“Can you tell us a little about your call to the ministry…” I’ve gotten that question, I believe, in every church interview I’ve had. And every time I talked about how the Lord called me to himself and then a bit of jumbled mess about not being sure in college but really having a compulsion to preach. I share a story about when I was really laboring with that and a professor said, “If you can do something else you should do it.” Preaching has been like a fire in my bones that I can’t not do…so I figure that’s my internal call. I’ve always been a little uncomfortable with the question and … [Read more...] about The Danger of “Has God Called You Into the Ministry?”
Here’s a resource many have asked for: listing of trustees
SBC This Week is a great site. It is described as "a weekly news roundup from around the Southern Baptist Convention" and has "guest interviews from today’s top church leaders." The podcast is hosted by Amy Whitfield, Director of Communications for SEBTS, and Jonathan Howe, Director of Strategic Initiatives for LifeWay which, I suppose, makes it at least a semi-official SBC site. On their home page, lower right panel is a place where you can view current SBC entity trustees, all of 'em. This is available elsewhere but not so conveniently. An address for each trustee is given. Sometimes it … [Read more...] about Here’s a resource many have asked for: listing of trustees
SBC Voices welcomes comments and discussion
SBC Voices is a leading source for information, opinions, and discussion of matters of concern for the Southern Baptist Convention. We appreciate the position and popularity that we have here and consider it both a privilege and responsibility to be able to have such a forum. In doing so, we welcome discussions, we value both agreement and disagreement, so long as it is done in a Christian manner. It's been a while since we did this so here are a few things that might be helpful to know, especially for newer readers. 1. Dave Miller is the editor for SBCV. A number of people assist, and, … [Read more...] about SBC Voices welcomes comments and discussion
Dear Jim
I imagine that you have some big milestones in mind, looking in life from the vantage point of a fourteen-year-old. There's a date with the driver's license people coming up early next year. Eventually, there are other dates—you know…DATES—on the horizon. College may seem like it is a long way away for you, but in our minds it is looming large. So much of being a teenager is future oriented, some parts dread, some parts anticipation. I see other milestones ahead that you may not have considered. Among them is this: I know that the day is coming when you are going to meet me through what I … [Read more...] about Dear Jim
The Coming Crisis: Why We Should Speak/Advocate on Behalf of Immigrant “Dreamers” Right Now
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” - Proverbs 31:8-9 My young immigrant friend keeps calling me. He knows that I work with churches and groups on immigrant/refugee ministry and that I keep up with what is happening from a policy perspective. So, he keeps calling and texting. He was brought here illegally when he was 2 years old. He’s now in his late 20’s and has lived in America all of his life. He is married and has children, all of whom are U.S. citizens. He … [Read more...] about The Coming Crisis: Why We Should Speak/Advocate on Behalf of Immigrant “Dreamers” Right Now
With whom will you pray?
There was a lot of discussion on social media about a prayer gathering that took place in the Oval Office recently. Several evangelical leaders were present---including Southern Baptists Ronnie Floyd, Jack Graham, Robert Jeffress, Richard Land, Frank Page, and others. Ronnie Floyd was one of two pastors who voiced a prayer as the rest of the group laid hands on President Trump. Jack Graham did an interview on Fox News talking about the gathering. Baptist Press had an article about it. As you might imagine, reactions to photos and statements released after the time of prayer have been … [Read more...] about With whom will you pray?
It’s About Time! Thoughts about Time Management
...redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16. How's that for a verse out of context? Almost as good as "where there is no vision, the people perish" as a long-range planning verse or "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" as a motto for winning championships. But there is a valid application here. Time is a precious gift and in our lives in these evil days, using it wisely is essential. I am going to state two facts that I will not bother to buttress or prove. If you do not accept either of these, just move on. They are demonstrably true, above … [Read more...] about It’s About Time! Thoughts about Time Management
An Open Letter to Steve Gaines Regarding Evangelism Taskforce Diversity
Dear SBC President Dr. Steve Gaines, We want to begin by saying thank you. We had a great convention in Phoenix, and we believe that is due in part to your leadership. You set the tone for the convention with your emphasis on prayer. You also exhibited wise pastoral leadership from the podium. We realize that the resolution condemning alt-right white supremacy would not have happened without your support. So thank you. We are also excited about the emphasis of this next year on evangelism. We share your concerns regarding our declining baptism numbers. Southern Baptists are a … [Read more...] about An Open Letter to Steve Gaines Regarding Evangelism Taskforce Diversity
Racial Reconciliation Dodgeball – Responsibility and Solutions
I am old enough to have played dodgeball before it was declared unhealthy to children’s self-esteem. I have watched with dismay as many in our midst have played what seems to me to be a form of dodgeball with issues related to racial reconciliation. Let me be clear. I believe with all my heart that most of the pastors in the SBC are not racists at heart, but I think many hold attitudes that hinder the progress of racial healing in our denomination. Whenever there is an effort to advance racial reconciliation in our fellowship, there is a corpus of regular clichés and axioms trotted out that … [Read more...] about Racial Reconciliation Dodgeball – Responsibility and Solutions
Will Georgia Baptists be rescued by our 19th Century Calvinist predecessors?
See if you recognize any of these quotes or have read similar ones: ...a book that seeks to recover the Gospel heritage that has been vastly lost since the last century. ...look back at the first generation of Georgia Baptists, filtered through the biblical Gospel... ...our labors in this book have been to show the confessional faith of the first generation of Georgia Baptists as a whole. ...how our Baptist forbearers in Georgia came to these convictions biblically... Many Baptists in the twenty-first century have lost their way. ...capitulated to...pragmatic notions and … [Read more...] about Will Georgia Baptists be rescued by our 19th Century Calvinist predecessors?