This morning I read through a really interesting piece by Walt Harrington on George Dubya Bush. The whole thing is worthy of a read, but this particular sentence stuck out to me: His only remark about Barack Obama was, as I recall it, “No matter who wins, when he hears what I hear every morning, it will change him.” This reminded me of a comment that John Newton made to John Ryland, Jr., wen the latter found himself in the middle of a very difficult controversy. Here Newton mentioned the benefit of being a minister in the church of England as opposed to a minister in of an Independent … [Read more...] about Bush on Obama, Newton on Baptists, and SBC Name Changes
Educating Our Children and Dividing Our Churches?
Christians today seem to find a way to argue and even divide over just about everything, don't we? There is a growing rift in some churches and between some Christians over the decision that parents make about how to educate their children. Our four children went to Christian schools, public schools, and even homeschooled a little. We tried it all. We found a system that worked well for us - the Miller System of Edumacation! We put our kids in Christian schools through eighth grade to get a solid foundation, then put them into the public schools where there were educational and … [Read more...] about Educating Our Children and Dividing Our Churches?
Thank You, Veterans
There is a lot of debate on blogs about how much part patriotism ought to have in worship services. But on this, there can hardly be debate. On 11/11, we can all agree that the freedoms we enjoy were not free, that they have come to us at the expense of the sweat and sacrifice of those who serve this nation as soldiers. They live in undesirable places and do undesirable things so I can sit in my recliner and write blogs and sermons in comfort. That kind of sacrifice should be remembered and honored daily, not just once a year. Thank you to those of you who wore the uniform and … [Read more...] about Thank You, Veterans
The Hardest Part of Humility
The Biblical call for humility among believers is common, well-known, and needs no citation here. The implications of humility, though, require some attention. Humility is not saying, "I'm bad, I stink, I'm a loser. I'll never accomplish anything for Him because I can't." Statements like this simply assert that the Spirit has bestowed nothing on us and that Christ did not die for us. There's a technical word for that: heresy. Oh, and lest you think I am wagging my fingers at others who have behaved shamefully, allow me to add this: To the best of my knowledge, I'm bad. I stink. … [Read more...] about The Hardest Part of Humility
What Are We So Afraid Of?
"[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" 2 Timothy 1:7 I believe that, but I am seeing a spirit of fear in Christians today, and it makes me nervous. It seems like Christians are afraid to stand up for things, we are afraid of the world. We are afraid of the school systems, we are afraid of tricker-treaters, we are afraid of the corporate world, the secular world, we are afraid of those who can kill the body, even though Jesus told us not to be. We hid ourselves, our kids and we try not to let the world get to us, as we wait for the magical pre-mill … [Read more...] about What Are We So Afraid Of?
Epilogue (at least for now) to our Calvinism Discussions
I'm not shutting these posts down or anything, but the discussion seems to be winding down to the "gnawing on the bones" phase, so let me do a little post-mortem observation. This is, of course, my opinion, which I hardly need to say you are free to disagree with. 1) The thirst for discussions of Calvinism is almost unquenchable. If you look at the statistics here the last 48 hours, you will see that. I try not to write things just to "stir things up" but if I was going to do that, I'd either write about alcohol or about Calvinism. 2) I remain convinced that the Calvinism issue is … [Read more...] about Epilogue (at least for now) to our Calvinism Discussions
What is Primary? (Round Two)
I have done this post before, but always enjoy the conversation it brings. Here would be my (current) primary, secondary, and tertiary issues: PRIMARY: Trinity Hypostatic Union Christ's Resurrection Christ's Second-Coming Authority and Inerrancy of Scripture The Virgin Birth Subsitutionary Atonement Justification by Faith Alone SECONDARY Calvinism/Arminianism Cessationsim/Continuationism/Charismaticism Believer's/Infant Baptism Women in Ministry Denomination (usually informed by secondary issues within Orthodoxy) TERTIARY Church … [Read more...] about What is Primary? (Round Two)
William Dwight McKissic, Sr: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness – In Defense of Herman Cain
Editor: William Dwight McKissic, Sr is a voice of conscience for the SBC on race related matters. This post is one of the more political posts you will see on SBC Voices, but I think that more than politics is at stake here. I appreciate our brother's contribution. The liberal media, conservative Republicans who support rival candidates and African American civil rights leaders who strongly support the Democratic Party and liberal causes, have unwittingly formed an unholy trinity to defeat and destroy the presidential aspirations of Herman Cain. The purpose of this article is not intended … [Read more...] about William Dwight McKissic, Sr: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness – In Defense of Herman Cain
What Should a Newtonian Calvinist Say in a Pastoral Interview?
I have been breaking one of my rules lately. I have…gulp of shame…been reading far too many comment threads on blogs. Even worse these blog posts have been about…choking down the shame of broken resolve…Calvinism. While indulging the part of my brain that lacks sound judgment, I have witnessed a common thread. This thread presents itself as a forceful suggestion that Calvinist’s should be upfront and honest about their Calvinism and intentions of “reforming the church” in the interview process. I figure those that mention this have a couple of different scenarios in their mind. One … [Read more...] about What Should a Newtonian Calvinist Say in a Pastoral Interview?
Not all Calvinists are Created Equally
No one likes being stereotyped, but we do it. Often, we deal in generalities, cause it takes too long to deal with specifics. We talk about "Baptists" or "Evangelicals" or "Southerners" or "Calvinists" or "Pagans" or "Nebraska Fans" or whatever. We just make some broad and sweeping generalities and just assume that everyone in that category is the same or similar. The reality with Calvinism, however, is that it's such a broad term it's hard to pin down what that really means. Instead of defining "Calvinism" I am going to tell you what I think, and you can decide if I fit your view of … [Read more...] about Not all Calvinists are Created Equally