In the '90's we used to watch the TV Guide channel for what seemed like hours, waiting for something interesting to pop up on the schedule. Then, a classic or favorite movie would appear. We would change the channel to TNT or TBS, maybe USA, and watch a movie we'd seen dozens of times. If we were lucky enough to catch the beginning of the movie we would see this disclaimer- This film has been modified from its original format. It has been edited for content and to run in time allowed. Years later, thanks to streaming, no network censors are editing those old favorites for time and … [Read more...] about The Next Chapter
SBC Institutions & Entities
A Statement, Not A Creed
The 1963 SBC Annual meeting in Kansas City was highly anticipated. At the previous year’s meeting the SBC Executive Committee recommended that a committee be appointed to examine the Baptist Faith and Message. The committee was to be led by the current SBC President Dr. Herschel Hobbs, and made up of state convention presidents, among others. The motion from the EC instructed the committee to “...present to the Convention in Kansas City some similar statement which shall serve as information to the churches, and which may serve as a guideline to the various agencies of the Southern … [Read more...] about A Statement, Not A Creed
Invitation: Zoom call with Ed Litton this afternoon (with Chris Phillips)
If you’re a pastor, church planter, or leader, as well as anyone attending the SBC Annual Meeting in Nashville, I’d like to invite you to join a Zoom call TODAY, April 22nd, at 1pm MST / 2pm CST to hear from Ed Litton about pastoring, leading in crisis, and his vision for leading as potential SBC President as Fred Luter is nominating him this June. Ed is pastor at Redemption Church in Mobile, AL, where he has pastored since 1994. He’s a SWBTS graduate, has served in college and career ministry in TX, and has a vast array of experience throughout church ministry and the SBC, … [Read more...] about Invitation: Zoom call with Ed Litton this afternoon (with Chris Phillips)
Virginia Pastors Zoom Call with Ed Litton, Wednesday, 1PM Eastern
If you're a pastor in Virginia or planning to attend the SBC Annual Meeting in Nashville, I'd like to invite you to join a Zoom call on Wednesday at 1pm to hear from Ed Litton about his vision for leading as SBC President. Fred Luter plans to nominate Ed at the upcoming annual meeting. If you'd like to participate, contact me at brent@nsfvb.com and let me know. This should be a great opportunity to get to know Ed and hear him in an informal setting, with time for dialogue and questions planned. If you're interested in participating, but not in Virginia, let me know. The event is focused … [Read more...] about Virginia Pastors Zoom Call with Ed Litton, Wednesday, 1PM Eastern
Is This How We Might Make Use of an Analytical Tool?
I keep hearing folks asking to give benefits of CRT/I that you couldn't get from the Bible. I'm not sure if this will satisfy as an answer, but I want to share a couple of stories and explain why I think we are where we are in this whole conversation. First, the story.. I was in a room with about 8 other pastors sifting through hundreds of sermons, attempting to decide who would be good to speak at an upcoming conference. One of the men that I suggested as a potential speaker was a minority pastor from an inner city. This particular sermon that we were analyzing was a powerful exposition of … [Read more...] about Is This How We Might Make Use of an Analytical Tool?
NAAF Statement Responds to Council of Seminary Presidents
The National African American Fellowship, led by SBC First Vice President Marshall Ausberry, yesterday released a response to the January 6th meeting with the Council of Seminary Presidents (CSP). The January 6th meeting was a result of the CSP Statement from Nov. 30 and the subsequent NAAF response on December 6, 2020. Background available at Christianity Today and Baptist Press. I'm really glad to see a strong statement like this. The 3 requests listed by the NAAF seem to me entirely reasonable and, more than that, steps of healthy growth for our convention and seminaries. Our convention … [Read more...] about NAAF Statement Responds to Council of Seminary Presidents
Why I am voting for Ed Litton to serve as the President of the SBC
A shift has taken places as it has to do with the Presidency of the SBC regarding the old saying, “You don’t seek the office, the office seeks you.” Not that the saying was ever actually true to begin with. There have been plenty of guys who sought the office over the years with a growing and much more open campaigning effort happening more recently. Election websites and open campaigning have become the norm. So be it, whatever, I’m honestly not concerned about that "shift" as much as I am the implications. The point is, there are candidates who are clearly and now openly “seeking the … [Read more...] about Why I am voting for Ed Litton to serve as the President of the SBC
J.D. Greear’s Powerful Message to the SBC Executive Committee
Last night SBC President J.D. Greear brought this message to the Executive Committee meeting in Nashville. It's well worth watching in its entirety, but here are a few key excerpts in case you don't have time for the full message. More coverage is available at Baptist Press. Key moments: 3:40 Greear said he had no desire to see us change our doctrine or change our mission. "We are not, at our core, a political activism group. We love our country, but God has not called us to save America; he’s called us to build the church and spread the gospel." 5:30 The change we do … [Read more...] about J.D. Greear’s Powerful Message to the SBC Executive Committee
What Kind of Report is This? The EC Task Force Report on the ERLC (Mike Miller)
I’m writing this the day after the ERLC Study Task Force released its unanimous report of its work and findings. The Task Force was charged with reviewing the “past and present activities of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission” to determine whether its actions are proving to be detrimental to Cooperative Program giving. Their conclusion is that the ERLC and its president Russell Moore have indeed negatively affected the Cooperative Program bottom line. Giving First, the report goes to great lengths to prove that the actions of Moore and the ERLC have caused some to stop giving to … [Read more...] about What Kind of Report is This? The EC Task Force Report on the ERLC (Mike Miller)
Reading some Spurgeon in 2021
After going on a nearly two-and-a-half-year hiatus and transitioning to a new editor and research team, The Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon are back with Volume IV. Courtesy of Broadman and Holman Publishers, I'm glad to bring you up to speed on the latest addition to this series. First, a little background on Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He was one of the most influential preachers of the 19th century. He regularly preached before crowds of more than 5,000 in his church in London (once to a crowd of over 23,000 people). He also founded a college, an orphanage, and was a strong advocate for … [Read more...] about Reading some Spurgeon in 2021