Thus spake one senior pastor, referring to the ordination process used by his church but more specifically of his examination by an ordination council. Seems the council just assumed he was a good guy and fit for the Christian ministry. Why ask a bunch of questions? Paul Powell, in "The New Minister's Manual" wrote, The purpose of ordination is twofold: First, to signify that the individual has decided to devote his life to the church’s ministry; and second, to indicate that the church is approving and authorizing them to serve the church in ministry. Ordination is a recognition of God’s … [Read more...] about My ordination was a joke
More full time senior pastors over 65 than under 40
Go visit around the churches in your area. If the article below is to be believed you would encounter more gray hair (and presumably experience and wisdom) in pulpits than the high and tight or undercut tonsorial looks (along with youth and inexperience). You would find more senior pastors who are on Medicare than Obamacare and more pastors who are seeing life's sunset days rather than the bright days of life's prime. The full time churches would have more senior pastors who are over 65 than under 40. I'm feeling a little old myself. Here's a link to a story on the research: American … [Read more...] about More full time senior pastors over 65 than under 40
“Called?” Then you’re more likely to experience burnout.
The article had the headline, Beware work that's your 'calling.' The subheading was, You could be prime for burnout, risks to health. OK, that gets my attention. See if you think these quotes make sense: Churches need to help staff temper their passion and "deal constructively" with challenges inherent in their work. Lay leadership needs to be alert to their staff members having an overwhelming sense of defeat or emotional toll that their work exacts... Church staff need encouragement and reminders of the little victories along the way. Prospective church staff need realistic information … [Read more...] about “Called?” Then you’re more likely to experience burnout.
2017 SBC Pastor’s Conference: Is this what the SBC is supposed to look like?
I like the concept and execution of the 2017 SBC Pastor's Conference and plan to be present for some of it, probably the Monday sessions. My question is this: Is the 2017 PC the best expression of what the Southern Baptist Convention is supposed to look like? Not in a racial or demographic look but in the following ways: It has been called a "collaborative" effort and is therefore a cooperative effort. Dave Miller may have been elected president but he has been clear from the outset that the conference is the work of a number of people besides himself. If Southern Baptists are about … [Read more...] about 2017 SBC Pastor’s Conference: Is this what the SBC is supposed to look like?
Lottie Moon looks to take a big hit this year
Last year, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions was a stupendous $165.8 million infusion into our flagship SBC mission board which had been struggling financially with serious and continuing deficits. Over 1,000 personnel, mostly overseas workers, took the early retirement offers and reductions in personnel costs put the board on a sustainable path. That Southern Baptists gave over $12 million more to the LMCO in 2015 than 2014 was an added boost and a great help in restoring reserves and providing stability going forward. Alas, it looks like the 2016 offering will … [Read more...] about Lottie Moon looks to take a big hit this year
The bizzare cases of strangers speaking at funerals
Consider it part of the ministerial macabre but stories about death, dying, and funerals interest me mainly because I figure I've seen or heard it all when it comes to funerals. It never fails that I run across stories that show that I haven't. Check this story of a recent funeral: Family seeks apology from stranger who made insensitive remarks at funeral At this funeral a total stranger, one whom the family had never met, decided to stand and speak. Seems the deceased was Asian non-smoker who died of lung cancer. The stranger lectured the crowd on the high smoking rates for Asians. … [Read more...] about The bizzare cases of strangers speaking at funerals
The complicated world of SBC trustee representation
As all informed SBCers know, the Southern Baptist Convention employs no one, fires no one, has no CEO, and doesn't exist except for a couple of days each year when in annual session. The SBC has, though, a number of entities: mission boards, seminaries, Executive Committee, ERLC, etc. that are governed by separate trustee bodies. If the ERLC wants to hire or fire a CEO, their trustees do it, not the Executive Committee, not the SBC in annual session. What's complicated is how the various entities arrive at their trustee body makeup. A recent Baptist Press story, IMB study to examine trustee … [Read more...] about The complicated world of SBC trustee representation
More vocabulary notables
I love the way Doug Hibbard labels the roofing materials needed for a church replant, stout, and he's not talking about how sturdy or durable they are. He means the cost. Tippling Calvinists probably drool when running across this word but there's nothing about beer in this one. Doug's use is so thoroughly southern here that it's not in many of the dictionaries. Nothing new there. The rest of the country is always trying to catch up with southern-speak. Dave Miller, taking a break from planning a splendid pastor's conference, blogs that "The detritus of a forced Moore termination would be … [Read more...] about More vocabulary notables
More SBC vocabulary notables
Dwight McKissic asks Black Baptist churches who are "considering affiliating with the Southern Baptist Convention to take a probative and aggressive approach..." Very fine term, probative and perfectly legitimate to encourage such efforts of any church considering changing or adding affiliations. McKissic's criticism is described as trenchant by one of the sites that picked up his SBC Voices article. The word (keen, sharp, articulate) is one of those that even if you don't know what it means, it sounds right in context. Dwight was trenchant indeed in addressing the Moore matter. And … [Read more...] about More SBC vocabulary notables
SBC Fake News – updated
It should not surprise any observer of Southern Baptist matters that there has always been a market for fake news among us, mainly through unofficial outlets like blogs, blog comments and the like. While I am probably not informed enough to offer an exhaustive list of fake SBC news items, these below are some of the more current and prominent ones. I welcome any additions to the list The Cooperative Program is Dead or Dying The Cooperative Program provided over $478 million for the state conventions and SBC entities in the latest figures available. At almost half a billion the CP is … [Read more...] about SBC Fake News – updated