A YEAR LATER: TBC LEADERS REFLECT ON COVID’S IMPACT

Baptist and Reflector FRANKLIN — It has now been almost one full year since COVID-19 first began reshaping the culture and forever changing “the world as we know it.”  Recently, the Baptist and Reflector connected with the entity heads from the various Tennessee Baptist Convention organizations to get their thoughts on the past year in […]

COVID’S IMPACT STRETCHES INTO 2021

By Aaron Earls LifeWay news office NASHVILLE — Most churches have found a way to continue meeting despite the ongoing pandemic, but statistics from January revealed that — as COVID-19 cases spiked across the country — many churches elected not to meet in person during the month. A new study from Nashville based LifeWay Research found […]

A YEAR LATER, COVID IS STILL WITH US (AND WILL BE)

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] It’s hard to believe, but one year ago, the world was introduced to COVID-19, a deadly virus that has taken to date more than 500,000 lives in the United States and nearly 11,500 lives in Tennessee. Within a matter of weeks, churches had to cancel in-person gatherings. […]

TENNESSEE BAPTISTS HAVE STEPPED IN, STEPPED UP DURING PANDEMIC

Davis, Chesser reflect on first-year anniversary of COVID, look to future By Lonnie Wilkey [email protected] FRANKLIN — During a year marked by COVID-19, Tennessee Baptist pastors and churches stepped up and “took lemons and made lemonade,” observed Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Davis and Tennessee Baptist Convention […]

LONG DAYS FOR LEADERS

Pastors express ‘decision fatigue’ and ‘ministerial frustration’ as COVID-19 pandemic lingers By Diana Chandler Baptist Press LEXINGTON — For the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Rock Hill Baptist Church in rural west Tennessee was resuming onsite worship. Then, Pastor Richard Bray was exposed to the virus and the church had to transition once […]

CHURCHES TURNING TO ‘ONLINE PASTORS’ TO FOSTER COMMUNITY DURING PANDEMIC

By Scott Barkley Baptist Press HENDERSONVILLE — Since Long Hollow Baptist Church began experiencing what pastor Robby Gallaty calls “a genuine move of God” last month, roughly 300 people have traveled to its Tennessee campus from all over the country to be baptized. One group came forward – some scheduled, others spontaneously – at the church’s first […]

PANDEMIC DIVISION CAUSING PASTORS TO LEAVE MINISTRY, PASTORAL MENTOR SAYS

By Diana Chandler Baptist Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Brian Croft jokes that masks are the new “color of the carpet argument” in churches, with similarly poor outcomes. Pastors are resigning from the stress “kind of in a way I’ve never really seen.” The founder of Practical Shepherding transitioned from fulltime pastoring to lead the shepherding […]

WITH COVID, A CUP OF SOUP IS A HUGE GIFT

By Bruce Chesser President, Tennessee Baptist Convention Senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Hendersonville On Nov. 20, 2020, I was conducting a wedding rehearsal in southern Kentucky. The plans for the wedding had changed significantly. It had gone from a large celebration of several hundred family and friends to a very small gathering of just family.  […]

GOVERNOR ENCOURAGES CHURCHES TO CONSIDER ONLINE SERVICES

By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] NASHVILLE — As COVID-19 cases continue to rise dramatically in Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee issued an executive order Dec. 20 declaring “a continuing state of emergency and major disaster in order to facilitate the response to COVID-19.” According to latest statistics from the Center for Disease Control, […]