Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Mike Pennington
The flight attendant has a definite life-saving purpose when she tells you to put your oxygen mask on first if you’re flying with a small child. In those critical moments of life or death, your life must be safe before you secure the life of others. How secure is your mask today? [Read more…]
By Kristi Pennington
Three years ago, I found myself running on empty, long before the current pandemic crisis we find ourselves in today. I was a busy minister’s wife. I was involved in things I loved! Bible Study Fellowship came to my town and I got on board. I joined a small church to help meet needs in music and children’s ministries and within the span of a three month period we took two mission trips: one international (Latvia) and one stateside, a church plant in Boulder, Colo. Mike led both mission teams plus doing his regular work as a director of missions. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
COVID-19 has turned lives upside down all over the world. Thousands of people have died and thousands have gotten the disease. Thankfully, many have survived and have recovered from the virus.
Millions of people, however, have not gotten the disease but their lives also have changed. Whoever heard of “social distancing” a month ago? [Read more…]
By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director
There are two things about which we can be certain in these uncertain days: God is on His throne sovereignly ruling over the universe, and change seems to be a regular occurrence and comes quickly.
About a year ago I wrote about a change that few Southern Baptists would have ever anticipated. LifeWay Christian Resources sent ripples through denominational life when it announced the closing of its 170 LifeWay Christian Stores and shifting exclusively to online sales. [Read more…]
By Charles Jones
Baptist historian
Canceling services due to illness is not new to Baptist life. Pandemics, epidemics and weather have all been part of our collective experience.
In musty old church minutes, it’s not uncommon to see statements like “services canceled due to cholera” — or typhus or smallpox. John Newton (1732-1790), an early Georgia Baptist pastor and physician, left diaries that included Indian uprisings along with illness as reasons for canceling services.
Possibly the most feared epidemics were those of yellow fever, which periodically swept through the South, emptying cities, towns and villages. Three major outbreaks occurred in 1820, 1854 and 1876.
None of the earlier epidemics had the impact of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. It began in the fall of 1918 near the end of World War I. This flu was especially fatal to young people. People woke up feeling fine in the morning only to be dead by nightfall. [Read more…]
By DeAnna Gibson
Contributing columnist
As COVID-19 makes its way around our globe, our everyday patterns are in upheaval. The assurances of a few weeks ago have given way to questions of preparedness. Painful dilemmas we now face include school closings and paychecks. Social media is in full flourish with complainers, fear mongers, conspiracy theorists and toilet paper hoarders.
Hearing the term “social distancing” as an autism mom, I laughingly thought, “These are the days in which many are living like autism families.” Within a week, our church was streaming online. Sunday felt incredibly different for me, but for some of my dear friends it felt familiar. For many special needs families it may have felt like a fairly normal Sunday — home alone, behind a screen, looking in from the “socially distant” outside.
And, it made me sad. [Read more…]
By Bruce Chesser
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention
Coronavirus. It took most of us a little while to learn how to say it and a little bit longer to learn how to spell it, but it has quickly become a part of our vocabulary.
I want to encourage you today. This will pass. And God is on the throne and none of this caught Him by surprise. I believe deep in my heart that the prayer that many of us have shared for God to bring a great awakening to our land might very well be tied to this worldwide pandemic.
God is getting the attention of the entire world. And we need to be sharing His truth at every opportunity. [Read more…]
By Larry Robertson
Pastor, Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville
I’m going to say something that I know will be controversial to some, but I need to say it. At least I think I need to say it.
If your church is viewed by your community as part of the COVID-19 problem and not part of the solution because you continue to gather, shake hands, hug necks, you’re killing your influence in the community after this thing’s done.
Government leaders requesting that churches not gather during this time of increasing viral spread is not persecution. It’s not an attack on religious liberty. It’s not a judgment against the content of our beliefs. It’s not part of some global conspiracy to stop the spread of the gospel. [Read more…]
By Kim Cruise
Missions discipleship specialist, Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union
While COVID-19 spreads sickness and death across many countries, responses vary, but the most common response is fear. Fear of a loved one contracting the virus and suffering alone because no visitors are allowed. Fear of doctors and nurses being spread too thinly to meet the needs. Fear of retirement savings being reduced to a pittance. Fear of not being able to pay this month’s bills or provide food for the family. Virtually no one is untouched by this pandemic.
Missionaries who are serving far from home are in a unique situation. Missionaries, with few exceptions, are helpers and givers. That’s why they have left everything to give the gospel and serve through meeting human needs in a myriad of ways. Being told to stay at home while surrounded by so many dire needs, many struggle with the tough decision: “Do I follow government and WHO advice, or do I take the risk and go help anyways? When I chose to follow Christ, wasn’t there an inherent risk involved?” During our years of service in the Philippines, we were often called upon to be the “ambulance” since most families do not own a vehicle. What does a missionary do when asked to drive a seriously ill person to the hospital but doing so may risk their own family’s lives? This is the same basic issue facing frontline doctors and nurses right now.
Many missionaries serve in countries where the income and standard of living is far, far below that of America. They often use portions of their own support to help the poor around them with medical expenses, food, etc. With many businesses closing down, those who live “hand to mouth” have no savings and will suffer the most. Missionaries often feel overwhelmed with the needs around them and that is going to be multiplied exponentially right now. Ask if they need extra funds right now to help out and take up a special offering to help them help others. [Read more…]
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
For decades upon decades, Americans have always raced to the next big task or achievement.
In the late 1880s to early 1900s, the United States entered the machine age where invention after invention improved society and our ability to move about. Automobiles and airplanes became primary modes of travel, far surpassing the horse and buggy and even trains. [Read more…]
