Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

A SHOT OF GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE

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

Let’s get real for a moment. There is a relentless barrage of daily bad news circulated through news outlets and social media. It is saturated with a great deal of misinformation, rumor, innuendo and flat out lies born in the pits of hell. 

A lot of it lands on my desk, or at least in my inbox. Unfortunately it tends to also bleed over into congregations which is why I welcome the opportunity to dialog with anyone about issues that concern TBC churches and their leaders.

Such was the case when leaders from Wheelerton Baptist Church (WBC) asked to meet with me. The church is in a small community not far from the Alabama-Tennessee state line. 

The pastor and deacons were concerned about issues related to the Southern Baptist Convention. We blocked two hours at the TBMB Church Support Center here in Franklin to have some frank conversations. [Read more…]

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SIMONE BILES AND A TORCHED WITNESS

By Chris Turner
Director of Communications, TBMB

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles set off a social media firestorm when she withdrew from the first week of Olympic competition, and apparently her withdrawal sparked a wildfire that’s torched countless Christian witnesses across America.

Biles is arguably the greatest Olympic gymnast in history and her gold medal sweep at the Tokyo Olympics was assumed prior to the opening ceremony. But like the cliché goes, “That is why they play the games.” Biles did not complete a sweep. She didn’t even make it that far into the competition before she withdrew due to mental stress. 

It is impossible to know what “mental stress” means in Biles’ context. And that’s the point. No one knows except for Biles and possibly a few close confidants with whom she shared information. However, our collective ignorance of the details hasn’t prevented countless individuals from assailing Biles. Unfortunately, there are professing Christians also spewing uninformed, demeaning, belittling, ungodly, mean-spirited, and deeply uncompassionate comments through their social media channels. Every such post only torches their witness, leaving an ash heap in place of what may have once been credibility. 

And we wonder why people are walking away from, or want nothing to do with, the church.  [Read more…]

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IS YOUR SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT CLOUDED?

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

A few days ago I had to make an unplanned visit to my optometrist’s office to have my frames adjusted. A word of advice — don’t fall asleep with your glasses on. Bad things can happen.

While they were being adjusted, Phil Hammond, my optometrist and longtime friend, saw me and stopped by to chat. When he asked how I was doing, I mentioned I didn’t seem to be seeing as well as I was just a few months before. 

He immediately suspected what my problem was and took me to an examining room and had me cover my left eye. When he asked me to read the bottom line, I took a gulp. Not only could I not read the bottom line, I couldn’t read the 40-point type on the top line. In fact, I could not swear there were even letters on the screen. But when I covered my right eye, I could read the letters clearly. [Read more…]

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COVID-19 AND PERSONAL FAITH

By Todd E. Brady
Vice President For University Ministries, Union University, Jackson

Just when it seemed like life was getting back to some sense of normalcy, now there is talk about a new Delta variant of COVID-19 going around. After months of washing up, social-distancing and wearing face coverings, are we getting ready for yet another round of doing it all over again? 

Sunday after church, I stopped to fill up with gas. Two other folks pulled up next to me to do the same. While pumping gas, I overheard an interesting conversation:

Woman: I hope we’re not getting ready for another season of COVID-19.

Man: I’m not worrying about it. I’m not even thinking about it!  God’s on my side!

Woman: Oh yeah?

Man: I’ve got faith. With faith, all this COVID stuff ain’t nothing. With faith, nothing’s gonna touch me. If you’ve got faith, God’s gonna protect you. He’s not gonna let it get to you. Nothing to worry about. I ain’t getting sick.

Woman: Amen!

Man: Amen!

My furrowed brow must have signaled my contemplation. That morning, I had seen some of my Christian friends who had received the COVID-19 vaccine.  There were also some there who have told me they won’t get the vaccine because they don’t trust it.  One thing is certain — gather two or three people in a room and you are sure to have five to seven opinions about COVID and vaccines. [Read more…]

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?

By Danny Sinquefield
Pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett

There have been many conversations through the years regarding a name change for the Southern Baptist Convention. It is often a topic that has a lot of feelings associated with it for various reasons.

Some love the tradition and the identity it brings as the largest protestant denomination in the world. Others are quick to point out that the geographic regionalization of the name presents difficulties in areas outside of the Deep South.  It is a discussion that has a lot of emotions attached on both sides of the debate.  

At the risk of becoming vilified by some in our SBC family, I want to offer just a few positives that may come from such a change. I’m only one voice — a local church pastor who happens to love the SBC and also lives in the southern region of our nation  So, this is not a revolt or a rebellion. It is simply just a few thoughts to consider.  

What if we changed our name to reflect our passion? Most Southern Baptists would agree that we are passionate about winning people to Jesus, seeing them grow in discipleship and being involved in the mission of reaching the whole world with the gospel.  [Read more…]

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MIRROR IMAGE STUDIES: DEVELOPING DEDICATED DISCIPLES

By Ken Carver
Contributing writer, B&R

Amy Dobson displays copies of her Mirror Image Bible studies.

COLLIERVILLE  — When Amy Dobson got serious — really serious — about her fellowship with Jesus, when she fervently pursued a much deeper walk with Him, little did she know that her spiritual path would lead to her writing the Mirror Image ladies’ Bible study series. Dobson wrote the first study in 2016. It was on Malachi. A two-part study on Galatians followed a year later.

Fast forward to 2021, and you find this wife, mother of two school-age girls and former nurse leading a writing team of four other ladies at First Baptist Church, Collierville. Dobson, Dedee Berry, Jennifer Goodwin, Barbee Halford and Lynn Meany have written and published Mirror Image studies on Hosea and Philippians. Their current project, a study of Esther, will debut in August. Each study digs deeply into the featured Bible book.

God’s hand on Amy Dobson’s life is further illustrated by His leading her to become the director of women’s ministries at CFBC. She had long volunteered in many ministry areas there, but her heart was always most passionate about women’s ministry.

“For years, my ‘yes’ has been on the altar of God’s will,” she said. So when the door was opened for her to resign from her lucrative nursing career and transition into the church’s first full-time women’s ministry director, she simply said, “Yes, Lord!” She quickly added that her husband, Joe, and their girls have supported her at every step. [Read more…]

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VIRTUAL SERVICES CAN’T MEET ALL NEEDS

By Mike Farmer
Director of missions, McMinn-Meigs Association of Baptists

What a blessing to see so many “normal” church activities arriving on the schedule now. It has been a long, difficult year. I pray we have a greater appreciation for these normal activities.

My question now is this, “What have we learned from the past year?”

We should have learned the truth that God did not make us to be isolated individuals. We were created for fellowship with God and one another. If you understand the first few chapters of Genesis, you know God created mankind in His image. Communion with our Creator is an important part of who we are. While God gave us responsibility in caring for His creation, our ultimate purpose revolves around a relationship with Him.

As physical beings, we need food, water and shelter in order to survive. Beyond the physical existence, we are spiritual beings. And some of the needs for the spiritual nature are fellowship with our God and relationships with other people. [Read more…]

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VBS BRINGS BACK PRECIOUS MEMORIES

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

I love to hear the classic hymn, “Precious Memories,” especially the chorus: 

“Precious memories, how they linger
How they ever flood my soul
In the stillness, of the midnight
Precious sacred scenes unfold.”

When I think of Vacation Bible School, I have precious memories that, do indeed, flood my soul.

When I was a kid 55-plus years ago, Vacation Bible School was the highlight of the summer for me and the other kids who attended Lima Baptist Church in Travelers Rest, S.C.

Back then, VBS was the “only game in town” or  in our case the country. We weren’t going somewhere every night to play ball or take part in countless other activities. There were none. 

Lima Baptist was a small church but they did VBS right. We used to have VBS for two weeks. We held it at night because most of the VBS volunteers worked during the day. I’m sure they struggled, as churches today do, to find workers, but there always seemed to be enough to staff our VBS.  [Read more…]

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SBC: MISSION, TRUST, TRANSPARENCY, UNITY

By Todd E. Brady
Vice President For University Ministries, Union University, Jackson

In mid-June, I was one of the 15,726 Baptists who attended the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville — the most attended convention since 1995 and the first large gathering in Nashville since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having done research this past year in high school for a research paper and learning about the SBC’s deliberations at an earlier convention, my son Jack asked to attend with me. In all the years of going to Southern Baptist Conventions, I learned that it is a much better experience when your son goes with you. [Read more…]

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RELIGIOUS FREEDOM — DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED

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

Before it Hits the PressOn Sunday, July 4, Americans will celebrate Independence Day. 

Thanks to our forefathers, who fought for our freedoms and won independence from Great Britain, Americans today still enjoy freedoms that are not found in many other countries. We can worship in the church of our choice (at least for now). We enjoy freedom of speech and we also have the freedom of the press, the right to assemble and the right to petition the government.

I can’t help but wonder how many Americans will take the time on July 4 to think about our heritage and give thanks to God for allowing us to live in probably the most free country in the world.

Most Americans will be focusing on the “fun” aspects of the day — boating/fishing, camping, picnics, cookouts, fireworks and more. While that is well and good, we must not forget the sacrifices made by thousands upon thousands of people who have served in our armed services over the years to make sure we can still enjoy the freedoms we have. [Read more…]

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