SBC Issues

Voices readers sometimes complain about the articles here, generally along the lines of who Voices is for and against. Reader griped about Randy Adams not receiving positive print here. Dude, get educated, then gripe. Adams is one of the four SBC presidential candidates and I've written eight articles that feature Randy Adams in the title and several others where he is prominent in the body of the piece. May I say that Adams give boatloads of fodder for bloggers; thus, the quantity of articles on him. Most of these are linked below. ______________________ Abuser … [Read more...] about So I watched an hour of Randy Adams live last night

So, you come here to fight about Russell Moore, Beth Moore, or Dudley Moore? This is not the post for you. Want to argue about empathy, sympathy, or symphony? Move along, nothing to see here.   But if you're up for some pointless diversion, it's March Madness time again. We are at ESPN with this link: SBCVoices Tournament Madness The prize? Bragging rights. The password? GoHogsGo27 May the odds be ever in your favor.   WOO PIG SOOIE! … [Read more...] about Diversion 2021

To my SBC brothers and sisters, from the experiences of one local pastor, Most in our church don't think a lot about the SBC. Most are content with our collective mission and happy we give to it at a rate triple what we gave just two years ago. That all changed this past week after the departure of Beth Moore. I'm fielding MANY more questions than I used to, from many people who have never asked before and who I never thought would take a critical interest. In the past week I've responded to emails, talked on the phone, and over private messages on social media with a noticeably … [Read more...] about Perspective on the Ground: Questions from Church Members about Beth Moore’s Departure (by Joel Rainey)

It surprised me, the catch in my throat. In the last year we’d visited that playground almost 100 times. But today was different. A year ago today, the playground equipment was roped off. We brought our own toys from home and played with no other kids. There was an uncertainty and anxiety that hung in the air. Isolation. Today was different. Almost normal. We played with other kids (cousins, masked) and had little worry of what tomorrow’s news may bring. But the specter of last year lingered. It caught in my throat again as we drove home, winding down streets that I had walked every day … [Read more...] about Don’t Forget to Remember (by Emily Snook)

Until the Reagan presidency, Evangelicals often shied away from activism. Activism is defined as “a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action, especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue.” It can help bring about justice as well as social, economic, and political change, yet the word itself evokes mixed emotions and reactions within the evangelical community, perhaps because it was often associated with more liberal causes and connoted unbiblical rebellion or images of hippies protesting American military involvement in the Vietnam … [Read more...] about Christians and Activism (by Sonja Dosti)

As awareness of Ravi Zacharias’ sins and abuse spreads on the internet, there have been a number of reactions. There has been a great deal of disgust and anger (and properly so). Some have offered opinions (“I never liked him anyway” or “I’m throwing his books away.”) Others have shared guidelines like the Billy Graham Rule (never be alone with a woman who isn’t your wife (Another version of this rule adds the clause, “without your wife present,” perhaps to give more latitude for ministry). There have been helpful, harmful, and ignorant comments. One thing has struck me: Pastors need to do … [Read more...] about Pastor, be ready to believe (Keith Myer)

1 John 3:13 states, “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.” In a wonderfully bold statement, John reminds us that we should not be surprised or startled if the world hates us. To hate expresses here an emotion of loathing coupled with malice. Some languages render it by a phrase such as, “not to see a person in the eye,” which means that one cannot stand that person under any circumstances. I do not truly understand why we are so confused when the world hates us and hates what we stand for. However, I think one of the reasons we are so shocked by this is that we do not do … [Read more...] about Jesus Doesn’t Want Us to be Hated For Being a Jerk