SBC Issues

Hello, all. My name is Jim Gifford (I post as Jim G. on SBC Voices) and this is my first post as a contributor to Voices. A week or so ago, Dave Miller asked if there would be any non-Calvinists that would want to contribute and I volunteered. I will be contributing postings largely in theology from time to time. I’ll do my best to stay away (most of the time) from the C-A debates, as there are things I think that are far more important and more fun. A little about me: I currently live near Charlotte, North Carolina after living my whole life (until this May) in West Virginia. I graduated … [Read more...] about Why the Virgin Birth is Necessary (by Jim Giffords)

A picket fence must be maintained carefully or it will fall into disrepair.  The ecclesial picket fence requires constant maintenance as well.  It is always easier to sequester ourselves with like-minded believers who reinforce our ideas that to fellowship with those who challenge them.  We can caricature and condemn instead of seeking to understand and embrace our brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is not an easy job. But it is worth it. I believe that there are three keys to maintaining the picket fence in the Christian neighborhood.  First, we must make a covenant of blessing.  I used … [Read more...] about Maintaining the Picket Fence: Brick Walls, Picket Fences (9)

(The SBC Plodder a contrarian?  Say it ain't so, William.) Ah, the NASCAR prayer guy. My contrarian nature is to ignore it if everyone else is talking about it but, having entered into the alleged discussion here, I’d like to suggest that the conversation has moved beyond the propriety or lack of the same of the guy’s prayer.  What is more noteworthy to me at this point is the vehemence of the criticism. For the record, I think the prayer was both inappropriate and unhelpful. I offer three reasons, 1.       It seemed to be about entertainment. 2.       The audience seemed to be … [Read more...] about Is this really how we want to be seen? (by William Thornton)

I was having one of my regular bouts with insomnia Monday night and I started perusing blogs.  There have been several articles in the last week or so that have been very critical of one of the past presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. James Merritt.  He was, for a time, involved in some way in a financial program called Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing.  I had never heard of it until blog posts appeared questioning the organization and criticizing Merritt for his involvement in it. There was a video of Dr. Merritt posted on several sites in which he spoke highly of FHTM and even how … [Read more...] about Dr. James Merritt: FHTM and His Blogging Critics – His Response

I have been doing youth ministry in some form or another for around 10 years.  Through this time I have vacillated between several different philosophies of ministry.  I began as a lone-ranger save the kids from their stupid parents type of mentality.  That view did not last long.  Frankly, either that view had to go or I did.  I’m glad it was the former.  (Well, actually it was both because I did leave my first position as youth pastor during this time). After my foray into ministry as the self-proclaimed messiah of students I quickly learned the importance of parents.  I discovered on my … [Read more...] about Review of Perspectives on Family Ministry

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets”  (Luke 6:26) “Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”  (1 Timothy 3:7) These two verses are not in contradiction.  In fact they are meant to compliment one another.  A Luke 6:26 church (to the exclusion of 1 Timothy 3:7) is not healthy.  Neither is a 1 Timothy 3:7 church (to the exclusion of Luke 6:26) a healthy church. Some churches believe that being persecuted (no matter what reason) is the mark of a true church.  … [Read more...] about Your Church Should Be Hated…But For the Right Reason

In Richard Baxter’s work The Reformed Pastor he discusses the preachers need to “screw the truth into their minds, and work Christ into their affections.”  As I read over that the phrase, “screw the truth into their minds”, Baxter’s unique wording struck me.  Notice that he did not say “nail the truth” or “drive the truth”, he said “screw the truth”.  I think that is intentional. Consider the nail.  A nail will go into a board with one swift blow.  Even a child, with minimal labor, can plunge a nail into a board.  Not so, with the screw.  The screw often requires a power tool.  Screws … [Read more...] about Monday’s Ministry Musing: Screw the Truth

I wrote an article Monday at sbcIMPACT about Harry Potter.  In it, I admitted my deep, dark secret - I'm a fan of the books and movies.  But I'm also a little wary about the subject.  Below is my original post, then some very insightful comments by David Rogers that present a reasonable case for why Christians should be careful about the Potter phenomena.  Both David and I believe this is a matter of liberty and conscience, but that does not mean that Christians should fail to exhibit discernment. So, here is my original post and David's comments.  Let us know what you think. TRUE … [Read more...] about A Christian Liberty Debate: What about Harry Potter?

I have had two conversations recently that revealed a similar concept, that if two Christians disagree on some theological or lifestyle issue, one or both of them is "in sin" and should repent.  Is that really true?  Are differences in doctrine rooted in sin?  Must disagreements be settled by repentance? Dr. Malcolm Yarnell of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary created some controversy a few years ago at the height of the Baptist Identity debate among Southern Baptists.  We believe that baptism is meant to be performed after conversion by immersion - that's why we are called … [Read more...] about Is It a Sin to Disagree? Picket Fence Doctrine: Brick Walls, Picket Fences (8)