I'm a little weary of reading that Dave Miller, on temporary hiatus from this place while he manages the 2017 SBC Pastor's Conference, is a "small church" pastor. Ed Stetzer did an interview with him recently entitled, One on One with the Small Church Pastor Who "Took Over" the SBC Pastor's Conference to Highlight Smaller Churches. It's a great interview and I'm pleased to see Dave get a free lunch from Stetzer and a nice article on the Pastor's Conference. But my irascibility is showing here about the business of him being classified as a "small church" pastor. Nothing about him is "small" … [Read more...] about The strange world of SBC “small” churches
Executive Committee has more complaints on ERLC than any issue in memory
Want to learn some things? Keep up with SBC This Week the " weekly news roundup from around the Southern Baptist Convention hosted by Amy Whitfield and Jonathan Howe." The two secured an interview with Stephen Rummage, Chairman of the SBC Executive Committee which earlier in the week had announced that they have not one but two study committees that will be looking into the matter of churches dissatisfaction and concerns about SBC entities and how that might impact the Cooperative Program. Rummage said that the actions were not solely because of the decision by Prestonwood Baptist Church … [Read more...] about Executive Committee has more complaints on ERLC than any issue in memory
Steve Gaines on the Cooperative Program
In an interview with state paper editors our current president was asked about the CP, our flagship giving plan now almost 100 years old. Concerning the Cooperative Program, Gaines said there is no biblical justification for churches to tithe 10 percent of their receipts to the Cooperative Program, regardless of how good the missions support program is. Churches today have a lot of their own ministries and are doing a wonderful job of reaching their communities for Christ. Those ministries should not be sacrificed for giving to the Cooperative Program through their state conventions. He … [Read more...] about Steve Gaines on the Cooperative Program
Southern Baptist vocabulary watch
In an interesting article on Boyce, Broadus and the Lost Cause, Southeastern professor Bruce Harper notes that the pair of Baptist titans "neither reveled in Confederate lore, nor sought means to subvert the post-war order." The former rebels didn't revel? I like the case he built. Roger Simpson makes a point about "arcane theological arguments." Yeah. For example, any appeal to the Institutes. Both Rob Ayers and Bill Mac are familiar with apoplexy a common malady on the blogs that is best avoided. I recommend a vaccination against it. Stay away from paroxysms as … [Read more...] about Southern Baptist vocabulary watch
Has health insurance affected your church’s pastor search or your search for a church?
How are Southern Baptist churches and ministers managing in the age of escalating health care costs, confusion and uncertainty about Obamacare in a time of stagnant or declining church membership and revenues? A recent article, not yet available online, describes and decrys the "alarming rate" at which churches are shifting the costs of benefits from churches to ministers. The shift seems to mirror the trend of small businesses dropping health coverage for their employees. The vast majority of SBC churches are, economically viewed, small businesses with one, perhaps a couple of full time … [Read more...] about Has health insurance affected your church’s pastor search or your search for a church?
Is our Sacred Tax Break, the clergy housing allowance, unconstitutional?
The clergy housing allowance, that magnificent tax break provided by Uncle Sam to ordained ministers which allows them to exclude from income taxes a sizable chunk of their clergy income, is under scrutiny. Nothing new here. Among the many lawsuits the Freedom From Religion Foundation keeps juggling is one that seeks to have the cash clergy housing allowance unconstitutional. The FFRF website describes their suit thusly, FFRF is asking the court to rule the provision unconstitutional because it provides preferential and discriminatory tax benefits to ministers of the gospel. The section … [Read more...] about Is our Sacred Tax Break, the clergy housing allowance, unconstitutional?
Funeral selfies? Oh please!
You knew it was coming: funeral selfies. I'll not use any of the macabre photographs here but you can see more than you want in the link. "Hey, check out me and grandma in our last photo together!" No thanks. Lest we think that it took smart phones, social media, Instagram, Facebook, and the modern, highly connected era for such things as funeral selfies, take a quick look if you dare, at the practice of death photographs that was popular in the Victorian era of over a century ago. It made a certain sense for families to have a photograph, even after death, with which to remember a loved … [Read more...] about Funeral selfies? Oh please!
A visit to my local mosque
Yesterday, the closest mosque to me held an open house and having business in the vicinity, I stopped by. This is an annual event that draws quite a crowd of local, non-Islamic visitors. The small parking lot was full and cars were parked up and down the street. The open house included guided tours of the facility, information about Islam and the local center, questions and answers, free food, some "sweet water" from Mecca, free literature, and some Islamic art. As with the only other mosque I have visited (the al-Hussein Mosque adjacent to the mammoth souk in Cairo) visitors had to remove … [Read more...] about A visit to my local mosque
You should give your pastor a large bank account
One of the best metaphors relating to life as a pastor is one I first heard from a state convention staffer. He told a story about a pastor and said that every pastor has a bank account of goodwill and that a wise pastor will conserve what he starts with and add to it as often as possible. Sadly, the story was about a pastor who in one fell swoop completely emptied his account. The more common metaphor used of a pastor newly arrived on a new church field is that of a honeymoon. Maybe six months or a year and it's over. Perhaps sooner. We live in a time when churches no longer give … [Read more...] about You should give your pastor a large bank account
Excursions in Baptist vocabulary – updated
No, this isn't about clever Baptist lines like fried chicken being the "Baptist bird" and it certainly isn't about the lamentable clichés that are the bane of SBC preaching but rather is appreciation for the brethren who go beyond the usual word useage. Here are a few current examples: _____ Franklin Kirksey, in a desperate search for that perfect alliterative sermon point, said that The fear of the Lord emancipates and embays life. While he may have secretly resorted to the thesaurus, he gets points for finding a moderately more interesting term for his sermon. Louis was kind to … [Read more...] about Excursions in Baptist vocabulary – updated