I purposefully write this article to you on a Monday morning because that is when a wearied pastor needs it the most. Every pastor I know has at one time slouched in his desk chair on Monday morning feeling completely exhausted both mentally and physically. Sometimes you suffer from Monday fatigue because you had a marvelous Sunday which led you to a “good tired”. However, there are other weeks where your fatigue is mostly emotional and spiritual. Maybe for you attendance hasn’t been good lately, tithing is down, deacons meeting didn’t go as you would have preferred, you feel as though you … [Read more...] about Open Letter to the Wearied Pastor (by Dr. Kevin Blackwell)
Prestonwood and the ERLC: The EC Responds
Last week Baptist Press reported that "Amid continuing discussion of churches' escrowing or withholding Cooperative Program funds, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee launched two efforts to study the issue at its Feb. 20-21 meeting in Nashville." Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, TX recently announced that they would be escrowing $1 million dollars while they evaluate future support of Southern Baptist Convention causes. The announced concerns were related to "various significant positions taken by the leadership of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission." We've … [Read more...] about Prestonwood and the ERLC: The EC Responds
Prestonwood, The ERLC, and The Cooperative Program (By Jedidiah Coppenger)
5 Prayers For Past, Present, And Future Southern Baptist Conflicts Last week Southern Baptists learned that one of their largest churches, Prestonwood Baptist Church, is going to push pause on Cooperative Program (CP) giving. For those who know the role CP giving plays in SBC life, this announcement is a big deal. CP giving is often a key standard by which leaders and churches are judged. The CP is significant in SBC life because it is the funding mechanism for almost all of its cooperative ministries—a list that includes the largest missionary force in world history, several of the world’s … [Read more...] about Prestonwood, The ERLC, and The Cooperative Program (By Jedidiah Coppenger)
Southern Baptist vocabulary watch
In an interesting article on Boyce, Broadus and the Lost Cause, Southeastern professor Bruce Harper notes that the pair of Baptist titans "neither reveled in Confederate lore, nor sought means to subvert the post-war order." The former rebels didn't revel? I like the case he built. Roger Simpson makes a point about "arcane theological arguments." Yeah. For example, any appeal to the Institutes. Both Rob Ayers and Bill Mac are familiar with apoplexy a common malady on the blogs that is best avoided. I recommend a vaccination against it. Stay away from paroxysms as … [Read more...] about Southern Baptist vocabulary watch
The Shack: A Pastoral Perspective by Joel Rainey
Next Friday, The Shack opens nationwide, prompting full theaters, plenty of box office profits, and apparently, a bunch of ticked off conservative pastors. I get it. I really do. I read the book when it was first released back in 2007. When I finished, I was simultaneously impressed and fearful. I was impressed because it was truly a riveting novel that deals with real life issues of pain that too few churches are willing to honestly address. I was fearful because the "god" portrayed within its pages isn't the one true and living God who has revealed Himself to us in … [Read more...] about The Shack: A Pastoral Perspective by Joel Rainey
SBC PC: A Video Interview with Bart Barber
This year’s SBC Pastor’s Conference is June 11-12 in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference will feature 12 preachers who all come from average-size SBC churches. They will be preaching through the book of Philippians over the course of the two day conference. As you know, the speakers for the conference recently met at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for a colloquium. The speakers gathered to get to know one another and study Philippians with Dr. David Allen and other preaching faculty members from SWBTS and NOBTS. I had the privilege of attending the colloquium, and one of the … [Read more...] about SBC PC: A Video Interview with Bart Barber
Pragmatism, Partnership, and Politics
It seems to me that a great many of our conflicts among Southern Baptists at this moment in time come at the juncture of pragmatism, partnership, and politics. Sometimes we have spiritual convictions that lead us to adopt political goals. I have a spiritual conviction that I should not use coercive force to try to strong-arm anyone into false conversion by persecuting him for his aberrant faith. This spiritual conviction is soundly biblical. Holding that spiritual conviction leads me to adopt a political goal: maintaining First Amendment guarantees of universal religious … [Read more...] about Pragmatism, Partnership, and Politics
SBC PC: John Bailey Answers Some Questions About Spencer Plumlee
Editor's Note: Each of the speakers for this year's SBC Pastor's Conference in Phoenix, AZ was nominated by someone. I have asked each speaker's nominator to answer a few questions about the person they nominated. Spencer Plumlee of Riverview Baptist Church in Osage Beach, MO was nominated by John Bailey. Below is John's responses to the questions I sent him. How do you know Spencer? I can remember a couple of years ago driving through the tiny towns near the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. My wife and I were looking for Riverview Baptist Church in Osage Beach. We were … [Read more...] about SBC PC: John Bailey Answers Some Questions About Spencer Plumlee
Ways the ERLC Controversy Could Show Up in Phoenix
Unless Russell Moore resigns from his post between now and summer, the controversy surrounding the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission will most certainly show up at the convention in Phoenix this June. While there are some who will never be satisfied, I am hopeful that Dr. Moore and those who have been offended can sit down in the same room together and agree to walk together as brothers even if they do not reach a place of agreement on the issues that have caused the current rift. It is my hope that Russell Moore stays in his position, Prestonwood decides to restore funding, and we can … [Read more...] about Ways the ERLC Controversy Could Show Up in Phoenix
5 Reasons to Join a Local Church by Darin Smith
I’ve got a personal relationship with Jesus. I spend daily, personal, and private time with the triune God in prayer, petition, study, worship, confession, etc. So why do I need to join a local church? Here are at least 5 biblical & practical reasons to join a local church. 1. Join a local church for the glory and praise of God. Conspiracy theorists, don’t worry! Local church membership isn’t just the idea of pastors that need money to feed their families. Nor was it the idea of the local Chamber of Commerce either to attract people to their city. The idea of the local church is … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons to Join a Local Church by Darin Smith