SBC Issues

David blogs at "Gulf Coast Pastor" and recently posted this article.  I am very well aware that it is a counterpoint to the views of some of our writing team and readers.  That is what we are about - discussing issues in a collegial way, even when we disagree (or that's the goal anyway).  So, let us set the bar high here.  A lively exchange free of personal insult and invective. Can we be patriotic in our July 4th Worship Service? Can we sing patriotic songs and have the American, Texas, and Christian flags in our sanctuary? Yes, of course we can. It seems rather strange that practices I … [Read more...] about Patriotism and Christian Worship (by David Brumbelow)

Fox News and Baptist Press are both reporting that the Southern Baptist Convention was the victim of an internet hoax today in which self-identified members of the "Southern Baptist Conference" announced that the EC had changed its position and would now support gay marriage. Here is the BP Link. Here is the Fox News Link. The "news release" included false quotes from several SBC leaders.  It might be nice in the next few weeks to be very careful about any quotes we see out there made by Baptist leaders on the subject. No point in writing about it extensively here.  Follow the … [Read more...] about The “Southern Baptist Conference” Gay Marriage Hoax

I have recently engaged in a conversation online with a friend who believes that paedobaptism removes the guilt of original sin, so the discuss was launched into what if the child dies before Baptism?  He argued that God is not held to the rules of the church, and can take that child to Heaven. So, I submit for you approval my opinion on the state of infants.  Feel free to disagree, argue, say what you like, I have probably heard it before anyway. First, I think we must look at what constitutes "sin".  Are we really guilty for the sin of Adam?  In the Old Testament, sin was all based on … [Read more...] about Are Kids Promised Heaven?

Here at the start of July many of us will barbeque, spend time with family and friends, and watch an explosion of color in the sky from fireworks.  We do this on July 4—Independence Day—to celebrate the freedoms we have in this country. Of course, our freedoms are great.  In the history of the world, ours has been one of the freest countries for Christians to worship God. But as patriotic as we can be as Americans we must remember that “American” at best is a secondary and mere temporary mark of our identity.  We have a much greater citizenship in an infinitely superior country.  Hebrews … [Read more...] about True Freedom

When Stacy and I first married, we had the usual quirks and issues to work out.  We had to decide, for example, if working three part time jobs while attending graduate school exempted me from having to hang the clothes on the line outside.  We also debated whether slamming an entire basket of wet clothes on the floor next to the bed was truly the best way of communicating, "Could you help with the clothes, dear?"  I'll leave you to figure out what we decided. One issue that came up was communication, but not like you think.  You see, Stacy was born deaf, and I was born hearing.  However, I … [Read more...] about What Did She Say?

I was a soccer player before soccer was cool (in high school and college in the 70s).  But I can't stand watching it on TV now.  This is why. And women's tennis (men's too) has become almost unwatchable because of all the grunting. I used to be a pretty proficient tennis player. I might have whined about bad calls, but I never thought it necessary to grunt - not once. I love a good dunk. I dunked a basketball once. Once. The rim might have been an inch low. I could get my wrist to the rim, but had trouble holding onto a basketball enough to "throw down." But I love a good … [Read more...] about An Old Fogey Rants about Sports

Wiley Drake made headlines over the last year, not just in national news when he announced that he was praying for the death of the president of the United States.  He claimed biblical authority for his prayers, based on David’s imprecatory psalms. “If he (Obama) does not turn to God and does not turn his life around, I am asking God to enforce imprecatory prayers that are throughout the Scripture that would cause him death, that's correct." “Imprecatory prayer is agreeing with God, and if people don't like that, they need to talk to God. God said it, I didn't. I was just agreeing with … [Read more...] about Wiley Drake, Imprecatory Prayers and President Obama

Two excellent articles which take varying sides of this debate have been written by card-carrying members of the SBC Voices family.  It is interesting that intelligent and cogent arguments can be made on both sides of this. I am greatly relieved to find out that Howell Scott was sick during the convention.  I thought he was just avoiding me as I tried to find him.  Glad he's better and writing good articles (even if he continues to be the counterpoint to some of my points).  Go to "From Law to Grace" to find his article "Southern Baptists & the Homosexual Culture." Earlier today, … [Read more...] about The Mohler/Homosexuality Debate Continues…

I have been sharing with you my thoughts on Theology in a system I call "Woven Theology".  The thoughts aren't new, I am sure that they have been thought and spoken before, my goal is to place them all into order and structure.  I have found that the existing theological systems have become so clouded they have stopped conveying a clear idea.  There are varying degrees of Calvinism and Armenianism where those systems have stopped having meaning.  You can't tell someone's theology by the word "Protestant" or "Calvinist" or even "Baptist".  My aim is to communicate my theology clearly, … [Read more...] about God’s Temporal Nature takes flesh- Woven Incarnation

Since we left Phoenix last week, the buzz has been about the Peter Lumpkins question and Al Mohler's response.  We have dissected the exchange, analyzed them, autopsied them and elevated it to legendary status.  However, if Peter had not gone to the microphone during the SBTS report, we might have spent this time talking about the resolution on immigration, which was the most pointed discussion we had at the convention. Here is the Resolution in full for you to read, and I will have some comments below. ON IMMIGRATION AND THE GOSPEL June 2011 WHEREAS, The Kingdom of God is made … [Read more...] about “Immigration and the Gospel” – the SBC’s Real Controversy