Guest Blogger

As a proud son of the South, I agree, there are many, many great values, virtues, and customs embedded and inherent in Southern culture that I too celebrate and appreciate. For some, the Confederate Flag (CF) is a symbol of Southern culture that affirms and applauds a strong work ethic, personal responsibility, fierce independence, state rights, faith, family, the right to bear arms, hospitality, congeniality, sharing, and a Bible-belt, church-going assumption. However, honesty also demands that Southerners admit that the CF—at least in part—represents “a slave society and a society bent on … [Read more...] about Response to Requests to Withdraw The Confederate Flag Elimination Resolution At SBC 2016 By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr.

Editor's note: The person who wrote this article for us has chosen to remain anonymous. “I was born this way.” That’s the experience and the declaration of many in the LGBTQ community. Their sexual attractions are predisposed. They didn’t choose this, they say, so why should they be bound by moral definitions that claim their feelings and actions are wrong? When you move to those who are both LGBTQ and religious, especially those seeking to fit into Christianity, the question is asked: “Why would God make me this way if he didn’t want me to be this way?” Honestly, with all of this, I … [Read more...] about Born Again This Way

Why Christians and African Americans Should Boycott Target By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr. To compare the plight of a transgender-person (one who chooses a gender identity different from the one on their birth certificate)—to the plight of the African American Civil Rights struggle of the 60’s is not only illogical, but is also racist. It is illogical because you are comparing a matter of choice (transgender-ism) with a matter of consequence (racial identity). Racial Identity is not a matter of choice or feeling, but rather a matter of consequence. One cannot change the race; their race is … [Read more...] about Why Christians and African Americans Should Boycott Target (By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr.)

Joel is a Southern Baptist Pastor and blogs at themelios. Four miles from the site where the church I serve as pastor gathers for worship each week—just across the Potomac River—is Antietam Creek, Maryland.  On that hallowed ground in 1862, Union General George McClellan finally caught up with General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  The first day of that battle—the first battle to take place on Union soil—became the bloodiest single day skirmish in American history.  More than 22,000 from both sides gave the last full measure of devotion there.  Today, the solemnity of that ground … [Read more...] about The Confederate Flag and the Kingdom of God (Joel Rainey)

JP Williams is pastor of the First Baptist Church of Archie, MO. Remember that time a few of the Disciples wanted to burn a village down? Luke 9:51–56 (ESV) A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus 51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from … [Read more...] about Remember that time a few of the Disciples wanted to burn a village down? (by JP Williams)

Resolution on The Elimination of The Confederate Flag from Public Life Submitted to the Resolutions Committee of the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr., Cornerstone Baptist Church, Arlington, TX WHEREAS, SBC President Ronnie Floyd has rallied Southern Baptists to “rise up and cry out against the racism that still exists in our nation and our churches,” recognizing we are in a “desperate hour” that calls us to “replace these evils with the beauty of grace and love;”[1] and WHEREAS, the Southern Baptist Convention has repudiated “historic acts of evil such as … [Read more...] about Resolution on The Elimination of The Confederate Flag from Public Life (by Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr.)

This was originally published at Joel's blog, themelios. Hopefully the headline didn't chase too many people off. Last week, Andy Stanley, Lead Pastor of Northpoint Church which meets in multiple locations throughout the metro Atlanta area, said something very discouraging to many smaller church pastors. While preaching to his own congregation and praising the way the church had invested in his own life, Stanley apparently went off-script for a bit to berate anyone with children who would keep them in a small church. The rant climaxed with this declaration by the Atlanta mega-church … [Read more...] about What Small Church Pastors and Andy Stanley Can Learn from Each Other (Joel Rainey)

I have been traveling the same path to work for almost 20 years.  I go north from my suburban home to the city where my office is.  Just shy of downtown, there is a split where two lanes go to the left and two go to the right.  I take the left branch, which immediately puts me on the left side of four very busy lanes . . . with the next right exit being the one I need to take . . . during rush hour, when all four lanes are packed. In all the years I have taken this route, I have learned to pay attention to the smallest signals given by the other drivers.  Those signals range from the most … [Read more...] about Signals (by Poor Richard)

(I was supposed to post this a couple of days ago, but I've been enjoying the flu. Most of you know Joel. You may not know that he recently returned to the pastorate!) Two days ago, the "Super Tuesday" elections seemed to solidify the already large lead of the current front-runner for the Republican nomination for President. Donald Trump has surprised nearly everyone, and if the trend continues, we are headed toward a Republican convention that will nominate him to face off with the Democratic nominee--presumably Hillary Clinton--in the November general election. It is truly sad that … [Read more...] about Evangelicals and Donald Trump: Its not Him. Its Us. (Joel Rainey)