racial reconciliation Archives - Baptist & Reflector

PASTORS MORE HESITANT TO PREACH ON RACE

January 12, 2021

By Aaron Earls
Writer, LifeWay Christian Resources.

NASHVILLE — Pastors seem more reluctant to address issues of race in their congregations today than four years ago.

According to a LifeWay Research study, 74 percent of pastors agree their congregation would welcome a sermon on racial reconciliation, with 32 percent strongly agreeing. In 2016, however, 90 percent of pastors believed their congregation would be open to a sermon on the topic, with 57 percent strongly agreeing.

Today, 17 percent of pastors say their church would not want to hear about racial reconciliation, up from 7 percent in 2016.

“While most pastors’ teaching is not limited to things their congregation wants to hear, it is helpful to know the reaction pastors anticipate from their congregation,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Instead of a majority strongly agreeing, now only a third of pastors have no hesitation that their congregation would welcome a sermon on racial reconciliation.” [Read more…]

2020: A YEAR TO REMEMBER

December 31, 2020

Ministry created by tornadoes, pandemic dominate year’s top stories

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

FRANKLIN — The year 2020 began on a positive note with giving through the Cooperative Program at a high level for the first four months of the fiscal year and after a record-breaking year for gifts through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions in 2019.

Then came March — and life turned upside down, not only for the nation, but for Tennessee Baptist churches as well. [Read more…]

HEALING STARTS WITH LISTENING

November 19, 2020

‘Barbershop conversation’ focuses on steps needed for racial equality

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Ternae Jordan, pastor of Mount Canaan Baptist Church, Chattanooga, and Grant Gaines, pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, engage in a discussion for a ‘barbershop conversation’ as part of this year’s Summit.

MURFREESBORO — Among the many powerful moments of the 2020 Virtual Summit was the “barbershop conversation” with Grant Gaines and Ternae Jordan.

The two pastors got together to discuss the topic of racial justice, and how the Bible promotes and defines it. Gaines, pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, and Jordan, pastor of Mount Canaan Baptist Church, Chattanooga, gathered at the Blue Raider Barbershop in Murfreesboro to film the video conversation.

A portion of their discussion was shown during Summit, and the entire conversation between the two pastors can be viewed at TBCSummit.org. Below are some excerpts from the discussion. [Read more…]

LET’S STOP AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING

July 9, 2020

By Todd Brady
Vice President for University Ministries, Union University

Some of society’s half-baked thinking has been exposed and mocked recently by conservative pundit, Jesse Kelly.

Last week, Kelly tweeted “Yale University was named for Elihu Yale. Not just a man who had slaves. An actual slave trader. I call on @Yale to change it’s [sic] name immediately and strip the name of Yale from every building, piece of paper, and merchandise. Otherwise, they hate black people. #CancelYale.” A mere six hours after he posted this, his tweet had been retweeted some 17,000 times and liked nearly 40,000 times.

Of course, Kelly’s tweet is sarcastic. It came as calls are being made by some who are wanting certain monuments of people who owned slaves to be removed.

Others jumped on his rhetorical bandwagon by saying that anyone with “Yale” in his biography is a racist and that Yale’s faculty is complicit by their participation in this “historically racist institution.” One person said, “Every person with a degree from Yale should be canceled. They should be forced to resign from public office. Resign from all Boards. Be disbarred. Lose their professional certifications. Lose judgeships.” [Read more…]

C-N ESTABLISHES TEAM TO ASSESS COMMUNITY INCLUSION

June 30, 2020

Carson-Newman news office

Gloria Walker, acting vice president of student services at Carson-Newman University, leads in the selection of members for a new community relations task team, which she will chair. Assisting in the team’s formation is Provost Jeremy Buckner, center, and Matt Bryant Cheney, director of the Center for Community Engagement and co-chair of the university’s diversity and equity committee.

JEFFERSON CITY — Carson-Newman University is organizing a community relations task team to foster unity and awareness within the community and make specific recommendations for improvements that align with the university’s biblical faith and Christian identity.

The university seeks to identify and eradicate any policies, procedures or cultural norms that promote racial division; advance healing and reconciliation; and affirm that black lives matter.

Carson-Newman’s executive leadership, at the direction of President Charles A. Fowler, established the team on June 3 in direct response to the rallying cry for change following the senseless killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25. [Read more…]

STORMY DAYS, STRONG FAITH

June 23, 2020

God at work in Hamilton County amid tough times

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

Disaster relief volunteers and others survey the damage at a house that was damaged by a tornado in Hamilton County on April 12.

CHATTANOOGA — The residents of Hamilton County have experienced a trilogy of turmoil in the past few months.

It began when the COVID-19 pandemic first took hold, throwing daily routines into a state of flux. Then came a deadly tornado that created another wave of emotional and physical challenges. And in recent days, Hamilton County, like the rest of the country, has been dealing with racial unrest that was ignited by the death of George Floyd.

The three events might lead some to wonder, “where has God been in all this tragedy?”

Dennis Culbreth, the director of missions for Hamilton County Baptist, said the answer is clear — the Lord has been present and active through it all. [Read more…]

BAPTIST CHURCHES JOIN FORCES TO COMBAT RACISM

June 16, 2020

Baptist and Reflector

Leaders from three entities recently signed a joint statement regarding the death of George Foyd, racism and the current crisis in America. From left, are Barbara Crawford, president, Gallatin United Ministerial Association; Michael Pennington, mission strategist, Bledsoe Baptist Association; and Thomas Staten, moderator, East Fork District Baptist Association, a national Baptist association.

FRANKLIN — At least two Baptist associations in Tennessee joined forces with other churches in their communities to pray for racial injustice and reconciliation.

Bledsoe Baptist Association

Bledsoe Baptist Association, based in Hendersonville, recently combined on a joint statement with East Fork District Baptist Association (a National Baptist association that includes several Middle Tennessee counties) and the Gallatin United Ministerial Alliance regarding the recent death of African American George Floyd, racism and the current crisis in America.

The statement said, “Comprised of African-American, Anglo, and multicultural churches, we unite together to declare our unity in the love of God and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, therefore, one family. We also declare and affirm the dignity and value of every human life, and we condemn in the strongest terms the taking of the life of Mr. George Floyd. We pray for and express compassion, empathy, and love for his family. May God grant them abundant grace and peace.” [Read more…]

THE GOSPEL IS THE ANSWER FOR RACISM

June 15, 2020

By Caleb Barbier

It hurts my heart to read about the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, the strangling of George Floyd, and the struggles that people of color have to endure simply because of their skin.

I was taught in school that racism was something of the past, that the world has made progress, yet here we are. Another shooting. More bloodshed. Continued injustice. Although we must address racism with urgency, I believe racism reveals something much deeper, something under the surface. [Read more…]

GOLDEN RULE STILL WORKS — IF WE WOULD APPLY IT

June 10, 2020

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

Our world is in turmoil and it all can’t be blamed on COVID-19.

We were in a mess before the pandemic, we’re in a mess during the pandemic and we will be in a mess after the pandemic. Why? The answer is simple. We live in a world where sin is alive and well.

The world is upset with the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and rightly so. I usually give police the benefit of doubt in most cases, but it’s hard to do so when watching this man die at the hands of a police officer. The police officer expressed exceedingly poor judgment and will no doubt pay the price. [Read more…]

START PRAYING NOW FOR SBC MEETING IN JUNE

March 4, 2020

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

For a number of years the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention has come and gone without a lot of fanfare, a far cry from the late 1970s to the early 2000s when annual meetings were national news during the years of the “Conservative Resurgence.”

Attendance has dwindled dramatically at annual meetings but there could be a major uptick in numbers when Southern Baptists gather June 9-10 in Orlando, Fla. Yes, the location will be a factor in more attendees, but so will recent developments in the Southern Baptist Convention.

A dissatisfaction with some current leaders in the SBC is becoming more prevalent among pastors and churches throughout the SBC, including Tennessee. Here are just a few examples. [Read more…]

Ministry created by tornadoes, pandemic dominate year’s top stories

‘Barbershop conversation’ focuses on steps needed for racial equality

God at work in Hamilton County amid tough times

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