Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
November 20, 2020
By Todd E. Brady Vice president for university ministries, Union University, Jackson Internationally, it’s embarrassing. Socially, it’s telling. Spiritually, it’s ungodly. Sociologically, it’s immature. Mentally, it’s crazy. Some Americans participated in the election process not by affixing the “I voted” sticker on their sweater and then going home to watch the returns in their pajamas. […]
November 17, 2020
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector lwilkey@tnbaptist.org The year 2020 has been one of the most difficult years in the lives of many Americans. It has been a year filled with anxiety and fear due to COVID-19, racial tensions and riots across the country, and one of the most bitter and contested presidential elections […]
November 16, 2020
By Norman Ridenhour Baptist layman and retired journalist Scriptures tell us that all of mankind have been given a gift from God. The question is, “Do you know what gift or gifts God has bestowed on you. If not, is there a way to find your gift and then use it?” A previous minister of […]
November 13, 2020
By Matt Tullos Special assistant to the executive director Have you ever had that dream where all of a sudden someone from school calls and says that you missed that one class and you have to go back to school? It’s a serial nightmare for me — usually after a Sunday of preaching. Still, if you […]
November 9, 2020
By Randy C. Davis President & executive director, TBMB An effective shepherd loves, leads and cares for the flock that God entrusted to him. But who cares for the shepherd? I love and appreciate pastors and have a genuine concern for their care. My deep appreciation for pastors is birthed out of three-and-a-half decades of walking […]
November 9, 2020
By Mike Farmer Director of missions for McMinn-Meigs Baptist Association, Athens We talk a lot about prayer as Christians, but do we pray? I have to believe that we talk about it more than we do it. I am guilty of that at times. Why do I believe this to be true? Because I do […]
November 6, 2020
By Richard Hipps Retired pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Cordova A few years ago, a church member’s mother from North Carolina visited our church in Tennessee. When I introduced myself, she asked, “Pastor, do you remember a woman named Lois Pendley?” I replied, “Yes, I do. She was a member of my first pastorate.” “Well,” the […]
November 4, 2020
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector lwilkey@tnbaptist.org This issue of the paper is dated Nov. 4, 2020. It went to press on Monday, Nov. 2. We all know that on Nov. 3, Americans went to the poll and elected a president. Of course, I have no idea as I write this who won, who […]
November 3, 2020
By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention The 2020 Summit will be unlike any annual gathering of Tennessee Baptists in our history. First of all, it will be virtual. We made a decision back in the summer that it would probably not be wise to meet in a large group in November. That decision […]
November 2, 2020
By Ronnie Floyd President and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention executive committee Jesus died for every person in every town, city, state and nation. His call to us is to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations. None of us can […]
October 22, 2020
By Lonnie Wilkey lwilkey@tnbaptist.org Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex marriages is a blow not only for many Catholics but also for other religions and denominations that continue to fight for the biblical view of marriage. Though Pope Francis had expressed support for civil unions for gay couples in the past, his endorsement — which was […]
October 22, 2020
By Ray Van Neste Dean and professor of Biblical studies for the School of Theology and Missions at Union University, Jackson. One key way to be involved in the advance of the Kingdom of God is to pray for pastors. This is always the case, but it is even more significant at this time. As […]