Spring 2024 Lifeway Retiree Fellowship
Lifeway Retiree Spotlight
Al Crawford
A Life of Service to Others
Prior to coming to the Board in 1957 as direct mail specialist, Crawford was financial property accountant for the United States Army. Later, he served as supervisor of the Board’s church supplies and audiovisual aids section and supervisor of the sales promotion section of the retail advertising and sales promotion department.
In February 1972, Al was named manager of the campus stores department; in 1974, manager of the campus and western stores department; and in 1975, director of the central/campus region of Baptist Bookstores in The Southern Baptist Sunday School Board’s bookstore division. He served the Baptist Sunday School Board for 36 years.
Al is an active member of Belmont Heights Baptist Church, Franklin, TN and has served as deacon, Sunday School director, and teacher.
Al continues to serve others and is known to be a great encourager to friends and family. He ministers by sending cards and making phone calls. He regularly calls on birthdays and anniversaries to friends and loved ones. He is a Godly man who genuinely cares for others. Many of us have been recipients of encouraging and celebratory cards and phone calls.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.
Thank you, Mr. Al, for continuing to care for others.
Fall 2023 Lifeway Retiree Fellowship
Lifeway Retiree Spotlight
Johnnie C. Godwin
A Life of Service to Others
Our Spotlight Retiree of 2023 has had a long and fruitful life ministry. Johnnie served as pastor of several churches in Texas before coming to Baptist Sunday School Board in 1970 as editor of youth materials. While serving at BSSB, he wrote many books including A Security Blanket Called Home, What IT Means to Be Born Again and Life’s Best Chapter Retirement, to name a few as well as the Layman’s Bible Book Commentary: Mark. He has been identified as a prolific writer and lover of words.
Johnnie held many positions of leadership while at BSSB and Lifeway. He was supervisor of Broadman Books and Music, manager of Broadman Products Division. While serving as Vice President of General Publishing, he traveled to represent BSSB/Lifeway around the world. On one occasion he traveled to the International Book Fair in Moscow, Russia, during a Soviet coup. Spoke with Russian Leaders and visited Russian churches including the Mascon Central Baptist church. Later he visited Beijing, China and worked with United States publishers to coordinate publishing there in China.
As a writer and lover of words, Johnnie wrote a weekly newspaper column for 9 years for the Hendersonville Star News and a monthly column for 19 years titled “Both Sides of the Pulpit” for “The Baptist and Reflector.” He and his wife, Phyllis, co-wrote with Karen Dockery the Student Bible Dictionary and is still used today—even a Spanish translation.
Johnnie continues to be active through his church, FBC, Hendersonville, Tennessee, providing Bible study, encouraging others, being a chaplain for groups and affirming persons in their ministry walk. He has on occasion been interim pastor for several Tennessee Baptist churches. We can keep up with Johnnie on Facebook as he shares events and experiences.
Johnnie has been quoted as saying “we awake each morning, grateful for another day of life and stewardship to use as we feel God would want us to. We are glad to grow older. We thank God for each gift of a new day and a chance to use what God gives us and entrusts us with to be accountable to Him. What a blessing!”
Spring 2022 Lifeway Retiree Fellowship
Retiree Spotlight
Linda Lawson Still
A Life of Service to Others
Linda began her career with Baptist Sunday School Board on April 1, 1970 as an editor in the Sunday School Department. In five years, she moved to the Office of Communications where she served for 25 years until retirement on February 1, 2002
Active in community service found Linda on the Board for the Maryland Farms YMCA, member of the Tennessee Baptist Executive Board (2008-2014) and supporting American Red Cross blood drives.
Linda and her husband, Pat, are committed to serving others. They helped start Clearview Baptist Church, Franklin (1980s) where she teaches a Bible study class since early 1990s, serves on the Personnel Team, and participates on several mission trips. Linda and Pat supported a Russian translator, Maria Peek, come to the United States and attend graduate school. Maria has graduated and married. Now, she is like family to Linda and Pat.
Linda spends her time now as the primary caregiver to her husband who has developed a form of dementia.
Surely, Linda has a life of encouraging and serving others. Well done, faithful servant.
“I try to make encouraging others a priority. I can’t vouch for my effectiveness. Perhaps others can.”
– Linda Lawson Still
Our Mission
The purpose of this organization shall be to provide regular opportunities for fellowship among the membership; to encourage members to continue to be creative, productive, useful, and caring in their families, community, church, and denomination; and to keep alive their love, concern, and support of the mission of Lifeway Christian Resources.
Retiree Spotlight
The purpose of this retiree spotlight is to identify selected retirees of five years or more who remain actively involved in life activities with family, church, community, travel, support for Lifeway and its mission and who demonstrate an encouraging manner to those around them in their daily walks. Frequency of nominations will determine the number of spotlights during a year.
Selection Criteria for Nominees (Leadership Team not eligible)
1. Retiree of five years or more.
2. Active volunteer in community service.
3. Active member of a local congregation, including ministry and/or missions.
4. Demonstrates encouraging manner towards others.
5. Supports Lifeway mission.
6. Participating member of Lifeway Retiree Fellowship (LRF).
7. Cares about and supports family.
Process of Selection and Publication of Retiree Spotlight
1. LRF members nominate LRF retirees based on the published selection criteria on the LRF website Membership tab by submitting the Nomination Form.
To nominate someone, click here.
2. The LRF Executive Committee receives nominations and determines who will be featured on the Retiree Spotlight.
3. The selected retiree will be emailed a questionnaire by Event Associate with a deadline to return the completed questionnaire to him.
4. Event Associate will write the article based on completed questionnaire.
5. Event Associate shares first draft with selected members of the LRF Executive Committee for proofing.
6. Event Associate emails second draft/final and photo to the LRF Executive Committee for final review/consideration. With final review and approval of majority of the LRF Executive Committee, the LRF Email Associate sends a photo and the article to the LRF Website Associate who includes the Spotlight in the next LRF email.
7. The LRF Website Associate places the photo/article on the website.
LifeWay Retiree Fellowship 