Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
April 2, 2020
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 […]
April 2, 2020
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 […]
March 31, 2020
By Willie McLaurin EDITOR’S NOTE: Willie McLaurin is vice president for Great Commission Relations and Mobilization with the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. NASHVILLE — COVID-19 will forever change the way we do life and ministry. Change is around us in every area of life. God often uses crisis to bring about changes that were […]
March 31, 2020
By Randy C. Davis TBMB President & Executive Director I loved being a pastor. It was my joy and honor to spend 34 years as a pastor in a local church, so obviously I have a special place in my heart for the men who faithfully labor behind the pulpit serving God and His people. […]
March 20, 2020
By Matt Tullos Stewardship Development Specialist, TBMB We’ve seen this scene played out in countless westerns. The weather-beaten cowboy in the dusty western saloon looks across the table and pushes all his chips to the center. For better or for worse, he’s all-in. John the Baptist was all-in, too. He couldn’t be categorized as anything […]
March 19, 2020
By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention Easter is just around the corner and if you are like most churches it will be one of our greatest opportunities to impact our communities in the entire year. More people will attend church on Easter than any other day of the year. But the reality is that […]
March 18, 2020
By Matt Tullos Special assistant to the executive director, TBMB We don’t know how long this new reality will last. It’s difficult for us to navigate local ministry in the midst of a national emergency. Here are 19 things we challenge church leaders to do during the Coronavirus also known as C-19 (1) Set aside […]
March 18, 2020
Baptist Press OKLAHOMA CITY (BP) — I have been pastoring and preaching for 28 years, and I’ve spent more than 20 years as a preaching professor. Until very recently, I’ve never really given any thought about how to preach to an empty room. My goal has always been that the church would be as full […]
March 18, 2020
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector lwilkey@tnbaptist.org In the early morning hours of March 3, Tennesseans were awakened by tornado sirens across Middle Tennessee. In just a few minutes (though it probably was an eternity to those directly impacted), the storms moved on to another portion of the state. The tornadoes left behind at […]
March 18, 2020
By Ronnie Floyd EDITOR’S NOTE: Ronnie Floyd is president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. NASHVILLE — The future before us is highly uncertain. What appeared just days ago to be a possible banner year for your church financially, may now be seen through your eyes as the pastor, as being threatened […]
March 13, 2020
By Randy C. Davis TBMB President & Executive Director It was 1939. War gathered in the distance as German military might rumbled like a deadly thunderstorm rolling across the open plains. Brits looked toward the horizon and saw dread tumbling their direction. It was inevitable. It was widely accepted that German bombers would darken the […]
March 12, 2020
By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention I have been talking to you for several months about the importance of Sunday School and the difference that it can make in your church. It is vital. Think about it. Sunday School is the only ministry of most of our churches that is for everyone of all […]