While all eyes seem fixed on the EC meeting next week, a significant step in addressing sexual abuse in the SBC took place this morning at the ERLC trustee meeting. In June, a motion was made at the SBC annual meeting calling for an “audit and assessment of sexual abuse within the SBC.” That motion […]
The Minutes of the First Meeting of the Intergenerational Heroes of Freedom
I received a secret transcript of a meeting that took place in the other realm, a meeting of the Intergenerational Heroes of Freedom. They met to tell their stories of heroism during their often too brief stays here on earth. There were freedom fighters and those who resisted tyrants from all over the globe and […]
Twenty Years Since THE Day
My parents hadn’t met when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. I was in first grade when the teacher gathered us around in our reading circle to tell us that President Kennedy had been shot and did not grasp the historical import of the moment. I was watching when Reagan was shot and went outside my […]
In the name of God by OS Hawkins
History is written by the victors, or so I’m told. But it’s not always easy to tell who won. That’s one of the lessons from the from the outstanding new book “In the Name of God: The Colliding Lives, Legends, and Legacies of J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett” by Dr. OS Hawkins. The […]
“Pray Or Die!” an Urgent Call to Prayer Dallas, Ft. Worth and the State of Texas (by Erik Vance)
For those who don’t know me personally but randomly find me on social media, I often get the question: “What does your social media name mean? Pray Or Die!” Some people understand immediately and others find it to be a little harsh without a complete understanding. In 2006 when I was a college student in […]
Reasons for close scrutiny of The Sex Abuse Task Force
I learned an early lesson about the realities of Southern Baptist life: Anyone who asks honest, respectful questions about individuals, entities, budgets, policies and the like gets looked at askance, with disapproval, with suspicion and wariness. I asked some questions about the new Sex Abuse Task Force. Others have done the same. One hopes that […]
The eighth generation church member and pastors’ suspicion of multi-generation church families
I recently read a story about a baptism, a young girl who was the eighth generation of her family in that one church. That’s a lot of ‘begats.’ Most people wouldn’t be able to come up with names for eight generations of their family. Eight generations back from my grandchildren would reach to my great-great-great […]
This Is Why the SBC Resolution on Abortion HAD to Be Amended
An amazing thing has happened in Texas and at the Supreme Court in the last 24 hours. Texas passed a law that prohibited abortion after 6 weeks, when a heartbeat is heard. (NOTE: I am not an expert on the law or on these laws, so I am representing them the best I can – […]
Have We Lost Our Minds?
An update from Religion News Service. Dan Darling is a gentle man of God who advocates for godly conversation and a biblical regard for one another as fellow image-bearers. He has written excellent books on online conversation and how we can better reflect Christ in them. In his conversations with others, he lives that out. […]
SBC’s record is 50-0 in lawsuits
This according to longtime convention attorney, Jim Guenther, and is the estimate for ascending liability lawsuits where someone has a problem in a local SBC-affiliated church and sues the Executive Committee or SBC. There has never been a successful lawsuit of this type. Yes, I understand that the current matter is gravely serious and involves […]
Why can’t some followers of Jesus just talk normally?
There’s another epidemic raging through our fair land. In addition to COVID-19 and variants there is a highly infectious strain of alternative communication making deep inroads into our Christian subculture. Here are just a couple of examples: Some ministry leaders don’t just resign but “step into a substantial season of reordering.” Indeed, marching into a […]
Army Chaplains: Clearing Up Some Myths
There is a good bit of misinformation circulating around the internet regarding military chaplains in general and Army chaplains in specific. I’ve seen posts that claim that Army chaplains cannot pray in Jesus’ name when they conduct their worship services. Some people claim that chaplains are forced to conduct services for other religions. Hopefully this […]