SBC Issues

Al Mohler is a tried and trusted leader among Southern Baptists. His election as President of the SBC in June 2020 is probably inevitable. The timing of his announcement, I find unusual and unprecedented. I believe there is an agenda—a specific agenda—associated with his nomination. I just don’t know what all it might include. As with all nominations, for the SBC President, H.B. Charles’ nominating Al Mohler is a strategic move. H.B. is lending his enormous credibility and influence to Mohler, and that will bode well in Mohler’s favor with a wide variety of people. I applaud and … [Read more...] about Response to Albert Mohler’s Nomination for SBC President

I was in conversation with a search committee about being their pastor. We did the usual tapdance of questioning each other. I asked what their procedure was for voting to extend a call to a new pastor. One committee member jumped the question and answered, "We require an 80% congregational vote but I moved that we add one additional point for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Spirit." I'm pretty good at math and that makes an 83% vote necessary. I think the size of that church was such that they might have 60 or 70 voting members present for a pastor-call vote. The 83% … [Read more...] about The strange world of autonomous Southern Baptist churches

The great majority of these are full time, career overseas personnel, mostly couples but some singles. We all know that IMB counts spouses as missionaries; thus, a couple is two. Not rocket science for most SBCers but the counting policy should be understood. Some of the 3,681 (the number reported on IMB's site) are not career but mid-term people, a few years commitment and some are IMB team members overseas who are filling jobs for the mission but not funded by IMB. Paul Chitwood, IMB CEO, in his recent address to trustees said there were currently 3,700 overseas personnel (I'm assuming a … [Read more...] about IMB has 3,681 total field personnel headed toward 4,200

The days are shorter, skies are grayer, birds aren't singing, and flowers aren't blooming as much these days. So how about my adding a depressing thought. Paul Chitwood, CEO of the IMB said: A look back over the last decade of LMCO receipts reveals that 10 percent fewer churches contributed in the past five years than in the five years prior.                                                                                                                                                  Paul Chitwood, September 26, 2019. I understand that our oldest and most valued entity, The International … [Read more...] about Dear SBC churches: Give something, anything to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions

The internet blew up last week with responses to John McArthur’s comment that Beth Moore should “go home.” He meant that she should focus her energies on home life rather than Bible conferences. He made this comment at a pastors’ conference at his church in California in response to a question about women who preach and teach. It is fair to say that he maintains a very narrow view on women teaching and preaching. Of course, after his comments became known both sides on the issue came out swinging, and strong comments ruled the day. John McArthur’s comment caused me to ask myself—Should Beth … [Read more...] about Should Beth Moore “GO HOME”? [By Mark Terry]

I have loved social media and defended its value against its detractors. Every year at our Annual Meeting I've bristled when our entity leaders and other platform personalities take pot-shots at bloggers, tweeters, and others involved in online communication, especially since most of those making those criticisms have blogs and are active on Twitter. It need not be argued that social media has had negative effects, but there have been some positives as well. We shine lights into hidden places where the powers-that-be do not want light shined. Of course, we also spread fake news, … [Read more...] about Social Media Burnout: Thinking It Through

  I'm in therapy having worn out my facial musculature, exhausted by SBC events. Used to be that regular SBC news caused a single eyebrow to be raised and I could alternate between the two of mine. Now the demand is always for both. To wit: May I, ahem!, tout my own humble stuff on complementarianism? That is, the definitive, succinct, 319 word piece that declared "complementarianism" not to be worth diddly-squat any more. Southern Baptists love adjectives and thus will flood the comp market with them: hard, soft, broad, narrow, traditional, etc. Is this the hill we want to die … [Read more...] about Not gone unnoticed: The complementarianismness mess, CaringWell/abuse, hanging around past your shelf life…and bacon, brethren.

"Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these WOMEN who have CONTENDED FOR THE GOSPEL at my side..." Philippians 4:2 Ladies, we are not secondary to gospel ministry. Our job here on this earth isn't JUST to make things pretty and sweet and delicate and feed the men and build them up. Note: I said JUST. (I actually want and enjoy doing those things...well, maybe not so much the delicate part.) We are GOOD at those things and we should do them. But we, LADIES, are CONTENDERS FOR THE GOSPEL. BY THEIR SIDES. Don't ever think for a second that God doesn't intend to use you, woman, for the … [Read more...] about An Admonition for Women Serving Christ (Etta Linton)