By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, Baptist and Reflector

Beneath Godwin’s Mountain, I own a cave that the state of Tennessee refers to as a significant cave. When I was a church’s interim pastor, listeners heard me tell about the cave’s darkness, depths, and dangers — along with its magnificence. A deacon and a high school boy persisted in wanting me to take them on a cave expedition. Finally, I happily agreed to do that with strong caveats: namely, two powerful lights each, water, snacks, proper clothing, etc.

An expedition lacking in light. On a Saturday morning, the three of us drove to the cave. Before we entered the first room of the cave, I checked equipment. To my dismay, I found the deacon had only his grandson’s toy flashlight with no backup. The senior high boy had a flashlight with weak batteries and a backup birthday candle. I knew the cave well and had two powerful sources of light with fresh batteries so I decided to lead them an hour or so.  [Read more…]

By Steve Gaines
SBC President & Pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova

Today (Jan. 20)  Donald J. Trump became the 45th President of the United States. As you know, Mr. Trump won a highly volatile election last November. Some see him as a candidate of much-needed change, readily resonating with his Reaganish slogan, “Make America Great Again!” Others see Mr. Trump as a less than desirable candidate for the highest office in the land.

What are Southern Baptists to do?

Trump won the election. In doing so, he earned the right to serve for the next four years as President of the United States. Consequently, it is incumbent upon every Bible-believing Christian to pray that the Lord will bless and guide him and his family in the coming days and years. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

I walked into the offices of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (formerly the Executive Board) on Jan. 3 after nearly two weeks of rest and relaxation (if spending a week of it with two boys ages 4 and almost 2 can be relaxing). But it was definitely fun and exciting.

As fellow staff members arrived in the office we exchanged greetings and talked about the holidays. I then realized that one staff member with whom I had worked for 25 years would not be coming into the office that day.

Gary Rickman retired from the TBMB staff on Dec. 31 after serving the convention in numerous roles over the years, most recently as director of strategic relations. That was definitely an appropriate title for Gary. [Read more…]

By Steve Freeman
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention

Hello Tennessee Baptists!

Another Christmas season is in the books! If your experience is anything like mine, it seems as though Christmas rolls around much faster each year and before you know it — it’s all over! The excitement and anticipation of the season is a wonderful experience … then it’s all done! Life simply returns to “normal” and the normal “everyday” routine seeps back into our lives. The “post-Christmas” question is “what are we supposed to do now?” This is why I am so thankful for the Bible because it provides for us, as God’s children, every answer to every question that we may have in our lives. This certainly includes an answer to the “post-Christmas” question!

Consider the “excitement” of the first Christmas — after the long-awaited and prophesied Messiah had been conceived in the virgin womb of His chosen mother, after Mary and Joseph had persevered through the scandalous scrutiny of “being found with Child” during their engagement, after the long-awaited and anticipated birth of their unique first-born Son, and after the appearance of the angelic hosts announcing the birth of Jesus to wise men from the East and shepherds “abiding in their fields keeping watch over their flock by night” prompting them to “go straight to Bethlehem then and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us” (Luke 2:1-15, Matthew 2:1-2). [Read more…]