The next big thing in the Calvinism debate within the SBC has arrived. Ever since it was posted over on SBC Today, “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation” has been gathering attention in comment streams and many blogs, including this one. This Statement attempts to define a common doctrinal statement about salvation for non-Calvinists within the SBC. For all of us who’ve debated these issues at length, we should applaud this effort. All of us should be able to agree that “non-Calvinist” is not a very helpful descriptor of this group’s … [Read more...] about Exclusive Claims on Traditional Southern Baptist Soteriology?
I Am A Traditionalist
In an ironic twist, there is a new name I can fully embrace this summer in New Orleans. As most readers at SBC Voices might assume, I have already signed A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation. It describes, in a manner completely consistent with The Baptist Faith and Message, the soteriological position I hold dear and boldly proclaim. By drafting the statement, the authors have provided at least one service to Southern Baptists that I believe should not go unnoticed, and it is in the area of nomenclature. While this may not have been their … [Read more...] about I Am A Traditionalist
What’s It Gonna Take?
Last January, as I’ve written about, I took a trip to Zambia to teach at a Bible College, and I hope to do it again this January. The college is operated by an organization called Gospelink (which is a good organization, not to be confused with another gospelink website—the LDS on-line library). And this past Sunday I had a gentleman on the board of directors come and speak my church. You see, Gospelink’s primary mission focus is not a Bible college in Zambia, though that is now an important focus. Rather, as their main task they raise support from a country that has in order to fund the … [Read more...] about What’s It Gonna Take?
Six ways NAMB can help your church in evangelism (By Larry Wynn)
Larry Wynn is vice president of evangelism at the North American Mission Board. There’s really no better sign of a church’s spiritual health than the evangelistic activity of its people. It always excites me to see Southern Baptists embrace their calling to make Christ known. We’re fast approaching a season of intense, concentrated engagement in reaching communities for Christ. Crossover 2012 in New Orleans will provide citywide evangelism efforts as Southern Baptists engage in outreach leading up to the Annual Meeting in The Crescent City. As summer moves in, SBC churches across … [Read more...] about Six ways NAMB can help your church in evangelism (By Larry Wynn)
Will state conventions be helped by undermining the Cooperative Program? (by William Thornton)
Editor: I also receive the resolution from Joe McGee that William references, and had thought to respond. William did it first and did it better! I appreciate his perspective. You can (and should) read William at SBC Plodder. The Consolation Baptist Association here in Georgia has passed a resolution suggesting that churches cut their Cooperative Program giving by 25-35 percent and designate this to "state missions" or, as explained to me, to their state convention. I learned of the resolution from a comment left on SBC Voices, asked for and received a copy of it, and have had a couple … [Read more...] about Will state conventions be helped by undermining the Cooperative Program? (by William Thornton)
Let’s Open It Early!
In June 2010, almost two years ago now, SBC messengers defeated a proposal to unseal the records of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force meetings, records which the Task Force itself, unilaterally, took the liberty of sealing for a proposed fifteen years. The strongest argument against unsealing the records had to do with personnel considerations and centered upon the protection of individuals whose testimony about others might in fact jeopardize their jobs. They were promised confidentiality by the task force (who told them they could do that?) and the task force did not want to … [Read more...] about Let’s Open It Early!
Lead Us Not Into Confusion
If we had it to do all over again We'd make so much better decisions. Only opening doors we should enter in Building lives without all the pretensions. With character above reproaching, And no reason to second-guess, With this sin no longer encroaching Doing nothing we need to confess. And, if they had the chance to redo it, Might forgiveness be not so held back? And peace found by those who pursue it? Would grace not be calling us back? The "we's" and the "they's" can begin again When both set aside all the fear, So the broken begin to mend from within While the … [Read more...] about Lead Us Not Into Confusion
State Conventions Deal with NAMB Changes: A State Executive’s Analysis (by Thomas Law)
Tom Law is the interim executive director of the Baptist Convention of Iowa. He was brought in after our previous executive retired and is trying to help us restructure and refocus our ministries here in Iowa. He is, to say the least, an expert in how NAMB policies are affecting state conventions. On March 19, 2012, Kevin Ezell wrote an article titled “CHURCHES, NOT INFRASTRUCTURE, BEST WAY TO REACH NEW AREAS”. This was his attempt to outline the strategy which the North American Mission Board (NAMB) was implementing with regards to the State Conventions that relate to the Southern Baptist … [Read more...] about State Conventions Deal with NAMB Changes: A State Executive’s Analysis (by Thomas Law)
The Mighty Men
This past week, I spent some time in 2 Samuel 23 to prepare to preach. I spent most of the sermon on the first part of that chapter, looking at David's last words to the people of Israel. The rest of the chapter is the recounting of David's Mighty Men. These men have drawn a decent amount of attention in recent years, as I have seen books about their various exploits and situations. It is not my intention to spend time on each and every one of them here. Instead, I think there's something instructive about the list in general. I. It is right and fitting that we honor the mighty men that … [Read more...] about The Mighty Men
Memorial Meanings and Patriotic Principles
In light of Memorial Day, and in grateful memory of the one million American men and women, in all of our nation's wars, who died to protect our freedoms, allow me to share three patriotic principles, which highlight three freedoms we are in danger of losing, not through war but in peacetime, as we fail to stand up for our rights. These are statements people make regularly about our American way of life, usually misrepresenting the nature of the concept in such a way as to distort completely its original purpose. 1. Legislating morality How many times have you heard people make the … [Read more...] about Memorial Meanings and Patriotic Principles