When Trayvon Martin was shot and killed because he simply looked “suspicious,” initiated by the fact that Zimmerman viewed him as “suspicious” and chose to pursue him against the order of the police department, it was a personal, powerful, picturesque and emotional moment for me to hear Dr. Fred Luter address this matter as President of the SBC. I never thought I would live long enough to hear a SBC President redemptively, righteously and prophetically address a matter when a young Black man was needlessly shot because the idea was stimulated by unfounded suspicion and his killer not following … [Read more...] about Voting Greear, Could As Easily Vote Hemphill, Tempted To Nominate Beth Moore, For SBC Presidency
SBC Annual Meeting
Breaking: Statement from SEBTS Administration on Internal Investigation & Patterson Documents
Southeastern Seminary has released a statement tonight responding to a letter from Paige Patterson's lawyer. The full text is below. Noteworthy: SEBTS asserts "there has been no evidence discovered that disputes or discredits our former student’s account" An internal review is still ongoing, awaiting the return of documents SEBTS believes are owned by the seminary. SEBTS still seeks the return of documents they believe should be under the SEBTS possession. No request for arbitration has yet been received by SEBTS, thus there's been no opportunity to accept the request. SEBTS … [Read more...] about Breaking: Statement from SEBTS Administration on Internal Investigation & Patterson Documents
One Question for Each Entity Head at #SBC18
The Q&A time after the reports by each entity head at the SBC Annual Meeting can get interesting. There is usually at least one question and answer each year that is worth witnessing. Unfortunately, Wiley Drake will not be present in Dallas to question the salvation of any of our entity heads. The Q&A time is not the best forum for fruitful discussion, but it is a time when messengers can be sure that their question will be heard. The clarity and thoroughness of the answer you receive is, however, at the discretion of the entity head being questioned. When the entity heads are … [Read more...] about One Question for Each Entity Head at #SBC18
The Handwriting on the Wall: What We Can All Learn From the Paige Patterson Scandal
In many ways, I am a son of Paige Patterson. Some would describe me as a son of the Conservative Resurgence, the movement he helped spearhead. Over the course of my fifteen-year ministry, I’ve been able to serve in conservative churches and on conservative boards because of a conservative convention, and I have Paige Patterson to thank for it. Not personally. It’s not like he pulled any strings for me. We don’t have that kind of relationship. But he did spearhead a movement from which I’ve benefitted. However, like many, I’ve been disheartened and demoralized by the recent scandal … [Read more...] about The Handwriting on the Wall: What We Can All Learn From the Paige Patterson Scandal
What is next? Some ponderings for the SBC as we move forward
Well, in case you missed it, there has been a rather massive shift in the Southern Baptist Convention. I'll not rehash the waters gone by about the events at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. There's about four million blog posts, tweets, and Facebook streams about it (give or take a few million). Something I've been trying to think through is what happens next? Where do we go from here? I'd like to offer my musings on that, and you can do with them what you will. First, we need to pay attention to the fact there are very likely more victims who will come forward. And the instinct … [Read more...] about What is next? Some ponderings for the SBC as we move forward
You CAN come to #SBC18 even when money is tight
My first SBC annual meeting was in Atlanta in 1999. I was a young church planter and like many young ministers, we had very little money. I wanted to go and participate in our denomination's annual meeting and attend my first Convention. I made the decision to go late, actually 1 week before the meeting. But I also had the problem of funds. I asked my wife if I could go and she reluctantly gave me her blessing… if I could do it for $100 because that’s all we had available at the time. I accepted the challenge and attended my first Convention. I made a quick plan. I made a reservation at the … [Read more...] about You CAN come to #SBC18 even when money is tight
A Loss. A Plea. A Prayer. (Jacki C. King)
1 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope[a] at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.- Ephesians 4:1-6 This was my passage to read this morning thanks to my trusty YouVersion Bible App. I read as I started my day with … [Read more...] about A Loss. A Plea. A Prayer. (Jacki C. King)
Trouble Registering Messengers for #SBC18? Here’s Help
We are receiving reports of some churches, particularly church plants, having difficulty preregistering messengers for this year's convention in Dallas. We'll talk about some of the reasons for that later, but first, we want to provide a practical guide for those trying to navigate the process of making sure you'll be able to fully participate in #SBC18. Step 1: Contact the EC Church Relations Office If your church wants to be involved the 2018 SBC Annual Meeting and is having trouble preregistering on the SBC website, it would streamline the process to contact the Church Relations office at … [Read more...] about Trouble Registering Messengers for #SBC18? Here’s Help
My Vote for J.D. Greear as SBC President (Jimmy Meek)
I am a pastor of a medium size church in south Arkansas, where we probably have more deer than people. While many people have weighed in on the reasons why or why not to vote for J.D. Greear, I thought my perspective as a traditional SBC preacher, brought up in the non-reformed “whosoever will” camp, might be of value to others in my same camp. Cards on the table, I have moved from refusing to even listen to the “chosen before the foundation” side, to embracing the Biblical tension of God’s Word affirming both “chosen” and whosoever will”. I don’t have to understand it, or even explain it, … [Read more...] about My Vote for J.D. Greear as SBC President (Jimmy Meek)
What Does Al Mohler Mean by “Independent, Third-Party Investigation”?
A church, denomination, or Christian ministry must look outside of itself when confronted with a pattern of mishandling such responsibilities, or merely of being charged with such a pattern. We cannot vindicate ourselves. I believe that any public accusation concerning such a pattern requires an independent, third-party investigation. This was Al Mohler, our leading denominational spokesman and SBTS president, in his May 23rd commentary, The Wrath of God Poured Out - The Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention. Mohler covers a lot of ground in that piece about clergy abuse … [Read more...] about What Does Al Mohler Mean by “Independent, Third-Party Investigation”?