Each year prior to the SBC annual meeting the IMB reports the total for the previous year's Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Lottie Moon offering tops $153 million The $153 million is a huge sum but is about one million dollars less than last year's record total of $154 million. The decrease is less than one percent. As a pastor, I always led my churches to try and give a little more. Almost always, they responded. I know things have changed in SBC life and that the LMCO, while important, does not carry the same priority with churches that it once did. I wish … [Read more...] about Lottie Moon 2014: down $1 million but still a huge sum for missions
Cooperative Program and the new CEO of the Florida Baptist state convention
The only thing I invest in Florida is an occasional chunk of tourist money. The only thing I bring out of Florida is sunburn and a few fish. But I do think events concerning the Florida Baptist Convention are interesting, since it is one of the largest of the state conventions and one of the heaviest contributors to the Cooperative Program on the national level. In 2014 FBC churches, through their state convention, sent almost $30 million to the SBC Executive Committee in Nashville to be allocated mainly to the mission boards and seminaries. In 2014 the FBC kept 58.63 percent of every CP … [Read more...] about Cooperative Program and the new CEO of the Florida Baptist state convention
Pre-SBC good news…
...that not too many of us are talking about: Cooperative Program 2.57% ahead of year-to-date projection NASHVILLE (BP) -- Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are 2.57 percent above the year-to-date SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget projection and 2.09 percent above contributions received during the same time frame last year, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Frank S. Page. The year-to-date total represents money … [Read more...] about Pre-SBC good news…
What I wish for my hardworking pastor colleagues…
...is that after they have been at their present church for a stretch of years they would be given a sabbatical. Various SBC outlets regularly, though not frequently, promote the idea that pastors should take sabbaticals. The latest that I have seen came from Michael Lewis, NAMB's Executive Director of Pastoral Care and Development in an article: Why Sabbaticals Matter Only megapastors can "take" sabbatical. If the rest of us average guys want some extended amount of time away from the church we've generally had one voluntary route (resign) and one involuntary route (get fired). But we … [Read more...] about What I wish for my hardworking pastor colleagues…
“Our church has a marketing committee…”
...so I thought it would be interesting to speculate on the phrase that could have followed that statement: (a) "...can you believe that!" (b) "...for crying out loud!" (c) "...and I don't know what the church is coming to." (d) "...great God Almighty!" (e) "...our pastor is such a forward-looking man of wisdom and insight." All but the last would fit with the tone and expression of the speaker. The context was the general malaise of the church, lack of pastoral care, and seriously diffused focus. I'm curious if having a marketing committee (or team, and I'd speculate that calling … [Read more...] about “Our church has a marketing committee…”
Do you know much about Baptist Global Response?
One of the more recent creations connected with Southern Baptist life is Baptist Global Response. Although it was created in 2006 and has almost a decade of history, I never hear much about it but the reason for that might be that I don't get all the usual mailings that go to Southern Baptist churches. I've never given to it. When my church would take up offerings for the significant disasters (tsunami, earthquake, or other global catastrophes) I don't ever recall sending the money to BGR, which describes itself as a "global Southern Baptist Relief and Development organization." It also … [Read more...] about Do you know much about Baptist Global Response?
“Well, I sometimes get mad…”
...so the prospective pastor told the search committee in answer to the second of the pair of questions that every search committee asks. The first question was, "What is your strong point?" "Preaching, I suppose" answered the candidate. Fair enough. The man might indeed be Spurgeon or he might be unable to preach his way out of a flimsy paper bag but at least the search committee and eventually the church will get to listen and judge for themselves. The worst that could be said about this answer is that the brother seriously overestimates himself. Many a congregation has been patient … [Read more...] about “Well, I sometimes get mad…”
Divorce, teens, baptism, and tongues in the IMB’s new appointment policies
Count me as one who believes in our International Mission Board, trusts their judgment about personnel, and appreciates their work. There has not been a time that I have been a pastor (or semi-retired pastor) that I have not prayed for, participated in, and given to the work of the IMB. I can be considered a realist, though. The IMB is our largest entity and may be considered to have some institutional inertia and such. It has a budget above $300 million, employs over 4,200 missions personnel plus all the folks who work in other capacities. The cost of enlisting, vetting, appointing, … [Read more...] about Divorce, teens, baptism, and tongues in the IMB’s new appointment policies
Annual Meeting housekeeping, by-law changes
It's not looking like I will make the annual meeting in Columbus but a few housekeeping matters concerning SBC bylaws will be on the agenda anyway. 1. Electronic Voting...the SBC dragged into the 21st Century. The punch card ballots used all these years at the annual meetings ("Take out your ballots and tear off ballot number four and only ballot number four...punch out the little square...") is technology that is more than two centuries old ( Go to the Smithsonian and check out the Jacquard Loom for an early example, fascinating). The SBC has managed the counting of ballots this way for … [Read more...] about Annual Meeting housekeeping, by-law changes
Nazi Germany, Jim Crow and civil dialogue
I sometimes wonder if constructive dialogue is possible on the hot button issues of the day. It looks to me as if not but, perhaps, I am reading opinions and discussions in all the wrong places. Who would argue that the volatility index for discussion of white hot cultural and racial issues is not in the red zone and that thoughtful, considerate exchanges by reasonable people on opposing sides are as scarce as ivory-billed woodpeckers? Along those lines, observe that here in Georgia our legislature, solidly Republican, has failed to pass a Religious Freedom Restoration Act for two years … [Read more...] about Nazi Germany, Jim Crow and civil dialogue