SBC Issues

CP exceeds budget for 5th year in a row, screameth the headline fromt he executive committee following the year-end report of the Cooperative Program year for 2018/2019. Budgets were conservative; thus, the point that CP revenues exceed budegary reuqirements. I like prudence in budgeting. Actual dollars from the churches through the state conventions to the executive committee for distribution to the entities are less than they were last fiscal year. While the budget total was exceeded, year-over-year gifts remained relatively flat with a slight decrease of $313,124.70, or 0.16 percent … [Read more...] about Cooperative Program receipts are down for the fiscal year just ended

Have you heard about Carson King? What a roller coaster ride he's been on in the last few weeks. The casino worker attended the biggest event of the year in Iowa, the Cy-Hawk game, in which the good guys from Iowa City prevailed over the evil pretenders from Ames (Iowa beat Iowa State on a weird muffed punt play, 18-17). Carson got tickets to the game and carried with him a hand-painted sign begging for donations that would warm the cockles of the hearts of many of you Reformed guys. He said he needed beer money. Somehow, his sign got on ESPN's "College Gameday" show and what happened … [Read more...] about What Social Media Giveth, Social Media Bloweth Up!

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus. -1 Corinthians 1:4 I love this verse. The Corinthian church was one messed up church. Paul didn't pull any punches when writing to them in 1 Corinthians about all of their many issues. He tackled each issue head on. Yet as he began writing, he told them of how he gave thanks to God for them. Despite all of the issues in Corinth, Paul saw the grace of God in their midst. What about you, pastor? I know you see the issues in your church. Some of those issues may be obvious for all to see. … [Read more...] about Evidences of Grace

Some of these have been in storage here for a while. Bruce Ashford: "How can Christians keep our sang-froid in America's vitriolic and effluvial public square?" I've no answer for him. Let's sang a syrupy hymn and see how that works. And again, the august provost rightly objects to the taste-bud insulting libationary experiences that come from pumpkin spiced latte...but then he trashes candy corn. He's batting .500. Atlanta Braves pitchers: Teheran, Soroka, Fried, Keuchel, Foltynewicz. I'd probably be batting .200 in first time pronunciations. Dee Parsons, indefatigable and now … [Read more...] about A Fall excursion into critical events of our day, and some not so critical

I'm on a brisk, five mile walk across the University of Georgia campus. Big game tomorrow: The Dawgs and high level, high class intersectional opponent Notre Dame. Biggest such game in decades. The photo is of the countdown clock on the set of ESPN's Game Day. I'm walking by. There are 50-60 workers setting it all up. It's Friday morning and I'm not sure what is 7 hours, 45 minutes, and 56 seconds away but it's not the ball game. This is Big Time college football. The stadium seats 92,746 and 500 additional bleacher seats have been put up to accommodate The Irish, since they were allotted … [Read more...] about Selectivity in our culture wars…and SEC football

I appreciate that Tony Jones has shared lots of missionary prayer requests with us. As an emeritus IMB missionary (Latin for “has been”), let me share some suggestions about how to pray for missionaries. Missionary prayer requests are not new; in fact, they go back to the Apostle Paul. Here is his: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. (Col 4:2-4, … [Read more...] about How to Pray for Missionaries

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. (NIV) The work of a pastor/elder/overseer is a noble task. Always has been. Is now. Always will be. Better paying and more prestigious clergy and church related tasks may abound. We have coaches, consultants, marketing experts, catalysts, specialists, and strategists. There are church-targeting authors who sell a lot of books, social media church specialists who have huge followings, and ugh, bloggers you have lots of page views. We have layer-upon-layer of denominational employees: CEOs, … [Read more...] about The work of an overseer is still a noble task

Since Donald Trump announced his intention to run for president in June of 2015, a lot of people have wondered at Trump’s popularity among evangelical Christians.  A man with Trump’s well documented moral failings seems an unlikely choice for a community that railed unrelentingly against Bill Clinton for his moral failures.  But evangelical support has, on the whole, remained solid.  Trump famously quipped that he could shoot someone on 5th avenue and he would not lose support.  This statement, to the surprise of many, turns out to be true.  Over the course of the campaign and his presidency, … [Read more...] about There Is No Camel (Bill McKinnon)