Let's fire everyone at an SBC entity who is opposed to Resolution 9 of 2019. That's not really a serious proposition, but it is the logical conclusion of a recent string of tweets by SBC presidential hopeful Tom Ascol. At the 2021 convention, Tom's brother Bill presented a resolution on abortion (found here), which includes the language: "RESOLVED, that we affirm that the murder of preborn children is a crime against humanity that must be punished equally under the law." Based on this resolution, Tom Ascol called for the immediate firing of Brent Leatherwood from the ERLC. Leatherwood's … [Read more...] about Let’s Fire Everyone Opposed to Resolution 9
Faithful
Faithful—it’s a word that means loyal and reliable, dedicated, steadfast. Faithful is what God is. Faithful is often not how I feel. I think there is a reason Hebrews 6:19 calls Jesus the anchor of the soul. We’re like a ship on the sea. Sometimes the weather is calm, and it seems like smooth sailing. Other times, we’re tossed here and there, wondering if the next wave will capsize us. Yet, there is Jesus, holding us, refusing to let us go. Thank God he is faithful. In 2 Timothy 2:11-13, we find a beautiful passage, a trustworthy saying, as Paul called it. Perhaps it was the theology of … [Read more...] about Faithful
The Gospel, Simply
I was five when I trusted Jesus. Some might say that was too young. Maybe? I don't know. I would hesitate and think long about it if my child was that young. Looking back, I don't doubt it was a true faith, though maturity came much later. I was in college when I learned to own my faith. (I read somewhere recently that some come to faith like a bright flash, a light suddenly turning on. Others, though, are like the sun slowly creeping over the horizon. That was me.) Regardless of what we might think of how old a child might truly understand the Gospel, the fact is the Gospel is simple … [Read more...] about The Gospel, Simply
Not Bound
“The word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9 CSB). Say that with me: The word of God is not bound. If you’ve never noticed, we Americans like to think about freedom. A lot. It seems one of the deepest cultural fears is the idea that something will happen and we won’t be free. We celebrate freedom every year in a shindig of fireworks and booze (never a good combination, but we’re Baptists here, right? So, fireworks and soda, which is a little safer). And you might remember that brief time after 9/11 where French fries were redubbed by some as freedom fries. We love our freedom! And … [Read more...] about Not Bound
Hard Work and Harvest
My wife loves to garden. When we bought our house four years ago, one of her “must-haves” was a yard big enough for a garden. Then, our first spring together in our home, I went out to a patch of grass with our tiller, tore up the ground, and built a box around the churned dirt so she could have her garden. There is no question, though, that gardening is work as much as she enjoys it. Prepping the ground isn’t a one-time thing. You have to do it every year: Pull out the weeds, break up the dirt, ready the rows, plant the seeds, provide enough water, pull out more weeds, chase off the bugs, … [Read more...] about Hard Work and Harvest
His Name Is Derek
I was a junior in college, a brand-new student to the University of Oklahoma as a transfer from a school in my home state. I had grown up in a Christian home and given my life to Jesus at the age of five, with as much understanding as a five-year-old can have. Looking back, I don’t doubt the sincerity of that choice, but it took me a while to truly come to own my faith. I wish I remembered where I heard this recently: It was a conversation about how people come to faith. The testimonies we hear are often like Paul on the Damascus Road. The person was walking in spiritual darkness, then … [Read more...] about His Name Is Derek
The Ghost and the Soul Friend
Ghosting, we’ve all experienced it at one time or another. It’s bad enough when it happens with a supposed friend or love interest. It’s even worse when it happens in church. Ghosting is when two people seem to have a relationship on some level deeper than mere acquaintance, and one person seems to vanish. There are no goodbyes, no replies to communication attempts, and no closure. Ghosting hurts. When it comes to church, relationships are meant to be more meaningful. Jesus talked about how true family is more than flesh and blood. It’s about our relationship with him and with each other … [Read more...] about The Ghost and the Soul Friend
Why?
Why? It’s a simple question, just three letters and a question mark. It’s something that my son has started to ask more frequently (he’s two, by the way). Why? In a way, it’s a question that cuts to the heart of almost everything. We tend to be curious. We want to know the reasons behind our realities. We want to know the motives. Why do people do what they do? Of course, if we don’t like something, we will assume they have some nefarious motivation, some evil purpose behind their decisions. Even if we agree but don’t like the person, we assume they’re doing the right things for … [Read more...] about Why?
Rekindle the Gift
You've felt it, haven't you? I know I have. One day, your heart is burning, your soul is on fire—you're alive for God. Jesus is your great passion, and you have faith that you can be like those in Acts who were turning the world upside-down. It's a great mountain-top high. It's a wonderful belief that you have significance and a calling. You have an eternal purpose. But then… But then comes a moment where the flame dwindles, and the fire fades to embers. You still feel a soft heat, but what can you do with that? It barely warms your fingers; how could it set the world on fire? A … [Read more...] about Rekindle the Gift
You Will Die
You will die. Cheerful thought, is it not? But it is the reality we face—we have an expiration date. There will come a moment where we will take a final breath, our passage through this life will have run its course, and we will find ourselves standing before Jesus. (Oh, yes, we always have the hope that maybe Jesus will return before we die. We won’t have to face the veil. If that happens, what an incredible joy it will be, but every generation of Jesus-followers since Paul believed theirs would be the generation of his return. Peter, even writing mere decades after Jesus’ ascension, … [Read more...] about You Will Die