The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention has not always been a part of Baptist life. For the first several decades of the SBC the business got done through committees, meetings, and workgroups. It was finally decided a central committee was needed to facilitate all the work. The EC can trace its origins to a 1916 proposal by MH Wolfe of Texas “to create one strong executive board which shall direct all of the work and enterprises fostered and promoted by this Convention." The result of that proposal was what we now call the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist … [Read more...] about Does the SBC Executive Committee President need to be a pastor?
About Luke Holmes
Baptists Love Task Forces!
At the 2023 meeting in New Orleans, one common thing that came up over and over was proposals for a task force/committee. There were several calls, proposals, submissions, motions, and more about creating task forces. They were to study the BFM, study the seminaries, study the mission board, and study all sorts of things. A couple were approved from the floor as Baptist Press reported: The convention also approved the appointment of a task force to study the impact of the Great Commission Resurgence recommendations adopted in 2009 and a task force to study how the Convention should regard … [Read more...] about Baptists Love Task Forces!
Conservative or Liberal: What is the ideal position for Southern Baptists?
James Sullivan was the longtime leader of the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, from 1953-1975. He was considered an expert on Baptist polity and wrote on it extensively. His book "Baptist Polity As I See It" is a great resource for those wanting to learn more. But one part of the book caught my attention, as he asked what was the ideal position for the SBC in regards to conservatives and liberals. He seemed to accept that there would always be some Baptists who were more liberal than others, and that historically the SBC has been made up of centrists. He also encourages … [Read more...] about Conservative or Liberal: What is the ideal position for Southern Baptists?
Every church should take these steps to make tomorrow easier
The phone rang repeatedly, and I awoke from a dead sleep and mumbled an answer. The church member on the line sounded frantic and said, “has anyone called you yet?” I managed a “no” before he interrupted me and said, “The church is on fire. You need to get down here." It was about 5 a.m. when I pulled up at the church and saw flames shooting out the top of the roof. The fire department was already there, along with a growing crowd. Even in the morning, people had come out to see the spectacle on Main Street. I felt helpless as there was nothing to do but watch. We have separate buildings, … [Read more...] about Every church should take these steps to make tomorrow easier
Baptist Summer Camps
Few things are more universal in churches than summer camps. They vary in size, location, and amenities, but almost every church goes to a camp of some sort. I wasn't able to ascertain exactly when camps started, but I can say for certain that they have evolved over the years. An older lady at my church told me they used to take live chickens with them to camp in order that they could have eggs all week. The big treat of the week then came at the end when they had fried chicken. While many churches still have cooks who go with them to prepare meals, I doubt there is any slaughtering of … [Read more...] about Baptist Summer Camps
History Made at the 2022 Annual Meeting
Every week on the SBC This Week Podcast, Amy Whitfield offers a moment of history. And then every year on the recap episode after the annual meeting, her moment of history is the whole meeting itself. Make sure and check out the episode for an excellent summary of the weeks events. This years meeting felt particularly eventful, and I want to offer a few moments of history that occurred during the week. These are in no particular order, and some are definitely more important than others. Sexual Abuse Reforms - The recommendations presented by the SATF are good first steps … [Read more...] about History Made at the 2022 Annual Meeting
Ministry beyond the manuals
If you’ve even been a shade tree mechanic you probably know the name Chilton. Their manuals on car repair were the gold standard for almost every make and model of car. They gave detailed explanations on almost every aspect of car maintenance. Founded in 1904 Chilton soon became a leader for manuals in all types of industries. If you had a problem you couldn’t figure out, or if you tore apart a carburetor and couldn’t get it back together, Chiton’s could help you. The local library often had a huge collection of them, and before the internet they were the go-to source for car … [Read more...] about Ministry beyond the manuals
Who can be president of the Southern Baptist Convention?
With the recent announcement that Ed Litton will not be running for a second term as SBC President, rumors have been flying about the open position and who will run for it. Florida pastor Willy Rice has already been announced as a candidate by the man who will nominate him, Clint Pressley. There will undoubtedly be another candidate, especially given the current climate of the SBC. It’s expected that the Conservative Baptist Network will announce a candidate that they choose to support, and there are plenty of names being bandied about. I don’t wish to discuss the relative merits … [Read more...] about Who can be president of the Southern Baptist Convention?
Baptists you should know: Baker James Cauthen
The history of the SBC includes thousands of missionaries, pastors, workers, and others who often get lost to history. My goal is to highlight a few of those people in order that we can be encouraged and inspired by their lives and sacrifice. The evangelist Billy Graham called Dr. Cauthen ''one of the greatest missionary statesmen in all American church life.'' That statement alone ought to be enough to get your attention. But the legacy of Dr. Cauthen can be seen in many other ways besides that testimony. For over 25 years Cauthen led the Foreign Mission Board (now the IMB) in historic … [Read more...] about Baptists you should know: Baker James Cauthen
5 Questions for the SBC in 2022
Every year Amy Whitfield and Jonathan Howe of the excellent SBC This Week podcast post some questions for the coming year as it relates to the Southern Baptist convention. Find their questions for this year here. And then at the end of the year they go back and answer those questions. Sometimes they are right on the money, and sometimes they miss the big stories entirely. In honor of there questions I want to pose a few questions of my own that I have been thinking about. 1. Will someone run against Ed Litton for SBC President? During the Conservative Resurgence it was not … [Read more...] about 5 Questions for the SBC in 2022