Wes Kenney blogs at "Reason for the Hope." It has often been said that, thanks to the battles of the last generation in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to return the convention to a commitment to biblical inerrancy, we can be grateful that theological discussions in the SBC can be conducted on that basis. We do not spend our time debating and arguing the veracity of the creation narrative or whether the teachings of Paul on gender roles and homosexuality are culturally conditioned. We have been set free to have robust theological debate on the basis of a firm reliance on scripture, … [Read more...] about BOOK REVIEW: David Dockery’s “Southern Baptist Identity” (by Wes Kenney)
Resolution 8: Affirming Human Needs Ministry (SBC), Part 1 (by Alan Cross)
Alan Cross blogs at Downshore Drift. Last month(June 19-20, 2012), I submitted a resolution in New Orleans at the Southern Baptist Convention affirming human needs ministry. I initially called it "holistic" ministry, meaning that true gospel ministry addressed the whole person - spirit, soul, and body, as well as social, economic, and political structures. Part of my thinking here is that can be easy for Southern Baptists to focus only on preaching the Word and to neglect the whole person and society. Or, it can be easy to just focus on helping people and never get around to actually … [Read more...] about Resolution 8: Affirming Human Needs Ministry (SBC), Part 1 (by Alan Cross)
How’s Your Church Doing Financially? (by William Thornton)
Editor: Saw this interesting discussion-starter on William Thornton's site, SBC Plodder. He agreed I could repost it here. From what I hear, churches that aren't belt tightening and cutting back a little are more the exception than the rule. One of the things about visiting different churches each week, my worship plan for the past seven months or so, is that there is almost invariably a financial statement available in the foyer. I've been known to sneak one out for more careful review at my leisure. To tell the truth, when I scrutinize another church's financial statement I get a … [Read more...] about How’s Your Church Doing Financially? (by William Thornton)
Sharing the Faith in the 21st Century (by Chris Roberts)
Chris Roberts blogs at "Seek the Holy." Whatever kind of Baptist you are, there is one thing I already know about you: you live in challenging days for the gospel. Not that there have ever been easy days for the gospel, but there have been periods in which people held a basic level of respect or basic degree of receptivity to the things of God. These days are not among them. Not only has society’s perception of Christianity change, society as a whole has undergone massive revolutions, changing every aspect of how we live and interact with one another. One consequence of these changing … [Read more...] about Sharing the Faith in the 21st Century (by Chris Roberts)
Why Dave Miller Won 2nd VP of the SBC (by Alan Cross)
Alan, who blogs at Downshore Drift, reflects on the SBC 2012 meeting. Last week, I was asked by Iowa pastor and editor of SBCVoices.com, Dave Miller, to give his nomination speech for 2nd VP of the SBC in New Orleans. It was an honor to do so. Dave was not supposed to win. He threw his hat in the ring on Friday evening, June 15, with the convention starting just a few days later. Also running for the position was Eric Hankins, pastor of First Baptist Church, Oxford, MS and author of the infamous Traditionalist statement on Baptist soteriology. The convention was in Louisiana, the home … [Read more...] about Why Dave Miller Won 2nd VP of the SBC (by Alan Cross)
SBC 2012: The Great, the Bad, and the Sad (by Alan Cross)
Alan blogs at Downshore Drift. He gave me permission to copy this post and bring it to you here at SBC Voices. SBC 2012 in New Orleans was a good gathering for a denomination that is known for its ugly fights and petty disagreements. It is easy to dismiss the SBC (and other denominations) as simply an unnecessary organization that has little to do with true Christianity. But, I would disagree. While I don't place my faith in the SBC, it is a group of Christians that are commanded to walk together in unity (as are all Christians). When that happens, it is a good thing. Overall, there was a … [Read more...] about SBC 2012: The Great, the Bad, and the Sad (by Alan Cross)
DID SPENCER KIMBALL REPUDIATE MORMON RACIST TEXT? WHY THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION SHOULD ADDRESS THIS By William Dwight McKissic, Sr.
Which is more important: The souls that are at stake or the possible controversy that could accompany this issue? Did Spencer Kimball disavow the curse and other negative statements about Blacks? His complete statement on admitting Blacks into the priesthood is printed below. It is a mystery to me why people use this statement to say Kimball renounced or repudiated earlier statements calling Blacks filthy (“because of their filthiness”), “cursed,” “loathsome,” “despised” justifiably and derived the “blackness” of their skin color as a result of a Divine curse. None of this is addressed in … [Read more...] about DID SPENCER KIMBALL REPUDIATE MORMON RACIST TEXT? WHY THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION SHOULD ADDRESS THIS By William Dwight McKissic, Sr.
George Whitefield, John Wesley, and the Southern Baptist Convention (by Dr. Tim McKnight)
Dr. Tim McKnight is the Lead Pastor at Lakeview Family Church in Hartsville, SC. He blogs at DrTimMcKnight.com. We appreciate him (and Joel Rainey who sent this article to me) sharing this with us. As I prepare to leave for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting in New Orleans, I am grieved over the current dissension in our Convention regarding the issue of Calvinism. The current debate relates to the recently published statement of faith entitled “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.” As I read the debate over the issues, I am … [Read more...] about George Whitefield, John Wesley, and the Southern Baptist Convention (by Dr. Tim McKnight)
MORMON RACIST DOCUMENTS AND A SBC RESOLUTION By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr.
When did Spencer Kimball, LDS President, state that curses against Black people are no longer in effect? Baptist Press cites Tal Davis, a former interfaith witness consultant with the North American Mission Board and now Executive Vice President of MarketFaith Ministries of Tallahassee, FL, making such a claim. Can Davis or anyone else document this claim? According to Joanna Brooks, a Mormon author: “To my knowledge, no Church leader has ever stood at the pulpit and formally renounced the idea that Cain or Ham are the source of racial Blackness and the priesthood ban. Perceptive … [Read more...] about MORMON RACIST DOCUMENTS AND A SBC RESOLUTION By Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr.
The (Almost) True Story of the Clark Family (by Chris Roberts)
Once upon a time, a young man named Sam Clark went off to college. While there, he met a young lady named Betty and they were soon married. By the generous grace of God, Sam and Betty Clark had many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, generation after generation of offspring and their numbers continued to grow. As their numbers increased, their geographic spread grew greater and soon you could find members of the Clark family all over the world. With so many people in the family of Sam and Betty Clark, it comes as no surprise that they didn’t all agree on everything. But one … [Read more...] about The (Almost) True Story of the Clark Family (by Chris Roberts)