SBC Voices

There are around 400,000 churches in the United States and very few of these file any kind of tax return but there are some who think it would be beneficial to congregations if they were brought under the protective wing of the Internal Revenue Service. While I've known a couple of IRS folks over the years and they have been quite helpful, professional, and agreeable, I'm not inclined to think that the IRS could help churches.   But consider why some would think the government could help churches: Growing Fraud Sucks Billions From Churches Annually; This IRS Fix Could Help, Expert … [Read more...] about Do churches need the government to protect them from fraud?

My wife and I watched the Amazon Prime hagiography on George Washington, "The First American," guided by the hand of Newt Gingrich, whose political views were imprinted on the show from start to finish. But it was well put-together and demonstrated both the strength of character of George Washington and the unique genius of the American system of government birthed by our founding fathers. Several things struck me from the show. George Washington put his entire heart and soul into the American Revolution, risking his life, his fortune - everything - for the vision of what would later be … [Read more...] about George Washington, Political Parties, and Why I Am Now Independent

Clever Voices commenter Karen asks, Does your church culture allow gracious truth-telling and facing real issues & problems? Or are sin issues deemed personal and private, so everyone goes about like free electrons minding their own business rather than as integral, interdependent parts of a living body? Free electrons? You bet there are scads of such in our churches. Some pastors are "free electrons" or if you prefer baseball, "free agents" who move to the highest bidder. Other pastors are free electrons in that you never know exactly where they are - maybe the hospital, nursing home, … [Read more...] about Particle physics meets the SBC and other noteworthy items

At age 60, with something pretty close to a clean bill of health from my doctor, I have no intentions of dropping out of ministry any time soon. I don’t know if I have five years, or fifteen, or twenty-five left in active ministry. I am planning to keep preaching and serving until I am no longer able. But the fact is that having served churches for nearly 4 decades the majority of my ministry is behind me not in front of me. Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4 have always been both a goal and a taunt to me. “I have fought the good fight, I’ve finished the race, I’ve kept the faith.” He had … [Read more...] about If I Could Travel in Time…

I will never forget the Tuesday back in late March or early April when my friend, Dr. Janice Galli, called me just after suppertime. I had been sick since I returned from Senegal at the end of February and she finally said it was time to check things out. We ran about 4 million tests (that may be ministerial hyperbole) to figure out the problem. After an ultrasound, an MRI, and something called a HIPA, they realized that I had both a bad gallbladder and a diseased spleen, both of which were removed on May 3. But in the process of poking around the gallbladder in the various tests, they had … [Read more...] about An “SBC Voices Miracle”

The California Statehouse certainly has the reputation of passing legislation that is extreme and activist against Christians and their Biblical worldview. Recently the Supreme Court struck down AB775, a law passed by the California Assembly and Senate and signed into law by the Governor, that would have forced pro-life clinics to post notices, and tell mothers they can abort their babies and have California taxpayers foot the bill via the state's Medi-Cal program.  Now we are facing what might be the most dangerous piece of legislation yet. AB2943, a bill backed and supported by the … [Read more...] about Christians Facing Serious Crisis in California (Greg Davidson)