By Richard Skidmore
Financial Support Specialist, TBC

It is quite possible that beginning this past January your pastor or other church staff member began being taxed on their health insurance premium.

It will be the church’s responsibility to report the amount of the premium as taxable income as part of the salary paid to this person.

How can the Affordable Care Act that had as its centerpiece making health insurance more accessible and more affordable have this result? That is a question that seems hard to fathom but it’s a reality churches and ministers must face. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

I watched a recent video clip of Victoria Osteen, wife of noted pastor and author Joel Osteen of Houston.
Honestly, I was not impressed.

I recently wrote a column expressing my opinion of the “health and wealth” ministers that are so prevalent today. At least one reader chastised me and said I was way off base.

That reader and others need to see this video for themselves. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Change. For many people this “five-letter” word may as well be a “four-letter” (curse) word. Most people detest change.

I admit that while I am not necessarily anti-change, I am usually not out in front leading the change band-wagon.

Change is hard for most individuals and even churches because we get comfortable with what we are doing. The only problem with getting comfortable is that we get satisfied with where we are in our life or in our church and we get complacent. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Dizzy Dean, a baseball great who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1930s, was known for his wit as well as his pitching.

He once said, “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.”

Bragging is bragging, but of course it does help when you can back up your talk with actions and Dizzy Dean could do that. [Read more…]

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

I never tire of seeing people baptized. Every one of them tells a unique story of God’s grace at work in the lives of individuals.

One I remember is Charlie Tanner. I led Charlie to the Lord in his living room almost 35 years ago. He came out of a Mormon sect in which most of his family was strongly entrenched. I felt like shouting when Charlie accepted Christ and was baptized. To this day he is a great disciple of Christ and an active member of First Baptist Church, Vancleave, Miss. [Read more…]

By Chris Turner
Director of Communications, TBC

Ten years worth of stellar performance reviews. You gave yourself to your job and your company. Needed somebody to work overtime? You were there. Last second projects that needed doing? You were all over it. Deadlines? You ate lunch at your desk to ensure you met them. Employee of the month? Yep, multiple times. In fact, your boss singled you out as the poster child of dedication and commitment to “a job well done.”

But here you are, in human resources and sitting across the desk from the personnel director. [Read more…]