I’m hearing our president and other important national leaders frame our religious freedoms by using the term “freedom of worship.” That phrase is restrictive and narrow. Our First Amendment ensures us of this: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Those who have an agenda to rewrite history will push to privatize our Faith so that our rights will only be … [Read more...] about Protecting the Principles of Religious Freedom (By: Ron F. Hale)
We Live In Rome, Not Israel
Yes, I know I risk another rebuke from the world-famous SBC Plodder for my use of a cliche in the title of this post, but I think it makes an important point. I wrote a post a couple of days ago on this topic and it completely disappeared into cyber-oblivion and I have not been able to relocate it. I spent yesterday going to Omaha to pick up Hurricane William (not the Plodder, my grandson - and his family) from the airport. My contributors have let me down by not giving me anything to post in the meantime, but in the spirit of grandson-induced joy, I will forgive them. I don't have much time … [Read more...] about We Live In Rome, Not Israel
The Supreme Court Rulings: “Houston, We Have a Problem” (Cliche Changed for William Thornton!)
The pace of change on the gay marriage issue has been breakneck, ever since President Obama changed his position and came out in favor of so-called "marriage equality." I don't have the time or the understanding of Supreme Court rulings to do a thorough analysis, but I thought that some might have the desire to address the issue (respectfully, please - even of an administration we disagree with). As I understand it, DOMA is basically gutted. It has been declared that marriage is a fundamental right and that it would be discriminatory (under the equal protection concept) to deny that … [Read more...] about The Supreme Court Rulings: “Houston, We Have a Problem” (Cliche Changed for William Thornton!)
Defining the Terms of the Discussion
With all due respect to the great minds that have contributed posts on the subject of continuationism and cessationism, I'm going to join in to offer what I see and why I see it. I am not going to attempt to settle the entire issue, but to add to the confusion discussion on just what "tongues" means. David Rogers in his earlier post, "Are Biblical Tongues a Personal Prayer Language," offers one way of striving to define the term "glossa" from the Greek of the New Testament. His post begins with 1 Corinthians 14, and then works from that point to explain the meaning of "tongues" throughout … [Read more...] about Defining the Terms of the Discussion
A Cessationist (of Sorts) to Fellow Cessationists
This is the first a series of posts I plan to author to explain, essentially, why when my fellow bloggers start vocalizing things other than English (or any other known language) I do not believe this to be a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. But before I go there, I want to start this whole process by giving a word to those of you who share my perspective on things. That word comes in the form of an exposition of 1 Corinthians 14:1. Chase love down unrelentingly, through the swamps and sloughs and briar patches and cane thickets, until you catch it, but be people who think the spiritual … [Read more...] about A Cessationist (of Sorts) to Fellow Cessationists
Are Biblical Tongues a Personal Prayer Language?
In this post I propose to present my exegetical case for believing that the tongues referred to in 1 Corinthians 14 (and in Acts) are not necessarily known human languages used to proclaim the gospel to native speakers of that language, but may also be what has been labeled a private prayer language (though I believe the term personal prayer language is a more accurate description). I am not proposing an exhaustive treatment of this question here, but rather one which I believe will be sufficient to demonstrate the validity of my case. Neither am I presenting here a defense for the … [Read more...] about Are Biblical Tongues a Personal Prayer Language?
Cessationism and the Argument from Silence
I'm not a real quiet person, and I have often struggled around quiet people. I mistake their silence for anger and figure that if they are not talking to me they must either dislike me or be angry about something. It is pretty easy to misread silence and misinterpret its meaning. It is generally asserted that the argument from silence in theology is among the weaker arguments and I would generally agree. It would be as easy to misinterpret silence in Scripture as it is for me to misinterpret it in others. "Jesus never addressed homosexuality," we are told. His silence is assumed as tacit … [Read more...] about Cessationism and the Argument from Silence
Starving Buffalo Hunters
In times past, I have regaled you readers of SBCVoices with tales of the woods and the lovely woodland creatures. Well, and then how I took the lovely woodland creatures and turned them into dinner, but they are lovely on the plate as well. In fact, the only thing that leans me toward a post-millennial view are Genesis 9:3 and Acts 10:13. That God has progressed the world from the vegetarian garden to our modern bacon cheeseburger days is the only sign of sustained progress I can find. I have decided, however, to give up deer hunting. On average, I get 40 pounds of usable meat from a … [Read more...] about Starving Buffalo Hunters
Reflections and Ruminations on the SBC and Her Future: Part 1 – IMB Tongues Policy (by Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr)
REFLECTIONS AND RUMINATIONS ON THE SBC AND HER FUTURE BY WILLIAM DWIGHT MCKISSIC, SR. PART I Revisiting the IMB Tongues Policies: A Response to a Reasonable and Respectful Request The SBC is a branch of the Kingdom of God that He has used mightily in days past and gone, and is still using, to advance His Kingdom and to bring Him glory. It is quite apparent though, to anyone remotely observing, that the SBC light is not shining quite as bright as it once did. If the SBC is to return to her former glory and surpass it, there must be some major shifts and adjustments made, and commitments to … [Read more...] about Reflections and Ruminations on the SBC and Her Future: Part 1 – IMB Tongues Policy (by Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr)
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? PART TWO (by CB Scott)
It is Saturday morning. You are sitting on the back deck of your home. You are drinking coffee, strong and black. You normally drink a lot of coffee because you like it. However, you have been drinking much more of it for the last three days. One reason is because you are not very hungry so you are drinking coffee just so you will not be sitting at the table with your family staring off into another world as they try to eat their meals. However, you have noticed that your wife and teenage children are not eating much either. In addition, the normal table talk that takes place during meal times … [Read more...] about WHAT WOULD YOU DO? PART TWO (by CB Scott)