By Lonnie Wilkey
Eeditor, Baptist and Reflector

NASHVILLE — Following the decision of the United States Supreme Court on June 26, two state representatives in Tennessee announced plans to draft a “Tennessee Pastor Protection Act.”

“It comes as no surprise that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage. I have had multiple constituents concerned with how the ruling may impact their church and their religious beliefs,” said Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro) in a press release.

He noted, however, if the “issue is truly about equality of civil liberties and benefits, then this ruling should have minimal legal impact on churches.”

Terry added that if “the issue and the cause is about redefining marriage to require others to change their deeply held religious beliefs, then the concerns of many will be valid.” [Read more…]

By Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Current Tennessee Baptist Convention president Michael Ellis, along with 20 former TBC presidents, have signed onto a statement first adopted by current Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd and all 16 former living SBC presidents since 1980.

Soon after the marriage and religious liberty statement was released during the SBC annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, former presidents of the Florida Baptist Convention also signed on as supporters.

“We are excited to join with our counterparts in Florida in affirming the SBC presidents’ statement on marriage and religious liberty,” said Randy C. Davis, TBC executive director/treasurer, and a past TBC president.

“This kind of solidarity is very necessary and extremely encouraging,” he said. [Read more…]

By Jim Guenther
TBC Attorney

There needs to be some clarity about exactly what the Supreme Court’s decision did and did not do. The decision was about a civil right, the right of same sex couples to be licensed by the states to marry. It was an interpretation of the 14th Amendment, a citizen’s right to equal protection under the law when it comes to marriage.

It was not about religious liberty. It was not about the First Amendment and a citizen’s right to exercise his or her religious beliefs and it was not about the prohibition against government establishing religion. So the decision did nothing to diminish religious freedom. [Read more…]

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Editor’s Note: The following story first appeared in the Feb. 11 issue of the Baptist and Reflector. In light of the June 26 ruling by the Supreme Court we felt that this article is more relevant today than even when it was first published.

JACKSON — Tennessee Baptist church leaders should pay attention to a situation that occurred last month in Colorado, says Southern Baptist ethicist C. Ben Mitchell.

A Denver-area congregation received national media attention for moving a funeral with people already seated to a funeral home across the street because a video was playing that showed the deceased kissing her lesbian partner.

The family of the deceased woman paid to have the funeral in the church and had even provided the church a copy of the video in advance but church ministers failed to preview the video and said later that it had been lost, according to news reports. [Read more…]

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Scenic Drive Baptist gives facility, belongings to Arabic congregation in Murfreesboro

MURFREESBORO — On what could have been the saddest day in its history, the final service of Scenic Drive Baptist Church was actually an answer to prayer.

“This was His (God’s) way of filling that parking lot that we have been praying for,” said Belvin Cox, pastor of the congregation which held its last regular worship service May 3.

The next Sunday, about 15 members of Scenic Drive Baptist worshiped with about 30 members of the Arabic Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, the new recipients of the facility.

Some words of Arabic were heard in conversation and prayers though most of the service was in English. Also in consideration of the great gift and the emotions of Scenic Drive members, a portion of the service was allocated for sharing of memories by them. Several people stood and shared. [Read more…]

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

MANCHESTER — To say The Jesus Tent was a popular site during Bonnaroo is an understatement. About 13-17,000 Bonnaroovians visited the tent for its 24/7 offer of shade cooled by fans, snacks, water, smartphone charging stations, WiFi, and conversation.

In other words, The Jesus Tent was a peaceful oasis in the midst of Bonnaroo, a camping music festival drawing about 80,000 folks to a 700-acre farm here June 11-14.

While at The Jesus Tent, many folks had life-changing conversations, explained several Baptist volunteers. Though many visitors held the popular belief that all paths or religions lead to God, they were open to conversation, reported the volunteers.

The huge response to The Jesus Tent makes this the largest evangelistic event of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and possibly of other denominations in Tennessee, reported David Evans, evangelism specialist of the TBC. [Read more…]