Joel Rainey is the Director of Missions at Mid-Maryland Baptist Association, an adjunct professor at Capital Bible Seminary and blogs at Themelios (Twitter - @joelrainey). This post was originally published at his site. Tonight, I will gather my kids--who will be dressed as Dr. Who, Captain America, and a Disney Princess respectively--and visit a downtown area near our central Maryland home on the only night of the year in which it is culturally appropriate to allow your kids to beg strangers for unhealthy food. For most in our culture, October 31 is merely that: a fun holiday that … [Read more...] about The Legacy of Truth: Lessons from the Protestant Reformation (by Joel Rainey)
A simple Cooperative Program quiz (from William Thornton)
William Thornton is the intrepid SBC Plodder. See how you do on this very simple, embarrassingly easy quiz on the Cooperative Program. I'll make it multiple choice with a few true-false questions so that my SBC colleagues have a good chance of getting answers right by guessing. 1. The Cooperative Program is how many years old? a. 168, it was started when the SBC was founded in 1845. b. 88, it was started during the evolution controversies in 1925. c. 58, it was started during the grand, boom years of SBC growth, 1955. d. 34, it was started when the Conservative Resurgence began in … [Read more...] about A simple Cooperative Program quiz (from William Thornton)
Why Evangelicals Should Support Immigration Reform (by Alan Cross)
Alan Cross blogs at Downshore Drift, where this article was originally published. When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 19:33-34) I have written about the need for Immigration Reform in the past. Here are the relevant articles: Should We Declare Amnesty? - Asks how America plans to deal with its illegal immigration problem and puts forward some solutions. … [Read more...] about Why Evangelicals Should Support Immigration Reform (by Alan Cross)
It’s Time for Our Churches to Cross the Rubicon (by Dr. David W. Manner)
Dr. David W. Manner is the Associate Executive Director for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists. He blogs at http://kncsb.org/blogs/dmanner . You can follow him on Twitter: @dwmanner. Our churches are not getting it done. Instead of fulfilling the Great Commission by tapping into the unlimited creativity available from the Creator Himself, we continue trying to reach the culture by offering a mediocre imitation of what that culture already has. We are playing it safe by impersonating the language, structure, dress and music…usually a few notches below in quality or a few … [Read more...] about It’s Time for Our Churches to Cross the Rubicon (by Dr. David W. Manner)
Compatibilism: A More Immanent Grace (by Ken Hamrick)
Immanence is mostly forgotten as an attribute of God and a method by which He works in the world. Calvinists and Traditionalists argue over the limits of God’s transcendent acts of grace and the limits of men without such transcendent grace. Both sides, it seems, have a presupposed agreement to frame the debate around a transcendent grace, while the solution sits dust-covered in the theological closet. That solution is found in God’s immanence. God is said to act transcendently when He works in ways that are above natural law and the created order; but He is said to act immanently when He … [Read more...] about Compatibilism: A More Immanent Grace (by Ken Hamrick)
A SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION PASTOR’S PRESENCE AMONG PREACHERS OF LA: BY WM. DWIGHT MCKISSIC, SR.
A SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION PASTOR’S PRESENCE AMONG PREACHERS OF LA One Size Does Not Fit All BY WM. DWIGHT MCKISSIC, SR. Materialistic; Immoral; Egotistical; Prosperity Preachers; Pulpit Pimps, Soft on Homosexuality; and Celebrity Seekers; are among some of the nicer descriptions tossed about relative to the “Preachers of LA.” The debut telecast had one million viewers—the second highest ranked cable TV show that aired on that Wednesday evening—which is historically a church mid-week worship night. With an audience of that magnitude, church goers and … [Read more...] about A SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION PASTOR’S PRESENCE AMONG PREACHERS OF LA: BY WM. DWIGHT MCKISSIC, SR.
A RESPONSE TO BART BARBER’S QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP OF TONGUES IN ACTS AND I CORINTHIANS 12-14 BY WM. DWIGHT MCKISSIC, SR.
SBC Voices published a post in early September authored by Bart Barber entitled, “The Nature of the Biblical Gift of Tongues: Consideration of Relevant Narrative New Testament Passages.” In the comment section of Barber’s post he addressed the following remark to yours truly: Dwight, I appreciate the thoughtful work that you’ve put toward an exegesis of 1 Corinthians 12-14 from your theological vantage-point. If you would like to offer your understanding of the narrative passages in Acts, to refute the points that I have tried to make, then I would be interested in reading … [Read more...] about A RESPONSE TO BART BARBER’S QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP OF TONGUES IN ACTS AND I CORINTHIANS 12-14 BY WM. DWIGHT MCKISSIC, SR.
How NOT to Leave a Church (by Jeremy Vanatta)
Jeremy Vanatta is the pastor and an elder of Southside Baptist Church in Lebanon, TN. He holds a PhD in New Testament from Mid-America BTS. He blogs at The Threshing Floor, where this article originally appeared. Here’s an article that I’ve been wanting to write for years, but there’s never seemed to be a good time to do so because I always felt like someone who has left the church recently might think I’m talking about them. But I’ve come to realize that I’ll never be able to write this article if I continue to worry like this because there’s always people coming to and leaving the … [Read more...] about How NOT to Leave a Church (by Jeremy Vanatta)
When “Friendly Fire” Isn’t so Friendly (by Joel Rainey)
Joel Rainey is the Director of Missions at Mid-Maryland Baptist Association, an adjunct professor at Capital Bible Seminary and blogs at Themelios (Twitter - @joelrainey). This post was originally published at his site. Nearly two decades ago, Pastor Trey Rhodes was sitting in a meeting of other pastors who were considering the sponsorship of a new church. The local Baptist Association had called this meeting to discuss "concerns" that several of the pastors had relative to this new church proposal. Church planting wasn't nearly as "cool" back then as it is now, and in fact was held in … [Read more...] about When “Friendly Fire” Isn’t so Friendly (by Joel Rainey)
Just 4% of SBC Churches Give 50% of All Cooperative Program Gifts (by William Thornton)
William remains the SBC Plodder, when he is not out fishing. SBC Life has some interesting Cooperative Program statistics in the current issue. Under a short piece entitled, "Interesting (and Important) Facts about the CP?" one finds this: 2,025 churches reported giving a combined amount that equals 50 percent of all Cooperative Program gifts given through the state Baptist conventions — more than 240 million dollars ($240,704,503).*Among churches that gave this amount are: 89—churches with more than 2,000 in worship attendance 56—churches with 1,501 to 2,000 in worship … [Read more...] about Just 4% of SBC Churches Give 50% of All Cooperative Program Gifts (by William Thornton)