Opinion Column Archives - Page 3 of 100

LIVING IN OUR WORLD OF ADVERSITY

November 5, 2021

By Johnnie C. Godwin
Contributing columnist, B&R

We live in a world of “adversity.” The word “adversity” came into English by 1340 to mean “turned against.” A dictionary definition defines the word as “a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty — or adverse fortune.” (Merriam-Webster, Collegiate, 11th edition).

My own definition would be that it is anything that bothers or hurts you or your family, church, or society. I don’t need to give examples of adversity; rather, it’s enough just to mention COVID-19. So I’ll share with you some actual vignettes of adversity. And in all instances of this condition, I would point you to Christ. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (see John 16:33, KJV).

Sources of adversity? When I was a young pastor in Texas, one of our older deacons looked like he was mad at me during every sermon I preached. But when he and I were alone, he was friendly and even gave us a pot roast one time. During one business meeting, I learned the deacon wasn’t mad at me. [Read more…]

OLD PATHS, NOT POPULAR ONES

November 3, 2021

By Todd E. Brady
Vice president for University ministries, Union University, Jackson

The Deseret News and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University recently revealed their findings from the 2021 American Family Survey. This survey seeks to shed light on Americans’ experiences in relationships, marriage and families and how those experiences relate to current events and public policy.

Seven years ago, the same survey revealed that 12 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that marriage is “old fashioned and out-of-date.” This year, 19 percent see marriage as old fashioned and out-of-date.

Those conducting the survey said “There is reason to believe that people are slightly growing less attached to marriage as an institution. Though we would not want to imply that marriage is in trouble as an institution, there is slight erosion in its popularity.” [Read more…]

THE SBC’S NEHEMIAH MOMENT

October 28, 2021

By Randy C. Davis
President & executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

The Southern Baptist Convention is facing a Nehemiah moment.

Put your sandals on and let’s take a walk through the rubble known as Jerusalem. Nehemiah wasn’t a preacher, or evangelist or any other type of vocational minister. He was a godly layman who heard the distant city was in ruins and the effort to rebuild the walls and reestablish the Jewish center of life was stalled. There appeared to be no hope that the nation of Israel would return to prominence and be the testimony to God’s greatness that the Lord had called it to be.

Nehemiah was broken hearted. He was crushed, and he wore his devastated spirit on his sleeve. The Babylonian king noticed and through Nehemiah’s humility, repentance, boldness, faith and determination, God used him to restore the nation. [Read more…]

LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY NOW

October 27, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

I have worn glasses for more than 50 years. It’s hard to find photos of me when I was a kid when I didn’t wear glasses.

It wasn’t easy when I began wearing glasses in the fourth or fifth grade. I was called “four eyes” more times than I can count. Plus, back then, there was not the assortment of frames we have today, so they were basically the black frames which made me look like a “nerd.” And, yes, some of my “friends” are reading this and chuckling, thinking, “Nothing has changed.”

I don’t remember much from those days except that with glasses I was finally able to see. It made a huge difference.

Over the years I became used to my glasses. They became a part of who I was. When many people began to choose the convenience of contact lenses, I opted to keep the glasses. [Read more…]

COMMON SENSE WAYS TO BLESS YOUR PASTOR

October 25, 2021

By Matt Tullos
Special assistant to the executive director

Pastors are amazing. They speak every Sunday. They provide leadership to teams and champion the vision of the church. They are there for the most joyous and most despairing moments of life: when babies are born, when brides are married, when people die.

Traditionally, October is a month we honor and bless our pastors. Some churches give a gift certificate, a book, or a tie. But if we all blessed our pastors in these practical ways, it would be worth so much more. These commonsense strategies cost you nothing, but they would be priceless to him.

1. Honor and appreciate his wife. Many churches assume that the pastor’s wife needs to fit the cookie-cutter model of the perfect wife. She plays the piano, quietly smiles, has no opinions, serves in the nursery, leads the women’s Bible study, decorates the wedding parlor, attends every WMU meeting, and always appears perfect inside and out. Here’s a shocker: This woman doesn’t exist. Your pastor’s wife might do one or two of these things, but she is unique and has an important role to play in your church. [Read more…]

OPERATION LEGACY BENEFITING PASTORS

October 21, 2021

By Bill Gruenewald
President, Tennessee Baptist Foundation

In March 2021, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) and the Tennessee Baptist Foundation (TBF) launched an initiative to help all Tennessee pastors and ministers get their estate plans in place. We partnered with Philanthrocorp, a faith-based company that works with charitable organizations in the area of estate planning and planned giving.

They work with many other state Baptist foundations as well as the International Mission Board. The TBF believed with the size of this project, help would be needed, and felt Philanthrocorp was a good partner. The TBF has and will continue to work with all Tennessee Baptists in helping get their estate plans finalized.

Over the past six months, we have seen many pastors and ministers take advantage of this service, which is free of charge. As of August, there were 42 pastors in the planning process, with another 26 that were beginning the process. [Read more…]

REFLECTIONS ON PREACHING

October 19, 2021

By Jay Barbier
Youth specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

One of the wisest things I have ever been taught about preaching is boring people preach boring sermons.

At first thought, this can seem crude or completely non-important.

But yes, the big understanding in this theory is if you are a person that doesn’t experience life and life to the fullest, then the things you say or preach will just be someone else’s story.

Think about every time you open God’s Word and it comes alive! You know, when you start reading about Caleb and Joshua journeying to the unknown Promised Land and they see the giants! [Read more…]

WHAT’S THE SBC’S FUTURE? IT’S UP TO US

October 14, 2021

By Randy C. Davis
President and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

What will become of the Southern Baptist Convention?

That question hangs above our denomination like an ominous cloud. The question is especially germane given the unprecedented decision by SBC Executive Committee Board members to waive attorney-client privilege in the third-party investigation of how the EC handled sexual abuse claims.

The discussion has become strained at times. People have gotten aggressively hostile on social media to the point nothing in their comments resembles the Christian love we are commanded to extend to one another. Attitudes toward board members have become like chum in the Amazon River, feeding a frenzy of piranha. These EC board members are people; brothers and sisters in Christ who stepped out from our churches to serve. They are not the enemy.

The issue at hand, sexual abuse, is a serious matter that deserves rigorous consideration and a thoughtful response guided by the Holy Spirit whose counsel must be sought through rigorous prayer. And not just prayer by EC board members and members of the SBC Sexual Abuse Task Force. [Read more…]

THINK TWICE BEFORE CASTING YOUR STONE

October 13, 2021

By Lonnie Wilkey
Baptist and Reflector, Editor
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

The Twitterverse has been in a “twitter” since messengers adopted a motion from the floor of the 2021 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville to ask newly elected president Ed Litton to appoint a Sexual Abuse Task Force.

Unfortunately, a lot of negative “twittering” has been directed toward members of the SBC Executive Committee who voiced concerns that the motion, made with good intentions, had potential to harm the EC’s ministry and the ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention.

To be clear, dealing with sexual abuse is important and right, but pursuing that end accompanied by verbal abuse isn’t acceptable.

Christians are not treating each other with respect and consideration. If we can’t be Christ-like with each other, how can we show the love of Christ to non-believers? They see how we act toward each other and call us hypocrites. Rightfully so. [Read more…]

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