Baptist and Reflector Staff
FRANKLIN — The Baptist and Reflector website, launched in 2016, is the digital counterpart to the print edition.
The site inlcudes stories, information and photos that are published in the print edition of the B&R, and is also the home for breaking news that pertains to Tennessee Baptists.
This past year, the B&R website experienced its biggest year to date (see below for a look at the increases in numbers).
The chart below recaps the most-read stories from 2020 based on website views.
Spotted on the list are feature stories, hard-news stories and opinion columns. Interestingly, some of the stories were published before the start of 2020, but still received a high amount of views this year.
1. A barking dog and a miracle

Darrin Crockett and his daughter, Carly, sift through what’s left of their house, looking for any items that can be recovered.
• Date posted: March 4, 2020 • Written by: Lonnie Wilkey
On the night of March 2, Darrin Crockett and his family went to bed as normal. But their dog, “Doc,” barked incessantly throughout the night, which prevented Crockett from sleeping. As a result, the Crockett family was awake and was able to find shelter in their home when a tornado ripped through their property. Had they been asleep, they likely would not have survived.
2. Plans announced for Conservative Baptist Network
• Date posted: Feb. 14, 2020 • Written by: Lonnie Wilkey
In mid-February, plans were announced for the formation of a new Conservative Baptist Network (CBN). Its purpose was “to keep the Southern Baptist Convention anchored to the inerrancy and sufficiency of God’s Word.”
3. Rogers reflects on husband’s legacy
• Date posted: July 15, 2019 • Written by: Diana Chandler (BP)
Forty years after Adrian Rogers began leading the Southern Baptist Convention in the Conservative Resurgence promoting a doctrine of biblical inerrancy, his widow, Joyce Rogers, 85, talked about her husband, and her hopes for the future of the SBC, in an interview with Baptist Press.
4. 19 rules for pastors and leaders during COVID-19 pandemic
• Date posted: March 18, 2020 • Written by: Matt Tullos
Matt Tullos, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board’s special assistant to the executive director, wrote a guest editorial for the Baptist and Reflector in which he outlined a list of “dos” and “don’ts” for church leaders during the early days of the pandemic.
5. Disaster Relief responds in wake of Tennessee tornadoes
• Date posted: March 3, 2020 • Written by: Baptist and Reflector staff
This story was originally published on March 3 and was updated numerous times over the course of the next three days as details and information emerged. The story informed readers about numerous ways in which the Tennessee DR teams were assisting tornado victims, and also provided information about churches that were damaged by the storm.
6. Davis offers Coronavirus update
• Date posted: March 11, 2020 • Written by: Baptist and Reflector staff
When the COVID-19 pandemic first began making its impact, church leaders had to make immediate decisions on many topics. TBMB president and executive director Randy C. Davis addressed many of these questions in an open letter to church leaders published on the B&R website in early March.
7. Avoiding the deadly sin of complacency
• Date posted: Nov. 9, 2016 • Written by: Lonnie Wilkey
This column, written by B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey, has proved to be a timeless piece of journalism. Though it was written four years ago, it still garnered the seventh-most views of any story on the newspaper’s website in 2020.
8. Governor issues guidance on Sunday church gatherings
• Date posted: April 9, 2020 • Written by: Baptist and Reflector staff
Tennessee Baptist Mission Board leaders participated with other faith leaders from across the state in a telephone forum with governor Bill Lee on April 7. Lee’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives offered guidance/clarity concerning churches gathering on Sundays.
9. Union holds firm to University standards and values
• Date posted: July 23, 2020 • Written by: Baptist and Reflector staff
After rescinding an admissions offer to a graduate level nursing student based on the student’s sexual orientation, Union found itself in national headlines. But the school maintained its stance, a decision that naturally generated both support and criticism.
10. Stay at home order impacts churches
• Date posted: April 3, 2020 • Written by: Baptist and Reflector staff
Tennessee governor Bill Lee issued an executive order April 2 requiring all Tennesseans to remain at home unless engaging in an essential activity or service. The executive order addressed what churches can or cannot do in regard to religious ceremonies and essential ministries such as food delivery.
UPWARD TRENDS
2020 was by far the biggest year for the B&R’s home page, baptistandreflector.org. Here’s a look at a few of the numbers:
Here is a look at the numbers from the B&R website from Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 16, 2020 compared to the numbers from that same stretch in 2019:
Sessions:
361.94k — up from 226.88
Visitors:
247.89k — up from 143.32
Page Views:
531.88k — up from 363.85



