Guest Blogger

Here's another submission from our friend William Thornton, the SBC Plodder.  Somehow, I'm guessing this one could be a little lively. I'm of the opinion that the internet was made for Calvinists, since there seems to be so many of them who love endless discussions. I've been interacting with my Calvinistic brethren/sistren online for almost twenty years, going back to the SBC's old SBCNet Forum in the 1990s. I do like some things about them: Almost all of the calvinists I know are serious about their beliefs. An old prof said to our class years ago, "All you have is what you believe. … [Read more...] about What I like about Calvinists

Alan Cross has been one of my favorite bloggers for years - insightful and incisive.  He writes at Downshore Drift.  We are glad to have one of his posts here at Voices. I walked into the massive building with my young children and was immediately overwhelmed and similarly impressed. We were visiting a megachurch on a weekend that I was away from home and we brought our children to the childcare center.  Behind the long desk was a bank of closed-circuit televisions that broadcast the goings on in each classroom. We gave our children over to the smiling people behind the desk and they gave us … [Read more...] about How Is Technology & Megachurch Altering Our Understanding of the Gospel? (by Alan Cross)

David blogs at "Gulf Coast Pastor" and recently posted this article.  I am very well aware that it is a counterpoint to the views of some of our writing team and readers.  That is what we are about - discussing issues in a collegial way, even when we disagree (or that's the goal anyway).  So, let us set the bar high here.  A lively exchange free of personal insult and invective. Can we be patriotic in our July 4th Worship Service? Can we sing patriotic songs and have the American, Texas, and Christian flags in our sanctuary? Yes, of course we can. It seems rather strange that practices I … [Read more...] about Patriotism and Christian Worship (by David Brumbelow)

I received this post from a friend who requested anonymity.  I appreciate his willingness to share this very personal struggle. I hesitate to write these words and I write with anonymity because I am not so bold as others who share their struggles.  At the recent Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Albert Mohler responded to a question and gave an impassioned plea for the evangelical community at large to repent of half-truths it has told and homophobia it has displayed towards those in homosexual relationships and struggling with same-sex desires.  In a limited sphere of the blogging world, at … [Read more...] about Ministering to those Struggling with Same-Sex Desires

Most mornings in midtown Nashville find quiet streets and sidewalks filled with runners, dog walkers, and the occasional bicyclist. Vanderbilt University casts a long shadow over this community and shapes its culture into something that feels more like a Northern urban enclave rather than a neighborhood surrounded by "Southern" charm. Nashville is ground zero for the country music industry and the crown jewel of the "Bible belt," with the headquarters for various Christian denominations (such as the Southern Baptist Convention) and numerous religious publishing empires (such asLifeWay) dotting … [Read more...] about Border Crossings: The SBC of the 21st Century by Douglas E. Baker

Once again, SBC Voices' friend, the SBC Plodder (known in real life as William Thornton) shares his perspective with us.  Should be a good discussion. I love the brethren, my ministerial colleagues, fellow soldiers of the Lord, partners in our common calling of pastoral ministry; however, there is a malady that is common only to us: Chronic Clergy Complaining Syndrome (I recognize that my brethren have an unnatural and perhaps unhealthy love for alliteration and am happy to feed their addiction). Perhaps you have seen it, or, had it. I haven't overlooked that the data show that "clergy … [Read more...] about Chronic Clergy Complaining Syndrome (by William Thornton)

Editor's Note:  I read the offending tweet at Justin Taylor's blog a couple of days ago.  I'm not much into Twitter so I've not gotten involved in this issue.  But Micah Fries recommended this post to me, from Aaron Davis, who blogs at "Renewed Mess."  I thought it was powerful, direct and redemptive.  So, here it is.  Thank you, Aaron, for allowing us to share this. It began with a tweet. A short, sarcastic tweet that went something like this: The military found a stockpile of pornography in Osama Bin Laden’s compound. I didn’t know Muslims had their own Acts 29 network. The tweeter … [Read more...] about Emir Caner, Acts29, and The Problem With Public Christian Debate (by Aaron Davis)

Another "Plodder" examination of the workings of the Cooperative Program.  William Thornton is the SBC Plodder and always has an interesting perspective on the SBC's inner workings. Editor's note:  If you want a good laugh, follow the link and read the Rev. Dr. Thornton's latest post about Theological Triage.  Nice work.  Now, back to the CP I blogged earlier in Cooperative Program Confusion about how state conventions, by utilizing accounting presentation techniques that are perfectly reasonable and understandable to them, probably confuse average Southern Baptists about the distribution … [Read more...] about CP Math: 50/50 = 55/45 or 60/40 (by William Thornton)

Les Puryear is in the process of planting a church with very little funding.  At his blog, "Joining God in His Work", he gave some very helpful suggestions how someone might plant a church without a large bankroll behind him.  I asked him for permission to reprint that here. With all the discussion over the funding of church planting, I thought I would share how we are planting a new Southern Baptist church with no outside funding. Yes, that's right; no outside funding. It can be done. Here's how we're doing it. 1. Get a secular job. Don't take any salary from the new church until the … [Read more...] about How to Plant a Church with Little or No Outside Funding (by Les Puryear)

(William Thornton, the SBC Plodder, shares another of his articles with us.) Our wonderful CP, an eminently sensible concept, is shrinking and churches have dropped from over ten percent to the CP to around six. One complaint about the CP is that state conventions keep too much of each CP dollar. SBC Executive Committee statistics show that the percentage of CP dollars kept by the states is around 63% and in the last 50 years has ranged between roughly 61% and 67%. There seems to me to be a growing criticism that more of each CP dollar fails to get out of the states. Bryant Wright … [Read more...] about Cooperative Program Confusion (by William Thornton)