The SBC Plodder is back! What do Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Hollywood superstars, and mega-paid athletes have in common with clergy? They are all targets of retiring Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn's report on special tax breaks. There is a group of several hundred such breaks set to be extended by congress. While the housing allowance we clergy receive does not need any legislation to be extended, it's locked in brethren, it is of the type Coburn assails as being a special giveaway that clutter our mammoth tax code and that should be eliminated or adjusted. Ah, the company we clergy are … [Read more...] about US Senator: Wealthy musicians, athletes, clergy exploit tax loopholes to drive up rates for rest of us (William Thornton)
Brewton-Parker College Reaffirmed by SACS
Word is that Brewton-Parker College has been reaffirmed by SACS. They are no longer on probation. The Brewton-Parker website likely has more details than I have now. This is wonderful news for the staff, students and supporters of Brewton-Parker. I congratulate my friend CB Scott. Hopefully this good news will sustain him when Ohio State steamrolls the Crimson Tide. … [Read more...] about Brewton-Parker College Reaffirmed by SACS
Spurgeon, Hillsong, and “Conversations”
We do not deliberate, for we have decided. To be for ever holding the truth of God, as though it might yet turn out to be a lie, were to lose all the comfort of it. –Charles Spurgeon Shortly after reading that quote from Spurgeon I read this sad news of Hillsong Church: At a press conference for the Hillsong Conference in New York City today, Michael Paulson of The New York Times asked Houston to clarify their church’s position on same sex marriage. But Houston would not offer a definitive answer, instead saying that it was “an ongoing conversation” among church leaders and they were “on … [Read more...] about Spurgeon, Hillsong, and “Conversations”
The NCAA Playoff Teams HAVE TO Be….
The Evil and Despised Alabama Crimson Crud They are arrogant, obsessed and they have a payroll higher than most NFL teams, but Bama is in. This is a fallen world and evil sometimes wins. Alabama won enough to earn a spot. Of course, it doesn't matter how many they win as long as they lose ONE MORE GAME this season. All people of sound mind and good will are hoping for that. The Team with the HORRIBLE uniforms (from Oregon) Dale, could you please tell your Ducks to consult a fashion expert. They are really good, but watching them in those uniforms is just horrible. In a side … [Read more...] about The NCAA Playoff Teams HAVE TO Be….
Throw Open The Doors
She excitedly held the pregnancy test out to her husband. "What does that mean? What am I looking at?" "I'm pregnant!" "What?!?! Awesome. Oh my gosh! Let's tell our parents and..." "No. I want to wait until, you know, later on. Just in case..." she trailed off. He knew what she meant but did not want to say. In case the baby didn't make it. In case there was a miscarriage. ---------- How many of us have gone through something similar? The exhilaration of pregnancy leads to nervous unease as the days pass. Husband and wife pray, and wait, hoping this pregnancy will make it. … [Read more...] about Throw Open The Doors
WHAT’S SO WRONG WITH THE PHRASE, “HAPPY HOLIDAYS”?
It happens every year. Before the leaves can change from green to orange–and before those leaves descend to the ground–businesses start promoting their Christmas ads. Or as many businesses call them, their “holiday” ads. And this undoubtedly Hulk-rages every Christian on the planet into a wreath-colored green. “How dare they remove ‘Christ’ from ‘Christmas!'” we cry. Just like the Hulk, we promise these business that they won’t like us when we’re angry. Take a chill pill with me, proverbial Bruce Banners. What’s so wrong with the word “holiday”? Is the word so bad that it warrants … [Read more...] about WHAT’S SO WRONG WITH THE PHRASE, “HAPPY HOLIDAYS”?
I’m Not Black, But…
I'm not black, but I am a lot of other things. All of them influence my reaction to the death of Eric Garner: I am a Christian: That means I'm someone proclaiming the message of peace on earth and good will toward men. These events must trouble me, because they are moving us away from that end. And as I write, I want to write things that will move us toward peace on earth and good will toward men. I am a Baptist: For much of our history and in much of the world today (and dare I say perhaps again in our near future?), Baptists have suffered under an adverse relationship with the civil … [Read more...] about I’m Not Black, But…
Russell Moore, The Gospel of the Kingdom and Eric Garner (by William Dwight McKissic, Sr)
Pastor Dwight McKissic blogs at "Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr: A New Blog for a Pneuma Time." Our nation is ill-at-ease. The number one item purchased on Black Friday was guns. Ebola, ISIS and terrorism are threatening us from afar. Questionable and controversial Grand Jury decisions have erupted into civil unrest within. Race-relations; family life; definition of a family; church attendance; economic wellbeing; and optimism about our collective future are all undergoing serious revisions, doubts and uncertainty daily. It seems as if foundations are crumbling. Land marks are being removed. … [Read more...] about Russell Moore, The Gospel of the Kingdom and Eric Garner (by William Dwight McKissic, Sr)
Christmas as Spiritual Warfare
Maybe it’s burnout from too many baby-in-a-manger scenes, but when it comes to the Christmas story I tend to be drawn to passages of scripture outside of ordinary thought when we think about Jesus coming to earth. In recent years, one of my favorite passages about our celebrations of the birth of Jesus has become Revelation 12. With a giant red seven-headed dragon it certainly falls outside the realm of typical manger scenes. However, I think it communicates a strong point that we must keep in mind: Christmas is about spiritual warfare. And, no, I’m not talking about whether the WalMart … [Read more...] about Christmas as Spiritual Warfare
SBC Pastors and mental illness…by the numbers (by William Thornton)
William Thornton is the SBC Plodder. I'm a numbers guy and find these numbers about pastors to be interesting: 1 in 4 One in four pastors acknowledge that they have struggled with a mental illness such as depression. Since this is a self-reported statistic (LifeWay Research asked pastors, 1000 of them by a telephone survey earlier this year), it is not at all surprising that, anonymously, one in four pastors would report such a struggle. I'm guessing that some of the other three in four lied by not admitting some level of struggle with a mental illness such as depression. Any pastors … [Read more...] about SBC Pastors and mental illness…by the numbers (by William Thornton)