SBC Voices

Before I make my point allow me to explain how you could misread my point. If you think this is a defense of the SBC or the Cooperative Program you have missed it. If you develop the impression that I am against church planting then perhaps my point has not been clear enough. It is not my desire to paint with a broad brush or even to give an opinion about the SBC, the CP, and church plants. My aim is singular. I want to address the pastor’s heart. I want to humbly say, “Pastor, check your heart is it possible that what I am saying here is true.” If it not then move on. Buzzwords I am … [Read more...] about Church Planters Need Curmudgeons

Is a Christian required in the New Testament era to tithe - to give 10% of his or her income to the Lord's work? Do the Old Testament commandments on tithing apply to New Testament Christians? Blogging is a fascinating thing. Topics seem to run in cycles. A few years ago there were few topics more controversial and common among Baptist bloggers than tithing, but I can't remember the last post I've seen on the subject. I guess we have been more focused on how churches are giving to the convention than how people are giving to their churches. We've hashed and rehashed soteriological issues ad … [Read more...] about The New Testament Standard of Giving

Andy Hynes is a PhD candidate at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Follow him @ABHYNES on Twitter. You and I have our own theological positions and prejudices.  We have our own presuppositions that we bring to the texts we read and preach.  This will not change; you won’t convince me, and I won’t convince you to make drastic alterations.  In fact, usually what happens is I begin to dig my heels in and try to prove you wrong.  You begin to sling names and associations against me.  What in the world is this accomplishing?  How is the Kingdom being edified and furthered through this kind … [Read more...] about United We Shall Stand (by Andy Hynes)

If you follow the chatter around here, you might have noticed that a few of us were slated to go on a trip to Israel next month. As of now, that trip has shifted from "going in 4 weeks" to "indefinitely postponed." This post is to do a couple of things. First, whine about not going. WAH! I wanted to go. Now it won't happen when I thought it would. I am disappointed and will get over it. Probably when I eat a big bacon cheeseburger when I would have been in Israel, where such dining is just not kosher. Second, though, and more importantly, I think the situation serves as a decent neutral … [Read more...] about How You Receive It

“I need to be made willing to be forgotten.” –R.Murray McCheyne This quote has been jarring my heart for the past few days. In the past I read it with a great deal of stupidity. I read it as if it was sort of tongue in cheek. As if McCheyne is saying, “If I really want to be made great…then I need to be made willing to be forgotten”. The way to greatness is to not really pursue it. And so if you want to secretly pursue greatness the way to do it is to pursue humility and in the end you’ll be made great. Oddly enough that philosophy is probably correct. Scripture is clear that the way to be … [Read more...] about Forget This Post

This has my name at the top, but in reality my father, George Parks, deserves the credit for what follows.  George is a retired English teacher who has filled just about every possible non-paid position in church and is someone who irritated me for years with his persistence that I use my brain.  Recently I told my wife that, after all these years going to church, worship services have come to resemble cheerleading sessions which encourage feel-good attitudes.  As if we are trying to convince ourselves that we’re on the right track and God takes special care of us believers.  Our services … [Read more...] about Cheerleading in Church

Some months ago, I reached my limit on Calvinism discussions here at SBC Voices. We've had a few articles posted here related to the topic, but I have turned down several posts that have been submitted to me that focused on Calvinism - pro or con. Based on my observations of dozens (hundreds?) of posts and thousands of comments on the topic, I formed the opinion that Southern Baptists generally lacked the ability to discuss this issue in a Christ-honoring and productive way. Comments seemed to devolve into petty mudslinging almost immediately. Then Dr. Frank Page formed a Calvinism study … [Read more...] about Toward a Productive Discussion of Calvinism

Hosea’s story is a bleak one. God calls him to marry an unfaithful woman. It’s often debated whether or not she was unfaithful when God called Hosea to marry her, or if she turned that way. The answer to that question probably made little difference in the day to day workings of Hosea’s home. His wife was unfaithful. Period. There are clues to the text that his children aren’t really his, and likely they weren’t model Israelite citizens. Hosea isn’t fundamentally about Hosea. It is about God. But God’s story is told through the deep pain of Hosea. This prophets life would not have been … [Read more...] about If Hosea Prophesied in 21st Century America