SBC Voices

Alan Cross blogs at Downshore Drift! Throughout my lifetime, Democrats have ideologically defended civil liberties and have raised opposition to the power of the state interfering in the lives of Americans. Groups like the ACLU have consistently defended Constitutional rights of Americans to protest and engage in free assembly and to be free of government intrusion. Of course, their concern for religious freedom has often been muted because of their own biases, but overall, they have supported liberty. This has also applied to American military involvement and the Constitutional rights of … [Read more...] about Rand Paul Exposes The Ideological Collapse of the Democratic Party (by Alan Cross)

Some chap somewhere has said that in 5 years you’ll be the same person you are today except for the books you read and the people that you meet.  Though, I think a tad simplistic I do believe that in 5 years you will be shaped by what you have read (or did not read). Call me a nerd all you want, but I am a firm believer that it is very beneficial for a pastor to cultivate a reading culture within the community that he influences.    Consider these words from Mark Dever: Without knowing it I have actually put many of these things into practice in the church where I currently serve as … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Create a Reading Culture in Your Church

For your consideration... Think about all of the discussions of Calvinism you have been involved in (or observed) at this site and at others. There have been a LOT of them. I've written my share and most of our contributors have weighed in at one point or another. So, I would ask you to consider these questions: Have you learned anything significant from the discussion threads for those posts? Have you changed your position in any way because of the discussions (or known of someone else who changed theirs)? Have you been built up and encouraged by your involvement in these … [Read more...] about What Do You Think? A Proposal for Calvinism Posts at SBC Voices

James Knight, an Idaho Falls dentists for family and general dental services), has won a court case in the Iowa Supreme Court. That body is not known for it conservatism (they mandated gay marriage in Iowa by judicial fiat) and most were surprised not only at the outcome of the case, but the fact it was a 7-0 decision. Just the Facts, Ma'am Dr. Knight hired an assistant named Melissa Nelson, a specialist in teeth whitening products and evidently an attractive young lady. The dentist found himself interested in more than the welfare of his patient's teeth. He found himself  "getting too … [Read more...] about A Dentist, a Pretty Assistant and a Moral Dilemma

So Hugo Chavez has shuffled off this mortal coil. Color me confused. On one hand, I mourn the passing of someone whose persona indicated a lack of faith in Christ.  Another soul has been lost, never again to have the potential to access the glory of the throne room of God.  Chavez was a self-made man and died still apparently following his own path.  What a loss.  He was a pretty sharp guy.  He had vision and guts.  He loved the poor and was their champion.  Whatever other flaws he had (and they were many), he had gifts and skills. On the other hand... -I remember walking home from … [Read more...] about Mourning Hugo Chavez?

Brent Hobbs is the pastor of Severn Baptist Church in Severn, NC. He blogs at "Deeper into Grace." The first aspect of association ministry I would like to think about is the role of the Director of Missions (DoM). The typical structure of a local Baptist association includes an "association missionary" who leads the organization. In many cases this DoM position is a full-time, paid position. Our local association is currently without a DoM, with a search committee currently looking for the next DoM to serve our association. (Just for clarity sake, I am not on the search committee of our … [Read more...] about A DoM Is Not “a Pastor to Pastors”

Bill Gernenz blogs at Broken and Undone.  Hey guys… I need your help.  And I hope we can be mutually edified by this discussion. The short of it is this: I have been working on a doctoral project and am in need of some conversations – you know, mutual and humble exchanges of opinions formed by personal study and experience. The topic?  Preaching.  More specifically: application in preaching.  As part of my project, I have identified four principles of faithful biblical application.  I would like to get feedback on each of these principles.  Three specific questions I would like to explore … [Read more...] about Making Biblical Application – Principle 1 (by Bill Gernenz)

Dr. David W. Manner is the Associate Executive Director for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists. He blogs at  http://kncsb.org/blogs/dmanner . You can follow him on Twitter:  @dwmanner.  Most of us don’t begin a new ministry position believing that we will only stay for a few years. Although our intentions are noble for the long haul, it seems that we can often get blindsided by unforeseen circumstances that repeatedly derail that goal. The author of the book of Hebrews offers guidelines that serve as a great application for long-tenured ministry. “Therefore, since we have … [Read more...] about Guardrails for Long-Tenured Ministry (by Dr. David Manner)

A few months ago for our anniversary my wife and I enjoyed a couples retreat. During this retreat we also enjoyed a couples massage. It was weird. Incredibly weird. But that is a story for a different time. I think our massage lasted for an hour. Though as awkward as the spelling of awkward, it was quite glorious. When our hour was up I  wanted to plead for another fifteen minutes. Compare this with my trip to the doctor awhile back whenever he had to “work me over” a little. Something was out of whack and he had to contort me like a pretzel, punch me in the kidney, and make me cry like I … [Read more...] about When Your Preaching Leads to Pain