SBC Voices

BETHANY (AP) - Reports from the Jordan River today indicate that John the Baptist, a religious leader known for immersing repentant sinners in water, will no longer allow himself to be called the "Baptist," as described in one written account by a former tax collector known as Matthew. When asked why the name removal was necessary, John replied, "Our focus groups have indicated that people are rather turned off by the whole 'Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand' idea. We want to remove any hindrance to their acceptance of our message. Thus, we are also considering changing our diet from … [Read more...] about An Alternate History of the Baptist Name

Dr. Richard Land of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission may have become an impediment to the trend toward racial reconciliation in the SBC. As the SBC was steaming toward the NOLA Annual Meeting with high hopes of racial harmony and excitement about the election of our first black SBC president, Dr. Land made himself the iceberg that could sink that ship. Land, on his radio show, made some comments about the Trayvon Martin tragedy, accusing people of playing politics and being especially critical of those like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson who tend to infuse themselves into … [Read more...] about Richard Land, Racial Harmony, and Plagiarism

“Carron-shore.  My last.  Some tears; yet I fear some like the messenger, not the message; and I fear I am so vain as to love that love.  Lord, let it not be so.  Perish my honor, but let thine be exalted forever.”  -Robert M. McCheyne I am at times so shallow in my aims and hopes for those that are within earshot of my preaching.  At times I can be tempted to think that if I get an “Amen” on Sunday that I have done a solid job and that I have been faithful in my task of preaching.  But deep down I know the truth.  I know that I know enough, and have been speaking for long enough, that I can … [Read more...] about Amens on Monday

Odd that the bedrock of the Christian faith has become a subject of controversy among Baptists.  "The Gospel." Last night, one of our commenters told another, essentially, "You don't understand the gospel."  That's a pretty severe accusation.  But I have often heard a more subtle accusation, that many Christians do not understand all the implications of the gospel. You also hear things like, "We need to preach the gospel to ourselves every day." I want to live a gospel-centered life. We need to focus on the gospel in every area of life. So, I thought I would open up a forum here … [Read more...] about What is “The Gospel?”

Recently, I was unwillingly copied into a series of emails started by someone who believes that Christianity is not only delusional, but immoral. He scoffs at anyone who believes in God as if we are morons, trapped in a fantasy world.  Anyone who is intelligent and insightful should be able to see through the fiction of belief and embrace his naturalistic, non-theistic world. A little more than a month ago I sat in pew in my church and observed a family saying goodbye to their daughter, whose fifth birthday would have been Tuesday.  She had been born with a serious genetic disorder called … [Read more...] about If Christianity is a fantasy, then keep your real world!

Josh Collins linked to this webcast.  Since we have published a couple of posts here that call NAMB's strategies into question, giving Ezell equal time seems fair. It is confusing though.  Everything I am being told by friends and co-laborers who work with NAMB is diametrically different than what Ezell is saying.  Are we comparing apples to oranges here?  Is each side grasping a different part of the elephant and assuming its the whole thing? What's going on?  Anyway, here's the video. DOM/CPC Update - April 9, 2012 from North American Mission Board on Vimeo. Here's the link to … [Read more...] about Grasping the Elephant: Ezell’s Webcast

During the Clinton scandals of the 1990s, we heard a relentless refrain from the big media outlets - personal behavior and character do not really count in job performance.  They beat the drum that Clinton's all-too-evident personal failings did not affect his ability to do his job well.  I call that nonsense. I remember a young pastor I knew who was being touted as "the next Chuck Swindoll" - a great pastor, great preacher, with a growing church and unlimited potential for the future.  All of that was true right up until he appeared on the evening news for all the wrong reasons.  His … [Read more...] about Bobby Petrino bears witness: Character Counts!

This will be the last installment in this series.  Hopefully it has been helpful. One of the greatest critiques that has come to this series is the title.  Why in the world would I have titled this Angry and Divisive Calvinists if the real issue is not about Calvinism?  Why bother with the potential vitriol that could come from people on either side of the issue?  There were three main reasons why I wrote this series and titled it the way that I did: First, I wrote this series for angry and divisive Calvinists.  There really are angry and divisive Calvinists.  Yes, there are those that … [Read more...] about The Root of Angry and Divisive Calvinists: Part Seven