It's a Southern Baptist cliche: "We are a convention of small churches." We are indeed. The median SBC church will have 70 souls in average weekly worship attendance this coming Sunday which means that around 25,000 SBC churches have a pastor who looks out when he preaches at a few dozen hearers. The pastor almost certainly is the only clergy staff member in the church although he may have a part time paid or volunteer music leader, student or children leader. This would be the place where there is a church of people who all know each other. This would be the place where there is a … [Read more...] about The stalwart, invisible hero of the SBC: The single staff pastor
Responding to the Pandemic of Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Who got outed today? It is likely that in both Hollywood and Washington, DC (as well as many other places) there are celebrities, politicians, and news figures hoping and praying (if they do that) that their past misdeeds will not be the next to surface. Anita Hill broke the ice with her vivid testimony against Clarence Thomas, which he called a "high-tech lynching." When Bill Clinton's sexcapades were revealed it was still shocking. When soon-to-be President Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women, evangelicals lined up to support him anyway. Hollywood mogul Harvey … [Read more...] about Responding to the Pandemic of Sexual Misconduct Allegations
It Ain’t Easy Makin’ Green: The Modern Struggle of Seminary Education
Southwestern Seminary's recent financial struggles have been in the news and have been a bit of a Rohrshach test for Baptists. To supporters and defenders of Dr. Patterson and the seminary, they are a blip on the radar screen, a hiccup, a bump in the road toward a greater future. To those with less warm and fuzzy feelings toward Dr. Patterson's leadership (mostly, his anti-Calvinist rhetoric and perhaps his old-school ways) they are seen as further evidence that his leadership is causing the school to swirl the bowl. I am absolutely unqualified to figure out what is happening there, but I … [Read more...] about It Ain’t Easy Makin’ Green: The Modern Struggle of Seminary Education
IMB’s Excellent Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Videos
I consider the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions one of the great privileges of being Southern Baptists. My son is a pastor in another denomination (married a girl from that church and left the faith - what can you do?) and I jokingly asked him what they were doing to promote the Lottie Moon offering this year. I cannot imagine Christmas without Lottie. Every year the International Mission Board produces a series of videos to use in promoting their mission work around the world. These videos are especially important in places like Iowa. I believe in the Cooperative … [Read more...] about IMB’s Excellent Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Videos
Some pretty good Baptist talk; some not so much
You can decide which is which for yourself. I give Mike Leake high marks for his post calling the Sunday worship service a "weekly cataclysm," a very nicely turned phrase. I confess that there was an occasional worship service I presided over that was a weekly calamity because of various things. Thank God that another Sunday arrives in seven days. Ummm, is there a way to understand "Watch out for the guy who is an expert on what used to work" in a way other than a boastful slam against people who supposedly don't have a clue about church life in the 21st century? Here's a mixture of … [Read more...] about Some pretty good Baptist talk; some not so much
What If Church Isn’t Meant to Be a Weekly Cataclysm?
Chew on this: In his wisdom, God has crafted a life for us that does not careen from huge, consequential moment to huge, consequential moments. In fact, if you examine your life, you will see that you have actually had few of those moments. You can probably name only two or three life-changing situations you have lived through. We are all the same; the character and quality of your life is forged in little moments. Every day we lay little bricks on the foundation of what our life will be. (Tripp, What Did You Expect?, 58) This is, in my mind, one of the most helpful chapter’s of Paul Tripp’s … [Read more...] about What If Church Isn’t Meant to Be a Weekly Cataclysm?
Hitting the state convention annual meeting
I had not planned to attend this year even though the site is fairly close to me but I had forgotten that my wife was scheduled to sing in the big, statewide chorus. I rearranged my plans. As a seasoned observer of such meetings, I offer a few vignettes of the meeting: Our convention is in pretty good shape. The mood was happy. No rancor afoot that I know of. Folks look like they enjoy being there. It helps that attendees can get their daily calories in personal size candy bars by hitting the exhibits. Ah, Baby Ruths. Good choice. Old school. I didn't bother to get a messenger card … [Read more...] about Hitting the state convention annual meeting
C’mon, People, Baptists Don’t Do Petitions
A friend said he was approached by a friend of his to sign an anti-NAMB petition that is being circulated by a group seeking to undermine the current leadership there. I am not going to opine on the merits of the petition itself other than to make a few general observations: NAMB funds the new work states to a high degree and it exerts a lot of authority and control. If NAMB doesn't like it, they don't fund it. They work with the states, but in the end, NAMB's hand is on the purse strings. NAMB has developed a reputation in my neck of the woods as being very sensitive to criticism … [Read more...] about C’mon, People, Baptists Don’t Do Petitions
Is NAMB being too heavyhanded with State Conventions?
Some say yes. You can easily find that assertion elsewhere. I don't judge our second largest entity, the North American Mission Board, nor their leadership to be perfect but have come to regard their work as effective and worthy of the support of SBC churches, pastors, and laypeople. It wasn't all that long ago that the SBC so motivated the institution through the Great Commission Task Force and Report to take control of their budget and be more effective in North American missions. My lay understanding of processes and actions is informed by several years of observations and … [Read more...] about Is NAMB being too heavyhanded with State Conventions?
A Point of Curiosity: Is Your Church Doing Things Differently This Week?
Last week, the worst tragedy in American church history (on a physical level, at least) took place in Sutherland Springs. Is your church going to be any different this week? Are you making plans to change your security measures? There has been some chest thumping among some preachers that make you envision men in suits draped with bandoliers, holding an AK-47 in one hand and a Bible in the other. I am wondering what the reality will be today. At my frozen corner of the world we are not doing anything differently...yet. I pointed out to those I have talked to that while last week … [Read more...] about A Point of Curiosity: Is Your Church Doing Things Differently This Week?