Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
December 27, 2022
By Paul ChitwoodPresident of the International Mission Board“Will you make the first and most expensive Christmas gift this year a gift to our Global Missions Offering?” Sitting in the sanctuary of Calvary Baptist Church in Winston Salem, N.C., on the first Sunday of December, I heard pastor Will Toburen ask that question of his congregation. […]
December 26, 2022
By Clay HallmarkPresident, Tennessee Baptist ConventionObstacles are real! Have you ever noticed that everywhere you go, you are always facing obstacles? Some of these obstacles are relatively small, but at other times we face obstacles that look insurmountable from our point of view. As we enter into 2023, the outlook seems to be filled with […]
December 23, 2022
By David DawsonCommunications specialist, TBMBOver the past few weeks, while I’ve been gorging on Christmas music, there have been a couple of songs that have sent me down a rabbit hole of deep thought. Neither of the songs is new — not by a long shot — but I think this is the first year […]
December 19, 2022
By Johnnie C. GodwinContributing columnist, B&RA city pastor in a country church. After feeling called to preach and being in my early years of preparation, I was led to pastor a country church. I was a city boy and had never spent much time on a farm. That became evident as I got oriented to […]
December 19, 2022
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist and ReflectorOne of my favorite Christmas songs is “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” It’s an upbeat, simple song that proclaims a timeless truth: “Go, tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere. Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.” In today’s world, it is […]
December 16, 2022
By Ray Van NesteDean and professor of biblical studies, Union University, JacksonWeek in and week out, the same group of unconverted people come to our worship services — and we practically ignore them. We’d never treat first-time visitors like this, and if we ever heard that they felt ignored, we’d certainly respond quickly to go […]
December 9, 2022
By Norman RidenhourContributing columnist, B&RThere are many programs that address the needs of others in Baptist organizations across the country, including mission efforts to building churches, starting new churches, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and many more. All are considered actions to follow Jesus’s call to reach others worldwide. While all are missionary programs to […]
December 8, 2022
By Clay HallmarkPresident, Tennessee Baptist ConventionWhen the Tennessee Baptist family gathered at Bellevue, we had a lot to celebrate and a lot for which to praise the Lord. I am thankful for all of our messengers and guests who traveled from throughout the state to attend the Summit. We enjoyed some great music, times of […]
December 8, 2022
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist and ReflectorWhen I refer to Carroll Owen as an “old and dear friend,” it’s not just a phrase or words to be taken lightly. Carroll Owen has been a friend and mentor to me since 1988. And, it would be hard to deny that he is old. Carroll celebrated his 100th […]
December 7, 2022
By Chris TurnerCommunications Director, Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardThere were a million adventures awaiting my family when we moved to England in 2009. The first was to attend church at All Souls Church in London, the church theologian John Stott led for decades. We settled into our balcony seats and I said to my wife, “I […]
November 24, 2022
By Randy C. DavisPresident and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardIt is hard to believe we are just a little more than a month away from Christmas. You’d think it was tomorrow the way stores flipped their Halloween displays from skeletons and zombies to Santa and Frosty. But let’s not forget about Thanksgiving. Yes, I […]
November 10, 2022
By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist and ReflectorMy wife and I recently attended a church service with our daughter in South Carolina. The service was held before the Nov. 8 election and the pastor was lamenting the sad state of affairs in our country and exhorting members to exercise their right to vote. He quoted a phrase […]
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