Brethren, we cannot all be large and megachurch pastors. You believe that God has called you to the Christian ministry so you leave the job you have and make a considerable investment in a seminary education in terms of finances, time, and family disruption. You rightly and properly understand that your new occupation, “calling” is the term you prefer, is sanctioned by God Himself and is a good work, an important work representing the Lord Himself in a local community, sharing the eternal Gospel and being a leader in Kingdom work. Then you take a church and struggle with congregational … [Read more...] about Ah, those pastoral ministry expectations
The strange world of SBC baptism statistics
How should the guy in the pew react when he sees a headline like "IMB Baptisms hit lowest level since 1969"? Overseas baptisms for 2015 dropped to 54,762 from the 190,957 reported for 2014, according to information submitted by the International Mission Board in response to a request by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. Likewise, the number of new churches fell from 13,824 to 3,842 over the same one-year period. The baptism figure represents the lowest level reported in 46 years. Or when we get the annual statistical report which most years includes the depressing … [Read more...] about The strange world of SBC baptism statistics
The pastor and elder fraud and abuse
The winsome lady moved to town, joined a small but established SBC church and immediately became active in church life, particularly a women's Bible study with a number of older ladies. She was a successful investor and realtor. After ingratiating herself with the group she offered to help some of them earn extra income by partnering with her in some real estate deals. She was an expert in flipping houses and had done quite a bit in a distant state and was happy to share her expertise. One could guess that this is a tale that ends badly, and it did. The nice lady was a habitual liar, was … [Read more...] about The pastor and elder fraud and abuse
Alcohol is still a deal breaker in SBC life
The church member was surprised to see her church staffer dining alone in a local restaurant. When she headed towards his table to offer a courteous "hello," she was even more surprised to see him make a quick attempt at hiding a glass of cold beer. Although her church did not have a highly detailed, written code of conduct that prohibited the pastor and staff from drinking beer, wine, or liquor, such was a longstanding, unquestioned expectation on the part of the membership of the staff. I share the predictable outcome of the incident below. The travails of celebrity megapastors … [Read more...] about Alcohol is still a deal breaker in SBC life
How do you manage feedback on your preaching?
Many of the readers and participants here will be preaching today. Those who hear will be reacting in some way to the sermon and some reactions will come in the way of visible or audible feedback. So, pastor/preacher, how do you handle feedback on your preaching? A faithful layman, with some degree of sensitivity, approached his pastor about his preaching. The problem wasn't the content of the sermon. The pastor was not plagiarizing the work of others. There was no perceived lack of preparation. It had to do with sermon delivery. The pastor had settled into a pattern of loud, angry … [Read more...] about How do you manage feedback on your preaching?
The strange world of autonomy: gender, labels, IRS and the clergy housing allowance
Our sacred clergy tax break the Housing Allowance continues to give us a pretty good exclusion for a chunk of our cash pay. I'd speculate that the average Southern Baptist pastor is able to exclude $1000-$2000 a month from being reported and taxed under our income tax laws. I'm just guessing about the numbers. A pastor of an averaged-sized church with a stay-at-home wife and a few runny-nosed exemptions, er...children, around the house likely pays no income tax at all. In spite of legal challenges I think the clergy housing allowance is secure for the foreseeable future. I like … [Read more...] about The strange world of autonomy: gender, labels, IRS and the clergy housing allowance
The siren song of opting out of Social Security
“I am conscientiously opposed to, or because of my religious principles I am opposed to, the acceptance (for services I perform as a minister…) of any public insurance that makes payments in the event of death, disability, old age or retirement; or that makes payments toward the cost of, or provides services for, medical care. Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this application and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true and correct.” Affix your signature to this, the key part of IRS Form 4361, Application for Exemption From Self-Employment Tax for Use By … [Read more...] about The siren song of opting out of Social Security
Assorted items from the 2016 Annual Meeting
Sorry I missed sweltering St. Louis but I have enjoyed reading some reports from the brethren, especially the one from the first time attendee. Here are a few items of lesser note that I thought interesting: Ah, those spontaneous and deliberate motions from the floor: A motion by Andy Perryman of First Baptist Church, Washington, Ga., to amend the SBC constitution to make intentional cooperation with a state convention and a local association criteria by which a church is deemed to be in friendly cooperation with the SBC. This was referred to the Executive Committee … [Read more...] about Assorted items from the 2016 Annual Meeting
Great Commission Giving: The metric that can’t get any respect.
One would think that giving by SBC churches to the Cooperative Program, Lottie Moon offering, Annie Armstrong offering, state mission offering, associational offering, their local association, state convention, mission boards, seminaries, children's homes, Baptist colleges, ministries for the aging, hospitals, recovery programs, disaster relief programs, direct partnership projects with our International and North American Mission Boards, and a range of other Southern Baptist national, state convention, or associational causes would be something to be praised and commended. We would all … [Read more...] about Great Commission Giving: The metric that can’t get any respect.
Hearty congratulations to Dave Miller and the collaborative 2017PC group
Someone ought to note that this is no small thing - an upstart group of no-names proposing a different approach to a major SBC event, putting forth a candidate, and winning an election. And all that being done in a positive manner and without rancor. The usual way we do things is for a group to get mad about something, spit fire about it, complain incessantly, and try and get a majority vote. That doesn't usually work but the 2017PC brain trust made this one work. Congratulations and very good work. It has always struck me that the attitude of large/megachurch pastors and leadership has … [Read more...] about Hearty congratulations to Dave Miller and the collaborative 2017PC group