Guest Blogger

Jeff Christopherson is NAMB’s regional vice president for Canada and the Northeast. This excerpt is from his book Kingdom Matrix: Designing a Church for the Kingdom of God (Russell Media, 2012). Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to North American missions. We are grateful that Jeff shared this with us! This story, my story, changed my view of success. Allan and Helen Christopherson, married June 4, 1960, in Prince Albert. With only an eighth-grade education, Allan supported his young family cleaning beer storage tanks at Molson’s brewery. His salary package included only one … [Read more...] about Re-defining Success, by Jeff Christopherson

Editor: Marty gave me permission to repost this.  To All Media Outlets, Reporters, Writers and Editors: It is abundantly clear to most Americans that the “Westboro Baptist Church” is neither “Baptist” nor a “church” according to any commonly accepted meaning of either word. As a Christ follower, and a long time church attender, I enter this plea to stop using the phrase “Westboro Baptist Church” in favor of the more accurate “the Westboro cult.” The journalistic profession has turned out a small number of plagiarists whose words were stolen from the creativity and hard work of … [Read more...] about A plea to all media outlets re: ‘the Westboro cult’ (by Marty Duren)

Todd Littleton blogs at The Edge of the Inside. He wrote a four part series reflecting on the 2012 SBC Annual Meeting through the lens of offering his first ever motion on the floor of the SBC and its demise as Ruled Out of Order. While the nexus of his thoughts turn on a singular incident, Todd finds it illustrative for what ails us. Rather than post these in series form, Todd offers them as stand alone posts. His first post on the subject ran here at Voices, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.  Maybe what he offers is a Minority Report or as his chosen website title indicates, a perspective from … [Read more...] about Needed: Solidarity Not Stridency (by Todd Littleton)

Todd Littleton blogs at The Edge of the Inside. He wrote a four part series reflecting on the 2012 SBC Annual Meeting through the lens of offering his first ever motion on the floor of the SBC and its demise as Ruled Out of Order. While the nexus of his thoughts turn on a singular incident, Todd finds it illustrative for what ails us. Rather than post these in series form, Todd offers them as stand alone posts. His first post on the subject ran here at Voices and Part 2 here. Maybe what he offers is a Minority Report or as his chosen website title indicates, a perspective from the Edge. I … [Read more...] about Needed: Conviction Above Procedure

Todd Littleton blogs at The Edge of the Inside. He wrote a four part series reflecting on the 2012 SBC Annual Meeting through the lens of offering his first ever motion on the floor of the SBC. While the nexus of his thoughts turn on a singular incident, Todd finds it illustrative for what ails us. Rather than post these in series form. Todd offers them as stand alone posts. His first post on the subject ran recently here at Voices. Southern Baptists pride themselves as literalists. The tendency is to employ a rabid love for the meaning of words until it does not suit the purpose. Southern … [Read more...] about Needed: Prophets Not Protectors (by Todd Littleton)

In Romans 9 God says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Romans 9 is one of the Calvinists’ favorite chapters. They refer to it often and believe it refers to personal salvation. They use it against Traditionalists or non-Calvinists. Some say Traditionalists have no answer to this obviously Calvinistic Scripture, or that they don‘t believe it. One joked a couple of years ago about how a Traditionalist tore Romans 9 out of his Bible. We have even been accused of not believing in inerrancy because we do not agree with their interpretation of this passage. The answer to Romans 9, … [Read more...] about Romans 9, Calvinism, Traditionalism (by David R. Brumbelow)

We Southern Baptists really do prefer our words over our deeds. Alan Cross submitted a resolution to the Southern Baptist Convention on Holistic Ministry and Community Involvement. His third resolved read as follows, RESOLVED, That we encourage every local church to engage the needs of their community with a strong gospel witness in both word and deed as God uniquely gifts, directs, and enables; and be it further Wednesday morning, June 20, Alan began reading the form of his resolution that made its way out of committee. … [Read more...] about Needed: Courage in the SBC (by Todd Littleton)

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)

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)

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)