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Nine Shining Moments in the SBC in 2017

January 6, 2018 by toddbenkert

'Tis the season for looking back over the past year and remembering significant moments. I thought I’d review a few of what I thought were great moments in the SBC in 2017. These are my own observations from my limited scope, but were to me evidences of grace in the denomination I call my home.   Gateway Seminary and Lifeway dedicate new buildings A small but bright point for me: Southern Baptists making fiscally sound decisions and moving to facilities that are progressive and make economical sense. After years of struggles with zoning boards and other obstacles to growth, … [Read more...] about Nine Shining Moments in the SBC in 2017

Another denominational election war?

January 5, 2018 by William Thornton

I'm not up for another Conservative Resurgence kind of denominational war where the lines are drawn, candidates are classified, willing nominees are prearranged,  and votes are sought for "our guy" and not the other guy. I'm not up for a system where there is a Calvinist candidate and a Traditionalist candidate and no other candidate who is not pigeonholed as one or the other. I'm not up for a fight over every nomination where there is a Calvinist nominee and a Traditionalist nominee for and where success is judged by getting "our" trustees confirmed. My view is that there are rabid, … [Read more...] about Another denominational election war?

What Does It Mean When Icons Fail?

January 4, 2018 by Dave Miller

I read a story in Baptist News Global today and was discussing it with the guys. Judge Paul Pressler is asking for summary judgment in the lawsuit against him based on the fact that the statute of limitations has passed. We were batting around the ramifications of that strategy, and an idea started to form. Please hear me, I am using the very public Pressler matter as a template for a larger discussion. It often appears to me that people read the title and perhaps a paragraph or two of a post - bad mojo for my 2000 word posts - and start in on the comments. I want to make some strong … [Read more...] about What Does It Mean When Icons Fail?

Nine less than stellar moments in the SBC in 2017

January 3, 2018 by William Thornton

SBC blog touts lawsuits against SBC entities. It's one thing for someone who believes they have been aggrevied to sue some SBC entity. People do that. It's one thing to report that someone is suing us. It's newsworthy. But it is an entirely different thing to tout the lawsuits and plaintiffs publicly and uncritically. For shame! Annual meeting hijacked by alt-right resolution fiasco. I don't know how to fix this. Alt-right miscreants dominated the twitter feed for the SBC annual meeting app. A resolution against the alt-right was not returned by our Resolutions Committee. The two together … [Read more...] about Nine less than stellar moments in the SBC in 2017

A Financial Report on the 2017 Pastors’ Conference of the SBC

January 2, 2018 by Dave Miller

  When I was elected President of the Pastors’ Conference (PC) in 2016, I was shocked to find out that the PC has no guiding documents – no rules, no bylaws, and no accountability. I was pretty much free to do as I pleased. Of course, since the Executive Committee of the SBC makes a significant annual investment in the PC in a non-direct way, the PC has given them an annual report, but the PC president has pretty much free rein to do as he pleases. It is my understanding that in the past, the finances of the PC were handled by the church of the president or that of the treasurer and … [Read more...] about A Financial Report on the 2017 Pastors’ Conference of the SBC

Better Baptist Blogging in 2018

January 1, 2018 by Dave Miller

It is not likely that 2017 will be remembered as a great year for Southern Baptists - not our worst, I suppose, but not our best. We had a good time putting on the Pastors' Conference and the Annual Meeting seemed to come off without a lot of controversy (we managed to reelect Steve Gaines on the FIRST ballot!) but there was a surfeit of unnecessary controversy - much of it manufactured within the ranks of the blogging community. There was a constant roiling over the role of politics in the life of the church. It boiled over earlier in the year as Jack Graham withheld a million dollars in … [Read more...] about Better Baptist Blogging in 2018

Maybe next year…

December 29, 2017 by William Thornton

The SEC will prove that the ACC's crown in NCAA football was merely a pigskin interregnum. If so, we must prepare ourselves to be appropriately humble about it as befits our station in the football world. C. B. Scott told me to say that. Alan Cross will venture into the 800-1,000 word article territory. Alan is the author here who is likely the most informed on the subjects on which he writes. He is the contributor who in my view should write much more here than his once-a-month on average. Dave Miller, having left the Pastor's Conference in a blaze of denominational glory (a "roaring … [Read more...] about Maybe next year…

Scare headline of the year

December 26, 2017 by William Thornton

CLERGY MAY SOON FIND TAXES SOARING AS RESULT OF AN UNDER-THE-RADAR RULING   Yeah, that's under-the-radar if you are The Rev. Rip V. Winkle who slept for the last decade or so and just woke up. The article is about the clergy housing allowance. Other than the screaming, vein popping headline it is one of the best summary articles I've read on the clergy housing allowance and recent ruling. My CPA friend Peter Reilly on Forbes is better but then the HA is never under his radar. He has had many timely articles on it. His latest,Tax free housing benefits for clergy will be safe for … [Read more...] about Scare headline of the year

Miller Out

December 24, 2017 by Dave Miller

I will be doing undercover work in Boston the next week, trying to find the link between the New England Patriots and the NFL replay booth. It is clear that something funny is going on there, so I am flying on Christmas day out to Boston to see my family and to try to come up with an explanation for the evil and dishonest things going on in the halls of the NFL. I will let you know what I find. In the meantime, contributors, you are free to post at will. Make sure you don't step on someone else. Give at least 6 hours between posts, okay? Feel free to moderate comments as you please. I … [Read more...] about Miller Out

Your church’s Christmas gift from the government…

December 24, 2017 by William Thornton

...that you might like to return: The new tax bill, signed into law by President Trump the other day. Evangelical leaders warn of ‘devastating’ impact of GOP tax plan on the charitable deduction God loves a cheerful itemizer Bad news for nonprofits Charities in the Chicago area and across the country are bracing for the potential loss of billions of dollars in annual contributions  The gloom-and-doomers that are worried about churches and other charities losing revenue as a result of the tax policy changes in the new bill (most provisions go into effect January 1, 2018) are … [Read more...] about Your church’s Christmas gift from the government…

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