I've been reading the recent resurgence of wrangling regarding Dr. Paige Patterson and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS). The question of guilt involves not only these two parties, but by extension also impacts the coming SBC presidential election. Pastor Mike Stone bears the public perception of being Dr. Patterson's man by way of their mutual involvement in the organization Mr. Stone and Dr. Patterson helped to found, the Conservative Baptist Network (CBN). Should Dr. Patterson be (in this matter) the rascal many claim, the resulting guilty-by-voluntary-assocation scars both … [Read more...] about Paige Patterson vs SWBTS: Implications for the SBC Presidential Election
The Last Happy Day
I bought some shorts last October off the clearance rack in Kohl's. Pretty standard things: plaid-printed shorts with too many pockets. They were the sort of clothing you'd see in a Sunday circular, modeled by semi-muscular white men surrounded by strategically-placed men of varied ethnic origin. I suppose a certain obligation existed for me to go full monty and purchase a matching polo shirt and boat shoes, but according to my mother I've inherited my father's non-compliant streak. Besides, the only polo shirt on clearance was white and had embroidery of what appeared to be two … [Read more...] about The Last Happy Day
Ezekiel’s Watchman: Did I Blow the Trumpet?
Suppose I say to the wicked: ‘Wicked people, you will surely die,’ but you don’t speak to warn the wicked to stop doing evil. Then they will die because they were sinners, but I will punish you for their deaths. Ezekiel 33:8 This summer marks the end of our time as church planters in South America among the Deaf. Between us, the wife and I have labored in one form or another in 7 different beautiful countries on the continent. Languages learned and forgotten. Beaches and mountains. Jungles and dust fields. Not everything worked. We've tried probably 573 different strategies and … [Read more...] about Ezekiel’s Watchman: Did I Blow the Trumpet?
Pornography, Cerebral Plasticity, and Transformation
“Pornography satisfies every one of the prerequisites for neuroplastic change...” psychiatrist Norman Doidge, in The Brain That Changes Itself (2006) I've got this buddy, a counselor for a Christian organization. I got him really caffeinated one day - enough espressos will befuddle anyone save Juan Valdez - and starting prying. "Longest shower you ever took after a counseling session? Biggest loser you ever counseled? Hardest thing for people to grasp?" "Oh, hardest thing to understand? That's an easy one: Romans 12:1-2. Cognitive or mental transformation is a real thing. It happens … [Read more...] about Pornography, Cerebral Plasticity, and Transformation
Shoveling Dung – Spiritually Speaking
Paul spends much of the early part of Philippians chapter three detailing the externals that will never lead us to salvation. He then calls attention to his own earthly, cultural, fleshly qualifications for holiness and salvation: circumcised in accordance with the Law; born of the tribe of Benjamin (the tribe of the first king of Israel AND the only tribe to remain faithful to the house of David when the kingdom split); offspring of a non-mixed marriage (no-half Jews); a member of the most strict sect of orthodox Jews; dedicated more than others to the Jewish faith, even to the point of … [Read more...] about Shoveling Dung – Spiritually Speaking
Dear Husband: You Don’t Love Me
In the voice of Everywoman... Dear husband: I love you. You know that, right? I think I've always made it clear. I respect you, too. I know what the Word has to say on the subject, and I gladly comply. You're the greatest man I've ever known; human in every way and yet utterly godly. I have no trouble giving you the respect you need, crave, want, deserve. I know you love me, too. Unfortunately, you don't love me enough. Really. But don't take my word for it... Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for … [Read more...] about Dear Husband: You Don’t Love Me
The Next IMB President
After roughly three years on the job, IMB President Tom Elliff has informed the proper folks to begin considering his replacement. As I wrote shortly after the IMB approved him as the organization's 11th president, I've always believed Elliff came along as the right man at the right time. He wasn't "God's man" for the organization, implying that every other candidate was Satan's choice. I just believed he possessed the proper characteristics for what we needed at the time. In the interim, I've seen nothing to gainsay that conclusion. But who will replace him? What characteristics should … [Read more...] about The Next IMB President
Storying, Orality, and the Bible
I've already introduced the concept of orality in an earlier post. You can read that here. The article contains links to other sites that can add to the picture. A frequently-occuring objection to the use of storying in evangelism, discipleship and teaching assumes that stories fit children's spiritual needs, while exegesis and exposition necessarily satiate the spiritually and intellectually mature. One critic suggested that a storying approach to teaching required us to set aside "theological complexities" in favor of a narrative approach. "Talk to children," came the rejoinder to the … [Read more...] about Storying, Orality, and the Bible
The Character of God in Five Stories
Many people groups around the world are what ethnologists term oral learners. As the Orality Strategies website defines orality... "'Orality' refers to reliance upon the spoken, rather than written, word for communication.Orality is an ancient phenomenon that continues to the present. Before writing was developed, cultures passed along their cultural traditions, including their history, identity, and religion, through their stories, proverbs, poems, songs, riddles, etc. These are all oral art forms; that is, they are spoken, sung or chanted. They were (and still are) often woven into … [Read more...] about The Character of God in Five Stories
Practical Theology: Using Non-Christians for Kingdom Work
A few years ago, I took some classes at Southwestern Seminary's Houston campus. If you get the chance, take a course there. They've got a great bunch of guys. One gentleman, Dr. John Laing, is an absolutely fantastic instructor and a solid all-around human being; not a waste of a carbon footprint at all. In one his courses, Dr. Laing briefly threw out an intriguing concept: there are non-Christian biblical Greek scholars out there! These are folks who choose to major in a specific language (Greek) during a precise point in history (first-century AD) as used in a specific area (greater … [Read more...] about Practical Theology: Using Non-Christians for Kingdom Work