Archives for 2013

It is not as bad as it sounds. I am in 99% enthusiastic support of the Baptist Faith and Message statement of 2000. I also agree that we need to have a confession of faith that defines our common doctrine and practice. I do not view the BF&M as an authoritative document - it is not a creed. But it is a useful doctrinal statement to which I give my essential support. But I do not completely and fully adhere to the document. Some of my disagreements are picky and essentially insignificant - quarrels over wording. I have one area in which I stand in strong disagreement with and violation … [Read more...] about I Disagree with the BF&M: Does It Matter?

Andy Hynes is a PhD candidate at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Follow him @ABHYNES on Twitter. During some of the most contentious times in SBC life, there is one plea that keeps coming to my mind: that my generation of young men in ministry would grasp and instill Paul’s encouragement from 1 Tim. 4:12 for themselves.  These words are not inconsequential to older men, but challenged to younger.  Nevertheless, they were written to a young man who had great potential.  Paul recognized distinct virtues in Timothy.  After investing in him he sent him out to Ephesus to lead. Greg … [Read more...] about Man Up! (by Andy Hynes)

I enjoyed watching the twitter comments scroll by almost as much as the game. Baptists really love their football. But right after the Dodge Ram Commercial about farmers, my Twitter feed lit up. For the people I follow, that commercial was the unquestioned winner of the night. Here's the ad. Now, here is what Owen Strachan said about the commercial. The commercial breaks show the polar Americas: one loving nobility & honor & country, the other loving lust & hedonism & self Nailed it! GoDaddy.com has stooped as low as they can to sell their product. I will not … [Read more...] about Dodge Ram, GoDaddy and Owen Strachan

  Here is my prediction on the game: I don't care. Since the two teams-of-great-evil were defeated (Green Bay Packers and New Evil Patriots), and my man-crush Peyton Manning got knocked out, I don't care. If San Fran wins, cool. If Ray Lewis wins, cool. I will make one prediction: Coach Harbaugh's team will win. I will be in church tonight, feeling smug and superior to all of you who cancelled church. But the DVR will be recording it. … [Read more...] about A Harbaugh Bowl Open Forum

I was surprised last night, when my wife and I dined at a local eatery, that our server had not heard the now infamous story of the lady in St. Louis, Alois Bell, pastor of a church of about 15 people, who lost her cool after an 18% gratuity was added to her bill. Applebees tacks that on automatically if a party is 8 or more people, even if you split the bill as Ms Bell did. Angered by the automatic amount, Ms. Bell crossed out the tip and added a message that said, "I give God 10%, why do you get 18?" She then took the extra step to sign her bill "Pastor Alois Bell." Well done. If you are … [Read more...] about Reflections on the Credit Card Receipt Heard Round the World

William Thornton is the SBC Plodder. The list of largest churches in the SBC include just nine with reported weekly attendance over 10,000. My curiosity over just how Southern Baptist these churches really are led me to their public information. Most interesting was Village Church, ninth on the list and a church that has their constitution and by-laws on their website. The SBC at the national level has on occasion kicked out (or taken action to "cease their relationship" if you are picky about the language) churches for being too homosexual friendly and the basis for that action has been … [Read more...] about Elder Rule and the Baptist Faith and Message (by William Thornton)

Haggai leveled an accusation against the people of God, that their priorities were out of order. They were more concerned about their own comfort and ease than they were about building the House of God. Several times, he called them to, "Give careful thought to your ways." Stop what you are doing and think about it, he demanded. Where is your life life headed? Are you on the right path? I think we have lost, by and large, the concept of self-reflection and repentance in much of  the modern church. I had two conversations recently that brought this issue to my attention. First, I … [Read more...] about The Lost Art of Self-Reflection and Repentance

Alan blogs at Downshore Drift, where this article was originally published. We are witnesses to history. Before our eyes, the Civil Religion of America that consisted of "God and Country" is being dismantled piece by piece. One might blame liberal activists as they go after cultural institutions that Christians have depended upon to bolster morality and the idea that America is a Christian nation. But, is that the right place to look?  Al Mohler thinks so.  Yesterday, he addressed the Boy Scouts for changing their policy of forbidding Gay Scouts and Scoutmasters to participate in their … [Read more...] about Al Mohler, the Boy Scouts, and the Great Unraveling (by Alan Cross)

During the Eighteenth Century, in the opening years of the French Revolution, an action was taken that has since faded in history compared to the rest of the chaos that followed after it. Looking to eliminate the abuses in the system of religion at the time, the new governing forces confiscated the lands of the state church of France. Why? To give them to the people and to stop the government-empowerment of a religion that many of the new leaders felt was out-dated, backwards, and destructive for society. If you do not know how the French Revolution turned out, you might want to take … [Read more...] about A Post of Personal Paranoia

Bill blogs at "Broken and Undone." where this was originally published. I read a good article yesterday by David Jones over at The Gospel Coalition blog.  The article offered a biblical look at the issue of Cremation or Burial.  If interested, you can read it here. I do not intend to get into that discussion in this post, but would be interested in hearing your thoughts on that article in the comments section. What I would like to give attention to is Jones’ comment in his conclusion.  He said, “…within the Christian tradition funerals aren’t simply ways of disposing of dead bodies, … [Read more...] about The Glory of Funerals (by Bill Gernenz)