Opinion Column

IT’S TIME FOR US TO REFOCUS ON SUNDAY SCHOOL

February 12, 2020

By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention In the Jan. 8 issue of the Baptist and Reflector, I noted the importance of Sunday School and how it can be a vital evangelism and discipleship tool within your church. Imagine if you told some foreign enemy that there were over 40,000 small gatherings across Tennessee (that’s a rough estimate of how many Sunday School classes we have in our 3,200 churches) and

WILL THE SBC EVER BOW TO CULTURAL PRESSURE?

February 5, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] The cultural pressure to grant “acceptance” of the homosexual lifestyle is at an all-time high. Almost any bill considered by local, state and national government bodies is scrutinized to see if it is “gay friendly.” A case in point happened a few weeks ago in Tennessee. Tennessee legislators approved a law that would protect Christian adoption agencies or religious-based adoption agencies from placing children in homes

THE QUIET HEROES OF THE TBC AND SBC

February 4, 2020

By Randy C. Davis TBMB President & Executive Director Let me tell you about my friend Scott Helton. Scott is a schoolteacher. He is also a pastor. He isn’t “part time” at either. I’ve known Scott since he was a teenager and I was honored to be his pastor. He’s had a heart for ministry for a long time. He first served as a worship leader, then a few years ago,

MARRIAGE: ONE OF LIFE’S GREATEST JOYS

January 23, 2020

By Todd Brady Vice President for University Ministries, Union University Cars and pick-up trucks lined the driveway on a Saturday night. It was obvious that a bunch of men had descended on the home. We all were coming together for one purpose. There would soon be a wedding. Inside, men gathered around the island in the kitchen. Since it was a few weeks before Christmas, we ate Christmas cake and

CELEBRATING 185 YEARS OF TELLING OUR STORIES

January 21, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] When the calendar rolled over to Jan. 1, 2020 a few weeks ago, the Baptist and Reflector reached a milestone. On Jan. 1 of 1835, the first issue of THE BAPTIST was produced. THE BAPTIST was the forerunner of the Baptist and Reflector. It was published before the present day Tennessee Baptist Convention was established in 1874. So, that means the B&R

SING! … EVEN IF YOU’RE TONE DEAF

January 17, 2020

By Scott Shepherd Worship and music specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board I’ve been in worship ministry long enough to hear nearly every excuse: • “If God wanted me to sing, He would have given me a better voice.” • “I can’t carry a tune in a bucket!” • “The worship leader and choir sound so good! Why mess them up?” • “I’m tone deaf!” I’ll be the first

SUNDAY SCHOOL — A TOOL FOR MAKING DISCIPLES

January 17, 2020

By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention We hear much these days, rightly so, about discipleship. It is our commission that the Lord gave to us. We are to go into all the world and “make disciples.” But let me remind you that discipleship is not just for adults. It is a mistake to view it that way. As a matter of fact, the process of discipleship begins very early.

SOMETIMES, ‘GOOD’ IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH

January 15, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] As December wound to a close, I received word that my great uncle, Blake Wilkey, had died at the age of 98. He was my grandfather’s (Pop) last remaining brother. I remembered “Uncle Blake,” having visited him many times as a child, but I had not really kept in touch with him other than updates from my Uncle Bill (Pop’s son) and Aunt Lynn, who maintained

FIRST-PERSON: DENOMINATIONAL DISCOURSE AND THE FUTURE OF THE SBC

January 14, 2020

By Jason K. Allen President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Klemens von Metternich was one of Europe’s greatest statesmen during the 19thCentury. Both as foreign minister and then for nearly three decades as chancellor of the Austrian Empire, his statecraft shaped Europe and prevented numerous wars. Most consequentially, Metternich presided over the Congress of Vienna in 1814-15, which determined the post-Napoleonic configuration of Europe. His era came

IT’S TIME TO DO MORE THAN SIMPLY STAND

January 7, 2020

By Randy C. Davis TBMB President & Executive Director Tennessee Baptists stood for life in 2019. In 2020, we need to mobilize for life. You may recall that back in August I had the opportunity to represent Tennessee Baptists before a special study committee comprised of Tennessee Senators tasked with more comprehensively reviewing pro-life legislation that had been proposed during last year’s legislative session. The bill being considered was in

Opinion Column

IT’S TIME FOR US TO REFOCUS ON SUNDAY SCHOOL