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Reflections on Counting the Cost of Pursuing Unity (with Editor’s Statement)

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  Editor's Statement: Todd and I (Dave) consulted on the construction of this post and I was the one who personally verified the information about the conversation that took place that caused all of the controversy. We would like to clarify that the purpose of this post was to ask the question as to how to address the issue of whether the election of a minority president would actually cause a donor problem. Todd was careful to express his admiration for Dr. Kelley and did not lay the charge of racism at his feet, though some have falsely accused him of such.  I was told that the … [Read more...] about Reflections on Counting the Cost of Pursuing Unity (with Editor’s Statement)

J.D. Greear – Bringing REAL Change to the SBC

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How do you change the SBC? It is no canoe that shifts course easily with every stroke of the oar. It is a giant aircraft carrier and changing its course is not easy. Recent history has shown that the appointment of blue ribbon groups such as the Great Commission Task Force and such end up as little more than blips on the radar. Name Change. Blip. Calvinism. Blip. If I didn't believe that blogging and other social media had an impact, I wouldn't continue to engage this way. Our impact is often as negative as it is positive, but we have an impact on public opinion. We shine a light where … [Read more...] about J.D. Greear – Bringing REAL Change to the SBC

Ten things you may or may not have known about LifeWay

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LifeWay put itself in the news by announcing the closure of all of its stores..so have some more attention, brethren and sistren: Future Plans — The future of LifeWay Worship Resources is more exciting than ever. In 2017, we partnered with the LifeWay Christian Stores Division to better coordinate the development and promotion of church supplies, music, and DVDs in our stores. This partnership has already begun to blossom and will provide more access to biblically sound resources for church and individual customers in LifeWay Christian Stores. We are currently experimenting with some … [Read more...] about Ten things you may or may not have known about LifeWay

Facts are Our Friends – About LifeWay’s Bad News

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I read a tweet this morning by Jonathan Merritt that spoke triumphally of the fact that LifeWay was closing all its stores. He pointed out that while LifeWay was closing, Jen Hatmaker and others whose books LifeWay had stopped selling were still going strong. As is normal in the Twittersphere, there was a piling-on without much attempt to garner facts. The prevailing idea was that LifeWay was going under and to them, it was just desserts for LifeWay's failure to embrace the LGBTQ+ and progressive Christian agenda. Others in the so-called progressive Christian movement have joined in the … [Read more...] about Facts are Our Friends – About LifeWay’s Bad News

It’s Springtime in the Southern Baptist Convention

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The Spring Equinox today at 5:58 pm, Eastern Daylight Time. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing...the Doxology, either that or the Sevenfold Amen, except for in Nashville where something about tears and beer have to be worked into every song. The Executive Committee has a guy, the celebrated God's Man, who will be announced March 31st and voted upon two days later at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Grand Hyatt. Plaudits to the EC leadership for not scheduling the vote on April Fool's Day. That shows some insight and careful planning. And, what's it cost to get the 80 … [Read more...] about It’s Springtime in the Southern Baptist Convention

The SBC Will NEVER Fix the Problems in the SBC

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We discuss a lot of issues about what has gone wrong in the SBC. When I first started blogging, we were still experiencing minimal growth and we could argue that while we are not exactly in our halcyon days when the SBC was busting at the seams, we were not doing as badly as "those guys." That bubble has burst. We've had nearly a decade of consistently poor statistical reports revealing declines in most of the numbers we care about. We've had systemic divisions over soteriological viewpoints and a host of other issues, scandals that rocked us to the core, and general denominational malaise. I … [Read more...] about The SBC Will NEVER Fix the Problems in the SBC

Any more surprises in store for SBCers this year?

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Some unexpected things have already happened. Speculation is rampant, but then, we are SBCers and we always speculate about things. It doesn't cost a thing. Here you go...from the hacking and plodding SBC hinterlands: J. D. Greear can stir the pot, as we have seen. Any more surprises, JD? Here, take this giant Baptist spoon and stir some more, bro. I'll help you. Executive committee leader and other CEO searches. IMB: check. SWBTS: check. NOBTS, LifeWay, and the Executive Committee: not yet. The EC sayeth that they have "God's man" and it's the worst kept secret in SBC history. It might … [Read more...] about Any more surprises in store for SBCers this year?

Our housing allowance: safe for now with appeals court ruling

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We clergy love our minister's housing allowance and want to keep it. It's our very own Sacred Clergy Tax Break and the most important item in the tax code that recognizes clergy and gives us favorable treatment under the tax law. Unsurprisingly, some want to clean up the tax code and eliminate the tax break that is given to ministers but not to others. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has challenged this twice. Both times the federal district court ruled in their favor but the federal appeals court overturned the decision. The FFRF, whose co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker … [Read more...] about Our housing allowance: safe for now with appeals court ruling