Chris Turner, director of communications for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board since 2014, has been named editor of the Baptist and Reflector.
Turner, who will continue in his communications role, succeeds Lonnie Wilkey, who will retire Dec. 31 after spending 36 years on the B&R staff, including the last 26 as editor.
In a related move, David Dawson was named managing editor, a newly created position. He has served as TBMB communications specialist since 2017.
“The Baptist and Reflector is the primary means of communicating with Baptists across our state, and I know for a fact that there are people who read the B&R (either in print or online) from all over the world,” said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of TBMB.
In an era when the overwhelmingly majority of Baptist state papers have ceased print issues, the B&R will continue in print “as long as it is economically feasible,” Davis said.
“The B&R is not only a historic entity — the paper will be 190 years old in 2025 and is one of the longest continuously published newspapers in the nation — but it is also a very relevant tool for the mission work that our network of churches desires to accomplish,” he added.
Davis said “careful consideration” was given to who would become the next editor.
Retiring editor Lonnie Wilkey shared his personal excitement about Turner and Dawson and their new roles. “The Baptist and Reflector has a bright future under their capable leadership, but they can’t do it alone. For the paper to continue as a print publication in addition to its online presence (which Chris played a major role in developing), they will need you, Tennessee Baptists, your prayers, encouragement, subscriptions and other monetary support.”
Experience
Turner has the expertise and experience needed “to respectfully honor the paper’s history while employing different communication platforms that will multiply and amplify the stories of Great Commission work being accomplished in Tennessee and beyond,” Davis noted.
Turner and his wife, Michelle, are former missionaries with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. He served as an overseas correspondent for the board in Panama and as communications director in England, overseeing the board’s communications teams in Eurasia, Central Asia, and North Africa and the Middle East. He also served as media relations manager for Lifeway Christian Resources in Nashville.
Prior to his work in denominational journalism, Turner was sports editor of The Millington Star in Millington. He is also an online instructor of communications for Ouachita Baptist University, his alma mater.
Turner also holds master of arts degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Austin Peay State University.
“Few people have had the breadth of experience Chris brings to the position,” Davis observed.
“He brings passion to this work, and I believe he will be a good steward of this important entity that’s being entrusted to his care,” Davis said.
David Dawson
Likewise, David Dawson has proven to be extremely competent journalist and staff member, Davis continued.
Dawson formerly served as assistant athletics communications director at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and for 15 years as sports editor and writer for the Rome News-Tribune in Rome, Georgia.
In his role as communications specialist at TBMB, Dawson wrote and edited articles and designed the paper in addition to managing the paper’s website.
“We’ve asked David to become managing editor so that Chris can continue to manage communications for the mission board while also providing leadership for the Baptist and Reflector,” Davis said.
Davis noted that Dawson has deep Baptist roots in Tennessee. His father, Mike Dawson, is a longtime and respected Tennessee Baptist pastor, he added.
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Both Turner and Dawson have been recognized for their journalistic expertise.
Turner has won numerous awards from the Baptist Communicators Association (BCA), including the prestigious Leonard Holloway Award for exceptional achievement in feature writing and the M.E Dodd Memorial Award for Radio, Television, Film and Video.
Dawson, a graduate of Berry College in Rome, Georgia, has earned awards for his writing from the Georgia Press Association and the Georgia Sports Writers Association. He also has received awards for both writing and design from BCA. Earlier this year, Dawson and the Baptist and Reflector won first place in the Print Publication — Newspaper category from BCA.
Davis is excited about the leadership changes with the paper. “We’re in the process of streamlining our personnel at the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board without sacrificing excellence,” he said. “We believe this new configuration of the B&R staff will add to its efficiency,” he added.
“We want Tennessee Baptists to know that as much as possible with everything we do, that we are trying to be careful with their mission dollars,” Davis said.
“I’d encourage Tennessee Baptists to subscribe to the Baptist and Reflector if they don’t already. There are important days of ministry ahead and the B&R is the place to read all about it.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by Baptist and Reflector.
