Dr. Jason Allen is doing an amazing job as president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Today and tomorrow, he and the seminary are hosting a Triennial Symposium on the future of the SBC and the challenges it faces today. The list of speakers is pretty impressive. In addition to Dr. Allen, the speakers will include David Dockery, Ronnie Floyd, Al Mohler, Frank Page, Paige Patterson, and Thom Rainer. Registration is still open, it is inexpensive and includes meals. If you can get to Kansas City by supper time tonight, consider sitting in on this one! I will be there with my … [Read more...] about “The SBC and the 21st Century” at Midwestern – Live-Blogging at 5 PM
“SBC This Week” – An Interview with David Platt
Amy Whitfield and Jonathan Howe have a new podcast called "SBC This Week" in which they discuss news and current events in the Southern Baptist Convention. This week's podcast includes an interview with David Platt in which Jonathan asked Dr. Platt some of the questions Southern Baptists have been asking him on blogs and in other forums. It is well worth your time to listen to the podcast. The episode is called: Executive Committee Recap and an Interview with David Platt. The Platt interview starts around minute 18, but the entire podcast is worth your time. Jonathan asks Dr. Platt the … [Read more...] about “SBC This Week” – An Interview with David Platt
David Platt at Liberty
This is powerful! Count me among those glad a man with this passion is leading our world missions effort. … [Read more...] about David Platt at Liberty
Assistance for Returning Missionaries (Rodney Hammer)
I received this from Rodney Hammer today, as a follow up to the post we've been discussing here all day. While I did not agree with his point of view in that post, I fully support Rodney in this effort, and encourage all of you to give to this worthy effort. We must support the missionaries! From Rodney: "I am told that it is too late regarding Phase 1 and IMB Voluntary Retirement Incentives. There will be many returning missionaries to the States. Many are asking what we are doing to prepare to help returning missionaries. One, I've requested our Association churches to assist and I've … [Read more...] about Assistance for Returning Missionaries (Rodney Hammer)
Where Were You When It All Went Down?
I wasn't around for Pearl Harbor and when Kennedy was shot, I was a kindergarten kid. The teacher called us together and told us that the president had been killed. Oh, I thought, can we go to recess now? I remember when Reagan was shot and while that was quite a morning the fact that he survived meant the trauma of that day did not quite rise to the level of the others. For me, the ninth inning of the seventh game of the 2001 World Series ranks up there, but others will simply see that as crass and inappropriate. (And it is!) But I will never forget September 11, 2001. Never. I was waiting … [Read more...] about Where Were You When It All Went Down?
Simple Suggestions for Responding to the IMB Changes
I've seen some interesting responses to the VRI by the IMB. Wow, have I. Some of them have been published here, but a good many of them did not make it past moderation, simply because I saw no real value in posting baseless charges. This morning, I wrote a post about changes in the SBC since my young whippersnapper days, and I posted it a little early. I had a long day ahead of me and I didn't have time to edit or complete it as I should have. As the day went on today, I thought of how I should have ended that post. So, here is the ending to this morning's post! How should we respond to the … [Read more...] about Simple Suggestions for Responding to the IMB Changes
How the SBC Has Changed – And How That Affects the IMB Changes
I don't know how many of you know this, but I actually knew John Broadus and Basil Manly (Jr, not Sr - I'm not THAT old) growing up. I've been a Southern Baptist a long time. And I think it is safe to say that the SBC that I grew up in is vastly different than the one that exists now, in very many ways. The SBC of 1960s and 1970s would not recognize the SBC of today. 1. The SBC of my youth was homogeneous. With very few exceptions, you could visit an SBC church and feel like you were home. The church might be bigger or smaller, the preaching and music might be better or worse, but the … [Read more...] about How the SBC Has Changed – And How That Affects the IMB Changes
If David Platt Is Going to Be THAT Kind of Leader….
...then the IMB is going to be in pretty good hands. If you can get past the cacophony of naysayers questioning every decision he makes, turning every action he takes into some kind of portent of evil, and if you examine the actions he has taken in his short tenure as president of the International Mission Board, you see a profile of courageous, visionary, godly and effective leadership. In both his public communications (one published this afternoon) and in communications to missionaries which I've seen but cannot publish, he exhibits the kind of leadership we need in the SBC right … [Read more...] about If David Platt Is Going to Be THAT Kind of Leader….
A Letter from David Platt to the SBC Family
This letter has been released by the IMB to the "SBC Family" from David Platt. It is well worth your time to read. I appreciate his spirit, his transparency, and his willingness to deal with tough issues. September 4, 2015 Dear SBC Family, By now many of you may have heard that last week, IMB announced a plan to reduce the total number of our personnel (both here and overseas) by 600-800 people over the next six months. Since the moment this announcement was made, we have sought to communicate the details of this decision as clearly as possible to churches, state conventions, and national … [Read more...] about A Letter from David Platt to the SBC Family
It Just Ain’t Right: Hiding Sin Solves NOTHING!
Let me lead off this post by saying that in my involvement with the SBC, I've seen some of God's great servants doing great service to our Great God under the SBC banner. It is easy to look at the problems and despair - I've been at that precipice - and become one of those anathematizers! There are some serious problems in the SBC and they need to be dealt with, but they are not the majority. We cannot focus on the problems, as significant as they are, and then assume that they are the whole of the denomination. I've seen entity leaders and their staff working with integrity and passion to … [Read more...] about It Just Ain’t Right: Hiding Sin Solves NOTHING!