election Archives - Baptist & Reflector

ELECTION MUST FOCUS ON THE WHAT, NOT THE WHO

October 7, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, B&R
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Like many Americans, I am concerned about the future of our country, not so much for myself but for my children and grandchildren.

Our nation may be more divided now than ever before in my lifetime. I was just a child and teenager in the 1960s and early 1970s when our nation faced racial strife and conflict over involvement in the Vietnam War. I can recall there was a lot of tension in those years, but what we see today seems far worse.

Our country is in trouble. Racial tensions are high and there is a movement among liberals in leadership to further that divide. Who could ever have dreamed that in the United States we would have elected officials who want to do away with law enforcement and allow an “anything goes” environment?

Some of our constitutional rights are in danger if the liberal element in our society has its way. Add to the mix the fear and uncertainties caused by the worldwide pandemic and it’s little wonder that many Americans are anxious about the future. [Read more…]

NEW POLICIES, LEADERS DRAW MOST ATTENTION

January 7, 2020

‘Year of transition’ in SBC tops headlines

By Tobin Perry
Baptist Press

Paul Chitwood, seen here during a recent press conference, was elected president of the IMB last November. Chitwood is a Tennessee native and was reared in First Baptist Church, Jellico.

NASHVILLE — Southern Baptists marked a year of transitions at several national entities in 2019, and they launched an initiative to help churches care for individuals affected by sexual abuse and harassment.

These five news stories, selected by the editors of Baptist Press and a poll of Southern Baptist state publication editors, represent their picks as the most important stories of 2019:

Southern Baptists take action to curb sexual abuse

In February, Southern Baptist leaders expressed brokenness over the findings of a series of Houston Chronicle articles focused on sex abuse in Southern Baptist Convention churches.

After 10 months of work, the Sexual Abuse Advisory Study initiated by SBC President J.D. Greear issued a 52-page report in hopes it would “spark a movement of healing and reform.”

The report called for the education of SBC churches to understand abuse and its impact, the equipping of SBC churches to care for abuse survivors, and the preparing of SBC churches to prevent abuse. Southern Baptists overwhelmingly approved bylaw and constitutional changes at the 2019 SBC annual meeting to specifically deal with systemic issues the report addressed. [Read more…]

2020 ELECTIONS: MOST EVANGELICALS WANT TO PLAY NICE

September 30, 2019

By Aaron Earls
Baptist Press

NASHVILLE — Most American evangelicals believe Jesus’ Golden Rule — “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — applies to politics. Some, however, see the political realm leading up to the 2020 elections as no place for niceness, according to a new study.

A LifeWay Research study sponsored by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC) conducted in November of 2018 explored the perspectives of American evangelicals on civility, politics, media consumption and how likely they are to engage with views different from their own. [Read more…]

REMEMBER THIS: NOT VOTING IS NOT AN OPTION

October 23, 2018

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

We no longer live in a simple Democrat or Republican world. It’s no longer about whose policies are best for the greater good of the country. We have transitioned into a government where it is liberal versus conservative. It’s morality versus amorality.

Americans will go to the polls on Nov. 6. This is the last print issue before the election.

As editor of a religious publication I have no right or authority to tell anyone to vote for any individual and certainly not any political party. But I do have a moral responsibility to encourage our readers and members of our Baptist churches to vote. [Read more…]

TBC MESSENGERS CONDUCT BUSINESS

November 20, 2017

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Tennessee Baptist Convention President Steve Freeman, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, delivers the annual president’s address during the Tuesday (Nov. 14) session of Summit.
— Photo by Corinne Rochotte

HENDERSONVILLE — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention overwhelmingly spoke against racism and elected David Leavell, pastor of First Baptist Church, Millington, as president.

The annual meeting, held during The Summit Nov. 12-16 at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, drew 993 messengers from 422 churches. Attendance was down from the 1,228 who attended last year’s sessions in Sevierville but was up from the 984 who registered for the 2015 Summit in Millington. The messenger count did not include messengers from First Baptist Church, Jefferson City. Messengers voted overwhelmingly to not seat the eight messengers from First Baptist which called a woman senior pastor earlier this year (see story). [Read more…]

WHITE CHRISTIAN AMERICA DECLINING, BUT STILL PACKS PUNCH

February 6, 2017

By Jeff Brumley
Baptist News Global

Conservative evangelicals have lost their cultural and political clout as their numbers and vitality wane, author Robert Jones argues in his book The End of White Christian America.

The book was published in the summer of 2016 — just a few months before Donald Trump rode the support of fearful Caucasian Christians all the way to the White House.

As a result, Jones said he received a slew of post-election social media messages, many of them tongue-in-cheek suggestions that he re-title his book. [Read more…]

BAPTISTS TAKE PART IN TRUMP INAUGURATION

January 25, 2017

Baptist Press

Evangelist Franklin Graham read from 1 Timothy 1 and 2 at President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
-Screen capture from Fox News

WASHINGTON — The participation of at least five Southern Baptist pastors in inaugural activities for President Donald Trump continues a tradition of prayer, Scripture and references to God surrounding presidential inaugurations dating back to George Washington.

Evangelist Franklin Graham read from I Timothy 1 and 2 at President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. [Read more…]

INAUGURATION DAY: THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE

January 24, 2017

By Steve Gaines
SBC President & Pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova

Steve Gaines

Today (Jan. 20) Donald J. Trump became the 45th President of the United States. As you know, Mr. Trump won a highly volatile election last November. Some see him as a candidate of much-needed change, readily resonating with his Reaganish slogan, “Make America Great Again!” Others see Mr. Trump as a less than desirable candidate for the highest office in the land.

What are Southern Baptists to do?

Trump won the election. In doing so, he earned the right to serve for the next four years as President of the United States. Consequently, it is incumbent upon every Bible-believing Christian to pray that the Lord will bless and guide him and his family in the coming days and years. [Read more…]

TENNESSEE MINISTERS CALL FOR COOPERATION IN OPEN LETTER

January 3, 2017

By David Roach
Baptist Press

Micah Fries, Nathan Finn, Jon Akin

NASHVILLE — Controversy surrounding ethicist Russell Moore’s past comments on President-elect Donald Trump has led three Tennessee Baptists — all under the age of 40 — to issue an open letter calling “conservative resurgence generation and their protégés” to “be the statesmen we need them to be in this season of denominational tension.”

Jonathan Akin, Nathan Finn, and Micah Fries wrote in a Dec. 21 open letter provided to Baptist Press, “Now isn’t the time for acrimonious debates over secondary and tertiary doctrinal matters,” such as the extent of the atonement, church polity, methodology, and the appropriate means of cultural engagement.

They directed their comments especially toward Southern Baptists who led the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s as well as those mentored by that generation, noting, “Our real enemy is the Prince of Darkness.” The resurgence attempted to make biblical inerrancy a bedrock commitment of Southern Baptist Convention entities. [Read more…]

AFTER ELECTION: THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE

November 10, 2016

By Steve Gaines
SBC President & Pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis

Steve Gaines

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP) — Today Americans have a new president — Donald J. Trump. As Christians, it is Scripturally incumbent upon us to pray for him and for all our political leaders (cf. 1 Timothy 2:1-2). It is also mandatory for us to honor all people, even those with whom we disagree (cf. 1 Peter 2:17).

If we disagree with someone’s opinions, we must do so without attacking the person. There has been far too much inflammatory rhetoric coming from Christian leaders throughout this election. That kind of speech is divisive, ungodly, uncalled for, and sinful. May we heed Paul’s warning when he said, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). May we also sincerely pray the prayer of the Psalmist who said, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). [Read more…]

‘Year of transition’ in SBC tops headlines

Recent Posts

Tags

Categories