By popular demand your humble hacker and plodder blogger was in attendance at the annual meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention yesterday. Actually, the reason for my presence was more marital command (my wife was in the choir for the event) than popular demand, but why quibble over the ultimate cause. I was there, eyes open, eyebrows raised, ears perked. The meeting was dominated by the retirement of our Executive Director, Robert White, and beginning of a new ED, Thomas Hammond. White's tenure was over a quarter century and he is an old school patrician Baptist, an indefatigible, … [Read more...] about An exciting day at my state convention annual meeting
The blogging equivalent of a church potluck supper
I had a wonderful older lady in my church whose habit was to bring rutabagas to the monthly senior luncheon. I don't like the smell of rutabagas. I don't like the taste of rutabagas. I don't like the look of rutabagas. They are virtually inedible just on the basis of the name 'rutabaga'. Why would anyone put such a thing in their mouth anyway? Well, every time the lady would say, "Here, preacher, have some rutabagas," and in a shameful display of spineless pastoral pandering, I'd answer, "Sure" and she would heap on a pile of the foul items on my plate. Under withering scrutiny, I'd eat … [Read more...] about The blogging equivalent of a church potluck supper
SBC Today gives up the ghost
The flagship blog of SBC Traditionalists, SBC Today, announced a few days ago that "for the forseeable future" they would take a "hiatus." I guess that means they gave up the ghost, although with one short post since the announcement a light pulse is felt. May it be hereby noted that this was done on the eve of Reformation Day. Someone ought point that out and I'm happy to oblige. The news was noted in no less than Baptist News Global where Bob Allen had an informative article. At least one additional popular site for Baptists made note, also. Frankly, I hated to see it partly because of … [Read more...] about SBC Today gives up the ghost
Why not rather be wronged?
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? (NIV) If ever there is a scripture passage that has been neutered it is this one concerning lawsuits among believers. One of our entities is being sued by a former state executive. There are several prominent cases where bloggers have been sued. My own church was recently surprised to be served with a lawsuit. Seems that a volunteer with the food distribution ministry, a monthy food giveaway, claimed to have tripped over a box … [Read more...] about Why not rather be wronged?
Guaranteed to give foodies the heebie jeebies
May I modestly offer my humble self as a BBQ connoisseur? Indeed, I am, though some close to me may tweak that term and say that I'm more of a BBQ consumptioneur...but what do they know? I like most any kind of BBQ pork, and even beef if offered it, with most any kind of sauce. But pork ribs are the best, which brings me to the bane of foodies: Just in time for Halloween, McDonalds has reintroduced their magnificent McRib sandwich, and... I. Love. It. Had one last night as a matter of gastronomical fact. "But that's a fast food restaurant," you sniff. Doesn't matter. In fact, … [Read more...] about Guaranteed to give foodies the heebie jeebies
Ecclesiology…can’t get any respect from Southern Baptists
I'm not the lonely pastor theologian slogging away thinking deep theological thoughts, unappreciated and in obscurity. I'm currently not lonely, not a pastor, and not a theologian and my goal was just to try and hack it on Mondays (thanks, Adrian, for that line). But I do wonder why we stalwart conservative, Bible-believing, inerrantists seem to care so little about ecclesiology. We've got elders-ad nauseum in our churches these days, a sea change from forty years ago, back when I knew everything as a seminary student. The Baptist Faith and Message Statement doesn't even contain the term … [Read more...] about Ecclesiology…can’t get any respect from Southern Baptists
Ice sculptures, chefs, sychophants, sinecures, and secrecy
I'm not running for anything so it doesn't trouble me to write that my default posture on all things SBC is cold eyed, astringent skepticism. Maybe that is unfair to the hundreds, thousands of highly committed, loyal, servants who are employed by our entities or who serve as trustees of them. Still, I think I come by it honestly. When artist Graham Sutherland was engaged to paint a portrait of the aged Winston Churchill for his eightieth borthday, the former Prime Minister asked him how he would approach his task. Sutherland said he would paint what Churchill gave him. When it was finished, … [Read more...] about Ice sculptures, chefs, sychophants, sinecures, and secrecy
My DNA is better than your DNA
Many thanks to Elizabeth Warren for the recent attention drawn to DNA testing. While I have no interest in the political debate over all that, my interest in genealogy led me to explore this some years ago. If Senator Warren is between 1/64 and 1/1024 Native American good for her. That's anywhere from a third great-grandparent to an eighth great-grandparent. I have old photographs of relatives whose appearance (very dark hair, high cheekbones) made family highly suspect Native American blood. Sorry, though, DNA says no. So, no special treatment for my crowd at Harvard or anywhere … [Read more...] about My DNA is better than your DNA
Plagiarism for a New Day
My sermon prep and sermon delivery professor, a former large church pastor, would tell the young Spurgeons on the first day of class that any outline or sermon submitted if found to be copied would result in immediate failure of the class. While that was to be expected (and who should expect graduate academic credit given for stolen work?), it still put fear in the hearts of students because those who already had a body of sermonic work seldom were certain that their material was original. It is probably more accurate to say that the brethren absolutely knew that many of them were, ahem, … [Read more...] about Plagiarism for a New Day
How bright is the future for our beloved Cooperative Program?
October is Cooperative Program month. While serving as a pastor, I didn't often have a special CP Sunday or emphasis although I regularly attempted to educate the congregation on our main channel of mission support. Of all our denominational efforts and enterprises, the CP is the one that needs the most explanation, education, and promotion. After all, the title "Cooperative Program" doesn't convey anything concrete about how the money is spent. Cooperation is, needless to day, fundamental for the SBC but exactly how we cooperate financially is complicated and not easily conveyed. We have … [Read more...] about How bright is the future for our beloved Cooperative Program?