Well, our venerable flagship giving scheme is a century old and there's a bunch of stuff going on at the SBCAM in Dallas next month. A Baptist Press Story of May 13th featured the group picture above and I recognize a number of people. Someone do an analysis of the dozens of people in that picture. Chances are most of them are on the Cooperative Program payroll which doesn't mean they aren't good people committed to the Lord and his work through Southern Baptists. It does mean that there is a financial connection between keeping the CP going, however weakly, and putting food on your table I … [Read more...] about The CP: celebrating a century of existence and a half century of decline.
The Most Practical Classes I Took in Seminary (Joe Radosevich)
The most practical classes you can take in seminary are biblical languages. Most seminaries are reducing their required language classes. Pastors make fun of having to learn the silent shewa in Hebrew class. Many times, students have to take elementary classes that don’t count towards their degree. Even though trends move the other direction, here are 2 reasons Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic are the most practical classes you can take in seminary Original Languages Will Save You Hours Every Week of Your Ministry. I loved every class in seminary. I found so much to learn and so many areas … [Read more...] about The Most Practical Classes I Took in Seminary (Joe Radosevich)
Our political climate is exhausting. Must our Convention also be? (Matt Johnson)
I don’t think it’s too controversial to say that it’s absolutely draining to keep tabs on political news. The constant barrage of outrage demands our every waking moment. At times, it feels like the strategy is meant to fatigue us so that we no longer care anymore. Is the SBC operating by the same playbook? A recent piece from our friends at Baptist News Global (link here: https://baptistnews.com/article/as-god-is-my-witness-mohler-has-changed-his-tune-on-erlc/) asserts that at least two influential Southern Baptists are planting seeds to bring yet another motion to defund the Ethics and … [Read more...] about Our political climate is exhausting. Must our Convention also be? (Matt Johnson)
Your Opinion, Please
One stated purpose for SBC Voices is to give Southern Baptists a forum for sharing their opinions. A friend once quipped. “If you gather four Southern Baptists into a room, they’ll express five opinions.” Well, this post provides you with an opportunity to share YOUR opinion. You’ll find below five matters that I’ve been contemplating, and I would like to know what you think. For several years I served as the Teaching Pastor at Central Baptist Church in Crandall, Texas. Our beloved senior pastor, Charlie Wilson, often said, “Now, in my humble but accurate opinion.” So, let’s hear your humble, … [Read more...] about Your Opinion, Please
Do You Value the Great Commission?
In the book Look Before You Lead, Aubrey Malphurs highlights the difference between something we believe in and something that we value. To believe in something is to recognize its importance and know that it should be done. To value something is to actually do the thing. Take discipleship for example. Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations. Disciple-making involves going (evangelism and missions), baptizing those who place their faith in Jesus (marking them as part of the family), and teaching (spiritual mentoring). I’ve yet to meet a Christian who didn’t believe in this Great … [Read more...] about Do You Value the Great Commission?
Right Tool; Right Job: Building on the Foundation of Christ in Church Ministry
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 ESV The work of the ministry is sort of like carpentry. This is not surprising, as our Lord spent much of his life in the carpentry trade with his stepdad (Mark 6:3). But as carpenters, we don’t come in and start from scratch. The foundation is already poured—that is the good news of Jesus himself. We simply … [Read more...] about Right Tool; Right Job: Building on the Foundation of Christ in Church Ministry
More dignity and solemnity; less frivolity and nonsense
Surprising results from a recent Lifeway Research survey: 94% of pastors think their church will survive the next 10 years. Well, that's comforting. No, it's not. The idea that we are in a place where church survival is at risk enough to survey the matter means that 100% of protestant pastors are thinking about survival, some seriously, but most think they and their church has the right stuff to make it another decade. The churches I pastored are now 220 years old, 130 years old, and 125 years old. They are all doing well, although one had to engineer a merger to survive. So … [Read more...] about More dignity and solemnity; less frivolity and nonsense
What’s in a Legacy?
In The Gospel-Driven Church, Jared C. Wilson tells the story of a church he served that had been around since the 1780s. He writes that looking back at a notebook with a list of all the pastors, deacons, and board members who served, “was a constant reminder to me that one day my name was going to be a barely legible entry in a dusty book covered in mouse droppings” (p. 190). His bigger point is that our ministry as pastors won’t last. He reminds us that God promised to build his church and that the gates of hell wouldn’t over come it (Matthew 16:18), but that doesn’t mean God will build our … [Read more...] about What’s in a Legacy?
It’s Monday, Pastor. Take a Breath.
Monday. It’s a universally hated day (by most, at least). It represents the end of the weekend and the start of, sigh, a new work week. The bed just seems a little cozier on Monday mornings. The coffee seems to take a little longer to brew. We don’t want to get up, and when we do, our feet drag. Monday. Ugh. For Pastors, Mondays hit a little different. In a way, it’s almost a Tuesday, and that’s better than a Monday, right? However, if you talk to pastors, many say Monday still seems to be a drag. Sunday was draining. It is, after all, the big day of our week. Most everything else we … [Read more...] about It’s Monday, Pastor. Take a Breath.
Finding Your “Why?”
We’re all searching for purpose. Sometimes that purpose is clear and we pursue it with a passion. Other times we struggle to maintain focus or get lost on the way (often, this is what a midlife crisis is). Each of us needs a Why? in our lives. As a dad, I do what I do in order to raise children who can thrive in this world, and hopefully love Jesus. As a husband, my why is loving and serving my wife the best I can to honor her as my sister in Christ. As a pastor, I strive to help people experience the love of God so they might in turn love God and love others. Each of these is my why in my … [Read more...] about Finding Your “Why?”