SBC Issues

I recently listened to a podcast discussion between two SBC pastors. The discussion caught my eye when I received an email about it. It was a discussion about the new curriculum put out by The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission called Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused. I was interested to know what these two SBC pastors had to say about the curriculum, so I gave it a listen. As I began listening, I quickly became very frustrated. While these two pastors admitted that the curriculum has some clear things to commend it, the discussion was not a thorough review of the … [Read more...] about Should we ‘Believe the Victim’?

Let's start with "woke." Stumble across this and you can guarantee that you're in a conversation beyond reclamation. Used by hipster wannabe crotchety old codgers blogging in their basements or some Twitter idiot who thinks he's an enfant terrible. I'll update my opinion on this to note that one on the SBCV team has explained how the term seems suitable for him. I respect that but still scratch my head over it. "Loath" and "loathe." Obviously, folks don't know the difference between the two. I loathe the Yankees, any peanut butter dessert, and the use of the words "woke," "season," and … [Read more...] about Words have meanings, don’t they?

Several weeks ago, Christian author Josh Harris publically renounced his faith.  Harris’ writings were incredibly popular with many in my Christian “bubble” when I was in college at a Southern Baptist College.  He spoke of the importance of staying sexually pure in relationships through exchanging a dating culture for a courting one.  In short, he suggested that it was far better to pursue marriage rather than pursuing dating.  I agreed with him.  I still do. Harris followed up his writing by becoming a megachurch pastor at the ripe age of 30, following noted pastor CJ Mahaney.  Even though … [Read more...] about Legalism, Liberalism, and the “Nameless Ones” (Adam Wyatt)

I knew I would be in for some interesting, and probably fruitless, conversations when a deacon strolled into church one Sunday morning with a hefty book under his arm. It wasn't God's Holy Word, large print with a thick, full grain leather cover. "Ah, Ayn Rand," I said, "that depressing objectivist with a dystopian vision for the future?" Yep. That was the one. "I love you man, but no thanks on us having much of a discussion on her material," I quickly volunteered. And, thanks, but we're going to pass on having a discussion class on her stuff in this church. Give me a little credit … [Read more...] about I am a greedy capitalist pig, of course, but a Christian one

Some years ago when I arrived at a new pastorate, I was handed a health care "bill" by the financial secretary. She didn't know what it was and left it to me to figure out. Seems my predecessor made some kind of arrangement with one of the lay members to enroll the member in a Christian health cost sharing deal. Thus, the church was "billed" for a contribution because some anonymous member of the sharing group, not the guy in my church, had surgery and we were supposed to pitch in on the bill. That was my first exposure to a religious health cost sharing group. I ditched the bill. The … [Read more...] about Christian health sharing…or illegal insurance?

This past Wednesday, United States immigration authorities arrested 680 undocumented workers in Mississippi in what Mike Hurst—the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi—said was the “largest single state immigration enforcement operation in our nation’s history.”  As reports came in, it was apparent that this was something important.  I live in Mississippi.  I have both lived and served in two of the areas affected by these arrests.  I grew up and pastored in Carthage, MS and lived in Morton, MS, where my dad pastored.  When I was a bi-vocational pastor in … [Read more...] about Pastoral Reflections on the ICE Raids in Mississippi (Adam Wyatt)

No suspense about why the SEC is the leading college football conference: money. The lowest paid head coach in the conference still makes more than $2 million annually. Some SEC assistant coaches make that much. My team, Georgia, will have no less than four assistant coaches making over one million dollars for the year if bonuses are scored. It's old news that any of those four will be paid more than the university's president. The head coach will make many times as much as the president. This, brethren and sistren, is cold, hard capitalism. College football in the SEC fills enormous … [Read more...] about The pastor and givers and why the SEC is the leading football conference

By the grace of God and the tolerance of Dave Miller, I occupy the lofty heights of the SBC Voices Distinguished Chair of SBC Realism. Alas the chair is not endowed but I'm receptive to any offers. Here are a few questions for the SBC hoi polloi: Revitalization Church revitalization has been a buzzword and a watchword since I took my first church in 1982. Do those who are practitioners and contributors to the concept have honest metrics that actually demonstrate the success or failure of revitalization efforts? I'm not accusing anyone of anything, just asking. What is the measure of … [Read more...] about Questions from the Voices Distinguished Chair of SBC Realism

There is nothing profound about this. You have a church and a pulpit. Use it to God's glory. Sometimes events occur that demand your attention from the pulpit. The congregation looks to their pastor and church for a word from God in the midst of such events. I'm reading how every pulpit in the nation should address white nationalism, white privilege, white supremacy, Christian nationalism, Christian supremacy...various phrases that flow on social media with such indignation. Some of these concern me. Some events demand immediacy. Most do not. I'm semi-retired now and don't have a group … [Read more...] about Pastor, be neither bullied nor shamed in your preaching

Last month my dear wife and I went on a cruise to Alaska with Dr. David Jeremiah. He preached great sermons, and the music was wonderful. The natural beauty of Alaska prompted us to praise the Creator and admire His handiwork. During one of his sermons, David Jeremiah said something that gave me pause: “At Shadow Mountain Community Church we demand excellence in all things.” Since then I’ve been pondering that phrase—"excellence in all things.” I’ve heard other mega-church pastors make the same statement, and it always evokes mixed emotions in me. Positive Reaction Positively, I agree … [Read more...] about Excellence in All Things