Two weeks ago I traveled to southeastern Kentucky to provide news coverage of rebuilding efforts from flooding which hit that region last summer. See articles and photos in this issue. I was in Newport, so I plugged in the address in my phone’s GPS and off I went. For this particular destination, my GPS took me up through Tazewell, into Harrogate and across the state line into Kentucky. Normally, when
There is a difference between being anti-abortion and being pro-life. Being pro-life is more, so much more. Amy Hood definitely understood that. As her own nest of biological children began to empty, she encouraged her pastor husband Pat to consider adopting a little girl from China. And in miraculous fashion, God turned Pat’s heart toward agreement with Amy’s vision, and that precious little one became a part of their family.
According to the dictionary, the term New Year’s resolutions is defined as “making goals for the New Year.” We aren’t certain when this custom started, but this practice was recorded by early Babylonians more than 4,000 years ago. These people believed that whatever that person did on the first day of the year had an important impact on their life for the next 12 months. As 2023 begins, Tennessee Baptist
Tennessee is the home I’ve returned to after 18 years away. My life as a Baptist missionary has taken me across four continents and through many cultures. I left Tennessee from the parking lot of my small Baptist church with no expectations of ever returning. I left a young man, but returned as a family. During my travels, God gave to me a beautiful wife and two wonderful boys. For
It may be that the best thing you can do for your kids is to sit the whole family down and have dinner together. Research is showing that there is a significant number of kids who never actually sit down with their family to enjoy a meal together, and it may be that parents are the ones who are contributing to a society that is more overweight, more anxious and
Asking questions is a major part of what I do as a Baptist newspaper writer/editor. I spend a lot of time asking questions in order to seek answers. The key is knowing what questions to ask and when to ask them. Last week, millions of people were watching the NFL Monday Night Football game when Buffalo Bills defensive player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after making a tackle on
I do not believe Jesus expects us to sacrifice our families, sanity or health on the altar of ministry. Too many ministers unfortunately work themselves in that direction, but that’s counter to what Jesus instructs. His approach is much different. Look at what He says in Matthew 11:28. “I’ve come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.” Nothing He says there should lead any
“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. Why does generous giving to support missionaries matter? Reality for every human being is this: No matter where they are, who they
Obstacles 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 many obstacles. For some, the obstacle is a financial one either in your own life or at the church. Recession
Over 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 that I’ve ever really stopped to think about their meaning. Both of the songs have essentially the same lyrical
Two weeks ago I traveled to southeastern Kentucky to provide news coverage of rebuilding efforts from flooding which hit that region last summer. See articles
There is a difference between being anti-abortion and being pro-life. Being pro-life is more, so much more. Amy Hood definitely understood that. As her own
According to the dictionary, the term New Year’s resolutions is defined as “making goals for the New Year.” We aren’t certain when this custom started,
Tennessee is the home I’ve returned to after 18 years away. My life as a Baptist missionary has taken me across four continents and through
It may be that the best thing you can do for your kids is to sit the whole family down and have dinner together. Research
Asking questions is a major part of what I do as a Baptist newspaper writer/editor. I spend a lot of time asking questions in order
I do not believe Jesus expects us to sacrifice our families, sanity or health on the altar of ministry. Too many ministers unfortunately work themselves
“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
Obstacles are real! Have you ever noticed that everywhere you go, you are always facing obstacles? Some of these obstacles are relatively small, but at
Over 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
