Does the love fest between the rabid Cals and the formerly militant, though now meek, Trads extend to Great Commission Giving, the SBC giving category that can't get any respect? I'm just trying to manage all the consequences of recent SBC political developments that have my head spinning. You'd think my Christian, Baptist, Southern Baptist colleagues would have more respect for their elders than to jerk their head this way and that with convention politics. Fantasyland, SBC style. So, the Trads love their presidential candidate, longtime follower of Jesus and John Calvin, Tom Ascol. I like … [Read more...] about Great Commission Giving. Trads and Cals now love that giving metric?
Tom Ascol, Voddie Baucham and what a time to be in our Grand Convention!
While the SBC isn't 'woke' it may be drowsy at times and the joint announcement of the campaigns of anti-wokesters Tom Ascol and Voddie Baucham should rouse any sleepyheaded SBCers. When I've heard Tom Ascol, he has always handled himself well, at least on the floor of conventions. There has been a bit of a downgrade recently, recall the scurrilous trailer presented in Birmingham. Not his best moment, but, as Shelby Foote says, "Longevity conquers scandal every time." Ascol is the original rabid Calvinist and to the surprise of many is now allied with the old Trad anti-Cal faction. I … [Read more...] about Tom Ascol, Voddie Baucham and what a time to be in our Grand Convention!
Look for the lone, the sole, the indefatigable stalwart ONE AND ONLY pastor in most US congregations
"And, behold, I looked and saw a vast number of churches in the United States of America. I looked again and, behold, in most of these churches there was a single, solo, lone pastor serving them." I love these religion in America studies and surveys. This one presents what we all think is the ideal and normative US church: a rather small church that has a pastor, and only A pastor, not a team of pastors, not a lead/chief/senior/CEO pastor and a gaggle of sub/assistant/associate pastors. The National Congregations Study from the non-basketball side of Duke University has more data that you … [Read more...] about Look for the lone, the sole, the indefatigable stalwart ONE AND ONLY pastor in most US congregations
There be three SBC things that are an embarrassment, yea, four an absurdity [by William Thornton]
The Baptist Faith and Message. What is an embarrassment is that so many SBC entities and institutions feel compelled to append multiple paragraphs and inferior paragraphs that were composed by a self-appointed, unelected small groups of Southern Baptists. No church has to affirm the BFM, certainly not approve or adopt any ad hoc add-ons to qualify as a cooperating Southern Baptist church. It's been almost a generation since Adrian et al put this together. Time to start denominational WWIII and clean it up. Or, we can just 'wink-wink' our way forward. Some say we can rally around it. Hasn't … [Read more...] about There be three SBC things that are an embarrassment, yea, four an absurdity [by William Thornton]
The Gospel of the Hash House
My average sized congregation in South Carolina, ministerially speaking around 100-150 on Sunday mornings, had a Homecoming Sunday. It was a Big Deal. Always on the church calendar for the same date, third Sunday in September. Always a special preacher, mostly former pastors or guys from the church who had been called out to preach. Predictably for an SBC church, a cardiologists dream in regard to food, copious quantities of heavy casseroles, healthy fresh vegetables often seasoned by tasty fatback, desserts galore. Then there was the special hash. In that area of upstate SC some … [Read more...] about The Gospel of the Hash House
NAMB, our entity with the big red bulls eye, is doing a great job
We have in our Grand Old Convention a cadre of "tire slashers." These are folks who contribute nothing to forward progress but are happy to disable and destroy. Our North American Mission Board seems to attract the most of these people but, alas, it is the birthright of Southern Baptists to act in this way. Those people, loud though they be, are best ignored. Here are a few recent facts about NAMB gleaned from public documents and news reports. [In the interest of full disclosure, I have a bunch of swag from NAMB, picked up at recent SBC annual meetings. My favorite is the small … [Read more...] about NAMB, our entity with the big red bulls eye, is doing a great job
Recognize this?
I suppose I'll never be on board with these prepackaged, prefilled, partly fake grape juice communion cups. Yeah, I understand it's where we are and perhaps the alternatives, as in real bread and real juice without plastic and foil, are unacceptable to our health and safety conscious worshippers. I'll use them but I don't have to like them. The one pictured in my wrinkly octogenarian paw is from the church service yesterday. I didn't steal it. I picked up two when walking in thinking my wife in the choir would need one. Seems the choir had their own. Call me crazy but I don't think … [Read more...] about Recognize this?
The quirkiness of my beloved SBC preacher colleagues
It's guaranteed. If you don't hold the interest of your congregants while preaching, not a few of them will focus on odd things about you - your tie choice (that's been solved by ditching the tie altogether), other clothing and the like. No one has complained about a tie I wore except my wonderful wife, but then if someone gives you a tie you have to wear it at least once, no matter how ugly. I've been a bored listener at times over the past decades and have affectionate, irreverent, yet truthful observations about the quirky preaching habits of my fellow soldiers of the Lord. There's … [Read more...] about The quirkiness of my beloved SBC preacher colleagues
SBC is headed for record offerings to Lottie, Annie, and the CP
These are our three main offerings and they account for almost all of the money received by the Executive Committee for distribution. Well, maybe not a record for the CP, that would be unreachable without Bezos and Gates pitching in hundreds of millions, but the CP may actually show an increase this fiscal year. So, explain where ordinary Southern Baptist churches are in this takeover scheme? They are behind our cooperative efforts and the financial channels that fuel them. The few, the disgruntled, the gripers and complainers would have us think there is a mass movement against … [Read more...] about SBC is headed for record offerings to Lottie, Annie, and the CP
The expensive road to Anaheim
The convention in Anaheim this June looks like an important convention: Contested presidential election, though the expected nominations are not in Perhaps contested nominations and reports Sex Abuse Task Force report and recommendations Perhaps other matters will bubble up in the 133 days until the opening gavel. The takeover group is actively touting the meeting and pumping attendance. I ain't gonna make it. Looks too expensive to me. Have you guys budgeted for this? Flight + hotel + food + incidentals for the beloved pastor and his wife looks around $3k to me, more if … [Read more...] about The expensive road to Anaheim