Opinion Column

‘THERE ARE WORSE THINGS THAN DEATH’

Editor’s note: The following column was originally published in the Baptist and Reflector in July of 2019. It was reprinted in the current edition of the B&R in recognition of Alzheimer’s Awareness month.  By Joe Sorah Compassion Ministries Specialist, TBMB “There are worse things than death.” I had heard that expression over the years from church members as I walked with families through terminal illnesses. However, the expression became real as

Read More...

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC OF 2020

By Phil Young Director of Missions, Knox County Association of Baptists Last month I shared with you a quote from Tod Bolsinger regarding the rapidly changing culture we live in. Bolsinger writes, “The world in front of you is nothing like the world behind you.”  Without question, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world we live in.  We have all made adjustments in our lives – some we like, some

Read More...

MY ENCOUNTER WITH A BLACK TEENAGER

By Chris Turner [email protected]  I had an incident with a black teenager this morning at exactly 6:53 am while on my morning walk in my overwhelmingly white suburban neighborhood located in one of the wealthiest counties in the country. He approached me dressed in a patterned white t-shirt, a pair of shorts I’d never pay the money for and a pair of Nike tennis shoes that, unlike mine, probably have

Read More...

THE GENEROSITY GOD SEEKS

Editor’s note: This guest column replaces the Clarity column normally written by Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Davis expressed his gratitude for the generosity of Tennessee Baptists: “Thank you for your financial generosity experienced by missions and ministries of giving through the Cooperative Program and Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.” By Adam Dooley Senior Pastor, Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson Her words stopped

Read More...

HOW TO FIND TRUE HEALING FROM COVID-19

By Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia COVID-19: we know that  “COVID” is the five-letter acronym for “Corona Virus Disease” and that the number 19 is for the year 2019 (since the disease originated in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China). And we’re well aware that it spread to become a global pandemic in the early months of 2020 and essentially shut down the world as we all had

Read More...

DO WE TAKE MEMORIAL DAY SERIOUSLY?

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector On Monday, May 25, many Americans across the nation have a paid holiday. Many will spend the day on golf courses, lakes, hiking trails, and numerous other places enjoying barbecue, burgers, hot dogs and all the trimmings. I wonder, however, how many people actually know why they have the day off and, if they do, do they understand the sacrifices made by countless

Read More...

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND MENTAL HEALTH

By Cody Glen Barnhart Director of music and media, First Baptist Church, Alcoa  Recently, Seacoast Church announced that former Southern Baptist pastor Darrin Patrick passed away from what “appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” The news sent shockwaves through social media. Patrick’s passing is a devastating blow. We seem to have lost another one of our brothers to the crisis of mental health. Patrick’s death serves as a somber

Read More...

REGATHERING WILL BE NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ALL

By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention  Most of us are trying to determine the best course of action in reengaging in on campus worship. Notice I did not say “reopening.” We haven’t been closed.  Almost all of us have continued to lead our people in Sunday worship, Wednesday night Bible studies, and we have engaged many of our small groups in some new thing called Zoom. Zoom, zoom, zoom. 

Read More...

15 IMPORTANT WORSHIP ‘HELPS’ FOR CHURCHES

By Scott C. Shepherd Tennessee Baptist Mission Board music and worship specialist In the coming weeks and months, churches across Tennessee will make the decision to gather again for worship. These services — though COVID-19 restrictions have been reduced — will not be a return to “worship as usual.”  Here are 15 worship related helps for churches to consider as they prepare to regather. Maintain social distancing in worship. Restrictions

Read More...

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

By Mark Proctor Associate administrator, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board God sings, says the Hebrew prophet Zephaniah, when His children come home. Your Tennessee Baptist Mission Board Conference Center staffs at Carson Springs and Linden Valley have heard those joyful songs thousands of times. But this year those songs will go largely unheard on the English Mountain and the Buffalo River. As a result of the pandemic, most summer events have

Read More...

THE GENEROSITY GOD SEEKS

Editor’s note: This guest column replaces the Clarity column normally written by Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

Read More »

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

By Mark Proctor Associate administrator, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board God sings, says the Hebrew prophet Zephaniah, when His children come home. Your Tennessee Baptist Mission

Read More »