Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
February 1, 2023
By Ray Van NesteDean and professor of Biblical studies, Union University, JacksonAccording to the latest reports, more than 12 percent of Tennessee Baptist churches are without a pastor. That is about 400 churches. Among the pastors we do have, the average age is increasing dramatically because fewer and fewer young men are entering the ministry, […]
January 24, 2023
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist and ReflectorTwo weeks ago I traveled to southeastern Kentucky to provide news coverage of rebuilding efforts from flooding which hit that region last summer. See articles and photos in this issue. I was in Newport, so I plugged in the address in my phone’s GPS and off I went. For this […]
January 23, 2023
By Randy C. DavisPresident and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardThere is a difference between being anti-abortion and being pro-life. Being pro-life is more, so much more. Amy Hood definitely understood that. As her own nest of biological children began to empty, she encouraged her pastor husband Pat to consider adopting a little girl from […]
January 18, 2023
By Carolyn TomlinContributing columnist, B&RAccording to the dictionary, the term New Year’s resolutions is defined as “making goals for the New Year.” We aren’t certain when this custom started, but this practice was recorded by early Babylonians more than 4,000 years ago. These people believed that whatever that person did on the first day of […]
January 17, 2023
By Robert LaneSBC International MissionaryTennessee is the home I’ve returned to after 18 years away. My life as a Baptist missionary has taken me across four continents and through many cultures. I left Tennessee from the parking lot of my small Baptist church with no expectations of ever returning. I left a young man, but […]
January 16, 2023
By Todd BradyVice president For university ministries, Union University, JacksonIt may be that the best thing you can do for your kids is to sit the whole family down and have dinner together. Research is showing that there is a significant number of kids who never actually sit down with their family to enjoy a […]
January 9, 2023
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist and ReflectorAsking questions is a major part of what I do as a Baptist newspaper writer/editor. I spend a lot of time asking questions in order to seek answers. The key is knowing what questions to ask and when to ask them. Last week, millions of people were watching the NFL […]
January 9, 2023
By Randy C. DavisPresident and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardI do not believe Jesus expects us to sacrifice our families, sanity or health on the altar of ministry. Too many ministers unfortunately work themselves in that direction, but that’s counter to what Jesus instructs. His approach is much different. Look at what He says […]
December 27, 2022
By Paul ChitwoodPresident of the International Mission Board“Will you make the first and most expensive Christmas gift this year a gift to our Global Missions Offering?” Sitting in the sanctuary of Calvary Baptist Church in Winston Salem, N.C., on the first Sunday of December, I heard pastor Will Toburen ask that question of his congregation. […]
December 26, 2022
By Clay HallmarkPresident, Tennessee Baptist ConventionObstacles are real! Have you ever noticed that everywhere you go, you are always facing obstacles? Some of these obstacles are relatively small, but at other times we face obstacles that look insurmountable from our point of view. As we enter into 2023, the outlook seems to be filled with […]
December 23, 2022
By David DawsonCommunications specialist, TBMBOver the past few weeks, while I’ve been gorging on Christmas music, there have been a couple of songs that have sent me down a rabbit hole of deep thought. Neither of the songs is new — not by a long shot — but I think this is the first year […]
December 19, 2022
By Johnnie C. GodwinContributing columnist, B&RA city pastor in a country church. After feeling called to preach and being in my early years of preparation, I was led to pastor a country church. I was a city boy and had never spent much time on a farm. That became evident as I got oriented to […]