SBC Issues

(This is the sermon I preached at our two morning worship services yesterday, November 18. I thought it might be an encouragement to a few of you.) Okay, be honest. If you found out that we had bugged you over the last couple of weeks, since…oh…say…November 6, would it be safe to say that we would hear a lot of complaining coming from your mouth? Perhaps some moaning and groaning about the choices the America people have made and some fear expressed at the future of our great land? I have been around a long time and have never seen a time when conservative Christians were as despondent and … [Read more...] about Giving Thanks in a World That Stinks!

One of my favorite moments from the Office is when a flat broke Michael Scott learns about the option of declaring bankruptcy.  If he only declares bankruptcy then all of his bills are gone.  So he does just that: We laugh at this because it is ludicrous to think that just because we declare something that it will somehow be spoken into existence.  I love when Michael says, “I didn’t say it, I declared it”.  It’s silly to think that you can declare something and it will inevitably happen.  Right? According to Joel Osteen, Michael Scott is on to something.  His latest book “I Declare” … [Read more...] about I Declare… “This is Whack”

"Theodicy, the attempt to reconcile ones belief in a loving and powerful God with the suffering present in our world, is a key element in providing care to those in need.  Our disappointment with God in the face of suffering, tragedy, or injustice typically stems from our assumptions about how God is supposed to work in our world.  When God does not meet our expectations, we are disappointed, disillusioned, and confused. The sweeping message of the Bible is not a promise that those who believe and do good will not suffer.  Instead the Bible is largely a book about people who refused to let go … [Read more...] about Faith and Theodicy

..and I'm guessing that most of my ministerial colleagues will be loath to make such an admission as well. There is a perfectly good reason for such an attitude: No pastor wishes to be seen as damaged goods. I have admitted to being "a bit tired" and did so many times over the past couple of years when people in my church would ask why I am retiring at such a young (er, 62, young?) age. A feeling of mild ministerial fatigue was for me merely one of the Lord's signposts that my ministry at the church I had served for almost 15 years was drawing to a close - a normal progression. I will … [Read more...] about No sir, I’m not admitting to clergy burnout… (by William Thornton)

This post is the fourth in a series based on the book, "Southern Baptist Identity: An Evangelical Denomination Faces the Future," edited by David Dockery. The previous post, "Southern Baptist Identity: Southern Baptists in the 21st Century" (link - https://sbcvoices.com/southern-baptist-identity-southern-baptists-in-the-21st-century/) discussed Dockery's introduction to the book. On the surface, it seems like a silly question. The SBC is still the largest non-Catholic denomination in America (the world?) and our statistical problems pale in comparison to those that other denominations … [Read more...] about Southern Baptist Identity: Does the SBC Have a Future? (Al Mohler, Chapter 1)

I sucked my thumb.  There, I said it.  My deep, dark secret is now out.  I loved that thumb.  It gave me security and pleasure.  But my mother had a different opinion.  She knew that my thumb-sucking needed to stop and she took it upon herself to end my habit. She got a product called “Thum” and coated my thumb with it.  That stuff tasted bad - I mean really bad. I guess it wasn't poison, but it sure tasted like it. It took all the fun out of sucking my thumb.  The pleasure gone, I gave up a habit I loved. “Do not love the world, or anything in the world.” John, in his first epistle, gave us … [Read more...] about A Bad Taste

Alan blogs at Downshore Drift. This article is a follow-up to the article we published here a couple of days ago (link is below).  After my resolution on ministering to immigrants in Alabama did not make it out of the resolutions committee on Tuesday, I have become pretty motivated to think through this issue and I wonder if it might not be possible for Alabama Baptists to tell a better story than we have. I wrote about what happened here: http://www.downshoredrift.com/downshoredrift/2012/11/are-alabama-baptists-wrong-to-minister-to-illegal-immigrants.html I understand the desire to … [Read more...] about Could Alabama Baptists Lead the Way in Immigration Reform In America? (by Alan Cross)

Dear Creative Technological Make-it Happen Guru Guy or Gal, You know who you are.  If I emailed you my next sermon series you could put together a graphic, a video to promote it, and probably a couple of T-shirts.  You make things happen.  And you don’t just Google search a few images and put together a hodgepodge of images and say, “that’ll do”.  You create.  You know how to make websites.  You know what html code is.  You're laughing at me right now because html code isn’t even that big of a deal anymore.  You know what it is. Also, you could figure out all the ins and outs of creating … [Read more...] about An Open Letter to Creative Technological Make-it-Happen Guru Guy or Gal

This has been circulating on Facebook, so you may have seen it. I begged and pleaded with people to assure me that this is a spoof, some sort of put-on. But it appears to be real. I am speechless. Not sure what to say. … [Read more...] about Adventures in Christianity: High-Fashion Baptisms?

Alan Cross blogs at Downshore Drift and delivers devastating nominating speeches! Admittedly, this is just going to be one side of the story. And, I am used to not getting my way or have people listen to me, so that is not the issue here. But, today, I submitted a resolution to the Alabama Baptist Convention during our annual meeting that sought to address the balance between our duty to obey the law of the land and our duty to obey God's law in loving all people and helping them, despite whether they are here legally or not. It did not make it out of committee and I wanted to explore some … [Read more...] about Are Alabama Baptists Wrong to Minister to Illegal Immigrants? (by Alan Cross)