Dave Miller

The NCAA Bracket Challenge has come and gone for another year. This year's winner is Karl Mealor. Ben Stratton made a strong run through the "Trail of Blood" in the Final Four, but Karl would not be denied. He picked three of the four Final Four teams correctly. However, he did not see the Connecticut train a-coming, picking Virginia instead. He picked Wisconsin over Kentucky (and barring a ridiculously evil, wicked and horrifying 3, he'd have been correct) and he picked the Gators to win out. In spite of picking both Final Four games wrong, he had a big enough lead by landing 3 of the Final … [Read more...] about SBC Voices NCAA Tourney Challenge: Congrats to Karl Mealor

The social media world was afire this week with questions about Liberty University's "partnership" with faith-healing huckster Benny Hinn. When I first saw the reports, I was slain in the Spirit with shock, and I think I heard ol' Jerry spinning barrel rolls in his grave. Of course, some of the more angry "discernment" ministries jumped on this and heaped condemnation on Liberty University. A once-biblical ministry had partnered with one of modern American Christianity's most shameful charlatans - one more piece of evidence of the spiritual decline in our land. There was a legitimate … [Read more...] about Liberty and Benny Hinn – The Dangers of Uninformed Anger

Note: I published this article back in July of 2013, not long after the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Houston. I am editing this post slightly, mostly in the last section, "Solutions" by adding a few of my more recent thoughts.  At the most peaceful and drama-free SBC in recent memory, there was one bit of news that had things stirred up - a fresh set of evidence that the SBC's statistical decline was not just a blip. It is a real problem. We are a shrinking denomination. One seminary professor has described it as a "free-fall." While that may be hyperbole, it is not wholly … [Read more...] about The Bleak Future of the SBC?

I grew up in a conservative church in a conservative town in Iowa and "Hellywood" was the enemy of everything righteous. Things are different now in the church. As movies have gotten more explicit, fouler, and more hostile to Christian values, Christians have enthusiastically embraced the Hollywood experience. Whatever dreck they drudge up and throw at a silver screen near us, we dutifully sit and enjoy. Some Christians are so concerned being seen as out of touch with culture that they are afraid to speak a word against anything that comes to a theater nearby. The issue of discernment is a … [Read more...] about Noah, Movies, and Christian Discernment

I have loved the movie "Fiddler on the Roof" since I saw it in theaters when it first came out. It is all about Tevye and his struggle to adjust to modernity. He began the movie trumpeting "Tradition!" and slowly sacrificed those traditions as the world crumbled around him. His oldest daughter wanted to marry the man she loved, even if it meant poverty, instead of entering the arranged marriage her father had made for her. He bent a little to give his permission to that marriage. Then his second daughter decided to marry a political revolutionary and did not seek his permission. Even in his … [Read more...] about If We Bend too Far, We Will Break: Bemoaning the World Vision Decision

After the first round of our SBC Voices NCAA Baptist Bloggers Tournament, there has only been one thing proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. We have no business in the business of picking NCAA brackets. I had a brutal day yesterday, missing on nearly half of the games. If Baptist bloggers were the sports experts we would like to think we are, I'd be down there in Paul Thompson territory (sorry, man, but you know its true!). In my other bracket challenge, I am squarely in LAST PLACE, where I deserve to be. But in the Bloggers challenge, I'm only 20 points out of FIRST PLACE! I've made … [Read more...] about Brothers, We Are Not Prognosticators

Okay, no, there's no billion dollars here. Just the right to claim the title of SBC Voices' resident basketball expert. Andy Hynes claimed the title last year and he says he is unbeatable this year (well, okay, I made that up). You are welcome to join our March Madness NCAA bracket challenge at ESPN. Your bracket is locked as of the start of the first game Thursday. Here is the link to the page where you can sign up.  Click the "join group" button. Our group name is SBCVoicesBB and the password is a highly secure "sbcvoices" to keep out the liberals! It's pretty simple. Even an old fogey … [Read more...] about So You Think You’ve Got Game? Join the 2014 SBC Voices Billion Dollar NCAA Bracket Challenge!

I don't have time to write anything today (well, not this AM anyway) and my usually prolific team of writers are evidently busy with lesser things like ministry and family and such. So, I cruised the archives. This was originally posted on June 30. 2011. I'm doing a few small edits, but this is a reprint. I'd call it the "Best of Dave" but I think that might be trademarked and is a value judgment that is not mine to make! I am now in my ninth year of blogging - in blogger years that is ancient.  I have been involved in discussions of baptism and private prayer language, opined on the Wade … [Read more...] about The Baptist Blogger’s Code: Ten Rules* for Blogging (*Well, more like guidelines than actual rules)

Just read, as you probably have, that Fred Phelps is very near death. His family is at odds, and there is word that even Fred himself was excommunicated from his own "church" a few months ago. He is hovering on the brink of eternity and the church he founded will likely pass into the hands of one of his progeny, perhaps his daughter. Fred will be gone soon. I don't know how I should feel about this. How am I supposed to feel when Saddam is hanged or bin Laden takes a bullet? When great evil passes from this world there is a natural sigh of relief, a sense that the world is a better … [Read more...] about How Am I Supposed to Feel about Fred Phelps’ Death?

I have been a night owl since I can remember. My wife (a morning person to beat all morning people) has asked me a million times - why don't you just go to bed? I don't have a credible answer to that, except that I don't. Every night around 11 I tell myself I need to get to bed, but something deep inside me fights that decision. Of course, as a confirmed night owl, I have a serious allergy to mornings. They are of the devil! I think if I had the freedom to set my own schedule I'd be on a 2 or 3 AM bedtime with a wake-up call at 9 or 10 AM - followed by a strong pot of coffee to get me … [Read more...] about SBC Voices Forum: Night Owl? Morning Person? Does It Matter in Ministry?