Within the Southern Baptist Convention, some have implied that the current focus on addressing abuse in our churches and entities is a distraction from our mission, which has historically been assumed to be evangelism and missions. However, to view efforts to deal with the sin of abuse in SBC churches and entities as a distraction […]
Expanded Statement by Baptist Press about the Jennifer Lyell Story
Since the publication a couple of weeks ago of the admission by Jonathan Howe that the story published by Baptist Press on Jennifer Lyell was not accurate, I’ve been dealing privately with a man (I won’t give any information on him, other than he holds a responsible job at a non-SBC parachurch organization) who constantly […]
Revoking Ordination
In recent weeks we’ve commented extensively on the need to revoke the ordination of pastors who have been convicted of child/sexual abuse. I’m confident our Voices writers and readers agree on that. We have not discussed how that can be done. That thought prompted me to do some research on revoking ordination. I checked the […]
This Little Light – A reflection on Christa Brown’s Story
At the #CaringWell conference last week, Rachael Denhollander recommended that Southern Baptists read Christa Brown’s book, This Little Light: Beyond a Baptist Preacher Predator and His Gang.[i] I read the book after receiving a copy at the For Such a Time as This rally at the SBC Annual Meeting in Birmingham at the recommendation of […]
Should women in churches distrust and be wary of all male staff members?
Forget the Billy Graham Rule. You know, the one that classifies all women as potential, shameless seductresses. I can think of a few pieces of advice and counsel I was given early and often as a young seminarian and pastor. One of these is that you have to watch out for women in the church […]
Assumptions, Filters, and Eisegesis: A Study of David and Bathsheba
Social media currents today flow with a discussion over sexual assault, consent, and the story of David’s encounter with Bathsheba, as recorded in 2 Samuel 11. I’ve discussed the matter with students in some of my classes at a small Christian university. As well, I’ve spent hours debating it with myself while I’m at my […]
Only Heretics Disagree with Me about David and Bathsheba
A debate has raged on Twitter in recent days that strains credulity – not that the topic is being debated but the force with which it is being argued. The question is whether David’s sin with Bathsheba was adultery or did it constitute rape. Did David rape Bathsheba? That is a valid discussion, but as […]
Go ye therefore…and sell shoes, be a social media sensation, or unstop toilets…
…just get out of pastoral ministry if you’ve messed up your life and aren’t above reproach. I’m about 48% in favor of having a guild for Southern Baptist clergy that has the authority to deny credentials to rascals, scoundrels, Elmer Gantry types, and criminals; to incompetent hucksters, church-wreckers, and money-grubbers; and to just plain ecclesiastical […]
The SBC’s Big Three: Lottie, Annie, and the Cooperative Program
The thing about an article like this is that those who care already know. Those who don’t know the history and trends don’t much care. But consider a few things. These three offerings combined totaled about $682 million for the most recent year’s data available. The CP, received by the states, was $463 million. […]
No need to spin this: Annie Armstrong sets record, up over a million
This makes three years running for record offerings to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. NAMB, our formerly beleaguered entity with not one but two meltdowns is doing fine. Southern Baptists have bought into what they are doing. I can think of a few reasons why this is so and may update […]
Caring Well Conference – Day 3 Recap
I found it difficult to complete my recap series and summarize day three’s morning session—First, because the talks were so rich and full of compelling content that it’s difficult to condense into a concise summary and, second, because even 48hrs later, I remain physically, spiritually, and emotionally exhausted. This conference was one of the most […]
Southern Baptists can manage bad news, hard facts, and serious missteps.
A church was experiencing explosive growth. Attendance was skyrocketing. Giving was rapidly increasing. Building programs, outreach initiatives, staff additions, and baptisms were all going up year-after-year. Then, things leveled off. Attendance was no longer going up and other statistics no longer showed eye-popping rates of increase. The church dropped from their accustomed place on various […]