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Preaching the Birth of Christ: Tell Us Your Plan

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Tell us about your preaching program during the Christmas season.  I spent 14 Christmases at Northbrook Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, IA.  It was not easy to come up with fresh, biblical approaches to the Christmas story.  How many sermons can you do on the angels on the hillside or the Manger in Bethlehem? So, I'm interested.  How do you approach your pulpit duties in the Christmas season?  Any creative approaches to the Nativity story you'd be willing to share with the rest of us? I know some preachers who almost completely ignore the season from the pulpit and simply continue with … [Read more...] about Preaching the Birth of Christ: Tell Us Your Plan

Giving Thanks – by Alberta Fisher

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(Editor's Note:  Thank you, Alberta, for sharing this with us.  Alberta's blog is "A Pastor's Wife's Journey" and here website is  "So You're the Minister's Wife.") Thanksgiving is the act of giving thanks to a person or to God. It should be a genuine expression and acknowledgement of what has been done for us. Ephesians 5:20 admonishes us: “Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” There are so many things to be thankful for. First of all, we should give thanks to God for the new life we have in Him because He gave us the gift … [Read more...] about Giving Thanks – by Alberta Fisher

The Courage it Takes to Go Home

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By Thom Hunter Did you leave things un-opened in dusty old attics way back down the road somewhere In boxes you sealed and callously labeled "open only if you really dare?" Did your words slip away, unspoken and wasted, and your thoughts vanish into the air When you turned on the car and drove away crying, thinking no one still there would care? Go home. Throw open the attic of yesterday and re-fill with the hope of tomorrow Re-label the box and tear off the seals that for too long have held hidden sorrow. Let flow words of peace, re-claim thoughts of love, cover each memory with … [Read more...] about The Courage it Takes to Go Home

Are We God’s Spoiled Children? The Secret to Thanksgiving

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Ever watched a spoiled child in action?  No matter how much his parents give him, he throws tantrums at the slightest deprivation.  She believes that it is her natural right to get everything she wants and will let you know it if you do not please her.  There are few things more annoying in life than a spoiled child. Sometimes, I wonder if we are God's spoiled children.  He is so good to us in every way.  He sent his only Son to live the righteous life we could not and die for our sins.  He gives us the Holy Spirit to indwell us, to conform us to the image of Christ and to empower us to do … [Read more...] about Are We God’s Spoiled Children? The Secret to Thanksgiving

MY SHEEP WILL HEAR MY VOICE

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"I had a neat story that happened today," my friend wrote in her email. First of all, it is not uncommon for my friend to have a story to tell me. Something is always happening in her life. I think it goes along with a person who yearns to walk in a very real way with Jesus. Rarely does she email that she doesn't have something similar to the story below to relate. I find her one of the most refreshing friends I have...I digress. "I was in the check out line at Wal-Mart," she continued, "and it was one of those days where they didn't have enough checkers (happens a lot here), and all … [Read more...] about MY SHEEP WILL HEAR MY VOICE

A Week of Thanksgiving at SBC Voices

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We debate a broad range of topics here at SBC Voices.  But starting Monday, and lasting through Thanksgiving, we are going to focus on praising God and giving thanks to him at this blog.  Many of our regular contributors are producing devotional posts which will lead us in giving thanks to God.   I do not plan to close the discussion streams on other posts, so you can keep hammering on whatever you feel like hammering on.  And if something major comes up, these are more like guidelines than they are actual rules. But I thought it would be good for a few days to tone down the argument and to … [Read more...] about A Week of Thanksgiving at SBC Voices

Perverting Biblical Faith into Magical Religion

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(I published this Monday over at sbcIMPACT.  This is a subject I feel passionate about, so I decided to repost it here, for anyone who wanders by over the weekend.) Christians put their faith in a powerful, living God who works in and among his people in grace and strength.  When we submit to him as Lord and seek his glory, his presence and power work among his people.  Magic is the manipulation of spiritual forces to gain personal advantage – prosperity, fertility, forgiveness.  They are not the same, but I think too many Christians treat their faith as just another form of magic – a … [Read more...] about Perverting Biblical Faith into Magical Religion

In the Image of God: Male and Female in Genesis 1:16-28

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The New Testament has what appear to be some pretty direct and decisive words about the roles of men and women at home and in the church.  In fact, those words can be downright shocking to our modern sensibilities. In 1 Timothy 2:12, Paul makes what seems to be a pretty clear statement about the role of women in the ministry of the church, one that does not sit well with many today. “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” The words seem to be pretty clear.  Paul says that women should not teach men the truths of scripture or … [Read more...] about In the Image of God: Male and Female in Genesis 1:16-28