Lonnie Wilkey’s tenure as editor of the Baptist and Reflector is coming to an end, but his columns will continue to be read for years to come.
Wilkey, who has been with the B&R since 1988 and has served as editor since 1998, has put together a collection of his columns in a book titled “Faith, Family and Life’s Lessons: Reflections of a Christian Journalist.”
Wilkey’s columns have won a stream of awards through the years, including a number of first-place honors in the annual Baptist Communicators Association publications contest. The new book includes more than 70 of Wilkey’s editorials.
“During my career, God has allowed me to write countless news and feature articles, but the personal columns I wrote always seemed to draw the most attention,” said Wilkey. “I tried to keep them real, drawing from lessons I was learning ‘on the job’ in life as a husband, parent, layman in my local church and in my career as a writer.”
Wilkey, the B&R’s longest-tenured editor of the modern era, will retire from his post on Dec. 31 of this year.
Most of the columns in Wilkey’s new book were written under the heading of “Reflections” — his on-going column title — but some were taken from his early days with the paper, when he served as associate editor and wrote editorials under the heading “An Occasional Word.”
Wilkey noted that some of the columns are related to events in the nation and Baptist life, “but the majority are columns which relate to lessons I have learned as I journeyed through life,” he said.
Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said Wilkey’s impact on Tennessee Baptists — through news coverage and his personal-touch columns — has been immeasurable.
“Lonnie Wilkey is a man I liked and appreciated before I even knew him,” Davis said. “This personal judgement was based on the editorials he wrote and his stewardship of the Baptist & Reflector.”
“While I liked him from a distance, over the last 15 years as we’ve worked together serving Tennessee Baptists, I’ve grown to love my brother,” Davis said. “Because of his skill as an editor, personal commitment to Christ, and love of the mission of the TBC, Lonnie Wilkey has served all of us well!”
Chris Turner, director of communications for the TBMB, noted that Wilkey has never enjoyed being in the spotlight but has nonetheless become a household name among Tennessee Baptists. Turner credited Wilkey’s sincerity, humor and overall tone to be among the reasons that Wilkey has developed a large and loyal following with Tennessee Baptists.
‘Reflections, insights, lessons’
“His columns offer reflections, insights, lessons and remembrances that bear evidence to a life well-lived and to a people well-served,” Turner noted.
“I have no doubt Lonnie will continue to write after he retires because it is the air he breathes. However, I can humbly say, it has been my great pleasure to walk with Lonnie this past decade and to be with Lonnie as he nears the finish line of his decorated career.”
Wilkey, who graduated from North Greenville College (now University) and earned his bachelor of arts in journalism degree from the University of South Carolina, is a past president of the Association of State Baptist Publications.
He has covered many of the biggest events in Southern Baptist life over the past 30 years, placing a high priority on stories that pertain directly to Tennessee Baptists. Wilkey has been equally diligent about providing coverage of the seemingly “smaller” stories, ranging from Vacation Bible School in Tennessee small towns to revival services at rural churches in the far corners of the state.
‘Fair mindedness,’ ‘independent thinking’
“I appreciated Lonnie’s fair mindedness and independent thinking — free from political persuasion,” Davis said. “Lonnie has had the rare blend when editorializing of courage to communicate truth while demonstrating respect as a Christian gentleman.”
After retiring, Wilkey plans to move to South Carolina, his home state, to be near his children and grandchildren.
The life-long South Carolina Gamecocks fan is an antique collector — a hobby he hopes to spend more time doing in the years ahead, although he said he plans to continue to work as a free-lance writer, too.
“God has blessed me by allowing me to write for Him over the past 40 years,” he said. “I have been given opportunities that I never imagined I would have. I hope readers will enjoy the book and enjoy these reflections from across time. To God be the glory.”
Faith, Family and Life’s Lessons (Courier Publishing, 132 pages, $13.95) is available from major online booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
EDITOR’S NOTE— This story was written by David Dawson and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector, newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.
