Dave Miller

Let me start off by making two statements, just to clarify. I want to see a new occupant in the White House in 2013, in the worst way. I think Barack Obama's policies are dangerous and destructive to the future of America. I don't have a huge problem voting for a Mormon to be the next president. Romney was not my first choice (Tim Pawlenty), my second choice (Herman Cain) or my third choice (Rick Santorum - for whom I caucused). His false religion was a part of my desire to find another candidate. But when he became the nominee, I made peace with that. So, I am a conservative … [Read more...] about Will We Gain the White House and Lose Our Souls?

It wasn't that long ago that Baptist churches were marked by five key services a week - Sunday School, Morning Worship, Training Union, Evening Worship and Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. Training union was the first to enter the endangered species list, and Sunday night worship is not far behind. I would guess that Sunday night worship is now held at a minority of Baptist churches, but I've not seen statistical evidence on that. Certainly, it is true in Iowa. Wednesday night prayer meeting may be the next on that list. I am just wondering, as a discussion question, what you do at your … [Read more...] about Whither “Prayer Meeting?”

If you have been in ministry any length of time, you could compile a list for me of people who have offered themselves for baptism, seemed to know all the right answers and evidenced a strong profession of faith. Then, after the baptism, the faith that flamed fizzles fast. Where are they now? Who knows? It is an all-too-common story. And any genuine minister of the gospel is bothered by that story. Did I fail to examine the candidate for baptism well enough? Should I have done something more? Something different? One human and understandable response to this unfortunate story is for … [Read more...] about How Much Discipleship Ought We Do BEFORE Baptism?

I perused two blog posts today - both were lists.  Both were worth reading and devoting some time to. The first was from Ron Edmondson and the post was called "7 of my biggest frustrations as a leader." He mentioned pettiness, selfishness, rudeness, narrow-mindedness, stubbornness, unforgiveness and recklessness. These are also evident in large supply in the blogging world (as are just about every form of fleshly behavior).  But what is most chilling is how often I see them in me. But the prize for "he stopped preaching and started meddling" goes to Joe Thorn, who wrote, "25 Marks of … [Read more...] about Two Lists Worth Reading

I have the unique opportunity, when I preside at a funeral, to do genuine, powerful and evangelistic ministry.  It is also a time in which I can be tempted to compromise truth, to curry favor with people instead of God, to unintentionally promote heresy and squander this unique opportunity. One Sunday afternoon a while back I sat at my desk working on my evening sermon when the phone rang.  One of our members had finally succumbed after a six month battle with brain cancer.  I headed outside into the dreary Iowa dusk to go and visit with this family for a few brief moments.  As I drove … [Read more...] about Doing Funerals without Burying the Truth

The boy was horribly disfigured by birth defects.  It was difficult to look at his misshapen face.  His mother’s heart had been broken repeatedly by the looks of horror and the unkind words.  The host of the TV show asked her, “When you look at your son, what do you see?”  Tears running down her face, she replied, “I see a beautiful boy.”  She was not blind to his defects, but defiantly chose to look past her son’s deformity.   She chose to see him with eyes of love. In recent days I have heard harsh criticisms of the church.  Many churches are horribly divided, hopelessly impotent and … [Read more...] about Seeing the Beauty in the Body of Christ

If predictions held true, somewhere around 1500 pastors in America endorsed either a political party or a particular presidential candidate in the pulpit yesterday - a clear violation of IRS guidelines. Wayne Grudem, in the Christian Post, spelled out his reasons for participating, and I think he made an excellent case. According to Grudem: The IRS' guidelines restricting political speech from the pulpit is an encroachment on freedom of religion and freedom of speech. I tend to agree. He says that the only way to challenge such IRS guidelines is for someone to violate them and then … [Read more...] about Why I Did Not Participate in “Pulpit Freedom” Sunday

What a powerful, articulate, and passionate speech. Not used to hearing this kind of press conference, are we? I've never seen a football player as incisively challenge his own fans. Courageous. But this was a great speech. He called the extremes of the American football culture to account for its attitudes. Wow. In the last few days we have seen shameful behavior by sports fans in more than one venue. Braves fans at Turner Field threw debris on the field after a call goes against them in the Wild Card game. It was a judgment call by the umpire - an unusual call, to be sure, but other … [Read more...] about Eric Winston Lays a Smackdown on Chiefs’ Fans