SBC Voices

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. In Joel’s day (and even still today) a sign of great mourning and grief was to tear your garments.  It wasn’t that they’d bust out into Hulk Hogan’s “I’m a Real American Hero” and rip up their camel-haired cloaks to shreds.  It was usually a slit from bottom to top that indicated deep … [Read more...] about Rend Your Hearts Not Your Facebook Statuses

Galatians 4:4-5   But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Around 400 BC, God spoke to Israel through the prophet Malachi, calling Israel to repent of their sins. He lodged 5 accusations against them and gave evidence that each was true, in spite of Israel’s protestations of innocence. And then, God went silent. For nearly 400 years, there was no prophetic word given to the people of God. There were false prophets who claimed to have a word from God, and … [Read more...] about When the Fullness of Time Had Come…

When someone makes a point in disagreement with what I have advocated, I can respond with this: When someone complains about what I say, or whines about a deleted comment. When someone makes a particularly good point. When someone introduces Calvinism into a non-related comment stream When someone makes a really annoying point, or advocates ignoring biblical convictions to "just come together. When CB Scott starts talking about "Sabanation" Add yours as you please!     … [Read more...] about Video Responses Appropriate for All Blog Comments

The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is his new creation by water and the Word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride; With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died. Would that it were so. There is only one true foundation for the church of Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. The Spirit of God brought Jews and Gentiles together in one Body, breaking down the social prejudices and barriers that held them apart in the culture at large. Slave and free partook of the same bread and wine, as did men and women in a culture that … [Read more...] about The Church’s Wrong Foundation.

“Nikki!  What in the world are you doing?  You can’t do that!”  I gently said to my dear wife. She had just committed an unpardonable sin in my home of origin.  She…are you ready for my unveiling of her dastardly crime…she…left a…spoon…in our leftovers…and…oh the humanity!…put said bowl and spoon…in the refrigerator!!! Apparently, she is hell bent on killing our entire family.  At least that is the way that I was raised to think.  Nikki in tears of laughter—or maybe pain, I never can tell—informed me that this little spoon rule was nothing more than an old wives tale.  I think she also … [Read more...] about Spoons in Your Fridge

I have really enjoyed my time as the editor of SBC Voices over the last 2 1/2 years. Blogging has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I get a little bit torqued when people take shots at blogging and bloggers because it has been such a great thing for me personally. I have been writing since I was a kid - I've got some handwritten stories in files that I would hate to have anyone see, but I have been writing since I can remember. Blogging gave me the one thing I had never had before, an audience. For the first time, a few people actually read what I wrote. That is an … [Read more...] about I’ve Got a Problem

It is no secret that marriages are under attack in our world.  This is not surprising since marriage is a visible picture of Christ and His Church, what better place for the forces of hell to aim their fiery darts.  In response to this our church tries to have at least 2 marriage conferences per year (with hopes of having more).  As such I have been tasked with using several resources and putting together a curriculum for the conference. Our very first session is What is Marriage?  In this session we attempt to come together on a theology of marriage.  We begin by defining marriage.  As far … [Read more...] about Marriage Defined

Joel Rainey is the Director of Missions at Mid-Maryland Baptist Association, an adjunct professor at Capital Bible Seminary and blogs at Themelios. Like most parents, I've taken stock the past two days of the time I spend with each of my children.  And like  most, I'm unsatisfied.  In the wake of Friday's tragic shooting in Connecticut, many parents admit that they don't spend the time with their kids that they would prefer.  Still, there are a few dates that have become traditions to block out on my calendar. Friday morning was just such a date.  Though it was my last day in the office … [Read more...] about Christmas in Newtown, and in Your Town. Where is the Hope? (by Joel Rainey)

 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.  When we are at a loss for words we must be reminded that a text has been prepared for us in the Psalms. When disaster threatens to consume us, the psalmist gives words to express our most profound despair. When our hymns and songs fall short with clichéd platitudes, the psalms provide hope beyond unexpressed emotions. John Witvliet reminds us that, “when faced with an utter loss of words and … [Read more...] about When Lives Are Lost, What Do We Sing? (by Dr. David Manner)

This is a Christmas meditation from my archives. Enjoy.  Celebration of Christmas at the Miller house officially begun last night.  I put lights on our Christmas tree and the season has begun. I have two strong convictions about the Christmas tree. 1)  The Christmas tree must be real.  For some reason, people get offended when I say this, but "artificial trees are for artificial people."  Why would that offend?  I can't imagine.  But I want Fraser Fur needles dropping on the floor and the smell of pine throughout the house.  So what if it triggers allergies?  Sacrifices have to be … [Read more...] about Attaching Christmas to Its Roots