Dave Miller

It is not likely that 2017 will be remembered as a great year for Southern Baptists - not our worst, I suppose, but not our best. We had a good time putting on the Pastors' Conference and the Annual Meeting seemed to come off without a lot of controversy (we managed to reelect Steve Gaines on the FIRST ballot!) but there was a surfeit of unnecessary controversy - much of it manufactured within the ranks of the blogging community. There was a constant roiling over the role of politics in the life of the church. It boiled over earlier in the year as Jack Graham withheld a million dollars in … [Read more...] about Better Baptist Blogging in 2018

I will be doing undercover work in Boston the next week, trying to find the link between the New England Patriots and the NFL replay booth. It is clear that something funny is going on there, so I am flying on Christmas day out to Boston to see my family and to try to come up with an explanation for the evil and dishonest things going on in the halls of the NFL. I will let you know what I find. In the meantime, contributors, you are free to post at will. Make sure you don't step on someone else. Give at least 6 hours between posts, okay? Feel free to moderate comments as you please. I … [Read more...] about Miller Out

I've seen arguments about this for years, and people whose judgment I generally respect seem to land on both sides. I think I generally understand it, but I am not sure I get all the ins and outs. The way the supporters describe it, it seems like it should be a no-brainer, then others come along and point out how the internet functioned well for a long time before Net Neutrality was put into effect. So, if you are FOR Net Neutrality, why? If you are against Net Neutrality, why? What are the issues? Effects? Please feel free to use forceful verbiage against those who hold positions … [Read more...] about Can I Get Some Help? Why Is Net Neutrality A Big Deal?

Random thoughts after the divisive Alabama Senate race and the tragic story about Judge Pressler. 1. It is time that character becomes an issue once again in American politics.  The truth is that sin, hypocrisy, and all kinds of darkness have always been a part of the American political landscape. But not too many years ago, Christians held politicians to a certain lifestyle standard if they were going to gain broad support. A thrice-divorced man who boasted of bedding multitudes of women, many married, or a man accused by 9 women of sexual assault would not have gotten an evangelical … [Read more...] about The Day After: Random Thoughts in a Weird World

NOTE: I made a correction in my original post. I had said that no accusation had been made against Dr. Patterson of a cover-up. I was directed to page 33 of the lawsuit where in fact such an accusation is made. The accusation is not proof of course, but my assertion that there was no accusation was not accurate. It is a sad day for the Southern Baptist family. We do not know the outcome of this. Perhaps in time the allegations will be disproven and dismissed, or perhaps they will not. But today, one of the luminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention has felt the sting of accusation. An … [Read more...] about Judge Paul Pressler Accused of Molestation in Texas Lawsuit

After nearly four decades in this job, I believe it is fair to say that the ministry presents unique challenges. No, despite what we like to say when we are together boasting about who is the busiest, we preachers don't work harder than anyone else. Every job has its stress and the people in our pews work hard and carry burdens just as we do. But there are challenges that face the man behind the pulpit (or sitting on the stool?) that the person in the pew may never understand. I have lived in a pastor's home all my life - first as a pastor's son and then as a pastor. Our families have all … [Read more...] about To Be Like Christ: When the Knife Sinks Deep

We are going to be changing some things around here the first of the year (hopefully, if all goes well). We still intend to write the same kind of soul-stirring, mind-expanding, convention-altering blog posts (am I laying it on too thick?) that we've always done, but we are also beginning three regular features - and you can help with those. They will be daily features Monday through Friday. (NOTE: the names are preliminary - they could change). In the Word: We had a great time last year promoting expositional preaching at the Pastors' Conference. We want to keep that up by beginning … [Read more...] about The New and Improved (?) SBC Voices