"Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered." - Hebrews 5:8 (HCSB) The past few months the topic of suffering has repeatedly come up around me. Interestingly, there were no devastated marriages, no loss of a child, or any of the Job-like agonies of life which "suffering" makes us immediately think of. Still, I have seen believers face difficult financial trials, sickness upon sickness, the challenges of aging... It's been a time of seeing a different kind of suffering. A few months ago I would never have considered the things I've seen to be worthy of the term. … [Read more...] about If Christ, Why Not Us?
An Important Theological Question for NOLA 2012
It is often hard to find people at the Convention. So, I'm thinking I should wear this suit that I found on eBay a while back, so that people will be able to find me. Yes, it's a flourescent lime-green suit. ($25 brand new on eBay - plus shipping). There's one problem. I've dropped around 50 pounds since this picture was taken, and I am not absolutely sure I can wear the suit anymore. But it is definitely a show-stopper. So, you tell me. Should I wear the suit? It would be kinda like my own little Mardi Gras. … [Read more...] about An Important Theological Question for NOLA 2012
Chuck Colson has passed away.
He gained fame as Nixon's hatchet man during the Watergate scandals. After he was saved, and after his sentence in prison was over, he established Prison Fellowship and became a best-selling author. He has now gone to God's presence, a testimony of God's saving and transforming power. … [Read more...] about Chuck Colson has passed away.
An SBC NOLA 2012 Forum
For those who are readers here, let's talk about the SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans June 19-20(?). Are you going? What are you looking forward to doing in New Orleans? What significant actions do you hope we will take at the meeting? Would you be interested in a blogger's get-together (say, Cafe Du Monde) after one of the evening sessions? I booked my hotel this week. I'm looking forward to it! … [Read more...] about An SBC NOLA 2012 Forum
As the Kerfuffle Turns
Irony of ironies; all is irony. Mark Driscoll has been a hot item on the blogs recently, in case you haven't heard. He spoke at a small Christian college out east somewhere, and is doing a conference in that town over the weekend on another hot-button topic. Sex. How does the church address sex? We have a wide range of opinions about how the church should address the issue. Driscoll, of course, represents one extreme. If the Bible doesn't say its bad, then God says its okay between a married man and woman. I think that is a fair representation of his view. On the other extreme … [Read more...] about As the Kerfuffle Turns
A Sad State of Affairs
The similarities are striking. Both men were in their early fifties with high profile jobs and strong ties to the state of Arkansas. Both were involved in extramarital affairs with women in their early twenties. Both brought enormous pain and shame upon their families and the institutions they represented. Both scandals received national attention from the news media and led to serious investigations of misconduct. Both men initially denied any wrongdoing and attempted a coverup to avoid having the relationship exposed. Both investigations clearly revealed an adulterous relationship … [Read more...] about A Sad State of Affairs
Nashville (and Marietta), We Have a Problem
Yes, I just used the cliched line from Apollo 13. It's a good cliche: it states the situation without sounding panicked. That's where we are right now as the Southern Baptist Convention: we have a problem and we need state the situation without panicking but still looking into it. The problem is this: after we have roasted, toasted, and flamed one another since back in September over a name-change proposal to hopefully break from our past, especially the times we have embarrassingly embraced racism, we just blew that whole plan. All of the hope of moving past that issue originating from our … [Read more...] about Nashville (and Marietta), We Have a Problem
A Liberty Student Anticipates “The Kerfuffle”
A student at Liberty, one with both an active mind and some time on his hands, sent me these, and they humored me. The Baptist blogosphere has been pretty serious recently, so here's a couple of perspectives on "The Kerfuffle" (Driscoll's term for the controversy over his appearance at Liberty tomorrow). Also, I am told that Mitt Romney will be the commencement speaker at Liberty this year, an action that will surprise only clueless people oblivious to Liberty's political stands. He said that the Romney appearance was likely to be "Kerfuffle 2", and sent me these posters in … [Read more...] about A Liberty Student Anticipates “The Kerfuffle”
WHY THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION NEEDS TO GO ON RECORD REPUDIATING THE LAND RACIAL REMARKS By William Dwight McKissic, Sr.
Richard Land’s racial remarks against the backdrop of the Trayvon Martin tragedy are the most damaging, alienating, and offensive words about race that I’ve read or heard, rendered by a SBC personality, in the twenty-eight years that I’ve served as a SBC church planter/pastor. The pain that Richard Land inflicted upon Blacks in the SBC is a pain that would be only felt greater by the pain inflicted upon Trayvon Martin’s family by George Zimmerman. In his non apology—apology, he blames those of us who responded to his racial views, for the pain we felt. The opening line in his letter of … [Read more...] about WHY THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION NEEDS TO GO ON RECORD REPUDIATING THE LAND RACIAL REMARKS By William Dwight McKissic, Sr.
Beyond the Southern Baptist Land War
Apologies and offenses notwithstanding, at least one profound underlying issue lies at the heart of the recent conflict over remarks made by Dr. Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and it is not the false notion that Dr. Land is a racist. A fair reading of his record on this issue going back several decades clearly demonstrates otherwise. No, the question I wonder about concerns whether there exists, in the area of racial reconciliation, a level playing field for the sharing of concerns and demanding of apologies among those of every ethnic … [Read more...] about Beyond the Southern Baptist Land War