Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

SUPREME COURT RULING DISAPPOINTS PRO-LIFERS

Baptist Press

WASHINGTON — Pro-life leaders expressed deep disappointment with the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal 29 to uphold a Louisiana law designed to protect the lives and health of women by requiring hospital admitting privileges for doctors who perform abortions.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court ruled the law — which mandated a physician must have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of a facility where he or she performs an abortion — violated the U.S. Constitution by imposing an “undue burden” on a woman’s right to the procedure. The justices found the Louisiana measure was nearly identical to a Texas admitting privileges law they struck down in 2016. [Read more…]

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I STAND FOR LIFE, NOW MORE THAN EVER

By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director

Tennessee state representatives took an important step toward protecting life last week when pro-life legislation passed in both the House and the Senate. The legislative approval makes a way for the bill to move on to Governor Bill Lee, who will probably sign it into law since it closely resembles the pro-life legislation he outlined in January of this year.

The bill includes a “laddered” approach, meaning it offers abortion restrictions from most restrictive to less restrictive. The intent is that if the courts strike down the most restrictive it will then hopefully allow the next tier. The restrictions are defined by the number of weeks into a pregnancy the fetus is. [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS PASS PRO-LIFE BILL IN SESSION’S FINAL HOURS

By Chris Turner
cturner@tnbaptist.org

NASHVILLE — On the last day of the Tennessee General Assembly legislative session, a sweeping pro-life bill went from near extinction to becoming law. 

House Bill 2263 was passed late Thursday morning June 18 and the companion Senate Bill 2196 was passed just after midnight Friday morning. The votes in both chambers were by landslide margins and Governor Bill Lee has promised to sign it once it arrives on his desk. The legislation closely resembles pro-life legislation Lee proposed in January, and that many thought derailed in this session by the COVID-19 pandemic. A late surge to close out the legislative session brought the bill from a figurative scrap heap to passage before legislators were scheduled to adjourn for the year. 

One of the primary sponsors of HB 2263 was Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Old Hickory, who spoke highly of the bill and its final draft, saying that it is “a very just and a very fair law,” adding she was hopeful its passage “can protect more babies and more life.” [Read more…]

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DAVIS EXTENDS URGENT CALL FOR TENN. BAPTISTS TO SUPPORT HB 1962

By Chris Turner
Director of Communications, TBMB

There is almost a certainty that pro-life legislation in Tennessee eventually will be passed into law, but indecision abounds about what that legislation might look like when it finally lands on the governor’s desk for final approval.

One thing about which there is no longer indecision is Senate Bill 1236, or the “conception bill.”

“Senate Bill 1236 was an important bill that had strong support from Tennessee Baptists because it defined life as beginning at conception,” said Randy C. Davis, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s executive director. “We fought for it, and thousands of Tennessee Baptists faithfully got behind it. Unfortunately, that bill is dead in the water as of last week. [Read more…]

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PREGNANCY CLINIC MAKES IMMEDIATE IMPACT

Ministry in Fayetteville has changed lives of many since opening its doors only one year ago

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

FAYETTEVILLE  — In one year, the Crossroads Pregnancy Clinic has made a huge impact in Fayetteville and surrounding towns in Lincoln County.

Crossroads opened its doors to ministry on Jan. 15 of last year and served more than 150 women and men from various walks of life. What’s more, decisions were made to support life and those who walked through the doors heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. [Read more…]

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FOSTER FAMILY PLAYS CRITICAL ROLE IN YOUTH MINISTER’S JOURNEY TO CHRIST

BP EDITOR’S NOTE: Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is Jan. 19 in the Southern Baptist Convention.

By Tobin Perry
Baptist Press

Shaq Hardy preaches during a youth gathering at Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tenn. Abandoned by his mother not long after birth, Hardy often leans on his experience in foster care to minister to hurting kids. — Photo courtesy of Shaq Hardy

CHATTANOOGA — Much of Shaq Hardy’s childhood is a blur. For the first 10 years of his life, he moved from foster home to foster home, never able to put down roots.

Hardy longed for a sense of home, a place where he belonged.

But what Hardy does remember during that frantic decade in foster care is where he learned John 3:16 and how much Jesus loved him. Although he wouldn’t come to faith in Christ until five years after he left his last foster home, this last family introduced him to Jesus. For the last several years he was in foster care, the family took him to church just about every week and even involved him in Awana. That’s where he learned John 3:16.

“It was them having me in church that made me realize that the only thing that would last is Jesus,” Hardy said. “I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew I needed to find Jesus.” [Read more…]

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STORIES THAT SHAPED 2019

Baptists experience monumental year: I Stand for Life initiative, record GOTM gifts among top news stories

SEE ALSO – RADIO B&R EP. 37: TBMB JANUARY UPDATE WITH RANDY C. DAVIS

 

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

FRANKLIN — Top news stories in the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2019 included the “I Stand for Life” initiative in support of SB (Senate Bill) 1236, the election of Charles Fowler as president of Carson-Newman University and record giving for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board initiated the I Stand for Life initiative on July 23 to garner thousands of signatures from Tennessee Baptists in an effort to let Tennessee lawmakers know that Tennessee Baptists would like to see legislation passed that protects the lives of unborn children.

The petition campaign was initiated by Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB who had a desire to make sure Tennessee Baptists were informed about the issue and that their voices were heard. [Read more…]

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IT’S TIME TO DO MORE THAN SIMPLY STAND

By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director

Tennessee Baptists stood for life in 2019. In 2020, we need to mobilize for life.

You may recall that back in August I had the opportunity to represent Tennessee Baptists before a special study committee comprised of Tennessee Senators tasked with more comprehensively reviewing pro-life legislation that had been proposed during last year’s legislative session. The bill being considered was in essence what has become known as a “heartbeat bill;” legislation that would protect unborn babies once a heartbeat is detected. Many surrounding states, and other states around the country, have passed similar legislation.

However, there were many concerns expressed with that legislation and it was moved to a summer senate study committee. In the process, the bill that was being considered was reworked and the proposed legislation for which I advocated is titled SB 1236. It potentially represents one of the most – if not the most – comprehensive piece of pro-life legislation ever written. It clearly protects life from the point of conception, even before a heartbeat is detected. For everyone who recognizes God as the author of life, SB 1236 undoubtedly embodies an opportunity to legally protect unborn children in a way that hasn’t been possible since the passage of Roe v. Wade in 1973. [Read more…]

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MOST-READ STORIES OF 2019 COVER WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS

Stories about Lifeway’s change to pension plan and the “I Stand for Life” initiative had the most views on the B&R website

Baptist & Reflector Staff

FRANKLIN — The Baptist and Reflector website serves multiple purposes for the newspaper.

The website not only runs stories that are published in the print edition of the B&R, but also is the go-to place for breaking news pertaining to Tennessee Baptists.

This past year, the B&R website experienced several significant increases in readership (see chart). In looking at the year-ending numbers, it is interesting to note that the most-read stories of 2019 involved a wide range of topics, from economics to abortion to elections.

Listed below is a look at the most-read stories (based on website views) from the past year:

1. Lifeway to freeze pension plan for pension-eligible employees

• Date posted: July 31, 2019 • Written by: Lonnie Wilkey • Position: B&R editor

This story focused on LifeWay Christian Resources announcing changes to its retiree life insurance and pre-65 retiree medical benefits, including freezing its LifeWay Pension Plan (effective Jan. 1, 2020) for current pension-eligible employees. LifeWay shared the changes in letters to current and future retirees on June 29. The changes were approved by LifeWay trustees at their February meeting. [Read more…]

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TBC LEADERS SEND LETTER TO STATE SENATORS

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention leaders Randy C. Davis and Bruce Chesser have followed up on a resolution passed by Tennessee Baptists at their annual meeting in November at First Baptist Concord in Knoxville with a letter to Tennessee’s state senators.

Tennessee Baptists approved without opposition a resolution in support of life and Tennessee Senate Bill 1236. [Read more…]

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