By Carolyn Tomlin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

Carolyn Tomlin

As parents, we aren’t perfect. And yes, we make mistakes while thinking we are doing what is right. In conversation with a grandmother, she related this story.

“When our little girl was in elementary school, we thought that eating a good wholesome breakfast was the best preparation for the school day. Therefore, I made sure she had a balanced meal to start the morning. However, my child didn’t want to eat that early. But, we insisted. There were many mornings our 6-year-old left in tears. As a mom, this is one of those things that I wish I could do over. How much better it would have been for her to leave home happy and smiling! Also, I could have let her choose something she liked — instead of traditional breakfast food.” [Read more…]

Editor’s Note: “Rekindle: Fanning the Flames of Christian Leadership,” a church revitalization conference, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 1, at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, Knoxville. Guest speakers include John Mark Clifton of Kansas City, Mo., and Tom Cheyney of Orlando, Fla. More information.

Robert Tyson
Director of Missions, Robertson County Baptist Association, Springfield

Robert Tyson

In a meeting with several directors of missions and members of the Tennessee Baptist Convention staff, we looked at ways to help churches revitalize. Most church leaders are aware that 80 to 90 percent of Christian churches have stopped growing or are declining.

Why do churches stop reaching their communities for Jesus. All kinds of reasons are offered. Here are some examples: “The community has changed and no longer looks like the congregation that meets here.” “The problem is the pastor. He is not leading his congregation to connect with the community.” “The problem is the congregation. The congregation has lost interest in reaching its community.” [Read more…]

Morgan Owen
BCM Specialist, TBC

Morgan Owen

The phone call was one that, as a campus minister, you love to receive. Reed Tallman from Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton, contacted me in July 2015 to pass along contact information on a student coming to the University of Tennessee at Martin.  The importance of the call was vital for Tallman because the student from his youth ministry, Roger Clark, lived more than 400 miles away from Martin. Tallman knew that this transition to college would be a huge step for Clark and he wanted to do all he could to build a bridge from the high school campus to the college campus for Roger. [Read more…]

By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

Johnnie Godwin

When I grew up in West Texas, everyone knew what it meant for two people to get “crossways” with each other. They were at odds and headed in different directions. However, dictionaries tend to focus on the literal meanings of crossways [also means “crosswise”]. Very literally, “crossways” means to cut across something that is going in another direction. But when people are crossways or crosswise with each other, they’re out of sorts with each other; they’re at odds; they disagree with each other. And that causes conflict. If God wants anything for His church, He wants it to be unified, cohesive, of one mind, and growing to maturity in its head (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Experiences of seeing churches get crossways. Since I’ve attended most church services where I belong for the last 79 years, I’ve enjoyed seeing a lot of unity and growth and love in Christ. But I’ve also seen a lot of church members get crossways with each other. When church members get crossways, it always negatively affects the relationships and joy in a church. It’s time to meet, greet, repent, and get right with God and each other. [Read more…]

By Bill Choate
Collegiate Ministries Director, TBC

Bill Choate

In the next few weeks, many of our fine young adults will leave home to go off to college. Moving off to live and learn on a university campus is an important step in growing toward adulthood. Tennessee Baptists continue to invest much in providing Baptist Collegiate Ministry on our campuses. BCM is a ministry of our churches — ministry done with, by, and for local Baptist churches. BCM is one of those things we do best together.

Why do Tennessee Baptists use Cooperative Program and Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions funds to provide collegiate ministers and BCM centers across Tennessee? [Read more…]