SBC number nerds may download the 2023 Book of Reports here. It is 215 pages of reports, charts, and information. I've already seen that folks will use information in the BOR as a club to bash the other party. I still hold to the naive idea that we are all on the same side for Jesus, for the Gospel to the nations. But here you are. Average Cooperative Program church giving as a percentage of undesignated gifts: 4.59%. This has slightly declined for several years. Bart Barber's church gave over 12% CP. Mike Stone's church, zero percent (they decided to give direct, bypassing the CP. You can … [Read more...] about Average CP percentage and a few other new stats: 2023 Book of Reports
The annual SBC statistical weepfest, 2022 version
2022_ACP_Summary It's out! The SBC's annual statistical report: Southern Baptists Decline in Membership, Grow in Attendance, Baptisms. This is the headline and article from Lifeway Research. You can always count on our mod/lib friends to put an astringent spin on any SBC news. Here's their article and headline. In SBC annual statistics even the good news isn't that good. Everyone gets to put a spin on it. Seems the most notable statistic is that membership decline is the largest ever, 457,371. Dropping that many members is about like having another New Madrid earthquake only … [Read more...] about The annual SBC statistical weepfest, 2022 version
Understanding Adult Sexual Abuse – A breakout at the SBC Annual Meeting
Join SBC Voices at the SBC Annual meeting for the breakout seminar "Understanding Adult Sexual Abuse." Taking place on Tuesday evening from 7-8:30 pm in room 208 of the Convention hall, this engaging session aims to shed light on the complexities of adult sexual abuse, with a focus on clergy abuse. Attendees will gain valuable insights into this sensitive issue, learn strategies to support survivors, promote healing, and prevent future occurrences. Don't miss this informative event. Key Topics to be Covered: Defining Adult Sexual Abuse: Understanding the different forms … [Read more...] about Understanding Adult Sexual Abuse – A breakout at the SBC Annual Meeting
Thinking about Women Pastors
Pastor Mike Law of Arlington, Virginia, has stated his intention to submit an amendment to the SBC constitution and by-laws at this year’s annual meeting. This amendment would require the SBC to disfellowship (expel) any church that employs a woman as its pastor. Of course, his announcement has prompted lots of discussion. So, let us join the debate here at SBC Voices. Navigators determine their position on the globe by calculating their latitude and longitude. For purposes of this discussion, let’s make Bible verses our latitude and previous SBC motions our longitude. Note: I am not saying … [Read more...] about Thinking about Women Pastors
Confession Time: I’m Using ChatGPT on My Sermons!
My techie son recently bought me a subscription to ChatGPT-4, the latest version of the AI tool that is causing so much furor. For the last month or so, I have actually been using it to help me with my sermons! (Insert your joke here...) Actually, it isn't as awful as it sounds. I manuscript my messages - something I started doing during the COVID shut down when we were recording our Sunday services. I wish I'd done it all my life. I don't read the messages when I preach them, but I study, then write a draft, then edit it a couple of times. Then I know it's ready to go. Manuscripting … [Read more...] about Confession Time: I’m Using ChatGPT on My Sermons!
Scatter Shooting, Part Four
SCATTER SHOOTING, PART FOUR BY MARK TERRY Scatter shooting while wondering where W. A. Criswell bought his white suits. Summertime has arrived in Texas. It’s 94 degrees today. I was sad to learn of Charles Stanley’s passing. He was an excellent preacher. He was able to show the practical application of doctrine better than anyone else. During our first four years in the Philippines, FBC Atlanta sent me a package of his sermon cassettes (!) every month. They were like a stream in the desert for me. I read on the internet (so it must be true) that gray hair can be reversed. No … [Read more...] about Scatter Shooting, Part Four
Making College Decisions? Check Out California Baptist University!
It’s Official: The Adkins’ family will be a Lancer family. This article is not so much about our boy, although he is the reason for its genesis. It is more about how impressed our family has been with our experience engaging with CBU, via its administrators, professors, and staff. Canon, our youngest son, and gifted musician, will be graduating high school in a few days. After being accepted to 20+ schools, he has decided to “take his talents” to Southern California to become a part of the Collingsworth School of Performing Arts at CBU studying Music Composition for Stage and … [Read more...] about Making College Decisions? Check Out California Baptist University!
The EC Needs to Elect Jared Wellman!
I upset some friends the other day when I voiced questions about the process at the EC that has nominated Jared Wellman as the next EC president. Now, let me see if I can make more people mad at me. Many people have concerns about the process, and I affirm that. We continue to wonder when the SBC is going to elect a minority candidate to lead one of our entities. That time is long since passed. Having said all of that, there is only one candidate on the ballot at the EC this week, Jared Wellman. This is not an election between two candidates. So, my position is this: I wholeheartedly, … [Read more...] about The EC Needs to Elect Jared Wellman!
Are We Are ALWAYS Going to Be a White Convention?
Word has started circulating that Jared Wellman will be the search committee's recommendation on Monday as our new Executive Committee President. Wellman demonstrated great courage when former leaders at the EC tried to bully him into silence. He is a young man of godliness, character, conviction, denominational loyalty, and integrity. He is exactly the kind of younger SBC leader this convention needs for the future. I am a Jared Wellman fan. However, I have some reservations about the process. We have a large African American fellowship in the SBC and we have been telling them that if … [Read more...] about Are We Are ALWAYS Going to Be a White Convention?
Scatter Shooting, Part Three
Scatter shooting while wondering who will get Dave Miller’s lime green suit when he passes on to his reward. At my age, happy hour is an afternoon nap. When I was a boy, learning to play baseball, my coach said repeatedly, “Mark, keep your eye on the ball.” Of course, that’s the key to hitting a baseball, but it’s also key for Southern Baptists. For us, the ball is missions. Missions is what motivated Baptists in the USA to form their first convention, the Triennial Convention, in 1814. The first thing the SBC did when it organized in 1845 was to establish the Foreign Mission Board and … [Read more...] about Scatter Shooting, Part Three