The trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary have a difficult meeting ahead of them on May 22. Their President, Dr. Paige Patterson, has come under fire recently for comments made at a 2000 CBMW event regarding abuse and a 2015 conference where he referred to a 16 year old's appearance as "nice." I won't rehash the details of his comments here, but you can read about them elsewhere if you've just slid out from under a rock somewhere and have no idea what I'm talking about. Google will surely help you out. This must not be swept under the rug. It must be dealt with … [Read more...] about Answering Some Objections Regarding Paige Patterson
Some Articles to Consider
Like you, I've been reading a lot about the current situation with Paige Patterson, the SBC annual meeting, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It's a mess that doesn't appear to be headed for any kind of resolution before we arrive in Dallas for the annual meeting. While Patterson's original comments and recent response are deeply disturbing, there have been a few articles written since this all blew up that I have found very helpful and encouraging. I thought I would share them here in an effort to draw more attention to them. The first is an article by Beth Moore. She calls it … [Read more...] about Some Articles to Consider
From the Voice that Matters Most: Ephesians 2:1-5 – But God!
We share our opinions and insights at SBC Voices, but we believe that the Voice that matters most is the one that comes from God’s Word. We present these daily expositional devotions, beginning with a tour of Ephesians called, “Walk Worthy,” in hopes of encouraging our readers to remember to listen to the Voice above every voice. Passage: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the … [Read more...] about From the Voice that Matters Most: Ephesians 2:1-5 – But God!
Some Quick Comments on the Paige Patterson Ordeal
You may be aware that Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson has come under fire over the past few days for comments he made in 2000 during a Q&A time at a meeting sponsored by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Here are the comments that are drawing criticism. The church will never be a refuge for abused women so long as prominent leaders like Southern Baptist Paige Patterson are making dangerous statements like this... https://t.co/mOrukbKvjD pic.twitter.com/xeH2lfXe9z — Jonathan Merritt (@JonathanMerritt) April 28, 2018 More vile … [Read more...] about Some Quick Comments on the Paige Patterson Ordeal
BREAKING: SBC Executive Committee Forms Search Committee
The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention met in Nashville today for a special called meeting to elect a search committee to find the next President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee. This meeting was necessitated by the sudden resignation of Dr. Frank Page last month. The floor was opened for nominations, and according to SBC This Week, 18 members of the Executive Committee were nominated for the search committee. A ballot vote was held, and the following six were elected: Steven Swofford, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Rockwall, TX Joe Knott, Lawyer in … [Read more...] about BREAKING: SBC Executive Committee Forms Search Committee
Coming to #T4G18?
A few of the contributors to this blog are headed to T4G this week. I also know that some of our commenters are headed that way as well. Maybe there are more that I don't know about. Well, consider this your invitation to join us for dinner on Thursday night. We'll talk T4G, SBC, and any other acronym you can come up with. Dave Miller won't be holding court as he does at the SBC, but it should be a good time. We will be eating at Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse. We're going to have a delicious meal, and we'll make SBC Today pay for it. That or we will put it on Dave Miller's credit … [Read more...] about Coming to #T4G18?
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Much of the SBC world is still reeling this morning from the news that Executive Committee President Frank Page resigned yesterday due to moral failure. I won't rehash the details here, but you can read Dave Miller's post from yesterday here. It includes a link to the Baptist Press story. I love the great hymn Come Thou Fount. The whole song is great, but I have some favorite lines. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above Those are the words in my mind and on my heart today. If Frank Page can … [Read more...] about Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
BGCT and BGAV both respond to CBF Illumination Report
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship recently updated their hiring policy based on a "two-part recommendation from the Illumination Project Committee, which has been working over the past 18 months to explore how Cooperative Baptists can strengthen their unity in the face of different beliefs and practices in matters of human sexuality." Here's the text of the updated policy: CBF employees serve as co-laborers with the Holy Spirit in God’s mission, striving to be Christ-like, innovative, authentic, globally focused, committed to hearing and respecting diverse perspectives and to pursuing … [Read more...] about BGCT and BGAV both respond to CBF Illumination Report
Breaking: Small Group of Southern Baptists Now Opposed to the Cooperative Program
For almost 100 years now, the Cooperative Program has been the primary funding mechanism of the Southern Baptist Convention. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised. Tens of thousands of missionaries have been fully funded as they risked their lives to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Tens of thousands of churches have been planted across North America. And millions of people have heard the gospel as a result of the cooperative efforts of Southern Baptists. The impact of the Cooperative Program over the last 100 years of Southern Baptist life will only be fully known in … [Read more...] about Breaking: Small Group of Southern Baptists Now Opposed to the Cooperative Program
2018 Pastor’s Conference Lineup Announced
Last May I expressed my excitement on this blog that H.B. Charles would be nominated to serve as the President of the 2018 SBC Pastor's Conference. Then at the annual meeting in Phoenix last year, Pastor Charles was unanimously elected to serve as the first African American president of the SBC Pastor's Conference. I have been looking forward to the conference, and last week the lineup of speakers was announced on Pastor Charles' blog. The Speakers for the 2018 SBC Pastor’s Conference Bryan Carter | Concord Church | Dallas, Texas Charlie Dates | Progressive Baptist Church | Chicago, … [Read more...] about 2018 Pastor’s Conference Lineup Announced