I have seen several comments by bloggers on this site and others advocating off-site, electronic voting for the SBC. Travel to the SBC cost me a lot of money (well, my expense account) and the time off can be a hardship. Of course, that results in fewer churches sending messengers and taking part. Here’s one vote against electronic voting in the SBC. It may happen, but for the time, I am going to speak against it and vote against it if given the chance. Here are the reasons why I do not think it is a good idea. 1) The Ideal, Theoretical Reason: Most churches have rules against … [Read more...] about Why I Oppose Internet Voting at the SBC
A Bizarre, but Blessed Day in Baptist World
I am thrilled that the GCR report passed at the SBC Annual Meeting by a very strong majority. I guessed the vote to be about 75%-25%. Another blogger I ran into estimated things at 70%-30%. Someone else said it was 85%-15%. Hard to count. I could have wished that the vote was 95%-5% like the authorization vote last year, but the vote we had was a clear and convincing vote. The majority of the SBC was behind the GCR Report. But there were many bizarre things that happened today in Orlando - some personal and some political. On the positive side, almost every one of these trips into … [Read more...] about A Bizarre, but Blessed Day in Baptist World
Will the Real SBC Majority Please Stand Up?
We are in Orlando determining the direction of the SBC for many years to come. We will elect a president who will guide us for the next couple of years. That may not be our most crucial decision, but it will reveal something about who we are. We will vote on several motions. I think that our response to Dwight McKissic's motion on racism will reveal how much progress we have made in racial issues. Of course, the GCR will be the al turning point. Will we embrace the vision the Task Force has put forward or will we turn back and hold onto the status quo? But there is another question behind … [Read more...] about Will the Real SBC Majority Please Stand Up?
A Tale of Two (GCR) Pleas
I witnessed two passionate pleas for the GCR report tonight. One offended me and the other moved me deeply. Ronnie Floyd took a few minutes to harangue us about the need to vote for the GCR. It was a full court press for votes that would have made Bobby Knight proud. He asserted that God's Spirit was behind the report and made it pretty much impossible to love the gospel and disapprove of the GCR. It was a prototypical, high-pressure emotional appeal. I hate emotional manipulation and pressure tactics. They should not be necessary to anyone who is doing the work of God. If God is … [Read more...] about A Tale of Two (GCR) Pleas
Tony Roma’s for Bloggers: Day One in Orlando
Sunday night in Orlando turned out to be a night of great fun and fellowship with bloggers I had never previously met. Let me share a few tidbits with you. Bloggers, evidently, attend the convention, but stand in the hallways chatting. On my way into the convention center, I saw a tall (I mean really tall) thin man I recognized as Micah Fries. Then, a few steps down the hallway I saw another tall man (not quite so thin) – Tim Rogers. He was standing there talking to Bart Barber, Wes Kenney and several others. As we were standing there, David Rogers walked by. It was a regular … [Read more...] about Tony Roma’s for Bloggers: Day One in Orlando
Why I Will Vote for Leo Endel for SBC President
My vote for SBC President is going to go to the least known of all the candidates. Leo Endel is the Executive Director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention. After quite a bit of thought, I've decided to cast my vote for him. I'd like to tell you why. In the interests of full disclosure, I will tell you that Leo is a close friend of mine. We arrived in Iowa about the same time and spent a lot of quality time in the state office serving on the Iowa Executive Board. When Leo was elected president of the Baptist Convention of Iowa, I was elected first vice-president. Leo led … [Read more...] about Why I Will Vote for Leo Endel for SBC President
Dave Miller and Matt Svoboda Played Golf Today: Who Won??
It was a beautiful day in Sioux City. … [Read more...] about Dave Miller and Matt Svoboda Played Golf Today: Who Won??
I’m Through Cheering For Jerks
I am sick of the jerks; the cheats and losers who have become superstars in the sports world today. I am glad that there are so many noble, decent, hard-working athletes. But today, there are just too many jerks to ignore. Let me be honest – I’m a sports nut. It’s probably an unhealthy addiction for me. My office bears witness to my passion for sports – especially the New York Yankees and the Iowa Hawkeyes. My light switch and mousepad have Yankees logos. I have a large Yankee banner. My pride and joy is a life-sized cardboard cutout of Babe Ruth, perhaps the greatest Yankee of them … [Read more...] about I’m Through Cheering For Jerks
A Rock and A Hard Place: An Iowa Baptist Confronts Tough Issues in the GCRTF Report
I do one thing most of the time. I teach and preach the Bible. That hardly qualifies me to analyze denominational structures and give insight on how to restructure them (or not) to face the challenges of the future. I have read through the Task Force Report, though I have not exegeted the document, parsed its verbs or performed word studies on it in the original languages as some have done. My cursory reading, though, has left me somewhat conflicted about whether to support the report in Orlando or not. Two major factors go into my feelings. 1) The GCRTF Report is almost certainly … [Read more...] about A Rock and A Hard Place: An Iowa Baptist Confronts Tough Issues in the GCRTF Report
Dr. Chapman, Dr. Rankin: Clash of the Titans
On February 10, Dr. Morris Chapman addressed the state executive directors in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho and made some comments that were critical of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force interim report. On March 8, Dr. Jerry Rankin wrote a blog which was very critical of Dr. Chapman’s report. Let me say a couple of things before I address this disagreement. First, both of these men have been favorites of mine for a long time. I am in agreement with Dr. Rankin’s passion for world missions and his desire to see the SBC participate in the bigger world of world evangelization. I got into … [Read more...] about Dr. Chapman, Dr. Rankin: Clash of the Titans