SBC Voices

Since I don't really care that much about the NFL (at least not while important things like Yankees baseball are still going on), I've watched the foofaraw about replacement refs with amusement. I would make two observations: 1) Everyone complained non-stop about the REAL refs, so some of this is just sour grapes. 2) Think about it, folks. The New England Patriots are 1-2. The Pack is 1-2. New Orleans is 0-3. Can we really say this is a bad thing?  We have to admit the replacement refs have done some level of community service. Anyway, in addition to apologizing for those … [Read more...] about I Apologize in Advance….

I saw a Twilight Zone episode years ago about a man who was being punished by being marked. That mark meant that he was functionally invisible, no one could talk to him, address him or help him. He had no interaction with anyone for a year. Sometimes I feel like I am stuck in that episode, like I am seen, but not really seen. More than that, I think the church sometimes does a lousy job of making people functionally invisible. We don't mean to do it, it just sort of happens. Unwed moms, we often just turn away. People who are hurt by the church and become fringe members, as long as we still … [Read more...] about I Can See You

Joshua was devastated.  Thirty-six of his men lay dead and the nascent nation of Israel was defeated and demoralized.  Joshua was confused, clueless and even angry.  Why would God let this happen?  And how could God’s people be humiliated in battle by a little village like Ai? Just a few days before, Joshua was the triumphant conqueror.  The mighty city of Jericho lay in ruins and Israel rejoiced.  Having polished off a walled, armed city like Jericho, a tent village  like Ai did not present much of a challenge. They decided that the entire army was not even needed to tackle Ai and only … [Read more...] about Jericho and Ai: Joshua’s Painful Lesson on Dependence

David W. Jones and Russell S. Woodbridge have served the church well by writing Health, Wealth & Happiness.  It is probably no secret to my readers and those within my church community that I absolutely abhor the prosperity “gospel”.  It’s not just some little error to be trifled with, it’s dangerous heresy that breaks people and churches.  I was even more convinced of this after reading the work of Jones and Woodbridge. One of the most helpful things in their book is in the conclusion they give five questions to diagnose our openness to the prosperity gospel: Why does God exist and … [Read more...] about Are You Prone to the Prosperity “Gospel”?

  William Thornton blogs at the SBC Plodder.  Our wonderful Cooperative Program has done well in funding the panoply of state and SBC missions, seminaries, and entities over the last 87 years. It is not a perfect stewardship vehicle but is has been and is our main channel for cooperation. SBC life as we know it is unimaginable without it. As it stands now, the state conventions keep, on average, about 62% of each CP dollar for their own use, a figure well within the 60 to 65 percent range that is the historic average.  Question: How much of each undesignated Cooperative Program … [Read more...] about Is 60%+ of each CP dollar enough for state conventions? (by William Thornton)

A few weeks ago, a post regarding calling and the IMB hit SBC Voices (found here).  A number of very astute comments were made regarding the nature of calling, and some hard questions came up.  All of that got me to thinking, so I went around and asked a bunch of international missionaries for their perspective.  Enjoy. _____________________________________ We actually began the process with the IMB before I felt 'a call.' Once my husband felt called to serve overseas, he asked me to pray about it. I fervently prayed for 6 months, hoping not to be called to a foreign place. I had … [Read more...] about Is Calling Legitimate?

We are currently spending our grandchildren and great-grandchildren's money to make our lives better today and that is immoral. And no, Republicans, it is not all the fault of the president and the Democrats. It is true that the Obama administration has exploded the growth of the debt in unprecedented ways, but other than the Republican congress right after the "Contract with America" (in 1994 - and, yes, President Clinton cooperated in the effort) there has been little evidence of either party really caring about the debt. So, we have amassed a debt that is over 16 trillion dollars. I … [Read more...] about It is Immoral to Spend our Great-Grandchildren’s Money

Author's note:  It's a joke, folks.  Just being silly.  13.  Heresy: There's an App for That 12.  Biblical Proof that Potato Salad, Fried Chicken, and Moon Pies are Unclean Foods 11.  IMB Announces End to Lottie Moon Offering: "We've got enough money for now...Thanks!" 10.  Baptist Men Sue for Right to Join WMU 9.  Preachers Win Court Case: Can Now Wiretap Your Phone, then Preach Sermons Aimed Directly at You 8.  Lottie Moon was a Calvinist 7.  Youth Directors Resign En Masse; Stunned Parents Now Required to be Involved with Their Youth 6.  Ergun Caner, Richard Land to … [Read more...] about Twelve Headlines That Would Cause a Panic in the SBC

Editor: Joe Blackmon attends an SBC church in Tennessee.  He blogs at Hear God Speak.  You can follow him on Twitter @joe_blackmon_72 The Bible is a simple yet complicated book. It’s simple enough that there is truth that a child can understand yet complicated to the point that men and women have devoted their whole to the study of it and still feel they have barely scratched the surface of what’s there. Because of its simplicity and its profundity, the Bible touches all believers that study it. In fact, I would dare say that no one can truly study scripture, come face to face with the truth … [Read more...] about II Peter 3:17 Four Imperatives of a Forward Looking Faith Part III (by Joe Blackmon)