Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

WILL COMMON SENSE PREVAIL?

Before it Hits the PressBy Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Tennessee legislators have an incredible opportunity next week to prove that common sense is alive and well in the Volunteer State.

Whether they have the courage to make such a decision remains to be seen.

Legislators are considering HB2414 which is sponsored by Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Old Hickory, and Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville. The bill is referred to as the “Bathroom Bill.” See story in The Tennessean. The bill would “require that a student use student restroom and locker room facilities that are assigned for use by persons of the same sex as the sex indicated on the student’s original birth certificate.” [Read more…]

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ANSWERS STARTING TO COME FROM IMB

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Lonnie-WilkeyIn the Jan. 27 issue I wrote a column expressing concern about the lack of information coming out of the International Mission Board. The IMB had made some major decisions about needing to cut between 600 and 800 missionary/staff positions due to overspending by $210 million over the past five years or so.

In addition, the IMB announced it was eliminating its Communications Center in Richmond with 30 of the 40 employees losing their jobs. Ten were reassigned to other areas.

I was critical of the IMB for their lack of information. President David Platt was not available to the media. I stand by what I wrote at the time. It was valid and needed to be brought out. [Read more…]

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THE IMB: HOW DID WE GET HERE?

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Randy C. Davis

Randy C. Davis

It was a dark day two weeks ago when International Mission Board President David Platt stepped to the microphone to inform Southern Baptists that 983 missionaries and 149 IMB staffers were stepping away from their involvement in taking the gospel to the nations. Dr. Platt described it best when he spoke of the “heaviness” of the day. I agreed, and wondered, “How’d we get here?”

That’s a question worth exploring. It is important to learn from our past so that we can make necessary changes that positively impact our future. There are lessons here for all of us, and as Christians, we need to pause and take stock in how this applies to us individually and collectively. [Read more…]

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WILL TENNESSEE’S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FLUSH BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES DOWN THE TOILET?

By David Fowler
President, Family Action Council of Tennessee

160308toiletWhen I got into state politics 22 years ago, I never thought I would see the legislature having to debate certain things like who can use a bathroom designated for males. But perhaps the most shocking thing of all is that the Tennessee Department of Education is officially okay with our public schools allowing boys to use the restrooms and locker facilities designated for girls.

A bill will be heard March 8 in the House Education Administration and Planning Subcommittee that would prohibit our public elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools from allowing someone of one biological sex to use the facilities designated for use by those of the opposite biological sex. It does allow those educational institutions to construct or allow sex-confused students to use a separate bathroom or locker room facility. [Read more…]

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THE INTERSECTION OF PASSION AND NEED

Chad Morris
Assoc. Dir., Campus Ministries, Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City

man, carrying, cross, mission, trip, journey, determination, dark, silhouette, struggle, burdenIt happened in a group from Carson-Newman University when a student, who was determined to party and to “get away from it all,” found Jesus.

It happened while students hiked into the hills of Guatemala to give clean drinking water access to a mother of nine.

It took place while providing medical care and praying with individuals in small remote villages of Haiti who had put their faith in voodoo. [Read more…]

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RAISING MISSIONS-MINDED KIDS

By Carolyn Tomlin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

American, teen, African, children, kidsAs a family unit, the Jones’ clan adopts one large missions project each year. “As our children are involved in missions organizations, I believe, parents must set an example of service,” ”says Mr. Jones. “That’s why the children find extra chores and small jobs in the neighborhood and save these funds for helping the homeless in our community. We work together.” [Read more…]

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A MENU FOR BIBLICALLY MALNOURISHED CHRISTIANS

By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

Johnnie Godwin

Johnnie Godwin

When I was a Bible curriculum editor, an outside guest led us to play “Baldicer” in a work retreat. The leader of the game explained most of the rules and what “Baldicer” stood for. The word itself stands for “Balanced Diet Certificates.” The overall object of the game is to deal with world hunger and how a leader from rich and poor countries might work together in an informal United Nations to feed the world. However, sparse rule explanations left us individual participants and team members in a quandary. We tended to use our given certificates to feed our own country and competed with other countries until our country won and wiped out the other country. [Read more…]

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CONSIDER THE CONNECT>1 EVANGELISM CAMPAIGN

By Mark Miller
Sunday School Specialist, TBC

Mark Miller

Mark Miller

How will you lead your groups to become outwardly focused? Would you like to see your groups engage in actions to see lost people saved and unreached people reached? Do you need a plan to encourage group members to invite the lost and unchurched to their group and group activities? What is your strategy to prepare group members to share Jesus with lost friends? Consider participating in the Connect>1 Evangelism Campaign!

What is the Connect>1 Evangelism Campaign? The goal is to equip and engage every church member in personal evangelism through the church’s small groups or Sunday School. [Read more…]

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WILL YOUR CHURCH BAPTIZE 16 IN 2016?

By Roc Collins
President, TBC

Roc Collins

Roc Collins

It seems hardly conceivable that February is almost over. Where did January go? Time is ever passing and the longer I live, the faster it seems to go by. And with the passing of time, there always seems to be the recollection of things I had planned to do, things I had hoped to accomplish. At the center of all this are the things I planned to accomplish for Christ and for His Kingdom. What’s that? Saving the lost! And if we are not careful, all our good plans to accomplish great things — along with time — will quickly pass by.

In Matthew 28:19-20, before leaving this earth, Jesus tasked His followers with a three-pronged mission: to make disciples, to baptize them, and to teach them about the ways of Christ. With that in mind, let me ask some hard questions. [Read more…]

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HOW WELL IS YOUR CHURCH EXECUTING THE 3 Vs?

By Chris Turner
Director of Communications, TBC

Chris Turner

Chris Turner

The Great Commission is in the DNA of every church (or at least it should be), and hopefully every church has as its vision the idea of “reaching people for Jesus Christ.” But unfortunately, too often the community around the church doesn’t know that’s the vision because church members don’t know that’s the vision or don’t understand how to transfer it beyond the church.

Vision statements are great, but every “vision” begs the question: Are the actions of the church and the responses of the church’s members harmoniously working together to reach the vision for everyone’s benefit? [Read more…]

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