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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The man who was no longer Baptist
The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma was only a year old when Alonzo Nunnery came to pastor in Oklahoma. The young convention had formed as a merger in 1906 from the conventions in Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory and Nunnery came to the state to pastor in Granite, Oklahoma, from Tennessee. Nunnery spent from 1907-1939 […]
Baptists You Should Know, Sallie Holmes
Landrum Holmes made his way home with a heavy heart. As a missionary in Chefoo, China he was used to hardship and difficulties. But this time something weighed even heavier than usual. As he opened the door and greeted his wife he began to tell her of the death of a fellow missionary. “If I […]
The Authority of the SBC Executive Committee: Where does it come from and how far does it go?
As the trustees of the Executive Committee prepare to meet this week, discussion has elevated about the responsibility of the trustees to the convention, with words flying around like attorney-client privilege, best practices, executive session, and the fiduciary duties of the Executive Committee. What follows is some research into the historical role of the SBC, […]
In the name of God by OS Hawkins
History is written by the victors, or so I’m told. But it’s not always easy to tell who won. That’s one of the lessons from the from the outstanding new book “In the Name of God: The Colliding Lives, Legends, and Legacies of J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett” by Dr. OS Hawkins. The […]
Should SBC employees be allowed as messengers at the Annual Meeting?
There’s been some discussion lately about the appropriateness of employees of SBC entities serving as messengers to the SBC Meeting. Much of this was sparked by a post on Twitter from Tom Buck. Undeniable fact: If the votes of SBC employees were removed from the vote in Nashville… and only the votes of […]
A History of the Formation and Function of the Executive Committee
The SBC Annual Meeting in 2021 is one that will be remembered in history as an important one for some time. While it’s easy to get lost in the respective highs and lows of the meeting, it’s also important to remember that the actions of the SBC when it gathers can have lasting actions. One […]
Lessons from Birmingham
It’s no secret that the 2021 SBC Meeting in Nashville will have a focus on events that happened at the last meeting in Birmingham. There will (probably) be attempts to turn over Resolution 9, which has caused much discussion in Baptist circles since then. I will make no tries to predict the future, but I […]
History and Notes of Resolutions at the SBC Annual Meeting
It’s no secret that this year at the Southern Baptist Convention is shaping up to be a contentious one, especially when it comes to resolutions. Several have already been released, and more are in the works. Anyone who is a member in good standing can submit a resolution to the SBC meeting, where a committee […]