By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector Every year at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention we hear the same pleas for increased giving through the Cooperative Program. In fact, the Cooperative Program was a hot topic of conversation throughout the annual meeting, and it should have been. We do need to increase Cooperative Program giving. It’s the lifeline of missions in Tennessee, around our nation, and throughout

By Randy C. Davis TBC Executive Director The Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting did not have my full attention when I arrived in Baltimore last week. In fact, I’d say my enthusiasm for it was pretty low. My mind and my heart were on that which needed my attention here in Tennessee. However, by the time Jeanne and I left Baltimore Thursday morning, I was encouraged and glad that we

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector We Baptists are a unique group. Most of the time, we don’t have the faith to move a mountain (which Scripture says is possible), but we have the uncanny ability of making a mountain out of a mole hill at any given time. We do it in our individual lives as well as corporately. Many a congregation has argued over what color a carpet or

By Randy C. Davis TBC Executive Director Royalty isn’t necessarily defined by birth family or wealth. In fact, in many cultures it is still determined by age. I love the stories of veteran Tennessee missions volunteers Don and Ann Davis walking into small Ugandan villages a few years ago with a group of younger missions volunteers. Younger is relative because the Davises were in their 70s and both topped by

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector Messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention next week (June 10-11) will elect a new convention president. Unlike 2012 when Fred Luter was unanimously elected as the convention’s first African American president, messengers will have a choice. As of Monday, June 2, there were three announced candidates for the SBC presidency — Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest

By Johnnie Godwin Contributing Columnist, B&R Beloved Courtney Wilson became my first Tennessee pastor 44 years ago. He died last week. Courtney never did preach long; but toward the last, his messages were even briefer in the “Memory Care” unit where he held forth. With his vast memory and recall greatly reduced, Courtney was still able to hold up a figure of an angel that would say, “I love you.” Then

By Larry Robertson President, TBC, & Clarksville Pastor We need to reclaim an apostolic urgency to our mission. A recent report by the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastors’ Task Force on Evangelistic Impact and Declining Baptisms reminded us of what we already know, that we are floundering when it comes to reaching our communities and culture for Christ. And while the task force made honest observations and excellent recommendations, I want

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector A few weeks ago (in the April 30 issue), I wrote about changes that are underway for the Baptist and Reflector. Honestly, those changes are occurring quicker than I imagined, but once the pain of change is over, I think it will prove to be a great move for everyone involved with the Baptist and Reflector — from me and our staff to

By Randy C. Davis TBC Executive Director Tennessee Baptists want to read about other Tennessee Baptists and our churches.   And let’s be honest about the newspaper industry in general. Secular news agencies have struggled for years with the financial burden of producing a hard copy version in an increasingly digital age. Many of them have slashed staff and eventually gone out of business. Fortunately, we are not near that point.

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector On Dec. 8, 1995 I had the opportunity and privilege to report on the election of David S. Dockery as president of Union University in Jackson. He was elected unanimously by trustees that day to become the university’s 15th president. Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Dockery found time for an interview with me and the Baptist and Reflector. We talked about the varied background