abortion Archives - Baptist & Reflector

GA. GOVERNOR SIGNS HEARTBEAT LAW

May 13, 2019

By Rachel Lynn Aldrich/WORLD
Baptist Press

ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, recently signed legislation that protects unborn babies from abortion once they have a detectable heartbeat, usually around six weeks of gestation.

The law is scheduled take effect Jan. 1, 2020. The state currently allows abortion in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The heartbeat law has exemptions for cases of rape and incest, danger to the life of the mother, or if the baby could not live outside the womb due to medical problems. [Read more…]

TBMB DIRECTORS HEAR PLAN FOR SPECIAL TASK FORCE

May 1, 2019

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Eric Nichols, pastor of the Thompson Station Church, Columbia Campus, welcomes directors of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board to Thompson Station Church in Thompson’s Station. Looking on are Randy C. Davis, left, president and executive director of the TBMB, and Mike Kemper, right, board chair and interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Dyer.

Updated May 3, 2019

THOMPSON’S STATION — Directors of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board approved four recommendations and heard plans for a Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Task Force during their meeting April 30 at Thompson Station Church in Thompson’s Station.

Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, announced plans for the task force during his report to the board of directors.

Though the issue of sexual abuse of children in Southern Baptist churches became widely known after articles were released by The Houston Chronicle in February, Davis said the TBMB has been assisting churches in taking steps to prevent sexual abuse for 20 years and will continue to do so. [Read more…]

A LETTER TO TENNESSEE BAPTISTS ABOUT ABORTION

March 17, 2019

Editor’s Note: The following is an open letter from Tennessee Baptist Mission Board president and executive director Randy C. Davis.

Dear Tennessee Baptists,

Every personality profile evaluation I have ever taken identifies a particular character trait that is confirmed by my wife, family, friends, everyone I’ve worked with and by everyone for whom I’ve served as their pastor. I am a “bottom line” kind of man.

The Lord has taught me how to temper that trait with patience and grace when appropriate; but to employ that trait when needed. Unfortunately, we live in “bottom line” days, and I am embracing my bottom line self. [Read more…]

ABORTION BILL DIES IN SENATE

March 6, 2019

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., urges support Feb. 25 for his Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, asking his colleagues in the speech “whether or not we’re okay with infanticide.”
-Screen capture from YouTube

Baptist Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate again has rejected legislation to require health care for a child born alive during an abortion, leaving most Democratic members vulnerable to charges of supporting infanticide.

In a roll call Monday (Feb. 25), senators voted 53-44 to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the floor for a vote on final passage. But the effort failed to reach the 60 votes needed to succeed in the procedural move known as invoking cloture. All but three of the chamber’s 47 Democrats voted in opposition. [Read more…]

SEXUAL ABUSE AND ABORTION BILLS TOP FEBRUARY HEADLINES

March 6, 2019

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

FRANKLIN — Sexual abuse instances, as reported by The Houston Chronicle in February, “needed a bright light to be shined on it,” said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

In his monthly podcast reflecting on what happened in convention life the previous month (Episode 25 of Radio B&R), Davis said the silver lining of the horrible news is that it has made churches more aware of the issue and that it needs to be addressed.

“I think the fact that any child is abused anywhere, under any circumstances, should grieve us all to the very core,” Davis said. “I think it is hellish. I think it is demonic. I think that the predator who does this kind of deed is going to attempt to go wherever there are children, including churches,” he noted.

[Read more…]

NO DETECTIVE WORK NEEDED: ABORTION IS MURDER

February 7, 2019

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

A few years ago, I was flipping through the seemingly thousands of channels on our television set, not having any luck in finding something worth watching.

I finally settled on a program entitled “Homicide Hunter,” a television show detailing the criminal investigations of Joe Kenda, a retired detective with the Colorado Springs, Colo., police department. The real-life Joe Kenda narrates the program which has a younger actor investigating the cases. Kenda is known for his dry wit. I became “hooked” and now watch it regularly. [Read more…]

N.Y. ABORTION BILL: ‘ALARMING IN EVERY SENSE’

January 30, 2019

By Tom Strode
Baptist Press

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs Reproductive Health Act (RHA) into law Jan. 22, legalizing abortion until birth for the mother’s “health,” which is not defined.
Flickr photo from Gov. Cuomo’s press office

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York may have re-established itself as America’s leading abortion state by enacting a law that critics say goes beyond even the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) into law Jan. 22 shortly after the state legislature completed passage of the controversial proposal. Enactment of the legislation came on the 46th anniversary of the high court’s decision striking down all state bans and legalizing abortion throughout the country. [Read more…]

LOVING TENNESSEE’S UNBORN CHILDREN

January 22, 2019

By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director

The most gut-wrenching and soul-devastating site in the world is seeing women militantly demanding the right to kill their unborn babies.

I was reminded of this last week when I saw a photo of women vociferously protesting for the right to “keep abortion legal.” How I pray to God that in my lifetime I’d see the end of the systematic killing of the precious babies God knits together in the wombs of their mothers. Unfortunately, the systematic killing of unborn children is a global epidemic of unimaginable proportion.

According to research done by the Guttmacher Institute, an organization founded 50 years ago and heavily supported by Planned Parenthood, more than 55 million unborn lives per year – 55 million per year – are terminated as a result of “induced abortion” as the report describes it. [Read more…]

LIFE — A MATTER OF SANCTITY

January 17, 2019

By Todd E. Brady
Vice President for University Ministries, Union University

iStock photo

On Jan. 18, thousands will gather in Washington D.C. as they have done each year for over 40 years for the March for Life Rally. Billed as the world’s largest pro-life event, people there will march “to end abortion and to share the vision of a culture of life” and to promote the idea of a “world where the beauty, dignity, and uniqueness of every human are valued.”

Many there will have ending abortion on their mind. As we approach the dark anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, let us remember that while being pro-life is not less than a matter of abortion, it is certainly more than simply a matter of abortion. [Read more…]

Analytics of the B&R website reveal these stories to have received the most clicks in the past 12 months

1-5. RESIGNATION, TERMINATION OF PROMINENT SBC LEADERS MAKE UP TOP-5 STORIES OF 2018

Stories about Frank Page (left) and Paige Patterson (above) were among the most read on the B&R site in 2019. — Photos from Baptist Press

Frank Page’s resignation as president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee in late March and Paige Patterson’s termination from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in late May were among the biggest stories of the year among B&R readers. In fact, the five most-read stories of the year on the B&R website involved either Page or Patterson. The No. 1 most-read story — “Southwestern Trustees terminate Patterson” — was posted on May 31 and was compiled by the B&R staff. Other stories that made the top-5 included:

No. 2 — EC’s Page resigns over ‘Personal Failing’ (posted on March 27)
No. 3 — Patterson removed as SWBTS President (posted May 23)
No. 4 — Patterson: ‘I will not preach the convention sermon’ (posted on June 8)
No. 5 — What the Southwestern action really means (Column by B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey, posted May 23).

6. GREEN TO BE NOMINATED AS TBC PRESIDENT

David Green, pictured here with his wife, Tracy, was elected TBC president in November. — Photo by James Wilson

On July 5, the B&R posted a story announcing David Green, pastor of First Baptist Church, Greeneville, would be nominated for president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

The story, compiled by the B&R staff, noted that Danny Sinquefield, pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett, had notified the Baptist and Reflector of his intention to nominate Green. Sinquefield said he asked Green to prayerfully consider the nomination.

Green was elected president of the TBC three months later during Summit at West Jackson Baptist Church, Jackson.

7. THE KING’S ACADEMY APPOINTS MERCER AS PRESIDENT, HEADMASTER

On July 12, the B&R posted a story announcing that the Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy/The King’s Academy board of trustees had unanimously elected Matthew Mercer as president/headmaster. Mercer was picked to replace Walter Grubb, who retired after seven years of service as principal and 24 years as academy president/headmaster. “We are eager to see what God is going to do in and through our family at TKA,” said Mercer.

8. TENN. DR TEAMS RESPOND AFTER HURRICANE IN N.C.

On Sept. 19, the B&R posted a story about Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief teams that were providing assistance in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Florence. The story, compiled by the B&R staff, included information from TBMB disaster relief specialist Wes Jones.

9. GOD’S PLAN IS PERSONAL FOR RICKY SKAGGS

Ricky Skaggs poses with his wife Sharon White.

On Nov. 2, the B&R posted a feature story about country music star Ricky Skaggs. The story, from Baptist Press, was posted roughly three weeks after Skaggs was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Skaggs, a longtime member of First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, told BP that he believes God wants to be intimately involved in life’s details.

“God is such a personal God,” Skaggs told BP. “He loves the journey in our life, and He wants to walk with us, and He wants us to walk with Him.”

10. COURT UPHOLDS AMENDMENT 1 VOTE

On Jan. 10, the B&R posted a story that informed readers that “A federal appeals court ruled to uphold the results of a 2014 statewide vote in Tennessee that provided for stricter abortion regulations in the state.” The story, compiled by the B&R staff, noted that a number of churches and religious organizations, including the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, supported Amendment 1 through an effort called “Yes On 1.”

11. RETIRED TBMB STAFFER PAUL CLARK DIES

Paul Clark

On Dec. 26, the B&R posted a story that reported the passing of Paul Clark Jr., (left) the retired director of worship and music ministries for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Clark died after a long illness.

The story, written by Baptist and Reflector editor Lonnie Wilkey, was among the most read stories of the year even though it was posted only five days before the year ended. The high volume of readers underscores the impact of Clark’s far-reaching ministry and the amount of lives that he touched.

12. PASTOR’S WIFE SHARES STORY OF TRAGEDY, FAITH

On April 10, the B&R posted a story about Kim Harmon, who endured an unspeakable tragedy that involved her nephew being charged with the death of her brother-in-law.

Harmon, the wife of a Tennessee pastor, used the tragedy to bring glory to God, expressing how she learned to forgive her nephew in a recently-published book, When Life Knocks You Down, Fall Forward: A Story of Struggle, Strength, & True Forgiveness.

13. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAILAND CAVE RESCUE

On July 11, the B&R posted a blog from editor Lonnie Wilkey about the 12 soccer players and their coach who were rescued after being trapped in a cave for 18 days in Thailand.

In his blog, Wilkey wrote, “Christians and churches can learn from this incredible cave rescue as they are faced with a similar life and death issue: reaching the thousands upon thousands of people in our world who will die without professing faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.”

14. BAPTISTS RALLY AROUND HISPANIC FAMILIES

On April 10, the B&R posted a story, written by editor Lonnie Wilkey, about Tennessee Baptists who were ministering to families affected by the raid on a Bean Station slaughterhouse. The story included quotes from William Burton, ethnic church planting specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. In the story, Burton noted that some of the 100-plus or so children whose families were employed by the slaughterhouse went home from school only to find one or both parents were in the process of deportation. Burton said First Baptist Church, Morristown, and Hillcrest Baptist Church, Morristown, along with other churches of Nolachucky Baptist Association, had sent food, water, and toiletries to family members and even provided toiletry kits to those who were being deported.

15. IN PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT PASTOR

Randy C. Davis

On Feb. 6, the B&R posted a column by TBMB president and executive director Randy C. Davis in which he encouraged pastors to “quit trying to be everywhere, do everything, and please everyone.” Davis said pastors should, “Lean into the One Who is perfect. … We need to daily sit at the feet of Jesus and just enjoy His presence. He is the One who renews, restores, and reenergizes. You can only serve from the overflow of His grace in your life, so you need to drink often from His refreshing fountain.” Davis closed the column by challenging both pastors and church members: “Let’s live as people of grace, loving one another, and loving the spiritually lost. Let’s help each other finish strong.”