Felix Cabrera, Pastor of Iglesia Bautista Central in Oklahoma City, will be nominated for SBC Second Vice President. The initial announcement came Friday afternoon through Baptist Press. Pastor Ed Litton (Redemption Church, Mobile, Alabama) will nominate Cabrera at the Annual Meeting in Dallas, June 12-13. Cabrera's list of accomplishments and service are impressive. You can see all the details in the BP article, but I wanted to pull a few highlights here. Iglesia Bautista Central was planted in 2015 and has grown to over 200 in weekly attendance. They've been recognized twice for their high … [Read more...] about Felix Cabrera to Be Nominated for SBC Second Vice President
Dr. A. B. Vines to Be Nominated for SBC First Vice President
Baptist Press just reported that Dr. Johnny Hunt will nominate Dr. A. B. Vines for SBC First Vice President this summer at the Annual Meeting in Dallas. Vines is pastor of New Seasons Church in San Diego, President of the California Southern Baptist Convention, and is a recent past president of the National African American Fellowship of the SBC. You'll see all those details and more in the BP article. The announcement notes the extensive missions work of New Seasons Church, Cooperative Program and Great Commission Giving, "community clothing and feeding ministries, at least two church … [Read more...] about Dr. A. B. Vines to Be Nominated for SBC First Vice President
Understanding Each Other & the Best Way to Respond to Charlottesville
I’ve been trying to figure out why people are getting so angry at each other about the events in Charlottesville this past weekend. Discussion has turned heated in almost irrational ways as we’ve tried to discuss and make sense of how we should respond to what happened. And here’s the thing— virtually everyone here at SBC Voices, both contributors and commenters, agrees about most of the major elements: We all agree that white supremacy is abhorrent and evil, whether KKK, neo-nazi, alt-right or other. We all agree that leftist groups were there to escalate and incite violent conflicts, … [Read more...] about Understanding Each Other & the Best Way to Respond to Charlottesville
Bruce Ashford series on the alt-right
Bruce Ashford has written an incredibly helpful 4-part series on the alt-right movement and how evangelicals should respond to it. Not only is this worth your time for reading and your own understanding, but many church members will likely have questions about Resolution 10 and what the SBC meant when it passed a resolution condemning the alt-right movement. This is don't-miss material. The Anti-Gospel of the Alt-Right Overview: An Evangelical Conservative’s Guide to the Alt-Right Part 1: An Introduction to Alt-Right Ideology Part 2: A Profile of 5 Alt-Right Leaders Part 3: A Response to … [Read more...] about Bruce Ashford series on the alt-right
H. B. Charles Lays Out Vision for 2018 Pastors’ Conference
Last week the news broke that H. B. Charles would be nominated for President of the 2018 SBC Pastors' Conference. It was big news and widely welcomed in news and social media. Brad Graves, who had previously been announced as a nominee withdrew his name from consideration in support of Charles' nomination, which made a noteworthy announcement even more significant. Today H. B. Charles posted at his blog an article titled "My Nomination for SBC Pastors’ Conference President" where he gives some personal reflections about his nomination. The post is well worth reading for several reasons - … [Read more...] about H. B. Charles Lays Out Vision for 2018 Pastors’ Conference
SBCPC Scholarship Recipients (Round 2)
We're glad today to announce the second and final round of recipients for the 2017 SBC Pastors' Conference Scholarship. Round two includes 30 pastors and church planters who will, along with 30 in the first round, receive $1,000 for travel and other expenses to attend all sessions of the SBC Pastors' Conference and SBC Annual Meeting. As before, these recipients pastor average-sized SBC churches and wouldn't be able to attend without these scholarship funds. About 30% of our applicants are church planters. Close to half of this list are from outside traditional SBC states. We love having this … [Read more...] about SBCPC Scholarship Recipients (Round 2)
BP Reports Prestonwood to Continue CP Giving
This afternoon Baptist Press reported that Prestonwood Baptist Church would resume their Cooperative Program giving. The article specifies their giving will be without designation, meaning there will be no redirection of funds away from any specific entities. This is a welcome resolution to an issue that had gone mostly quiet since Russell Moore and ERLC trustees released their 'Seeking Unity' statement more than a month ago. "After a time of prayerful evaluation, Prestonwood is renewing our commitment to Southern Baptist missions by giving to the Cooperative Program without designation," … [Read more...] about BP Reports Prestonwood to Continue CP Giving
SBCPC Scholarship Recipients (Round 1)
Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2017 SBC Pastors' Conference Scholarship. Each of these 30 recipients will receive $1,000 for travel and other expenses to attend all sessions of the SBC Pastors' Conference and SBC Annual Meeting. These recipients pastor average-sized SBC churches and wouldn't be able to attend without these scholarship funds. About 30% of our applicants are church planters. Several are from outside traditional SBC states. We love having this opportunity to bless small church pastors. We want to thank early donors who have helped make these scholarships … [Read more...] about SBCPC Scholarship Recipients (Round 1)
Pastors’ Conference Scholarship Application
Loading... Apply here for the 2017 SBC Pastors' Conference scholarship. More information available here. … [Read more...] about Pastors’ Conference Scholarship Application
In Defense of Open Mic Time at Funerals
Yesterday William Thornton wrote about The Bizzare Cases of Strangers Speaking at Funerals. William recommended against "the growing trend of an informal, almost ad hoc service where various family members and friends may speak as well as the minister or ministers". The article had a number of points about funerals that I would affirm as good advice - like making sure the gospel is clearly presented, and making sure you learn about the life of the deceased and include that in your message. I thought it was worth some gentle pushback on the open mic time, however. I would estimate about half … [Read more...] about In Defense of Open Mic Time at Funerals