Hardwick

First, I want to say how grateful I am to be a Tennessee Baptist and what a humbling honor it is to serve a second term as president of our convention of churches. 

God is moving in our state, and I am looking forward to another year of traveling and seeing first-hand what He is doing from Memphis to Mountain City! 

Multiple times throughout our Summit in Murfreesboro, I was overwhelmed looking across the room and seeing so many wonderful leaders from so many wonderful churches that are advancing together in fulfilling the Great Commission. The Kingdom potential of nearly 1,100 messengers from over 500 of our churches is massive! Can you imagine what God might do as we cry out to Him in prayer and work together in collaboration around our shared vision and strategic priorities? There’s no limit!  [Read more…]

Wainscott

Over the last several years during the Advent and Christmas seasons, I have noticed that churches increasingly seem to be singing traditional Christmas carols less and less. I’m not sure what all the reasons may be, and I’m certainly not attempting to impugn the motives of those who choose the songs. But I do believe it’s unfortunate for us if we hear familiar carols more in the shopping mall than we do in the local church. 

Therefore, I want to issue a plea for us to prioritize the singing of familiar Christmas carols in our churches. I’m not suggesting that no other songs should be sung during these seasons, but I am suggesting that the overwhelming majority of what we sing during these few weeks of the year should come from that select canon of familiar English carols. Regardless of church size or preferred style of worship, such a practice should not be controversial, and I aim to share why below. [Read more…]

Dooley

The week of Thanksgiving affords us the opportunity to unplug, evaluate, and offer thanks for the numerous blessings in our lives in a way that the pace of our normal routines doesn’t always allow. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and every year.

My relationship with Jesus is growing. I find myself in a place that I deeply love, surrounded by people who enrich my life, leaving my family happier than we have ever been. A wonderful wife and five healthy children fill each of my days with joy despite the typical trials that come and go. In addition to these personal blessings, I pastor a healthy, growing congregation that has me enthusiastic about my calling in a way that resembles my earliest years of ministry. 

Simply put, life is good.  [Read more…]

Lonnie Wilkey

Other than the great news of Jesus Christ, have you ever been told something so wonderful that you would want to tell everyone you know and shout it?

Well, I finally can. I have known for the past two weeks that Chris Turner, the TBMB’s director of communications, will succeed me as editor of the Baptist and Reflector. No one is happier than me, and for several reasons.

First, it means the B&R will continue in print form after I retire and for the foreseeable future. Some may think that was inevitable. Not so. There are fewer than a handful of Baptist state papers still printing at least every other week. 

Fortunately, Tennessee Baptists are blessed to have an executive director in Randy C. Davis who believes in the value of a print publication.  [Read more…]

Over the last two years, I have been privileged to be part of the Acts 217 visioning process. I have witnessed the Lord’s hand at work throughout the entire journey. 

As we gathered in listening sessions, submitted surveys, gave feedback, compiled and interpreted data, discussed challenges and then pieced together a plan for moving forward, our steps were ordered by our Heavenly Father. It has been humbling and gratifying to watch.

However, as I think about the hours of meetings, the thousands of conversations and the mountain of documentation, I believe the Acts 217 vision can be summarized in one four-letter word: more.  [Read more…]