Let's see, average clergy guy. You buy a $375k house, borrow, say, $300k on that. Mortgage and escrow maybe $2,500/mo or $30k annually. And, yeah, we're probably talking a two income family. Add to that utility costs, home improvements, furnishings you buy, maintenance and you're up to maybe $40k per year in housing expenses. ALL OF THAT excluded from your income taxes, right off the top. THEN you get the DOUBLE tax break of using interest as an itemized deduction. OUR GREAT CLERGY TAX BREAK! You make the average SBC pastor compensation? You can more than slice that in half for … [Read more...] about Median US home price 2021: $374,900. So, how’s your housing allowance doing?
Can (or should) this church be saved?
I love a small church - the building, the people, the setting, the history. The photo is of a small church near me. I've been there, done a funeral there, know or used to know some of the people and pastors there. But, never mind thinking about the future of this church, what, exactly, is going on in the present? This is the church sign (I blocked out the name). The message "come join us" is not exactly a game changer but letting it run down and have letters scattered all over signals that this isn't a church that cares a thing about what people think or say about them. Somebody … [Read more...] about Can (or should) this church be saved?
Ha-Le-Lu-UGA
33-18 and way past my bed time. —————- Last SEC post. Will promise to skip basketball season. Go Dawgs. … [Read more...] about Ha-Le-Lu-UGA
The venerable Cooperative Program, delicate flower that it is, is UP significantly after fiscal Q1
[Note: please read through to the end for an important addendum.] It's 2022 and our flagship giving plan, The Cooperative Program, will be one hundred years old in three years, 2025. In my decades as an active and involved Southern Baptist - SBC church member, seminary student, pastor, and now retired - the CP has been variously termed a miracle, an act of God, the envy of other denominations, the fuel for mission work and others. My favorite is that the CP isn't a "sacred cow" but "the sacred how." Notice how proponents acknowledge that a significant proportion of SBCers label the CP as a … [Read more...] about The venerable Cooperative Program, delicate flower that it is, is UP significantly after fiscal Q1
Things you didn’t know about the SEC
Vanderbilt, currently the league doormat, was formerly an SEC powerhouse. Tulane used to be in the SEC, dropped out in 1966. Tulane has more SEC football titles than Mississippi State and Kentucky, as well as Arkansas, South Carolina, Missouri and Texas A&M, which have never won the conference. Georgia Tech was another SEC powerhouse but in the worst decision Bobby Dodd made, left in 1964. Tech's record against rival Georgia is something like 12-46 since then. The ACC can have the Jackets. The SEC headquarters is in Birmingham. Most SBC conventioneers walked past it when we had … [Read more...] about Things you didn’t know about the SEC
There are a few million reasons why two SEC teams are playing for the championship
If Alabama played Cincinnati a dozen times they would beat them a dozen times. If Georgia played Michigan a dozen times they would beat them a dozen times. The players are that much better. It doesn't hurt that both Saban and Smart are paid more than other coaches. It doesn't hurt that both schools have assistant coaches who make over a million a year. I love shocking staid friends by telling them the highest paid state employee is Kirby Smart, head football coach. It ain't close, either. Money, money, money...big money wins football games unless you for some strange reason like … [Read more...] about There are a few million reasons why two SEC teams are playing for the championship
2022 declared “The Year of the Real Pastor”
You can say you read about it first here. The declaration was made about an hour ago by your humble hacker and plodder retired pastor. Here's to the Real Pastors among us! The guy who looks out on Sunday morning and sees the SBC median and average and below attendance, or no more than a couple hundred souls. That's about as many as the Senior/Lead/Top Dawg Pastor can actually pastor. The guy whose membership and community, when someone asks who the pastor is of his church, replies with his name only. God bless all the associates, assistants, age-category sub-pastors but THE pastor … [Read more...] about 2022 declared “The Year of the Real Pastor”
Top SBC events of 2021
1. Creation of the Sex Abuse Task Force. To be cussed and discussed for a generation. 2. Ed Litton elected SBC president. A surprise that Mohler didn't make a runoff. Litton's sermon practices later became top news. 3. SBC Executive Committee CEO, Ronnie Floyd, resigns. Vision takes a back seat to perceived leadership failure. 4. Mass resignations of Executive Committee members. The CBN exits for reasons they think are compelling. Bye. 5. Churches mostly back to normal after COVID. 6. Russell Moore resigns as CEO of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. And goes Presby … [Read more...] about Top SBC events of 2021
Voices Top Ten Articles of 2021
If something big happens this week, like the Second Coming, I'll let one of the other guys handle that. So, here are the top ten articles. We keep score here...on everything. Russell Moore Letter to SBC President on the Current Crisis in the SBC [Full Text], Brent Hobbs, June 5th. Copy and paste job of Moore's letter to J. D. Greer, a pre-election surprise. J. D. Greear's powerful message to the SBC Executive Committee, Brent Hobbs. February 23rd. This was an address by Greear back in February. The article linked the video of Greear. SBCers wanted, I presume, to see him and listen … [Read more...] about Voices Top Ten Articles of 2021
Has the SBC reached its winter solstice?
Today's the day. The sun comes to a slow stop from going southward and inches back up. I'm a little depressed but things will literally be sunnier from now until beyond the contentious SBCAM in June. My fair locale has 9 hours and 53 minutes of sun today. The farthest north I've ever been, North Pole, Alaska, has a meager 3 hours and 44 minutes of sun today. Gimme a handful of vitamin D pills, quick. But how's the SBC looking, metaphorically speaking, in regard to sunlight and darkness? From where I stare out at the gray, cloudy, chilly, leafless dimness it looks pretty bad. I have … [Read more...] about Has the SBC reached its winter solstice?