By Matt Tullos Special assistant to the executive director Pastors are amazing. They speak every Sunday. They provide leadership to teams and champion the vision of the church. They are there for the most joyous and most despairing moments of life: when babies are born, when brides are married, when people die. Traditionally, October is a month we honor and bless our pastors. Some churches give a gift certificate, a
By Bill Gruenewald President, Tennessee Baptist Foundation In March 2021, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) and the Tennessee Baptist Foundation (TBF) launched an initiative to help all Tennessee pastors and ministers get their estate plans in place. We partnered with Philanthrocorp, a faith-based company that works with charitable organizations in the area of estate planning and planned giving. They work with many other state Baptist foundations as well as
By Jay Barbier Youth specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board One of the wisest things I have ever been taught about preaching is boring people preach boring sermons. At first thought, this can seem crude or completely non-important. But yes, the big understanding in this theory is if you are a person that doesn’t experience life and life to the fullest, then the things you say or preach will
By Randy C. Davis President and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board What will become of the Southern Baptist Convention? That question hangs above our denomination like an ominous cloud. The question is especially germane given the unprecedented decision by SBC Executive Committee Board members to waive attorney-client privilege in the third-party investigation of how the EC handled sexual abuse claims. The discussion has become strained at times. People have
By Lonnie Wilkey Baptist and Reflector, Editor [email protected] The Twitterverse has been in a “twitter” since messengers adopted a motion from the floor of the 2021 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville to ask newly elected president Ed Litton to appoint a Sexual Abuse Task Force. Unfortunately, a lot of negative “twittering” has been directed toward members of the SBC Executive Committee who voiced concerns that the
By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBMB You’re probably familiar with the adage, “Do as I say, not as a do.” I am convinced there is a variation rising among too many Christians, including many pastors. “Do as I say, not as I post.” The frequency with which Christians assail others on social media – including fellow believers – is embarrassingly evident with even a cursory scroll through a Facebook
By Carolyn Tomlin Contributing columnist, B&R “Pastors need to hear they are appreciated,” says Randy Kellough, pastor of Woodland Baptist Church in Haywood County. Woodland, a small Southern Baptist church, is like 27.4 percent of the churches in the United States. and ranges in size of 51-100 (LifewayResearch.com). During Pastor Appreciation Day last year, the children of the church made a notebook and presented it to Kellough. Working on drawings
By Randy C. Davis President & Executive Director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board What will become of the Southern Baptist Convention? That question hangs above our denomination like an ominous cloud. The question is especially germane given the unprecedented decision by SBC Executive Committee Board members to waive attorney-client privilege in the third-party investigation of how the EC handled sexual abuse claims. The discussion has become strained at times. People have
By Johnnie C. Godwin Contributing columnist, B&R I tend to introduce myself to most everybody I meet. Of course, I may have to ask their name the next time I meet them, but I usually remember our meeting. Recently, a young fellow in our church got my introduction after I got his name, and he said, “I know you, Johnnie. I know all about you.” Gently, I recalled an event
By Matt Tullos Assistant to the Executive Director Yes, Southern Baptists are legendary for lots of reasons. We are the largest protestant association of churches. People see our Disaster Relief hats, trucks and chain saws on the news, and traveling down the interstate. Our seminaries train over 23,000 students every year. And some would say we invented the casserole! But the greatest thing about being a Southern Baptist often flies
By Matt Tullos Special assistant to the executive director Pastors are amazing. They speak every Sunday. They provide leadership to teams and champion the vision
By Bill Gruenewald President, Tennessee Baptist Foundation In March 2021, the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) and the Tennessee Baptist Foundation (TBF) launched an initiative
By Jay Barbier Youth specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board One of the wisest things I have ever been taught about preaching is boring
By Randy C. Davis President and executive director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board What will become of the Southern Baptist Convention? That question hangs above our
By Lonnie Wilkey Baptist and Reflector, Editor [email protected] The Twitterverse has been in a “twitter” since messengers adopted a motion from the floor of the
By Chris Turner Director of Communications, TBMB You’re probably familiar with the adage, “Do as I say, not as a do.” I am convinced there
By Carolyn Tomlin Contributing columnist, B&R “Pastors need to hear they are appreciated,” says Randy Kellough, pastor of Woodland Baptist Church in Haywood County. Woodland,
By Randy C. Davis President & Executive Director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board What will become of the Southern Baptist Convention? That question hangs above our
By Johnnie C. Godwin Contributing columnist, B&R I tend to introduce myself to most everybody I meet. Of course, I may have to ask their
By Matt Tullos Assistant to the Executive Director Yes, Southern Baptists are legendary for lots of reasons. We are the largest protestant association of churches.