Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
August 26, 2016
By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBC I hear the naysayers. They say newspaper is dead. Or, if not dead, is dying, or on life support, or limping to an inglorious death, or breathing its last, or turning blue. Or as one friend would say of newspaper’s current state, “It wouldn’t fog a mirror.” As […]
August 25, 2016
Kevin Minchey Church Revitalization Strategist, TBC Church revitalization is about making a “comeback.” The sports world loves a good comeback: George Foreman, Jack Nicklaus, Michael Jordan. The movie industry thrives on comeback stories: Rocky (all of them), The Wrestler, Captain America. The Bible is also known for its comeback stories: In the Old Testament we […]
August 24, 2016
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector It’s well documented that courts in the United States (including the highest court in the land) have not been very favorable to Christians and/or Christian-based beliefs when rendering verdicts in recent months. The best example occurred slightly more than a year ago when the Supreme Court took the […]
August 23, 2016
By Randy C. Davis TBC Executive Director I love Tennessee. It is my adopted home and home to all of my immediate family. I believe our state is the most beautiful and unique of the 50 states. From the Smoky Mountains to the majestic and mighty Mississippi River, I stand in awe that the providential […]
August 11, 2016
By Carolyn Tomlin Contributing Columnist, B&R As parents, we aren’t perfect. And yes, we make mistakes while thinking we are doing what is right. In conversation with a grandmother, she related this story. “When our little girl was in elementary school, we thought that eating a good wholesome breakfast was the best preparation for the […]
August 10, 2016
Editor’s Note: “Rekindle: Fanning the Flames of Christian Leadership,” a church revitalization conference, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 1, at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, Knoxville. Guest speakers include John Mark Clifton of Kansas City, Mo., and Tom Cheyney of Orlando, Fla. More information. Robert Tyson Director of Missions, Robertson County Baptist Association, Springfield In […]
August 9, 2016
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector People love to talk, whether it is at home, work, or church. But what are we talking about? According to a survey recently conducted by LifeWay Research, six in 10 Americans prefer to talk about politics instead of God. The numbers do improve for evangelical Christians. Research shows […]
August 3, 2016
By Ernest L. Easley Professor of Evangelism, Union University There was a lot of talk on the topic of evangelism during the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in St. Louis. The sermons that were preached, the panel discussions that were presented, and our mission boards’ reports all made reference to the 15-year decrease in baptisms […]
August 2, 2016
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector Last week at least two more police officers were shot and killed — this time in San Diego. The list of police officers being killed is growing at an alarming rate. Police officers have been cast in a negative light by some political leaders and media. That must […]
August 2, 2016
By David Evans TBC Evangelism Specialist As you are aware, our nation is struggling with a great divide. Those that stand in the middle of the divide are our men and women police officers. They wake every morning to fears that most of us cannot comprehend. They face the unknown everyday to protect and serve […]
August 1, 2016
Morgan Owen BCM Specialist, TBC The phone call was one that, as a campus minister, you love to receive. Reed Tallman from Immanuel Baptist Church, Elizabethton, contacted me in July 2015 to pass along contact information on a student coming to the University of Tennessee at Martin. The importance of the call was vital for […]
July 29, 2016
By Johnnie Godwin Contributing Columnist, B&R When I grew up in West Texas, everyone knew what it meant for two people to get “crossways” with each other. They were at odds and headed in different directions. However, dictionaries tend to focus on the literal meanings of crossways [also means “crosswise”]. Very literally, “crossways” means to […]