SBC Voices

Today Chris Roberts, Joshua Breland, and I have launched a new collaborative blog endeavor, SBC Focus. Why another collaborative SBC blog? I believe that is best answered by Chris’ statement from our about page. While two notable SBC collaborative blog ventures already exist, namely SBC Today and SBC Voices, we hope that “SBC Focus provides something new. Our regular and guest contributors primarily fall on the Calvinist side of the theological spectrum and will help to provide a glimpse into life as a Calvinist in the SBC. We hope this blog serves as a source of blessing for all in the … [Read more...] about Announcing the New Collaborative Blog: SBC Focus

If you are not familiar with the prosperity “gospel” turn on your television and watch TBN for about 15 minutes.  There you will be exposed to the damnable teaching that what the gospel is really about is securing our health, wealth, and happiness and our best life now.  Consider these words of Kenneth Copeland concerning Paul’s thorn in the flesh: Paul's thorn in the flesh is a tradition that Satan has used to deceive and rob many people. Using it as an excuse, tradition says that God gets glory from sickness because the world sees how marvelously the Christian bears pain and agony.Tradition … [Read more...] about The Effect of the Prosperity “Gospel” On Pain

(This piece is in response to the piece that was just posted a few minutes ago, a re-post of William Thornton's SBC Plodder article concerning the housing allowance. Comments are open on this post as a place of discussion for both sites. Here is that article.) Can someone please print a copy of SBC Plodder, wrap some fish in it, and send it to our friend William Thornton? In the imagery of The Godfather, this is how one signifies that someone dangerous to the mafia, such as Luca Brasi, now "sleeps with the fishes." Someone needs to send William a message, and fast. William is a talented … [Read more...] about Please Pacify the Plodder!

William Thornton, the SBC Plodder is kind enough to share his posts with us from time to time. This is a companion piece - a point/counterpoint - to the next piece that will be post a few minutes later, from Rick Patrick.  Comments on this entry will be closed. Read both articles and then comment on the next post from Rick Patrick. Here is a link to Rick's article which will post a few minutes after this one. I have seven articles on the clergy housing allowance, our Sacred Tax Loophole. Seven is a good number, the number of completion, unfortunately there will be more to follow, since … [Read more...] about How do you explain your government tax break, the clergy Housing Allowance? (by William Thornton)

Bill Gernenz blogs at Broken and Undone and is a pastor in East Texas. Proverbs 22:6 has become to many parents, a golden strand of hope that their prodigal son or daughter will one day return to the Lord.  I greatly empathize with parents going through that terrible trial.  Friends and church members should comfort, pray for, and encourage these hurting parents. Indeed, parenting is the most painful calling God has entrusted to human beings.  It alone has the unique capacity to bring both unspeakable joy and immeasurable sorrow. A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to … [Read more...] about Proverbs 22:6 – A Better Promise for Parents (by Bill Gernenz)

Editor: Rob Freshour is the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of South Lyon, Michigan. When my son was twelve years old, he got my attention one Monday after school with an unusual question.  He asked me, “Dad, what’s the biggest problem you have ever faced and how did you solve it?” As any sane father should always do before blurting out whatever comes to mind, I responded to Joshua’s question with one of my own: “Why do you ask?” “I need to interview someone and write about it for school tomorrow,” he responded. Immediately, I began to make a mental short list of the … [Read more...] about My Biggest Problem … Ever (by Rob Freshour)

Marla Rogers is a pastor’s wife and blogger who lives in Biscoe, AR with her three cats and her husband David. (Note: David is a regular commenter here at SBC Voices, but is not the David Rogers who is a regular contributor here.) Remember the days when you were a kid that making an adult “promise” seemed like some magical binding contract to force them to do what was promised. Now, of course, we know there is no “power to the promise.” Or is there? Why do we keep some promises with gritted teeth, yet toss others away like yesterday’s garbage? Why are some promises so central to who we are … [Read more...] about Promises, Promises (by Marla Rogers)

Short paragraph - a brief summary. Tell us about your sermon today. I'm always interested to hear what other guys are preaching on. … [Read more...] about What’s Your Sermon Today?

When I was a young whippersnapper like many of you here, I disdained some older pastors who stood somewhat aloof from their congregations. I determined to be myself, to be vulnerable, to be "real" with my congregation. I had my closest friends within the congregation. I refused to be called anything but Dave, rejecting any honorific titles. But as time went on, I began to notice something. This may come as a bit of shock to some of you, but I am not perfect. No, really, I'm not kidding. I have flaws. And what I found is that a lot of people in my churches had trouble dealing with seeing … [Read more...] about A Voices Forum: Should a Pastor Have Close Friends in His Church?

Editor: Bill is a pastor in East Texas and blogs at Broken and Undone. Enjoying some good banter over at SBC Voices, somebody made the argument that football was better than baseball AND that it would continue to replace baseball as America’s Nat’l pastime. Obviously that is insane… over a century of baseball cannot possibly be overrun by mere decades with the pigskin.  So, having consulted with other baseball lists, here are substantive reasons (unlike those offered in support of football) for the supremacy of baseball over other sports (in no particular order). Spring … [Read more...] about An Argument for the Supremacy of Baseball (by Bill Gernenz)