My church has a benevolence fund, and it is my great joy as pastor to be the one who delivers checks to those in need. We've been able to give and give generously to those in the church family who lose a job or have some other family hardship. That is a pastor's joy. It is not quite so much fun when one of the Siouxland "regulars" calls the church asking for a handout. There is a group of people who evidently spend their days calling or dropping by churches to ask for money. I'll be honest, I hate it passionately when one of those folks calls or shows up. I'm not claiming that is the most … [Read more...] about “Can Your Church Help Me with My Rent?”
Concerning the Galilee Griggs Memorial District Association of Baptist (by Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr)
WHY THE GALILEE GRIGGS MEMORIAL DISTRICT ASSOCIATION OF BAPTIST CHURCHES EXISTS By William Dwight McKissic, Sr. Servant/Moderator of the GGMDABC And Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church, Arlington, TX Impacting the Next Generation for the Kingdom Psalm 145:4 I. INTRODUCTION AND TESTIMONIAL Jesus established the church in order for the church to represent His Kingdom on planet earth. The church’s primary role is to be ambassadors of Christ’s Kingdom. Although the church and the Kingdom are not synonymous, they are interrelated and interdependent. The theme of Jesus’ preaching was … [Read more...] about Concerning the Galilee Griggs Memorial District Association of Baptist (by Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr)
My Social Media Marketing Strategy proposal for a church
Social Media Authentic–not focused on technological “FLASH” or even “ACTIVITY” but on ACCESSIBILITY of the ministry team, leading church followers to further ENGAGEMENT in God’s Word and how it applies to our lives, and over communication of the events and activities of the church. My four favorite Social Media channels—Twitter, Facebook, Google+ Hangout & Instagram Focus like a laser on what you want to drive home to your followers for that week. Have a message of the week tied in with sermon.What do you want them to do? Where are you taking them? How can you help them? Have a weekly … [Read more...] about My Social Media Marketing Strategy proposal for a church
Can Someone Help Me Prime My Christmas Pump?
One of the downsides of spending the last 24 years preaching at only 2 churches (14.5 in Cedar Rapids, now closing in on 9.5 in Sioux City) is that preaching over the holidays gets to be a little difficult. My people have heard pretty much every sermon I've got in my arsenal, some of them twice! So, the Christmas season is coming and I'm looking for some fresh ideas and new perspectives on seasonal sermons. Here's some of my observations and thoughts about Christmas preaching: 1) Many of you in the younger whippersnapper crowd eschew preaching Christmas messages (or others based on … [Read more...] about Can Someone Help Me Prime My Christmas Pump?
The Gift of Vocational Ministry
I have served in Vocational Ministry for a little more than a decade when I was transitioned out. I have been an interim,Youth Pastor, Education Pastor, Associate Pastor, Campus Missionary and Teacher. Currently I am working in a manufacturing plant. It's a good job, good pay but it's not where my heart is. I want to share with you today a view from someone who feels a calling and a burden, but for some purpose, God has moved me away from the vocation that I cherished for a time. The Pastorate can be burdensome, it comes with expectations that are sometimes unfair and requirements that … [Read more...] about The Gift of Vocational Ministry
Whew! The Housing Allowance Survives! (For Now)
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has evidently ruled in favor of the housing allowance that we in ministry have come to depend on. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal has this article. I also understand that Guidestone is going to put out some info on this pretty soon. However, all is not good news here. The appeals court did not rule in favor of the housing allowance, but simply ruled that the plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the suit. Since none of them had been denied the housing allowance, they could not show harm. The 7th Circuit, however, found that the plantiffs lacked the … [Read more...] about Whew! The Housing Allowance Survives! (For Now)
Train Up a Child: What Does Proverbs 22:6 Actually Mean?
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 She was not happy with me, not at all. I was teaching Proverbs 22:6, which says essentially the same thing in every modern English translation, some variation of the ESV translation above. I made an observation about the nature of proverbs. They are statements about the general course of life, but are not meant to be ironclad promises or absolute guarantees. That bothered her. Still single, she anticipated getting married and having children, but if she did not have a guarantee that her … [Read more...] about Train Up a Child: What Does Proverbs 22:6 Actually Mean?
Tell Me about Your State Convention
I shared last weekend about Iowa's decision to go to a 50-50 split in Cooperative Program giving. I know that some of you had state Baptist conventions this week. So, tell me what happened at your state convention this year. Encouraging trends. Challenges. Controversial issues. Officers and elections. What's happening in your neck of the Baptist woods? … [Read more...] about Tell Me about Your State Convention
The Walmartization of the SBC
If the Cooperative Program should go away, would we find ourselves with a societal missions approach? That's been the standard presumption. I've said it myself. Now I'm not entirely sure. The great debate of the 1800s, besides whether slaveholders could be missionaries, regarded funding and organizational approaches to Baptist causes. On the one hand, Northerners favored the societal approach. According to that approach, Baptist churches do not organize per se. Rather, what we might today call a "missional entrepreneur" would launch a "society" organized to address a particular highly … [Read more...] about The Walmartization of the SBC
Is NAMB planting vast numbers of Calvinistic churches…. (by William Thornton)
William is the SBC Plodder. ...and, if this is true, should Southern Baptists be concerned? There has been and is this narrative afoot in our Convention: Calvinists are too numerous, have become too powerful, occupy too many leadership positions, occupy too many pulpits, exercise too much influence, and steps should be taken to slow or stop this Calvinist train. This is a Gospel Narrative to some in our convention and it colors how this group sees our entities and decisions by our trustees. For example, our North American Mission Board has this nascent church planting program called … [Read more...] about Is NAMB planting vast numbers of Calvinistic churches…. (by William Thornton)