Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

MORE THAN A GIFT

Christmas Food Project is life-changer for some

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Volunteers for the Christmas Food Project organize food and other items during the “packing night” event at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood.

BRENTWOOD — Purchase, pack and participate.

Those were the three ways that the staff at Brentwood Baptist Church encouraged its members to become involved in this year’s Christmas Food Project — an initiative that focuses on combatting food insecurity in Middle Tennessee.

The church responded in a big way, with roughly 1,000 people attending “packing nights” that were held at multiple locations on the evening of Dec. 13. The large group of attendees — which included members of Brentwood’s main and satellite campuses, along with invited friends and community members — helped pack and prepare boxes that included two weeks’ worth of meals. The boxes, which also included coloring books, a Bible, and other items, were then distributed to in-need  families for the holiday season. [Read more…]

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REMEMBER YOUR BLESSINGS AS A NEW YEAR NEARS

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

Eli Beasley stands beside the sign at his school, Mountain View Elementary, on his birthday.

Due to the way the calendar fell this year, the Baptist and Reflector this week is actually dated Dec. 25. As a result, most of our readers will not read this issue until after Christmas.

The staff of the B&R hopes all of you had a very Merry Christmas and that you had a great day celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I also trust that we all took time to count the blessings that God has given each of us. [Read more…]

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CHRISTMAS IS PERFECT TIME TO PROCLAIM JESUS

By Lonnie Wilkey
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

There has been growing evidence over the past two decades that Christians are becoming increasingly reluctant to openly share their faith. Research from The Barna Group, LifeWay Christian Research and others in recent years confirm that more and more Christians are having fewer gospel conversations.

That leads to the question: Why? Why are people who affirm their faith in Jesus so unwilling to share their faith with others. One reason is fear. 

We are afraid of what people will think about us if we talk about Jesus Christ. We are afraid of being ridiculed. We simply need to get over it. Jesus was not afraid to die on the cross for you and me. We shouldn’t be afraid to tell others of His love for them. [Read more…]

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REMEMBERING THE LORD OUR GOD IN 2018

By Randy C. Davis
TBMB President & Executive Director

You may be overrun with Christmas activities and see a busy 2019 blowing in like a thunderstorm racing across a Kansas prairie. Last minute gifts, parties, travel to be with loved ones, and on it goes. We get to this point of the year and it seems we try to squeeze about six months of activity through the funnel of a couple weeks. We seldom slow down or stop long enough to remember. [Read more…]

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THE MEANING OF GIFTS — ESPECIALLY GOD’S GIFTS

By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, Baptist and Reflector

Paul Tournier wrote The Meaning of Gifts in 1961. Tournier spent all his life as a medical doctor in Geneva, helping heal the body, mind, and soul. Further, his life and writings came to me as a gift to understand the meaning of gifts — especially God’s gifts. You might think a book or an article on the meaning of gifts is unneeded. It’s obvious a gift is something given. But therein lies the secret about the meaning of gifts. So just after Thanksgiving and just before Christmas, let’s look at the meaning of gifts. [Read more…]

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‘CHRISTMAS SPECIALS’ ARE INDEED … SPECIAL

By David Dawson
TBMB Communications Specialist

“The Singing Christmas Tree.” Just hearing those words still brings a smile to my face. 

When I was a boy, my dad was pastor at Dalewood Baptist Church in Nashville. Each year, the church put on “The Singing Christmas Tree” — and memories of it remain vivid in my mind to this day.   [Read more…]

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DISCOVER THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

By Carolyn Tomlin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:8-11, NIV).

 

The Christmas narrative recorded in Luke continues to be the most widely-read story during the holidays. The Christ child, born in a manger over 2,000 years ago, changed the world for all times. We may fail to realize how that first Christmas was celebrated as we view the commercial approach to the birth of Christ. [Read more…]

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CHRISTMAS BACKPACKS IMPACT TN FAMILIES

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

Terry Robinson, left, and Tom Nelson of Roan Creek Baptist Church prepare to take a load of backpacks to a local school.

FRANKLIN — Children living in the Appalachian area of Tennessee have been beneficiaries of the Christmas Backpack Ministry for several years, most of which have been donated from outside the state itself.

The Christmas Backpack Ministry has evolved  over the years since 2001 when some Girls in Action (GAs) in Georgia decided they wanted to do something special for children living in the Appalachian region of the United States. [Read more…]

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‘I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS’

By David Green
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed (and this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria). And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:1-4, NKJV).

 

What does it mean for you to be home for Christmas? I believe we all know what it meant to Mary and Joseph. They returned to Bethlehem to be home that first Christmas to be counted in a census. [Read more…]

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