By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] JACKSON — When Richard Bragg was called as pastor of Poplar Heights Baptist Church in Jackson in October of 2019, he was joining a congregation that had experienced some struggles in recent years. In 2002, Poplar Heights reported an average worship attendance of 640. Seventeen years later, the average attendance had dropped to 84. Bragg hit the ground running and was beginning

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] BIRCHWOOD — While some bivocational pastors experienced reduced hours or off days because of COVID-19, it was just the opposite for Bob Schafer, pastor of Birchwood Baptist Church, Birchwood, northwest of Chattanooga. Schafer, better known as Pastor Bob, serves as a chaplain for Signature Health Care which he services in the skilled nursing facilities in Cleveland, Spring City and Rockwood. His workload

One year after facing death from COVID-19, Zach Lloyd is back in the pulpit, doing what he loves By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] LAFOLLETTE — To say that pastor Zach Lloyd is a walking miracle would be an understatement. Just one year ago, Lloyd was in the early stages of a 175-day stay in the hospital and a double lung transplant due to complications from COVID-19. There