Dave Miller

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has evidently ruled in favor of the housing allowance that we in ministry have come to depend on. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal has this article. I also understand that Guidestone is going to put out some info on this pretty soon. However, all is not good news here. The appeals court did not rule in favor of the housing allowance, but simply ruled that the plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the suit. Since none of them had been denied the housing allowance, they could not show harm. The 7th Circuit, however, found that the plantiffs lacked the … [Read more...] about Whew! The Housing Allowance Survives! (For Now)

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 She was not happy with me, not at all. I was teaching Proverbs 22:6, which says essentially the same thing in every modern English translation, some variation of the ESV translation above. I made an observation about the nature of proverbs. They are statements about the general course of life, but are not meant to be ironclad promises or absolute guarantees. That bothered her. Still single, she anticipated getting married and having children, but if she did not have a guarantee that her … [Read more...] about Train Up a Child: What Does Proverbs 22:6 Actually Mean?

I shared last weekend about Iowa's decision to go to a 50-50 split in Cooperative Program giving. I know that some of you had state Baptist conventions this week. So, tell me what happened at your state convention this year. Encouraging trends. Challenges. Controversial issues. Officers and elections. What's happening in your neck of the Baptist woods? … [Read more...] about Tell Me about Your State Convention

Today, at our annual meeting in Des Moines, the Baptist Convention of Iowa voted to adopt a budget that includes a true 50-50 split of Cooperative Program funds. Starting in the new budget, 50% of our CP money will go to the Executive Committee to fund the IMB, NAMB, the seminaries, the EC, the ERLC and whatever else we do as a denomination. I am pleased to be an Iowa Baptist today. Currently, our division is 80-20, and of course, Iowa keeps the 80%. At the encouragement of our new Executive Director, Tim Lubinus, we decided not to move incrementally over a matter of years, but to dive … [Read more...] about Iowa Baptists Enter a 50-50 Cooperative Program Split

I didn't get much done last night, other than watch the election returns. Yesterday, before I left the office, I wrote out a worksheet of the 14 races which polls said were in dispute in the battle for control of the Senate. I tracked them, watched the numbers and finally called it a night around midnight. Here are some of my observations today. 1) It was a Red Tsunami. For most of the night, Juan Williams tried to argue against calling this a "wave" - I don't know why. By the end of the night, he was admitting the obvious. As best I can tell, there was only 1 of those 14 races in which … [Read more...] about Election Reflections

There is a movement out there calling on pastors to endorse candidates for political office from the pulpit. I sympathize with the aims of this group. They are trying to make a statement to the government and to the IRS that the pulpit should remain free from government intrusion. The IRS, after getting spanked a few times recently for politically-motivated actions against conservatives, is refusing to take the bait. They have not stepped up enforcement against any of those pastors who have made this act of protest. It makes no difference to me. I have never endorsed a candidate for public … [Read more...] about Why I Don’t Endorse Candidates from the Pulpit

I'm going off grid for about a little more than a week. I'm leaving first thing in the morning for a BCI Pastors' Tour to the Holy Land, with a group of (wait for it) BCI Pastors and their wives. Jenni is traveling with me this time - I promised her last year after I got to go to Israel that I would take her. Anyway, the blog is wide open. Normally, I publish the posts according to a schedule. But for the next 9 days, it is "fire when ready." If you have a post ready to go, put it up. You are on your own for a week, fellas. A Few Guidelines 1) Be ye kind and considerate of the … [Read more...] about SBC Voices Contributors: Fire When Ready

(Okay, I apologize for that title.) I'm preparing for a BCI Pastor's trip to Israel next week, but I saw this infographic that buttressed something I've been saying for about 267 years, and I thought I would write a few brief thoughts for you to discuss.  I don't really have time for this, and this will likely be my last post (unless its not) until after I return on October 29th. Here's my thesis. I like simple weddings. More than that, I think they are healthier, better, and maybe even more honoring to God than expensive, complex weddings. I know that it is very easy to … [Read more...] about I Like Simple Weddings (And I Cannot Lie!)

Here is a copy of the resignation letter Mark Driscoll sent to his elders yesterday.   October 14, 2014 Michael Van Skaik Chairman, Board of Advisors and Accountability Mars Hill Church Dear Michael: By God’s grace I have pastored Mars Hill Church for 18 years. Today, also by God’s grace, and with the full support of my wife Grace, I resign my position as a pastor and elder of Mars Hill. I do so with profound sadness, but also with complete peace. On August 24th I announced to our Mars Hill family of churches that I had requested a leave of absence from the pulpit … [Read more...] about Mark Driscoll Resigns from Mars Hills Church

I've been busy trying to get caught up on some work before I head out of the country next week - won't be writing much. But since this discussion broke out on another comment stream, I thought I should put up a forum for discussion of the issue here. According to the Houston Chronicle, it seems the series of events is (at least loosely) as follows: 1) The Houston city council, led by the mayor, an open lesbian, passed a "non-discrimination" ordinance. 2) Christian groups opposed the ordinance based on some of its provisions and possible consequences. I've not read the ordinance and … [Read more...] about Houston’s Mayor and Religious Freedom