In a time of change within the culture and the church at large it is imperative to look for a leader who will set the example of maximum Gospel engagement. Closer to home the Southern Baptist Convention is at a crossroads, seeking to push back lostness while struggling to find its identity. This is why I believe #SBC18 in Dallas is so important. The churches of the Southern Baptist Convention have an opportunity to establish an identity as a disciple-making and gospel-proclaiming unit. This is why I'll be raising my ballot for Pastor J.D. Greear on Tuesday afternoon. So why am I voting for … [Read more...] about At the Crossroads: An Endorsement of J.D. Greear (by Michael Cooper)
Why I Am Voting for J.D. Greear to be the Next SBC President (K.V. Paxton)
K.V. Paxton is Lead Pastor at Grace Baptist Church, Quinlan, Texas. He's a Palestinian-American, graduate of Criswell College, Midwestern Seminary, and a veteran of the United States Air Force. The Southern Baptist Convention is at a crossroads. We may not be battling for inerrancy like we did during the often-referenced “Conservative Resurgence,” but the future is no less at stake for our convention. Millennials and minorities, both inside and outside of the SBC, are watching what we do next with great interest on a host of topics. And though I am often given to hyperbole, I do not think it … [Read more...] about Why I Am Voting for J.D. Greear to be the Next SBC President (K.V. Paxton)
The Demise of the SBC? Not According to our Seminaries
Our SBC seminaries as a whole have increased in their student enrollment by 8-10% in the past 10 years! SBC Seminaries FULL TIME Student Enrollment 2017-18 vs. 2007-08 SBTS: 1,702 vs. 1,411 = 21% Increase SWBTS: 1,393 vs. 1,847 SEBTS: 1,602 vs. 863 = 86% Increase MBTS: 1,120 vs. 398 = 181% Increase NOBTS: 909 vs. 1,579 Gateway Seminary: 634 vs. 699 TOTAL = 7,360 vs. 6,797 = 8% increase! SBC Seminaries TOTAL Student Enrollment 2017-18 vs. 2007-08 SBTS: 3,157 vs. 2,562 = 23% increase SWBTS: 2,767 vs. 2,693 = 3% increase SEBTS: 2,187 vs. 1,542 = 42% … [Read more...] about The Demise of the SBC? Not According to our Seminaries
A history of racial reconciliation in the SBC (Luke Holmes/SBCHistory.com)
Originally posted at SBC History The recent conference marking the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission has sparked many conversations across the SBC about race and racism. Sermons by Matt Chandler, Russell Moore, and David Platt and other in and out of SBC life have all been called simply products of current social justice trends or meant to please men and not God. Discussions online and in person have been heated as people discuss how much churches and the SBC should push for racial reconciliation today. One of the … [Read more...] about A history of racial reconciliation in the SBC (Luke Holmes/SBCHistory.com)
IMB: Too Valuable to Lose, Part 5 (Anonymous Emeritus IMB Missionary)
This is the fifth in a series by this retired missionary. When Barnabas saw he needed help in Antioch, he went off to find a missionary whom he had seen in action, had cross-cultural mission experience in several locations, and who had been fulfilling his missionary calling for about 8 years. That is, Paul. What Paul may have learned from Barnabas was that he should always be expanding the mission team. What has been described as Paul’s mission expansion is also the story of the expansion of Paul’s mission team. The later split between the two veteran missionaries is often interpreted as … [Read more...] about IMB: Too Valuable to Lose, Part 5 (Anonymous Emeritus IMB Missionary)
Who are the heirs of the Conservative Resurgence? (Luke Holmes)
I eagerly attended my first SBC Meeting in Houston in 2013. It was the closest it had ever been to me and the church had the money to help me. I signed up for every breakout and meeting I could find, and I sat through much of the business sessions and reports. I wanted to soak it all in. I finally got to see and listen to in person many of the names and faces I had only seen from a distance over the years. At one breakout, I don’t remember which one, Danny Akin, president of SEBTS referred to himself as a “child” of the Conservative Resurgence. By this, I took him to mean that he … [Read more...] about Who are the heirs of the Conservative Resurgence? (Luke Holmes)
Reprint from BRNow.org: Setting the record straight: An exercise in brotherly love by Danny Akin
The following is reprinted in its entirety from BRNow.org, the website for the Biblical Recorder. (Any errors in formatting are entirely Doug's fault.) Setting the record straight: An exercise in brotherly love April 2, 2018, by Danny Akin When the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) convenes in June, at least two men will be nominated for president: J.D. Greear and Ken Hemphill. Both men are my brothers in Christ and my friends. I love them, and I am extremely grateful for their ministries. I have nothing negative or unkind to say about either one of … [Read more...] about Reprint from BRNow.org: Setting the record straight: An exercise in brotherly love by Danny Akin
IMB – Too Valuable to Lose (4) (Anonymous Emeritus Missionary)
This is the fourth in a series of posts by this retired missionary. I write anonymously as an emeritus missionary to draw attention to several important issues for Southern Baptists to consider about our mission future. I only speak for myself, but I believe that many missionaries agree with much of what I am saying. The IMB must continue to affirm and strengthen its core business of sending long-term, God-called missionaries in focused teams to plant reproducing indigenous churches among all the nations. This requires ongoing evaluation of trendy new directions that can actually … [Read more...] about IMB – Too Valuable to Lose (4) (Anonymous Emeritus Missionary)
A Latino Voice for J.D. Greear (Pastors Martin & Omar Vargas)
My story, maybe is not as relevant for many of the readers of this article. However, everything began for me in the summer of 1979. While I was on the pristine beaches of Dominican Republic, God spoke thru His Word and I understood that He has a plan for my life. I was in need to be rescued! Since that hot and humid day, unforgettable for me, almost 40 years has passed. God’s sovereign hand moved me in 1989 to another beach filled city in South Florida. In that time, I was not able to understand why I needed to leave behind my culture, my people, my friends, my dreams, my language. … [Read more...] about A Latino Voice for J.D. Greear (Pastors Martin & Omar Vargas)
The Cooperative Program: A Testimony (Steven Newell)
With all the negative press surrounding the Cooperative Program (CP) in recent days with this nonsense about campaigning, let me offer some positive words about the Southern Baptist Convention’s flagship program. First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Stephen Newell. Some of you may be familiar with me from social media, for which I am profoundly sorry! I am a graduate of Baptist institutions, a B.A. from Carson-Newman College (now University) in 1999 and an M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2006. I was born and raised in SBC churches and have never been a … [Read more...] about The Cooperative Program: A Testimony (Steven Newell)