Guest Blogger

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)

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. We look forward to this series of articles.  Over the next few weeks, I will be offering some responses to Nathan Finn’s essay “On the ‘Traditionalist Statement’: Some Friendly Observations from a Calvinistic Southern Baptist,” which appeared in the most recent edition of New Orleans Seminary’s Journal of Baptist Theology and Ministry. … [Read more...] about A Response to Dr. Nathan Finn (by Dr. Eric Hankins)

Adam Blosser is the pastor of Drakes Branch Baptist Church in Drakes Branch, VA. He blogs at ONE True Joy.  Ok, this post may not be popular.  I am a Christian.  I was supposed to love God's Not Dead.  Well, I didn't.  The movie was not all bad as I said in my last post.  It wasn't even mostly bad as this post may seem to indicate.  The idea behind the movie was good, but I must quibble with some of the details.  Below are a few of the things with which I took issue. 1. All of the non-Christians were portrayed as evil numbskulls. This is an unhelpful characterization.  Professor … [Read more...] about Movie Review: God’s Not Dead – Part 2 (by Adam Blosser)

Paul Thompson blogs at "The Bridge." When did divorce and remarriage become so accepted among Christians? I’m not going to attempt to even answer that question, but more the question of how do we return to the “ancient ways” that promise rest? I get that grace is big. It’s bigger than I am likely able to comprehend. It’s not that divorce can’t be forgiven, it can and is forgivable. It’s not that a marriage to another spouse while your original spouse is still living can’t be forgiven, it can and is forgivable. Before you read anything else I have to say reread the previous paragraph and … [Read more...] about Divorce and Remarriage (by Paul Thompson)

Adam Blosser is the pastor of Drakes Branch Baptist Church, in Drakes Branch, VA. He is trying to clean up the mess Dave Miller left when he pastored that church from 1987 to 1991. Adam blogs at ONE True Joy. Yesterday I went to see the movie God's Not Dead.  I took the youth group from my church because many of them had heard about the movie and wanted to see it.  Afterward, we went out for ice cream and had a discussion about the contents of the movie. I read a review of the movie before going to see it and was made aware of some potential problems in the movie.  I am writing now to … [Read more...] about Movie Review: God’s Not Dead – Part 1 (by Adam Blosser)