Dave Miller

I’ve tried to avoid rants recently, but sometimes us old codgers (after Sunday, I’m one year more codgery after all) just need to codger. Our president, J.D. Greear just announced the theme for the 2021 convention in Nashville. We should be rejoicing that there are VOWELS in it, but I saw several people grousing about his chosen theme, “We Are Great Commission Baptists.” Back in the dark ages, we appointed a name-change committee to see about the possibility of changing from being the SBC to something more reflective of who we had become – a nationwide Baptist convention. We ran into two … [Read more...] about We Are Great Commission Baptists – I HOPE!

Southwestern Seminary and Baylor are suing the Harold E. Riley Foundation and its trustees over what they allege is an illegal attempt to divert funds from the schools contrary to the foundation's purpose and bylaws. I skimmed the lawsuit and read the story, but I cannot pretend to have an in-depth knowledge of the facts of this case. You can read the full story in the Religion News Service story on the lawsuit, by Bob Smietana. The lawsuit itself is available in PDF form. The suit alleges that the Riley Foundation was established in 2002 to provide funds for SWBTS and Baylor, granting the two … [Read more...] about SWBTS, Baylor, Sue over Alleged Patterson Attempt to Change Foundation Funding

It is no secret that we Southern Baptists are in a bit of a statistical funk and since we venerate statistics as we do, our numerical decline has been the source of great weeping and wailing, and of course, finger-pointing. Every year, the ACP statistics drop shortly before the SBC annual meeting and we don sackcloth and ashes to bemoan the slide. The idealism of the Conservative Resurgence has not panned out. We believed that when we turned our convention “Back to the Bible” and grounded it once again in inerrancy, all good things would follow. Since evangelism is rooted in sound theology … [Read more...] about Building Better Baptists: SBC Decline is Older than I Am

The signs have been there for some time. I am not talking about Jerry Falwell, Jr.'s political involvement, with which many of us disagreed, but his demeanor, words, and behavior which gave rise to serious questions as to whether he possessed the requisite character and spiritual maturity to serve as president of Liberty. My issues with Jerry, Jr began early, when a controversy arose about Glenn Beck (a Mormon) speaking at Liberty convocation. I did not have a problem with Beck speaking (in an academic setting, exposing students to different viewpoints is helpful) as much as what Jerry said … [Read more...] about When Will We Learn?

An Allegory  The BBBCC brain trust was deep in conversation and frustrations were running high. For decades, they had been the premiere denominational construction company, building a Baptist convention that was the envy of other denominations. Its headquarters were an architectural wonder, its schools the envy of the world. It had great convention edifices in states throughout the South, with successful building projects both here at home and in foreign lands. The Building Better Baptists Construction Company was an example to the entire Christian construction world. As time went on, … [Read more...] about Building Better Baptists: An Allegory

I was furious last night after reading a statement by a friend on Facebook. He repeated the lies being promoted within the SBC, accusations against the doctrinal fidelity and spiritual integrity of our officers, professors, and some key leaders. He is a good man with no ill intent. He is lodging these accusations because he has been led to believe that false charges are true. People he respects say these things without conscience or concern and he believes them. Another friend said something in a private conversation a few days ago that roused me at first, but made me begin to think. … [Read more...] about Calling Out the Call-Out Culture

I woke up a couple of hours ago and I already wish I hadn't! That's perhaps a bit extreme, but it has been a gloomy 120 minutes. I got a call from our oldest member that his wife had died and since I'm about to leave on vacation to see my newest grandson, my schedule is in a tizzy. I'm in talks with my Sunday Leader about whether to open up our Sunday School ministry at the start of the school year and again I am confronted with the fact that I just don't have a clue! There are those who seem to know exactly what to do at every moment, self-assured to the core. I'm not blessed with such … [Read more...] about Ministry in a Pandemic is Wearing This Old Codger Down

"Woke" is a common insult thrown around by those who oppose the pursuit of justice as a Christian mandate. When they are upset at the stands that other conservative Christians take on racial issues, on sexual abuse issues, on political matters, when some refuse to acquiesce to GOP/conservative orthodoxy, they resort to dismissive name-calling. Derogations such as  liberal, "social justice warriors," or the ubiquitous "woke" are common. In certain circles, woke is synonymous with liberal, denying the Scriptures, or at least ignoring the primacy of the Gospel. I've objected to the insult because … [Read more...] about Is Being “Woke” So Bad?

This may come as a shock to most of you, but I am often not up to date on your whippersnapper, hipster lingo. I am thankful for the Google because I can go on the interwebs and look up stuff you guys talk about, appearing as if I was in the know all the time. Recently, I saw a word that intrigued me, another one of those acronyms that are so popular today. I've shared it with several friends, most of whom do not seem to have heard of it. The word is DARVO. Jennifer J. Freyd, PhD, a professor from the University of Oregon, wrote a paper entitled, "What is DARVO?" which gives a succinct … [Read more...] about Have You Met DARVO?

No, this one isn't about topical sermons vs expositional or that sort of thing. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but during the shutdown, I've fallen into a new pattern for preaching that I hope to continue now that the slow march toward normalcy has begun. I used to preach from handwritten notes. If you saw my handwriting, you'd know why that can be a total disaster. I've been using my computer to study and prepare notes for a long time. Since I moved here to Sioux City, I have been relying more and more on presentation software (still using old faithful - Powerpoint) for … [Read more...] about How Do You Preach?