SBC Issues

“Hey, bro, would you like to meet together on occasion and work through something like Calvin’s Institutes with me?” “Nah. I don’t follow men. I follow Christ. I’ve barely got time to read and so I just stick to my Bible reading. I don’t have time for the words of men.” — I could have replaced Calvin’s Institutes with any other Christian book and the point would be the same. On occasion I’ll encounter a superhero, whom I call Bible-Only Man. This superhero can quote Scripture like a champ. His knowledge of Old Testament stories could rival any OT scholar. You don’t dare play this guy … [Read more...] about Bible-Only Man

Imagine that you were among the shepherds in Luke 2. There you sat in the field at night, possibly chilled by the air and maybe tired from either ending a long day or beginning a long night. You probably gathered around a fire with the other shepherds, the flames to keep you warm and the conversations to keep you awake. Then suddenly in the darkness, bright light burst forth. That would be frightening enough, especially in an age without electric lights; but then to see a man standing in the midst of the light. No wonder why they quaked. But this man, an angel of God (perhaps Gabriel as … [Read more...] about Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (an Advent meditation)

RNS has a story on the top religious news stories for 2015. To the chagrin of many among us who see our beloved Southern Baptist Convention as the center of the religious universe, only one SBC event made RNS's top 25. See if you can guess what that one is...shouldn't be hard. Here is my personal list of top SBC stories for 2015. I'm presuming, of course, that nothing much will happen between now and December 31st. It shouldn't, since most SBC pastors get past the Christmas church events and skate for the rest of the year. 1. The International Mission Board announces mandatory reductions … [Read more...] about Top 2015 SBC news stories

Before I attended seminary and pastored for three decades I was a zoning administrator for a mid-sized city/county planning agency. As a twentysomething bureaucrat in his first post-college job, part of my responsibility was to inform property owners, real estate developers, and other interested citizens what could and could not be done with a particular piece of property. "No, Donald Trump, you cannot build a towering condo on that property." Actually, Trump was interested in Manhattan not Athens, Georgia, so we never had such a conversation. It was more like, "No, ma'am. I'm sorry, but … [Read more...] about Angels and demons, churches, and zoning laws

Joel Rainey leads the Engagement Team for Evangelism and Missions at the Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network. He is on the adjunct faculty of two seminaries, and the author of three books. He blogs at Themelios, where this was originally posted.   "Government should be set up so that no man need live in fear of another."  -Montesquieu The recent terror attacks in Paris ignited a fresh debate among many western nations, including the United States, about how we should relate to one another, and more particularly, how do we balance civil liberties with national security? For followers of … [Read more...] about The Paris Attacks and American Christianity: A French Brother’s Challenge (Joel Rainey)

I have to admit, I laughed. A friend sent me a meme the other night, a picture of someone who has been less than kind to me, one that was poking some fun at him. I didn't feel too bad about laughing in private. This guy has published posts misrepresenting me and my beliefs. He has circulated memes much like that with my picture that distorted my views and he did it to belittle me. So, it was very easy to take some pleasure when someone turned the tables on him. The bully got bullied. Ha ha. I didn't create the pic or publish it. I just enjoyed it. But I have a small problem with my … [Read more...] about But He Deserved It, Didn’t He?

I am often reluctant to publish posts that are critical and also anonymous, but this one had the kind of irenic, humble spirit we strive for in confrontation and the author had very good reasons not to attach his name.  NOTE: The author requested a response from MBTS and Jason Deusing has given an unequivocal and clear response. We are grateful for his clear, biblical, and gracious response. The Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary administration continues to have serious and substantial concerns over the teaching, practices, claims, and reputation of the International House of Prayer of … [Read more...] about Southern Baptists and IHOP-KC: An Appeal for Accountability and Circumspection (Anonymous)