Balance, schmalance…”beer is a gift to be enjoyed in moderation” sayeth my neighbor Georgian evangelical pastor…and brewer. Heavenly balance? A craft-beer-brewing, evangelical pastor Alas, the dilemma of today’s newspaper editors. If an evangelical pastor founds a brewery, where should the story go? Better put it in the business, not religion, section of the paper, but […]
IMB overseas personnel reduced by almost 1,000
OK, David Platt, one in five SBC overseas personnel have either retired or resigned and we have moved from about 4,800 such to around 3,800. Now that’s a reset, recalibration, retrenchment of the first degree. IMB:1,132 missionaries, state staff accept VRI, HRO NASHVILLE (BP) — The International Mission Board announced today (Feb. 24) that 983 […]
2016 Pastor’s Conference
Live This: SBC Pastors Conference 2016, St.Louis Speakers: David Platt, Greg Laurie, Ed Stetzer, Jack Graham, James MacDonald, Byron McWilliams…and “more to come.” __________________ Session sponsors: Southern Baptists of Texas, Harvest America Greg Laurie, Compassion In Jesus’ Name Diamond sponsors: Our journey of Hope, NAMB, Midwestern Seminary, Maranatha Tours, Inc. Platinum sponsors: Auxano ________________________ Compassion in […]
Next week’s a big week at IMB
David Platt gave a little preview when meeting with state baptist paper editors, some of whom are critical of his recent actions. Platt asks state paper editors to encouage unity Gleaned from the address as BP reported it: 1. Numbers for the Hand Raising opportunity will be given next week at the IMB trustee meeting. […]
No, pastors are not quitting in droves
If I went by the conversations I have heard at associational pastors conferences, state and national conventions and conferences, and now various online sites, I would have concluded that my ministerial colleagues are not only under intense pressure and stress but that the brethren are leaving the ministry in great numbers. Not so according to […]
The greatest show on earth
That would be American presidential campaigns and elections. There are others that have more drama, complete with blood in the streets, but short of that ours is quite a spectacle. And, at long last, we actually had some voting (caucusing in Iowa, to be accurate, complete with random winners selected by the tossing of coins). […]
Time to try out the new paradigm for an SBC presidential election?
I would like to see a serious effort by Southern Baptists to elect someone other than a megachurch pastor as president of the convention. While I have no particular complaint about current president Ronnie Floyd, I think he has done a good job, my view is that we lose something valuable by relying on a […]
No additional missionary staff reductions needed: IMB summary
Most headlines about IMB news emphasize the communications staff reductions announced yesterday but The Christian Index’s Joe Westbury has a good article that notes what is probably the most salient news from Richmond: IMB: No further mandatory staff reductions No further International Mission Board missionaries will be required to leave the field as the agency […]
Some SBC numbers (and one NCAA number)
Cooperative Program receipts at the SBC level (after state conventions take their cut and not counting money sent directly that by-passes the states) was UP in the last fiscal year about eight million dollars. One legacy state convention, Florida, has voted to keep less than 50% of CP receipts. This is quite a change from […]
Is not voting a sin?
Is it a sin to fail to register to vote, to vote, to be involved in the political processes of our country? Is it a sin to vote for the wrong candidate?
Top state conventions in baptisms
[Update: I erred in not reading the footnote that said that the Florida state convention included numbers from their partnership with Haiti. This means that FBC’s figures are not comparable to the other states. My mistake.] Baptisms are the currency of the Southern Baptist Convention. Baptize many and you will be praised, honored, and […]
Seven interesting SBC items of 2015 that you might have missed
In no particular order: “…while shared ministries are supported at all levels of Southern Baptist life, the phrase itself and the concept in general are no longer communicating the allocation of funds clearly, [Alabama Baptist State Convention Executive Director Rick] Lance explained. So going forward, the budget language in Alabama will only deal with state […]