This morning during the Founder’s Day Chapel Service on the campus of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS), Dr. Charles “Chuck” S. Kelley Jr. announced he will be retiring from his role as the seminary’s eighth President effective July 31, 2019. Dr. Kelley was elected President of NOBTS on February 23, 1996 taking office on March 1 of that year. At the time his retirement begins he will have served approximately 23 years as president of NOBTS which will make him the longest tenured president in the school's 100 year history. Dr. Kelley responded to God’s call to preach the … [Read more...] about BREAKING: Dr. Chuck Kelley Jr. Announces His Retirement from NOBTS
What the record Annie Armstrong Easter Offering tells us
We Southern Baptist have two mammoth special offerings and when we can, we like to brag about them. The largest is the Lottie Moon offering which goes to our flagship entity, The International Mission Board. The other is this one which goes to our second largest entity, the North American Mission Board whose trustees were informed last night that this year's offering was a record $61.1 million. Here are a few things to ponder on this bit of good news: This is the second consecutive year where the offering was a record. This year was about 2.4% higher than last year. It took a solid … [Read more...] about What the record Annie Armstrong Easter Offering tells us
Irascible, unrepentant, and contrarian…deal with it.
Only a few...I have to pace myself these days. And would you dour Calvinists kindly force yourselves to allow for sardonic humor? Coffee is coffee. You effete javasseurs who sip the expensive lattes, frappes, and cappuexcretas are nothing more than affluent, status-seeking wannabes. Note that the decline of the country's moral tenor tracks inversely with popularity of overpriced flavored water. The Cooperative Program is a flawed system. It allows some organizations and some parts of organizations to be propped up when they have only marginal use. It also is addictive and prevents … [Read more...] about Irascible, unrepentant, and contrarian…deal with it.
Sebastian Traeger Resigns as Executive VP of IMB
Just announced this afternoon, Sebastian Traeger will resign in November from his position as Executive Vice President of the IMB. See below his comments, set off by ****, and a little commentary from me at the bottom. **** Brothers and sisters, With a full and thankful heart, I am writing this email to let you know that I will soon be transitioning out of my role as Executive Vice President. My heart’s desire is to remain and work alongside you all. At the same time, I am trusting God’s Word in Proverbs 16:9, which says: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD … [Read more...] about Sebastian Traeger Resigns as Executive VP of IMB
What Christine Blasey Ford is Teaching Christians About Worldview
Regardless of how you feel about Brett Kavanaugh or the whole debacle that is his confirmation hearing, one thing is certain: worldview matters. I remember sitting at my desk at school as a young teenager, reading the last few pages of Anne Frank’s diary. I wondered how this dear girl, after witnessing so much tragedy and terror, could have possibly maintained her belief that “people are still good at heart.” We all love Anne Frank for her optimism and her honesty. But, the truth is that despite Anne’s heartwarming deduction that deep down we are all good, the Bible paints a painfully and … [Read more...] about What Christine Blasey Ford is Teaching Christians About Worldview
Women and Seminary: Should You Go?
When I graduated high school I had one primary goal and that was to play softball. The education part would follow, but my dream was to play college ball. At the end of my senior year I signed to play college at a small Division III school, but by the end of my first semester I knew that God was calling me into "ministry." As a young woman who grew up in an SBC church I thought that meant I either went to Africa for missions or I would teach children. Since I wasn't too fond of children I figured Africa was my next step. I enrolled at Criswell College not knowing anything other than I … [Read more...] about Women and Seminary: Should You Go?
Four suggestions for using the LifeWay/GuideStone Compensation Study
LifeWay and GuideStone conduct this study of SBC compensation in even numbered years. The latest report came out just a month or so ago. It is helpful and useful. Here are some suggestions for pastors, staff, and church leaders on how it can be profitably used. Find the LifeWay/Guidestone 2018 Compensation Study and get familiar with it. If you're the pastor, and most SBC churches have a single clergy staff, the Mighty, and sometime mighty beloved Senior Pastor, then access the study and get familiar with it. You can see the responses by state, by position, by church budget size, and by … [Read more...] about Four suggestions for using the LifeWay/GuideStone Compensation Study
Headed to Senegal
I will be leaving in the middle of the night to head to Senegal for a week. I go there twice a year to do evangelistic work with a UUPG in the Casamance region. I'd planned to go back in November for a full trip but my health problems made that impossible. I am piggy-backing on a trip Bart Barber planned to do some training and to meet with some of the chiefs and others. I need to let them know what I am not coming back in November and what has happened to me over the last few months. If all goes well, I will be back next Wednesday. There are a number of issues I'd ask for prayer … [Read more...] about Headed to Senegal
Ten good news SBC items…
Doesn't hurt to talk about it. Cooperative Program will probably be up for the fiscal year. The eleven month report from the Executive Committee earlier this month showed CP was above projection and slightly above last year's same period results. Let's be optimistic that the full year will be above last year. This is national only, not total CP. Lottie Moon will be more than last year. Their totals come after the end of September. With Platt's resignation and no replacement in sight SBCers continue to give. IMB can rock along with strong SBC support, though it would be nice to have a … [Read more...] about Ten good news SBC items…
Is Calvinism Anti-Missions?
Disclaimer and disclosure: I am not a Calvinist, nor am I an anti-Calvinist traditionalist. Theologically, I am somewhere in the middle, and the Baptist statement of Faith and Message summarizes my beliefs accurately. I am not a theologian, and I am not writing to assess the worth of Calvinism. Rather, I was trained as a historian. I’ve taught seminary courses on the church history, missions history, and the history of evangelism. I have written/published a book on the history of evangelism and a book on the history of missions. I’m writing to counter a common criticism against Calvinism—that … [Read more...] about Is Calvinism Anti-Missions?