, will admit they also have said, “We’ve never done it that way before.” Oh, I almost forgot. The second part of that motto is, “And, we’re not going to start now.” [Read more…]

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