Guest Blogger

Ryan is the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Orange City, IA, and blogs at "By His Grace." This year so far two pastors in Iowa have died by suicide. The job fatality rate is higher than the police department my dad works for, which is located in a high crime area in Pittsburgh. My heart is heavy when I hear that a shepherd is slain by falling on his own sword. I’m not writing to analyze what goes on in the heart of a man who chooses this end. Nor am I going to offer a list of suggestions on how to prevent pastoral suicide. There are others more qualified to do that. But I do … [Read more...] about Pastoral Suicide (by Ryan Perz)

Dr. Eric Hankins is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Oxford, Mississippi. He is the author of the much-discussed Traditionalist Statement and was central to the Calvinism Task Force appointed by Dr. Page, which reported at the Houston Annual Meeting. This is part 4 in the series. Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.  In this final post, I offer a response to the second question Nathan Finn puts to Traditionalists in his recent essay in the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry. Finn asks, “Who are the New Calvinists, and what have they done?” (68). Finn understands the preamble to … [Read more...] about A Response to Dr. Nathan Finn, Part 4: The New Calvinists (by Dr. Eric Hankins)

Tom Law was the Interim Executive Director for the Baptist Convention of Iowa. If you have never been what would it take for you to go? If you have been what would it take for you to go back? What do you wish that you had known before you went? Finally, what would it take for you to organize a group to go with you? I am putting together a group to go to Israel in October 2014 of Iowa pastors and their wives. As I have researched this and seen what others have done I have come to the conclusion that this is something I should have done years ago. I am trying to understand why I … [Read more...] about What Would It Take for You to Go to Israel? (by Thomas L. Law III)

“NEVER WASTE A CRISIS” Did Donald Sterling's Adultery Expose His Racism? By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr. Donald Sterling's racism is well documented and has been appropriately redressed by Adam Silver, the NBA Commissioner. But his adultery has gone largely unaddressed.  No one of stature has related the impact of his adultery to this crisis. Wasn't Sterling's adultery the precursor to him receiving the death penalty, as a result of his racist rant? Wasn't it a recorded conversation with a female friend—that his wife was suing for having interfered with her marriage—the conversation that … [Read more...] about NEVER WASTE A CRISIS: Did Donald Sterling’s Adultery Expose His Racism? (by Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr)

Let me put my cards on the table first and let you know that I am the pastor of a small church that is also a young church, barely a year old. We have a large handful of people, meet in a back room of a preschool that recently had a jackhammer in the ground due to construction happening to expand the building. We have very few resources by American standards and operate during the week from my office at home. I build the worship guides and a church member makes it fit on a single piece of paper that looks nice and readable. Another members print it off from their own personal printer each … [Read more...] about Small Church Pastors’ Attitudes (by Job Dalomba)

Nathan Finn structures his essay on the Traditional Statement (TS) around two questions he puts to his “Traditionalist friends”: “What makes Traditionalists traditional?” and “Who are the New Calvinists and what have they done?” My final two posts in this series will attempt to answer those questions. Before I offer my response to the first question, let me make a few brief remarks about the answer Finn gives to it, which is, essentially: “There is nothing significantly ‘traditional’ about Traditionalists.” Finn’s argument against the name boils down to these two assertions: (1) Calvinism … [Read more...] about Response to Nathan Finn, Part 3: What Makes a Traditionalist Traditional? (by Eric Hankins)

While this post might seem to be a counterpoint to Rick Patrick's recent article (first in a series) concerning the CP, it was actually published on February 28 at William's site, the SBC Plodder. The second post in Rick's series is due to post Monday.  The SBC as we know it would not exist without our venerable and beloved Cooperative Program. Without it, there would certainly be a Southern Baptist Convention. It just wouldn't look like what we see today. Alas, our flagship denominational giving program is in this slow, steady, relentless decline. As a percentage of offering plate … [Read more...] about The Cooperative Program we have…not the one we had or dream about. (by William Thornton)

Adam Blosser is pastor of Drakes Branch Baptist Church in Drakes Branch, Virginia, and blogs at ONE True Joy, where this article appeared on Monday.  Today, I sent out a tweet and a Facebook status about a popular song that is sung in many churches, including my own, this time of year.  I like the song.  I have fond memories of singing it standing by my grandmother's side at Buckingham Baptist Church.  Grandma could be heard singing "He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way" as she moved through the house or went for a walk outside. The song I am referring to is "He … [Read more...] about He Lives within My Heart? (by Adam Blosser)

Dr. Eric Hankins is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Oxford, Mississippi. He is the author of the much-discussed Traditionalist Statement and was central to the Calvinism Task Force appointed by Dr. Page, which reported at the Houston Annual Meeting. Part 1 can be found here.  In my first post responding to Nathan Finn’s essay on the Traditional Statement (TS) in the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry, I addressed the things with which I agree. This post will focus on what I consider to be perhaps the most significant area of difference for further discussion. Again, Nathan … [Read more...] about Response to Dr. Nathan Finn, Part 2: Who Can Respond? (by Dr. Eric Hankins)

Joshua Breland is a graduate student at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. We are surrounded by people. I think baseball should officially be retired as "America's Favorite Pastime." Surely "people watching" is our real favorite pastime. Our lives are filled with daily interactions and experiences with people. How would you answer if asked, "Who are the greatest people in your life?" Would it be family, friends, maybe people you don't personally know but who inspire you through their writings, radio and television programs, or other media? Are the greatest people in … [Read more...] about Who Are the Greatest People in Your Life? (by Joshua Breland)