I caught this collection of quotes coming across my Google Reader. While I suspect these comments come from a critical spirit, there is something we can learn about being Baptist. "Having attended several denominations, and read/heard about many others (mostly Protestant), I've concluded one thing they all have in common is they are all wrong -- doctrinally -- about something. One of my biggest frustrations is that so many denominations serve their denomination as much as their God. I don't think church growth should be a goal. I don't think denomination status, tithes, attendance, etc., … [Read more...] about Serving Denominations Rather Than God
Martin Luther King Jr. At SBTS
To celebrate MLK day, I'm posting the audio from an old Said At Southern Podcast (from my old blog - now retired). It contains a recording of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on April 19, 1961. The speech is more remarkable considering the context. Southern Baptists were not unified in their posture toward the Civil Rights movement and in 1961 the outcome was far from certain. In this speech, you will hear Dr. King cast his vision for the church’s role in racial reconciliation. While it has become fashionable to find fault with his personal … [Read more...] about Martin Luther King Jr. At SBTS
The Tennessean On SBC Decline
What can be done to stop the decline of the Southern Baptist Convention? That is the question raised in this post from the Tennessean.com. I've read some good points on a few other blogs, but wanted to offer a few observations here. The Conservative Resurgence was God's work, even if it was accomplished by less than perfect leaders. Even if the results haven't been all we hoped. When people turn back to God's Word it is his work. Have we gone far enough? Maybe not. Giving verbal agreement to inerrancy is a good start, but we also need to look to the Bible as sufficient for our faith & … [Read more...] about The Tennessean On SBC Decline
Blog Debate: Contextualization, IMB, And Gospel Integrity
There is something of a blog debate right now about contextualization and sharing the Gospel in a Muslim context. It began with this post on SBC Impact which is a sample of a contextualized personal testimony offered by anonymous missionary. SBC Today posted a response that raised several issues with this approach to contextualization. Among other things, that response concluded: It is certainly worthwhile to “contextualize the gospel.” The task is difficult, surely. The author of the SBCImpact.net article may well have sought to do something similar to what Paul did in these examples, but … [Read more...] about Blog Debate: Contextualization, IMB, And Gospel Integrity
Does Cooperative Program = Missions?
This is the one question that kept coming up in yesterday's conversation. One commentator even asked, "When did the CP start describing itself as mission work?" Here are a few observations: The domain www.cpmissions.net definitely gives that idea. The title of the website is "Cooperative Program (CP) Missions" The about page states, "a God-given partnership of missions support was conceived—The Cooperative Program." Missions Home & Abroad? This was a second question that kept coming up. I wasn't able to find an authoritative definition, but my instinct is to think … [Read more...] about Does Cooperative Program = Missions?
The SBC & Bleeding Kansas
While looking up some history of the Domestic Missions Board, I came across this resolution from the 1855 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. Resolution On Missions (May 1855): RESOLVED, That the Board of Domestic Missions be instructed to occupy Kansas, as a field of missions as soon as practicable. This immediately brought to mind Bleeding Kansas and the boarder wars over slavery in Kansas Territory. Does anybody know the rest of the story? … [Read more...] about The SBC & Bleeding Kansas
How Much CP Even Gets To The IMB?
Lately, we have been looking into the best way to use our missions money as a local congregation. The more I learn, the less satisfied I become with the Cooperative Program as a "missions" funding tool. Attention LifeWay Research, I'm moving to the minority on this one. Here is the way the math works for our church. We give about $24,000 through the Cooperative Program. The Indiana Baptist Split is (64.5%) 15,480, and the SBC portion is (35.5%) 8,520. Once the money gets to Nashville, the CP allocations gives half (4,260) to the IMB and the rest to other causes (NAMB, Seminaries, etc.). … [Read more...] about How Much CP Even Gets To The IMB?
CP At 91.88% Of Budget After 3 Months
Baptist Press issued some figures about the pace of Cooperative Program giving over the last few months. We have seen hints that it was coming and today we get confirmation. The news wasn't good and we're 5% behind the 2008 pace. But the real headline was buried in the article. For the (2008-2009) SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-to-date total of $47,251,306.70 is 91.88 percent of the $51,429,208.50 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America. Remember, the SBC operates on an Oct. 1-Sept. 30 fiscal year. So, these figures are … [Read more...] about CP At 91.88% Of Budget After 3 Months
Baptists In The 111th Congress
Aaron Weaver, has posted some analysis on the church affiliation claimed by members of the 111th US Congress. He makes special note of incoming legislators affiliated with Baptist churches. He states that 27 House Representatives hold membership in a Baptist church that affiliates with the Southern Baptist Convention. He also lists four SBC affiliated Senators. Southern Baptists in the Senate include John McCain (R-AZ), North Phoenix Baptist Church; Roger Wicker (R-MS), First Baptist Church Tupelo; Tom Coburn (R-OK), First Baptist Church Muskogee; and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Corinth Baptist … [Read more...] about Baptists In The 111th Congress
2008-2009 Cooperative Program Budget Allocation
Earlier today I was looking for the breakdown of CP monies used by the SBC. I had to look through a 1300+ page PDF, but I found it at last. Since I had such trouble finding this data online, I thought it would be good to post it here in a usable format. This information was taken from the 2008 Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention. TOTAL BUDGET ALLOCATION $205,716,834.00 (100.00%) WORLD MISSION MINISTRIES $ 149,741,283.47 (72.79%) INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD $ 102,858,417.00 (50.00%) NORTH AMERICAN MISSION BOARD 46,882,866.47 (22.79%) THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION MINISTRIES$ … [Read more...] about 2008-2009 Cooperative Program Budget Allocation