By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

The Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting did not have my full attention when I arrived in Baltimore last week. In fact, I’d say my enthusiasm for it was pretty low. My mind and my heart were on that which needed my attention here in Tennessee.

However, by the time Jeanne and I left Baltimore Thursday morning, I was encouraged and glad that we attended the annual meeting. The fellowship with friends from Tennessee and across the country refreshed us. There were also several highlights that proved to be special moments for me. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

We Baptists are a unique group.

Most of the time, we don’t have the faith to move a mountain (which Scripture says is possible), but we have the uncanny ability of making a mountain out of a mole hill at any given time.

We do it in our individual lives as well as corporately. Many a congregation has argued over what color a carpet or pew pad should be and seen members leave because the “wrong” color was chosen. [Read more…]

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Royalty isn’t necessarily defined by birth family or wealth. In fact, in many cultures it is still determined by age.

I love the stories of veteran Tennessee missions volunteers Don and Ann Davis walking into small Ugandan villages a few years ago with a group of younger missions volunteers. Younger is relative because the Davises were in their 70s and both topped by flowing silver hair. They easily stood out from their group as the senior members. Repeatedly, villagers honored the Davises and gave them an esteemed seat and listened intently as they shared the gospel, accepting it as wisdom passed down through the ages. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention next week (June 10-11) will elect a new convention president.

Unlike 2012 when Fred Luter was unanimously elected as the convention’s first African American president, messengers will have a choice.

As of Monday, June 2, there were three announced candidates for the SBC presidency — Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas with campuses in Springfield, Rogers, and Fayetteville; Jared Moore, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in Hustonville, Ky.; and Dennis Manpoong Kim, pastor of Global Mission Church of Greater Washington in Silver Spring, Md.

All three candidates are distinctly different. [Read more…]

By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

Beloved Courtney Wilson became my first Tennessee pastor 44 years ago. He died last week. Courtney never did preach long; but toward the last, his messages were even briefer in the “Memory Care” unit where he held forth. With his vast memory and recall greatly reduced, Courtney was still able to hold up a figure of an angel that would say, “I love you.” Then he would say, “I’m going to quote my favorite Bible verse: John 3:16. “For God so loved the world … .” After that, he would offer a few devotional thoughts.

One of Courtney’s daughters shared this with me. She was at one of those devotions when a woman with “repetitive” dementia was listening. When Courtney finished quoting John 3:16, that woman started quoting it over and over and over again. Finally, gentle Courtney said, “Ma’am, you need to be quiet! I’m having devotions.” Even the world’s greatest truth repeated to annoyance in repetition calls for a period and moving on with its meaning. [Read more…]

By Larry Robertson
President, TBC, & Clarksville Pastor

We need to reclaim an apostolic urgency to our mission.

A recent report by the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastors’ Task Force on Evangelistic Impact and Declining Baptisms reminded us of what we already know, that we are floundering when it comes to reaching our communities and culture for Christ. And while the task force made honest observations and excellent recommendations, I want to add to their thoughts by suggesting that your participation in The Summit in November is part of the solution here in Tennessee. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

A few weeks ago (in the April 30 issue), I wrote about changes that are underway for the Baptist and Reflector.

Honestly, those changes are occurring quicker than I imagined, but once the pain of change is over, I think it will prove to be a great move for everyone involved with the Baptist and Reflector — from me and our staff to our most importance resource, our readers.

With what I wrote on April 30 combined with the well-written news story on page 1 of this issue by Linda Lawson Still, I think the reasons for the changes, which officially begin with our June 4 issue, are obvious. We will continue to provide Tennessee Baptists a quality newspaper. As long as I am editor, we will not shift from our commitment of “Telling the story of Tennessee Baptists.” [Read more…]

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Tennessee Baptists want to read about other Tennessee Baptists and our churches.  

And let’s be honest about the newspaper industry in general. Secular news agencies have struggled for years with the financial burden of producing a hard copy version in an increasingly digital age. Many of them have slashed staff and eventually gone out of business.

Fortunately, we are not near that point. Lonnie has a renewed vision for integrating the Internet and adjusting the print version to better serve Tennessee Baptists. Switching to a biweekly production schedule allows him space to pursue that vision with abandon. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

On Dec. 8, 1995 I had the opportunity and privilege to report on the election of David S. Dockery as president of Union University in Jackson.

He was elected unanimously by trustees that day to become the university’s 15th president.

Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Dockery found time for an interview with me and the Baptist and Reflector.

We talked about the varied background he had and how he felt it prepared him to lead a Baptist university. [Read more…]

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

At the end of the day on May 20, the members of the team working at what has been called the Baptist Center will leave the building for the last time and watch the doors close on 45 years of ministry.

We’re moving, ending one chapter in Tennessee Baptist history and beginning a new one. Our building in Brentwood has been the hub of the ministry of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, and it has served us well.

Interesting thing about this building and its location in the middle of one of America’s best cities; there wasn’t much around here when it was built. A generation of insightful Baptist leaders decided to purchase a piece of property at the edge of a horse farm and construct what was then widely recognized for its architectural design. It would have been impossible for them to predict the importance of this location, but they catapulted our cooperative work as Tennessee Baptists to a new level of influence and effectiveness. [Read more…]