SBC Voices

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

I remember sitting with my father at the SBC many years ago, when we were considering the motion to change our governing documents to disfellowship churches that took a soft stand on homosexuality.  I will never forget what he said, as some argued that the action violated principles of autonomy and Baptist polity. They may be right that this is a departure from Baptist polity.  But I can tell you that twenty years ago, no one in the Baptist world would have believed that we would be having a meeting to talk about what to do with Baptist churches that said homosexuality was okay. The world is … [Read more...] about Homosexuality and the Church: Walking the Tightrope!

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly … [Read more...] about I Have a Dream, by Martin Luther King

This is meant as a discussion starter. I have to admit a couple of things.  First, I am pretty passionate about politics.  Though I believe the church should not be devoted to political work, I am quite interested in it myself. Second, I'm having a struggle with voting this year in the presidential election. There is no way that I could ever vote for Barack Obama as president.  First of all, I made a commitment long ago that if someone believes that killing a baby in its mother's womb is acceptable, they do not get my vote.  Abortion isn't the only thing I care about, but it is … [Read more...] about Obama, Romney and Political Theology…

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” What was Peter thinking?  A detachment of soldiers, led by Judas, found Jesus and the disciples in the olive grove across the Kidron Valley, to arrest him.  Peter, for reasons that escape me, had brought a sword to the prayer meeting, and he swung it. Badly. Being a fisherman, not a soldier, the best he could do was lop off the ear of the High … [Read more...] about Fighting the Right Battle with the Wrong Weapons

Dear My Friends Good But Sadly Suffering With The Sickness, For years now so many I have been in receipt of communications varied from strangers and people I have never yet the meeting opportunity being mine. As you can see from broken English mine so easily, this email is of the truth and coming from someone with good intention of nobility and to be generous. My attention has been coming to the astounding conclusiveness that people of means substantial, which is to say possessing considerable wherewithals, from nations abroad that no banks must availability be to them all, have … [Read more...] about Open Email to Rich Overseas Donors

There are a few places to go and find good solid wisdom.  The first of course is scripture.  We then have wise individuals in our midst, we have some wisdom in books and then there is the Jedi Master.  For being a little green guy, he is very wise in some of the things he instructs, and we would be wise to take them to heart.  At the end of his muppet life (In Return of the Jedi, there was no CGI), he told his young student Luke Skywalker to "pass on what you have learned".  Luke couldn't just keep the information to himself, he needed to train a new generation of Jedi. I'm not a Jedi, I'm … [Read more...] about Lessons from Master Yoda

NOTE: I have just released a book which compiles (and edits and expands) these posts. It is called "Disqualified? What the Bible Says about Divorce, Remarriage and Ministry."   It is available on Amazon.com. The Kindle version will be released in the next couple of days - not sure what the hold-up is there. This book reviews the biblical evidence on divorce and remarriage, beginning with the cornerstone in the Old Testament - the twin principles of God's intent of marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman and the understanding of the brokenness caused by sin. It then lays the … [Read more...] about Divorce and Ministry: Blanket Policies Don’t Work

He makes some really good points. Everyone knows the keyboard worship leader is passe.  And he is right, of course.  No one wants to incur Piper's wrath. My problem is that I'm not sure they make "True Religion" jeans in my size. … [Read more...] about How to Plant Churches – Guaranteed!