I can’t think of anybody who took me very seriously. When I told people I was heading to Hawaii on a mission trip, the first response I got was a laugh and a, “Yeah, right. Suffering for Jesus in Hawaii.” “No, no,” I’d respond. “Hawaii is not what you think. There is a lot of need.” At the time, I didn’t really understand what I was talking about. I was
We are just days away from it being TBC Summit time in Tennessee! The Summit is the Annual Gathering of Tennessee Baptists, and beginning on Sunday, Nov. 13, fellow Christ followers from Baptist churches across the state will convene at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, just outside of Memphis, for these special days. We’ll kick off Sunday evening with a historically great time of worshiping together and conclude Wednesday at
Southern Baptists get a lot of bad press in the secular world and to be honest, we deserve it at times. But the fact is, Southern Baptists do a lot of good things that often go unnoticed, such as disaster relief that brings hope to hurting people affected by tragedy, compassion ministries that provided needed help in local communities through food pantries and clothes closets and much, much more. And,
Have you ever been to a big family reunion? This is a fun time for everyone to come together, fellowship, eat good food, reminisce, talk about future goals and plans and to enjoy personal relationships. At a family reunion there is a place for everyone in the family. Of course, at every family reunion, there is also that crazy uncle who is always a wildcard! Well, it is time for
Right off the bat, I feel the need for full disclosure: The subject that I am about to discuss doesn’t qualify — or even come close to qualifying — as being among the most pressing issues that our churches are presently facing. Indeed, as good Southern Baptists, we have much bigger chicken to fry. All the same, I do feel this topic merits some discussion. And in all seriousness, some
According to the Hallmark Corporate website, October was established as Clergy Appreciation Month in 1992, with the second Sunday set as Clergy Appreciation Day. This annual focus, begun 30 years ago, has a “mission of uplifting and encouraging pastors, missionaries and religious workers.” A biblical foundation Long before Hallmark got into the act, the Lord enjoined His followers to “remember” spiritual leaders who faithfully proclaim His message and lead His
I’m not one for clichés because too often they’re worn through and carry little meaning. However, sometimes they convey a concise bit of truth that is relevant in the moment. Here’s one: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Tennessee Baptists stand at the dawning of a new era. We as a network of churches have pursued the Five Objectives for nearly a decade, having affirmed those
A strong foundation is the key to any structure. It doesn’t matter if it’s a $20,000 house or a million-dollar mansion. If the foundation is shaky, the house will likely fall amid the howling winds and storms that enter our life. The Bible speaks clearly about the need for a strong foundation. We all know the parable about the wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27).
It’s been said that complacency is the enemy of progress. Interestingly, complacency is often a byproduct of success. That sounds counterintuitive, but think about it. When things are cruising along and we experience win after win, we can slip into cruise control. If we don’t stay alert and engaged, we can fall asleep at the wheel. This became a realization for me years ago. I had Dr. Harry Piland evaluate
Pew Research recently released a report that predicts Christians will comprise less than 50 percent of the population of the United States by 2050 (see full story at baptistandreflector.org under the SBC tab). That projection may be optimistic. If you add the number of Christians who sometimes forget who they serve to those who absolutely reject Christianity, Christians may already be in a minority. And, even if Christians are still
I can’t think of anybody who took me very seriously. When I told people I was heading to Hawaii on a mission trip, the first
We are just days away from it being TBC Summit time in Tennessee! The Summit is the Annual Gathering of Tennessee Baptists, and beginning on
Southern Baptists get a lot of bad press in the secular world and to be honest, we deserve it at times. But the fact is,
Have you ever been to a big family reunion? This is a fun time for everyone to come together, fellowship, eat good food, reminisce, talk
Right off the bat, I feel the need for full disclosure: The subject that I am about to discuss doesn’t qualify — or even come
According to the Hallmark Corporate website, October was established as Clergy Appreciation Month in 1992, with the second Sunday set as Clergy Appreciation Day. This
I’m not one for clichés because too often they’re worn through and carry little meaning. However, sometimes they convey a concise bit of truth that
A strong foundation is the key to any structure. It doesn’t matter if it’s a $20,000 house or a million-dollar mansion. If the foundation is
It’s been said that complacency is the enemy of progress. Interestingly, complacency is often a byproduct of success. That sounds counterintuitive, but think about it.
Pew Research recently released a report that predicts Christians will comprise less than 50 percent of the population of the United States by 2050 (see
