(William's blog, the SBC Plodder, has had some insightful commentary on state and national entities and their spending priorities. Here is another entry from the Plodder questioning the questioners - those who are not happy with NAMB's current spending priorities. Worth a read!) The North American Mission Board is Southern Baptists' second largest entity with a budget for 2012 of $115 million. NAMB gets the second largest slice of Cooperative Program money, about ten percent. Their annual mission offering, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, totaled over $56 … [Read more...] about So, how do we expect NAMB to spend our money? (by William Thornton)
The Root of Angry and Divisive Calvinists: Part Six
You probably have a “Mark” in your life. We want to be living in the epilogue and not in the beginning of the story. Here is how to help the “Marks” in your life. If “Mark” is not a Calvinist but is carrying some other doctrine in an angry and divisive manner I think the advice could still pertain. Also keep in mind that I’m a Calvinist who sadly used to be a little too close to Mark. These are some of the things the Lord used in my life—both from Calvinists and non-Calvinists to help me walk more faithfully in step with the Spirit and not be “Mark”. Calvinists helping … [Read more...] about The Root of Angry and Divisive Calvinists: Part Six
A Novel Idea: Respect for Bloggers!
I walked into the room where the webcast for the Gospel Project would be filmed. The extremely cordial workers from LifeWay had told the bloggers that were there to find the cables that had been provided, hook up and go to town with our blogging, tweeting and facebooking. That's when I noticed the "reserved" signs on several of the tables. I started to move away and then I realized something - they were reserved for us! It was surreal. I am used to hearing luminaries of the SBC railing against us, using generalizations that sometimes seem unfair. We can all remember the "bloggers in … [Read more...] about A Novel Idea: Respect for Bloggers!
NAMB vs State Conventions? A Simple Solution
There may be some trouble brewing between NAMB and the leadership in state conventions. You may have read about this growing issue in a Baptist Press article entitled, "State Execs form NAMB study committee." I know from a wide range of personal discussions that there are some folks who are very unhappy with the direction NAMB is taking. I've heard expressions of confusion, frustration, and even anger. The problem is real, as best I can tell. NAMB, and its predecessor HMB, have worked with state conventions on the basis of negotiated partnership agreements. There is a growing … [Read more...] about NAMB vs State Conventions? A Simple Solution
The Root of Angry and Divisive Calvinists Part 5
Epilogue: What Continued Happening to Mark Angry and divisive Mark is no more. Next month Mark will be returning to Podunk Baptist Church. This time as a new man. He still has his beard, he still holds to much the same doctrine, but he holds it differently. It had been eight years since his disaster of a revival service. Mark left the people wounded…and truth be told Mark left wounded as well. His desire to “set his old church straight” came from a mostly good desire—though Mark will admit that it was mixed with a good deal of pride and bitterness. A good part of Mark thought … [Read more...] about The Root of Angry and Divisive Calvinists Part 5
Between a Friday and a Sunday…
Easter Weekend will never be the same for me again. Last Good Friday was like any other. I went to work all day. I drove home. My wife and I headed to our church to sing and pray and remember Jesus' death for us together as a body. We pulled a dinner audible afterwards and decided we could go out to eat (I think we had leftovers on the weekly dinner menu scheduled). We ended up at a delicious Japanese steakhouse that looks like a leftover set from a 70's Kung Fu movie. The two of us got in with little waiting and ate some delicious food and went home... ...Easter Sunday we missed Easter … [Read more...] about Between a Friday and a Sunday…
No More Saturdays!
It’s Saturday on the calendar today, and it’s the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. It is a day that there is very little written of in Scripture. The only thing in the Gospels about Saturday is the request of the chief priests and Pharisees to put a guard at the tomb, Luke references that the women who had accompanied Him rested as was the commandment, and we do not see any information on the Eleven. We see the Crucifixion end with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking the body and laying Him with about 100 Roman pounds of myrrh and aloe. So they buried Jesus. Mary, Mary, Joanna, … [Read more...] about No More Saturdays!
Liberty Publicly Refutes Peter Lumpkins (but leaves wiggle room)
This statement (HT) came out of Liberty University regarding Peter's blog post about their Trustees and Mark Driscoll. I'm interested is the wiggle room they left and how it might suggest Peter is closer to the truth then they want to admit. Announcement MISREPRESENTATIONS BY BLOGGER RE. LIBERTY'S BOARD Student Affairs On April 4, 2012, a Southern Baptist blogger, Peter Lumpkins, wrote an innacurate account of Liberty's recent Board of Trustees meeting as it relates to the university's invitation to Mark Driscoll to speak in Convocation. Lumpkin’s recent blog contains information that … [Read more...] about Liberty Publicly Refutes Peter Lumpkins (but leaves wiggle room)
The Line Between Almost and Always
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-21 While I don’t comprehend fully why some things happen, and some don’t, I do believe God is always with me, even in those moments when the grey claims the day, and the bleak overwhelms the week, just as much as on the days where all is … [Read more...] about The Line Between Almost and Always
The Men Who Came to Dinner
With apologies to Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, as well as Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein for mangling the title of their play and movie adaptation. Today is Maundy Thursday on the liturgical calendar of many historically liturgical churches. We Baptists tend to know the name but don't really do a lot with anything on the liturgical calendar except Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday. We remember the day as the day of the Last Supper and the arrest of the Lord Jesus. Let's take a look at that Supper, shall we? Let us consider this Passover, starting with the facts as we know them. It … [Read more...] about The Men Who Came to Dinner