Few jobs in the Southern Baptist Convention could be considered more demanding than leading the International Mission Board. To say the least, the post has grown somewhat since James Barnett Taylor took the helm in Richmond in 1845. Starting with him, every candidate for the job has been a compromise candidate in one way or another (just like every candidate for the pastorate of my church has been). If we were to wait for the perfect choice, we would never fill the position. Of course, that doesn't mean that there's no value in thinking about that perfect choice. True, I'm not an IMB … [Read more...] about The Perfect IMB President
BREAKING NEWS: David Platt Has Asked the IMB to Seek a New President
My original post said "Platt resigned." The IMB released claims he has not resigned but simply asked the IMB to begin a search for a new president. I think that is a distinction without a difference. But there are people who get hyper-picky and easily offended about stuff like this, so I am changing this. It's silly. It's a de facto resignation. In one of the most poorly kept secrets in SBC history, David Platt's intent to leave the International Mission Board has been announced today in a conference call with Trustees. Last fall he took the role of preaching pastor at McLean Bible Church, a … [Read more...] about BREAKING NEWS: David Platt Has Asked the IMB to Seek a New President
How about telling what your church pays you?
About 14,000 SBC staff did so in the 2016 LifeWay/GuideStone Compensation Study. Take a look at the summary chart. If you as a full time senior pastor had an annual pay package less than $76,492 you were below the SBC average. But don't get depressed about that. You're not in it for the money right? My opinion after following this biennial study (it's done in even-numbered years) is that it yields numbers that are probably a bit higher than the actual SBC-wide averages and this because most responding churches are larger. Every time I write a piece on the Compensation Study commenters … [Read more...] about How about telling what your church pays you?
Why the SBC is unlikely to follow the pattern shown in the Olympic doctor sex abuse scandal
The widespread publicity surrounding this scandal cost the leader of Michigan State University her job as well as that of various other MSU and Olympic officials. It is a sad, sordid tale of sex abuse, enabling, cover-ups, and girls victimized by a child sex predator. One of the victims, Rachel Denhollander, is an authentic hero in all this and some were surprised when she said, It is with deep regret that I say the church is one of the worst places to go for help. That’s a hard thing to say, because I am a very conservative evangelical, but that is the truth. There are very, very few who … [Read more...] about Why the SBC is unlikely to follow the pattern shown in the Olympic doctor sex abuse scandal
Interview with JD Greear on Running for SBC President
JD Greear, pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC, is running for President of the SBC at our Annual Meeting in Dallas in June. As is tradition here at SBCVoices, we like to interview presidential candidates with a few questions to get a deeper perspective on why they are running and what their hopes for the present and future of the SBC might be. Since the wheels went into motion on this interview, Dr. Ken Hemphill has also decided to run for SBC president. We hope to interview him as well. JD Greear Interview 1. Tell us why you sense this is the right season for you to serve as … [Read more...] about Interview with JD Greear on Running for SBC President
Can We Not Aim Higher? Charting a Course toward Dallas
I will admit two things at the very start of this post. I am not neutral in the presidential race for the SBC. I hope JD Greear is the next president of the SBC. I have never met Dr. Hemphill. He came to SWBTS after I graduated and I'd not heard much from him until the recent announcement. I have a positive impression of him, believing him to be a good man and good Southern Baptist. But there is a growing tendency in the advocacy of Dr. Hemphill - by his supporters, not by him - that is becoming increasingly troubling. In the announcement in BP about Hemphill's … [Read more...] about Can We Not Aim Higher? Charting a Course toward Dallas
Resurgence in Church Discipline (Mark Terry)
When I was a doctoral student at Southwestern Seminary, I took Dr. Leon McBeth’s seminar on the History of American Christianity. During the seminar one of my classmates, Gary Snowden, presented a research paper on the history of church discipline in the SBC. He explained that while church discipline was quite common in the 1800s, in the twentieth century it had declined considerably. Of course, we asked him about the reason for the decline. He said that he could document the decline, but his research did not reveal the reason for it. The students speculated that overuse, improper … [Read more...] about Resurgence in Church Discipline (Mark Terry)
Brothers, Don’t Make Us Flip the Sign
I try to stay out of most of the discussions in the SBC on Calvinism. It’s been my experience that more heat than light is delivered in these debates. So, it’s with some trepidation that I even write this article. Or rather rewrite this article and update it a bit for our Voices audience. (Original is here) Ken Hemphill seems like a nice guy and a solid choice for SBC President. But I'm a bit bothered by the way in which he is being promoted as the pro-John 3:16 candidate as if JD Greear isn't. Or that Ken Hemphill is a man who can say "whosoever will may come" whereas JD Greear cannot. I … [Read more...] about Brothers, Don’t Make Us Flip the Sign
Good – 41, Evil – 33
The 21st Century IMB
I've been to IMB headquarters in Richmond just once, some years ago for a couple of days. I came away with the view that all of the people there were highly committed and very fine servants of SBC churches but also that the organization had a distinct subculture, somewhat mysterious with more than a modicum of inscrutibility. Individual IMB workers have always been congenial and helpful but over the decades I had the impression that the organization was not much for openness and transparency although not so in any deliberate, recalcitrant, or nefarious manner. It stands to reason that the … [Read more...] about The 21st Century IMB