William Thornton is the SBC Plodder – this is the third in a series of posts that will go up fairly rapid-fire. That’s because I got busy today and didn’t set them to post when I should have. Bah humbug! Bad news all around...but...here's my list of the top good news stories for SBCers in 2014: 1. Lottie Moon hits record total, $154.1 million. Southern Baptists may be giving less to the Cooperative Program and less of their disposable income to churches and mission causes, SBC entities may be mired in retrenchment mode because of flat or declining giving, but the Lottie Moon Christmas … [Read more...] about Top SBC “Good News” Stories for 2014 (by William Thornton)
Archives for 2014
Top 2014 SBC News Stories – Part 2 (by William Thornton)
William Thornton is the SBC Plodder – this is the second in a series of posts that will go up fairly rapid-fire. That’s because I got busy today and didn’t set them to post when I should have. Part 1 is here. While you were reading the latest on Hobby Lobby, the Affordable Care Act, and the new Pope, these are some things of interest to Southern Baptists. You likely will not see these in any summary of the year's top Baptist stories in regular outlets. Florida Baptist Convention Settles $12.5 Million Sex Abuse Case Background and summary of this game changing sex abuse case may … [Read more...] about Top 2014 SBC News Stories – Part 2 (by William Thornton)
Top 2014 SBC News Stories – Part 1 (by William Thornton)
William Thornton is the SBC Plodder - this is the first in a series of posts that will go up fairly rapid-fire. That's because I got busy today and didn't set them to post when I should have. Here is my list of top news stories of interest to Southern Baptists for this year, with insightful and witty commentary. I am presuming that all SBCers will be focused on football the next few days and will not be making any significant news between now and the end of 2014. My ranking is completely subjective. 1. David Platt elected president of the International Mission Board At the tender … [Read more...] about Top 2014 SBC News Stories – Part 1 (by William Thornton)
On Small, Struggling Churches: What Makes a Church Effective?
Recently, I read an article with which I agreed almost entirely, Ed Stetzer's “Some Churches Should Die and Stay Dead.” But as I read the article I found myself in an odd position. I was reacting negatively, viscerally, to the article - even though I could find no essential disagreement. I felt defensive and couldn't really understand why. His advice on re-planting churches was helpful and wise. So, what was my problem? As I ruminated on it (with the holidays, I've had a little more time to do that), I realized that it was not the article, but a general ecclesiological zeitgeist I discern in … [Read more...] about On Small, Struggling Churches: What Makes a Church Effective?
Unwillingness & Inability: A Summary of Andrew Fuller’s Solution (Ken Hamrick)
The theology of Andrew Fuller, as set out in his greatest work, The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, is centrally located between those Calvinists who see sinners as walking corpses---no more able to believe than a dead body is able to raise itself from the dead---and those of the other side who see sinners as fully enabled by God's grace to choose (their will being the determining factor). To Fuller, men are able to believe, but will nonetheless remain unwilling until God does a supernatural work of grace to reverse their unwillingness. Regeneration only causes a man to do what he otherwise … [Read more...] about Unwillingness & Inability: A Summary of Andrew Fuller’s Solution (Ken Hamrick)
Do what makes you happy, but…
It’s advice you sometimes hear people say: just do what makes you happy. On the one hand, it’s not terrible advice—happiness is better than walking around miserable all the time. But on the other hand, it leaves the door open to individualizing morality away from God’s holiness; and it turns happiness into a god of sorts, making the feeling the supreme objective of life. Solomon gave us an interesting take on the issue at the end of Ecclesiastes. Writing as an old man and reflecting back on his life, he mentioned several times how he had tested everything and denied himself nothing, even … [Read more...] about Do what makes you happy, but…
13 Truths About Good Works
I’ve been reading The Practical Works of Richard Baxter. It is so lengthy and theologically rich that I’m confident I won’t make it through this before Jesus returns. But I am enjoying what I have read thus far. In one particular section Baxter discusses the controversy of his day concerning good works. The papists, says Baxter, attempt to “persuade their ignorant disciples, that we account them vain and needless things”. Almost 400 years later I believe the words of Baxter concerning good works need to be recovered. In our day I believe the charge could be made that we view good works … [Read more...] about 13 Truths About Good Works
Slave Christmas
Among the great Christmas passages in the New Testament: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus aevery knee will bow, of … [Read more...] about Slave Christmas
How to Not Follow Balaam’s Error
Maybe it was one of felt board lessons I heard in one of the eight to ten Sunday school lessons I endured. Or maybe I was just distracted by the talking donkey. Either way, I’ve never thought of Balaam as a bad dude. I’ve always thought he just had a dark moment where he committed the sin of donkey abuse, but for the most part he was faithful in speaking God’s Word. Numbers 24:13 seems to back up my perception of Balaam being a faithful prophet. I mean what an awesome verse for a preacher to put on his wall: “If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to … [Read more...] about How to Not Follow Balaam’s Error
Why should we celebrate Christmas?
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates … [Read more...] about Why should we celebrate Christmas?