FRANKLIN — The Baptist and Reflector, the news journal for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, will increase its subscription rates effective April 1, 2026, to offset sharply rising postal costs.
The cost for an individual subscription will move from $20 to $24.95, and the rate for bulk subscriptions, available to churches purchasing two or more, will increase from $15 to $19.95 per subscription. Current subscribers will not be affected by the increase until their subscription is due for renewal. Both plans include 26 print editions annually.
Chris Turner, editor of the Baptist and Reflector, said the primary driver for the price adjustment is the significant increase in postage rates by the United States Postal Service.
“The decision has come following much prayer, a lot of discussion and a deep analysis of our financials,” Turner said. “The USPS has increased its publication postage rates nearly 70% over the past five years. We’ve held your subscription costs steady for as long as possible, but now we must move those rates to offset the rising expenses.”
Turner noted that during that same five-year period, the paper had only increased its rates once, by $2. With the new pricing structure, each issue will still cost subscribers less than $1.
Despite the challenges of rising costs, Turner emphasized the publication’s unwavering commitment to the print version, which has served Tennessee Baptists for 191 years. He outlined three key areas of value the paper provides.
“The information in the paper is too important to Tennessee Baptists not to publish,” he said. The publication reliably informs the faith of pastors, ministers, and laypeople and plans to strengthen its content based on recent feedback from younger pastors, he added.
Another key benefit is connection. “The print version is still the best way for a church to understand how it is connected to the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and more than 3,000 sister churches,” Turner stated, referencing the paper’s founding vision to “unite and invigorate the Church.”
Finally, Turner highlighted the paper’s role in stewardship. “We are committed to regularly reporting news and feature stories that help Tennessee Baptists understand how their Cooperative Program and Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions contributions are being invested in God’s work,” he said.
“While we must increase the cost of your subscription, we are also determined to increase the value of the Baptist and Reflector as it supports you and your church’s mission so that every Tennessean has an opportunity to hear the gospel,” Turner concluded. B&R
