So, you come here to fight about Russell Moore, Beth Moore, or Dudley Moore? This is not the post for you. Want to argue about empathy, sympathy, or symphony? Move along, nothing to see here. But if you're up for some pointless diversion, it's March Madness time again. We are at ESPN with this link: SBCVoices Tournament Madness The prize? Bragging rights. The password? GoHogsGo27 May the odds be ever in your favor. WOO PIG SOOIE! … [Read more...] about Diversion 2021
BREAKING USEFUL INFO: Lifeway Generosity
No, I'm not just praising Lifeway as being generous. Rather, this information from Lifeway's Lifeway Generosity unit about free setups for online giving as a COVID-19 response and help for the church. Follow the tweet to get the info. Multiple threads in this tweet. Pastors & Churches trying to figure out online giving...@LifeWay has just offered their online giving services w/no setup or monthly fees! Check info below! ???? Thanks @BenMandrell for helping churches & church plants!https://t.co/VEkmAxvp7m — Doug Hixson (@doughixson) March 18, … [Read more...] about BREAKING USEFUL INFO: Lifeway Generosity
Quick Thoughts on the Yarnell Autonomy Thread
Before you interact with this post, please make sure you have read Dr. Yarnell's post. It's right here: Malcolm Yarnell Thread on Autonomy and Discipline Have you read it? Good. Now we can carry on. I promised you a post that you could comment on, so here it is. Before you get to the comments, here are a few thoughts: Dr. Yarnell's post shows that it is entirely possible for other local churches to come together in our networks and organizations to place some accountability in front of each other. That accountability does not interfere with the autonomy of the local … [Read more...] about Quick Thoughts on the Yarnell Autonomy Thread
Matt Henslee for Pastor’s Conference President
Bart Barber announced on Twitter this morning that he intends to nominate Matt Henslee, Pastor of Mayhill Baptist Church in Mayhill, New Mexico, for President of the SBC Pastor's Conference in 2021. As pastor, he has encouraged his church to give sacrificially to the cooperative efforts of Southern Baptists to carry the Gospel to the nations. He has even put his own looks on the line by shaving his beard when Mayhill exceeded their Lottie Moon goal. I join with many others who now hope he regrows it and makes the same offer next year... That will be the Pastor's Conference held in … [Read more...] about Matt Henslee for Pastor’s Conference President
SBC Voices NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge 2019
Well, nothing brings productivity to halt like March Madness. Unless you're a Hog fan, but I digress. For those who are interested, we are doing our annual bracket challenge through ESPN. Here's the information: This message is from John Hibbard who is challenging you to play Tournament Challenge on ESPN.com. Get in on the excitement of this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Invite friends and family to join your group, fill out up to 25 brackets, and earn bragging rights by winning it all! Compete for a chance to win $22,950 in prizes! Get in the action … [Read more...] about SBC Voices NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge 2019
Maybe it’s not about the calling
I’m sitting here in my study contemplating life in the ministry. First of all, I should qualify that statement: by “in the ministry,” I mean the vocational work of being employed by a church for what we call “ministry.” I know that we are all supposed to be ministers, or servants, of one another and of Christ our Lord. That’s a thought I’ll come back to later, perhaps, but let’s accept our normal vocabulary here in Baptist life. It may not be ideal, but it’s what we’ve got. Next year will mark my twenty-fifth year in ministry service to Southern Baptist churches. In those years, I’ve mainly … [Read more...] about Maybe it’s not about the calling
An Uneven Banquet
While trying to wrestle with a friend's question about pastoral ministry, I began thinking along the lines of this illustration. I share it here because it might be useful to you. If it's not, then feel free to have the same old argument about everything in the comments. Here's some words to help you with that: alcohol, Calvin, Conservative Resurgence, Great Commission Giving, Women, Trustees, Yankees, SEC (not the government agency). I'm sitting here on a Saturday morning pondering what it is to pastor a normal-sized Southern Baptist Church. Actually, we're on the high side of normal, but … [Read more...] about An Uneven Banquet
The Post-Convention Hangover
Well, we all kicked around writing reflections on the SBC's 2018 Annual Meeting (#sbc18 #sbcam18 #southernbaptistconventionalannualmeetingannodominitwothousandeighteen), but that horse has been ridden, ridden to death, revived, ridden again, and then shot. I appreciate everyone's look back and what they found as highlights and lowlights. I do wish we could be a bit more gracious in victory, which might help us also be more gracious in defeat. I know you want to celebrate the good that happened, and I understand applauding some results, but defeating someone's heartfelt motion is enough. You … [Read more...] about The Post-Convention Hangover
What is next? Some ponderings for the SBC as we move forward
Well, in case you missed it, there has been a rather massive shift in the Southern Baptist Convention. I'll not rehash the waters gone by about the events at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. There's about four million blog posts, tweets, and Facebook streams about it (give or take a few million). Something I've been trying to think through is what happens next? Where do we go from here? I'd like to offer my musings on that, and you can do with them what you will. First, we need to pay attention to the fact there are very likely more victims who will come forward. And the instinct … [Read more...] about What is next? Some ponderings for the SBC as we move forward
From the Voice that Matters Most: Ephesians 5:1-5
We share our opinions and insights at SBC Voices, but we believe that the Voice that matters most is the one that comes from God's Word. We present these daily expositional devotions, beginning with a tour of Ephesians called, "Walk Worthy," in hopes of encouraging our readers to remember to Voice above every voice. Passage: Ephesians 5:1-5: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of … [Read more...] about From the Voice that Matters Most: Ephesians 5:1-5