SBC Issues

On November 7th and 8th, a number of my Christian Facebook friends posted some variation of the following: "I voted for the right candidate, Mitt Romney, and he lost.  We are stuck with four more years of that guy and it just makes me sick.  He has not, does not, and will not speak for me.  He does not represent me as president because he isn't my president.  He's never been mine and never will be.  I look forward to the day when I have a president in the Oval Office." You know what you call a country in which leaders and citizens disown one another?  Venezuela. President Hugo Chavez … [Read more...] about Not My President

I have lost track of how many books begin by telling me how jacked up the church is.  Usually after lambasting the church and pointing out her many failures there is some obligatory statement on how Jesus still loves her and how she is the only hope of this generation.  But at present she is unattractive, whorish, and a little on the ugly side.  What usually follows is the author's solution for making the church not quite such an ugly old hag. I’ll be the first to confess that I’ve spoken numerous times on how the church can be a pretty messed-up place.  When Jesus draws sinners into such … [Read more...] about Why Jesus Might Want to Punch Us in the Face

Deep Fry this and serve a little bit of heaven at your Thanksgiving table! … [Read more...] about A Thanksgiving Feast

I am preaching through Acts on Sunday nights and this week I was in Acts 3 where the story of the healing of the lame beggar is told. As I was working on my sermon Sunday afternoon (and keeping my procrastination license current), I had a thought that stunned me, saddened me and challenged me. I would like to share it with you. The story is familiar. A man born without the ability to walk who spends every day begging for alms in front of the entrance to the Temple. Day after day he sits there and nothing changes. Then one day Peter and John walk by and he asks them for what he wants and … [Read more...] about A Lame Beggar, A Lame Religion, and a Life-Changing Encounter

I’ve got a confession to make: I don’t like church camps. There are all sorts of reasons.  By the time I was of age to attend church camp, my hearing was bad enough that chaotic teenage communication stressed my abilities.  I didn’t care for large groups.  As well, I tired of my peers filling the platform on Sunday evening back at the home church and tearfully recounting commitments that would never last.  On top of all that, my first camp experience required us to occupy stuffy rooms and engage in complex Bible studies lasting 3-4 hours at a time; meanwhile, other church groups ran by the … [Read more...] about Never Projects

How did we survive before ESPN? Is a lack of integrity part of the job application for USC football coaches? Isn't college football a prime example of the lament of the prophets, "Why do the evil prosper?" Does the success of an inferior Notre Dame team tempt one to believe in the existence of luck? Is it possible that Missouri wishes it has not joined the SEC? Does anyone miss the NHL? Do you ever wonder just how corrupt college sports really are? (especially football) Were we stupid to cheer for Lance Armstrong? Do they send sports announcers to "How to Say Moronic … [Read more...] about Some Sports Questions to Ponder

Lynn Mitchell is a husband of one wife, a father to five children, and a faithful member of Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville NC where he lives while pursuing a PhD from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His PhD focus is in missions and specifically how Christian missions is more than evangelism. Lynn loves to teach and preach specifically in the areas of mission mobilization and men's ministry. Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/lynn.mitchell.984 and Twitter: @MLynnMitchellJr To the amazement of many, myself included, the election Tuesday went to Obama. The obvious question is, … [Read more...] about What happened?: An Anthropological Insight into the State of the Union (by Lynn Mitchell)

Habakkuk was confused, frustrated, and evidently just a little bit ticked at God. "Oh, Lord, how long shall I cry for help and you will not hear? Or cry to you 'Violence" and you will not save?"  (Hab 1:2) His concern was focused on the wickedness that was so prevalent among God's people, in his nation. "So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted." (Hab 1:4) Read between the lines. "Where are you, God? Why are you allowing this wickedness to prevail?" Then, God answered Habakkuk, but it was not an … [Read more...] about Did God Choose Barack Obama as President?

I got up this morning, went to Wal-Mart to buy groceries, came back to the farm to shoot a barrel (it received a fair trial), and then came on into the church office. I picked up my watch off the bookshelf, put it on and went on with my day. Now, it's Wednesday, so time matters because of the traditional church schedule. I found myself a little confused though, throughout the day as something was not right with keeping up with what time it was. I would check my phone, see the time, think accordingly, and go on. Later, I would look at my watch, be puzzled, and then go forward because of what … [Read more...] about A Confused Day

Dr. Timothy Paul Jones is Associate Vice President for Online Learning and Professor of Leadership and Church Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He blogs at his eponymous site. A editorial comment is in order here. I have pretty much shut off discussions of Calvinism, because they have been so unproductive. But this post was too good to pass on!  When have we ever discussed the "Defenestration of Prague?"  So, let's defy the odds and have a productive discussion of Calvinism and Arminianism! Defenestration and Divine Election in Seventeeth-Century Europe By the opening … [Read more...] about Church History: How Christians Settled an Argument About Election (by Dr. Timothy Paul Jones)