Last week, (Oct. 21-22), Southern Baptist Theological Seminary held the 8th Annual Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies Conference on Whitefield and the Great Awakening. This year celebrates the 300th anniversary of Whitefield's birth. Like many Evangelicals, Whitefield (1714-1770) has been a hero of mine as a leader of the First Great Awakening in the 1700s. In my seminary days at Golden Gate, I studied him for an independent study class on evangelism and compared/contrasted the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment and have been familiar with his life, ministry, and influence ever … [Read more...] about George Whitefield, Slavery, and Southern Seminary: Growing Baptist Recognition
Social Issues
Transformational Church
This past Monday (Oct 6), I went to a Transformational Church conference in Ozark, MO, with a couple of fellow pastors. After a day of listening to Ed Stetzer and Micah Fries discuss what could properly be called issues of church revitalization, we headed home but not before a stop at Lambert’s Café—home of the throwed rolls (if you have never experienced such, you must, you must). Delicious flying rolls aside, I want to write some about the conference and the book. After all, the idea of church revitalization is near and dear to me. I am closing in on the end of two years in the CR … [Read more...] about Transformational Church
The Worst of “the Christian Right”
A recent article at The Christian Post entitled “Christian Leaders Call on Believers to be Less Rigid, Support Flawed Politicians” embodies what I consider to be the worst of what the political Christian Right has to offer. The setting of the article is the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland, and is based on interviews with John Andrews, former president of the Colorado Senate and Director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, and Tom Minnery, President and CEO of Focus on the Family’s political arm, … [Read more...] about The Worst of “the Christian Right”
Not Just a Black Holiday
Every year in January, government offices, the USPS, and many schools close in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday. In my area, several schools with a majority white population are remaining open today. The rationale? “It’s not OUR holiday, so why should we celebrate it?” In my conversations with white friends, and my experience in majority white communities, I see a reluctance by many to observe the day on the grounds that MLK day is a “black” holiday. As a white Christian, I could not disagree more. Martin Luther King day is MY day, it’s OUR day. Dr. King’s vision of … [Read more...] about Not Just a Black Holiday
Eschatology and Religious Liberty
Q. What is the one thing that is not present in heaven (or in the millennium, or in the New Jerusalem, depending on your take on eschatology) that we can be thankful is still present with us here today on earth? A. Religious liberty. “[The woman] gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.” (Rev. 12:5) “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown … [Read more...] about Eschatology and Religious Liberty
Rev. Dwight McKissic on Jesse Jackson and Phil Robertson
This article from Dwight McKissic deserves more attention than it will get on a weekend between two holidays, but it also should not just sit there. So, here it is. Folks with publish authority, let's try to let this one stay on top for a day and let it get seen. Thanks, Doug. CHALLENGING JESSE JACKSON AND MICHAEL ERIC DYSON TO DEBATE THE PHIL ROBERTSON’S REMARKS FOR THE SAKE OF KINGDOM TRUTH TEN REASONS WHY PHIL ROBERTSON HAS BECOME THE NEW ROSA PARKS By William Dwight McKissic, Sr. In an attempt to discredit and defame the unabashed and uncompromising Kingdom citizen—Phillip Robertson— … [Read more...] about Rev. Dwight McKissic on Jesse Jackson and Phil Robertson
The Persecuted Church, Prayer, and the Book of Revelation
In case you were not already aware, Sunday, November 10, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (though some are observing it this Sunday, November 3). I hope you are staying abreast of the alarming increase of the persecution and martyrdom of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world in recent months. Of all the current events we read about and write about, from a biblical perspective, I truly believe this is one of the most important, if not the most important, issues of our day. A few recent articles have pointed out the relative lack of coverage the … [Read more...] about The Persecuted Church, Prayer, and the Book of Revelation
Scalia, Kuyper, and a “Christian” View of Economics and Politics
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia recently gave a lecture (together with a subsequent Q & A session) at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston, Texas. on the following topic: “Is Capitalism or Socialism More Conducive to Christian Virtue?”—(the lecture can be viewed in its entirety here). Interestingly, he is both a devout Roman Catholic and a convinced fiscal conservative. And though I am neither a Roman Catholic nor quite so convinced a fiscal conservative as he, I find much common ground with him in what he has to say in this lecture. In spite of the checkered historical legacy of … [Read more...] about Scalia, Kuyper, and a “Christian” View of Economics and Politics
Yes, Indeed, God Loves “Gays”
"Why doesn't God love gays?" That was the question a teenager asked on a recent Wednesday during our youth ministry time. To be honest, the question was sort of out of the blue since the discussion was on the return of Jesus, but clearly it was on the heart of at least one, if not many, of the teens there that night. I appreciate this teenager's boldness to ask! This question is one this generation has had to wrestle with that previous generations did not. In fact, the speed with which the topic of homosexuality has come to dominate the social and political conversation is staggering, … [Read more...] about Yes, Indeed, God Loves “Gays”
Missional Boundaries and Entangling Alliances
A lot of ink has been spilled in recent years about missional Christianity. Without delving into the technical issues involved in defining the term, or attempting to say exactly what or who qualifies as truly missional, I would like to think out loud with you about some of the practical issues that sometimes come along with being missional. As I understand it, a big part of being missional has to do with getting involved in the community. It means, even though your church or ministry may be located geographically in the very same town in which you grew up, viewing this ministry with … [Read more...] about Missional Boundaries and Entangling Alliances