PASTOR PROVED HUMOR, MINISTRY MIX
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector I imagine there’s a lot of laughter in heaven these days since the arrival of Tennessee pastor Thom Tapp on June 11. Thom was not the stand-up comic type. Rather, he was just the opposite. He did not stand out in the crowd. While he could carry a […]
BELLEVUE’S STEVE GAINES ELECTED TO LEAD SBC
Tennessee Baptists second in number of Southern Baptist Convention messengers with 824 By David Roach Baptist Press Editor’s Note: Due to the publication schedule of the Baptist and Reflector, this issue contains a condensed wrap-up of the SBC annual meeting held June 14-15 in St. Louis. Extensive stories were posted on the B&R web site […]
RACIAL RECONCILIATION BEGINS IN HEART
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector Another annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention has come and gone. By all accounts it was historic and for the most part Southern Baptists left with a good feeling. Tennessee Baptists should be extremely proud as one of our own — Steve Gaines of Bellevue Baptist Church, […]
I’M OFFENDED BUT THE WORLD DOESN’T CARE
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector We are living in a world where it is not politically correct to do anything that might offend somebody. Unfortunately, the rules are often one-sided. The rules apparently only apply to Christians. We normally can’t offend anyone, but the non-Christian world can do anything it wants though it […]
SPIRITUAL LESSONS LEARNED FROM GOUT
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector Most dictionaries define gout basically as a form of arthritis “characterized by severe pain, redness, and tenderness in joints.” Whoever wrote the definition apparently never had gout. Words can’t adequately describe the pain associated with gout. “Severe” is not a strong enough term. And, yes, I admit I […]
EVERYONE NEEDED TO REACH OUR GRANDKIDS
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector On Mother’s Day, my wife Joyce and I attended the baby dedication of our youngest grandson, Parker Beasley, at Skypointe Church in Travelers Rest, S.C. It was a great day and we were blessed to be there for the service. Both of our grandchildren are under the age […]
DEATH DIDN’T STOP SUSIE’S MINISTRY
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector It’s hard to believe that nearly 14 months have passed since God called Susie Edwards home to heaven. She died March 24, 2015 after a three-year battle with cancer. For more than 27 years Susie was the “voice” of the Baptist and Reflector. Call our general office number […]
REPURPOSED
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector For the past few years I have dabbled in the junk and antique business, buying and selling items. It’s fun to see how people will buy antique and vintage items to “repurpose” them so they can be used today. Two years ago when the Baptist Center was sold […]
WE MUST CHOOSE CHILDREN OVER MONEY
Editor’s Note: Tennessee Rep. Susan Lynn of Mount Juliet announced April 18 that she is delaying action on the “bathroom bill” this year in an effort to further study the issue. She told The Tennessean, “I am still absolutely 100 percent in support of maintaining the privacy of all students. But I’m going to roll […]
FOR ONCE, CHRISTIANS SHOULD COMPLAIN
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector LifeWay Research released an interesting study last week (see story). The headline of the story sums it up well: “Christians Face Intolerance; Complain.” Maybe, for once, Christians have a right to complain. For years we have accepted the lie that Christians are intolerant. Some individual Christians are. I […]