SBC Voices

(Paul Thompson blogs at theBridge and offered this take on recent Lifeway research. Thank you, Paul.) On December 7, 2011, LifeWay Research released results of a recent survey on the Perceptions of Faith Groups. I would like to express concerns about some of the underlying assumptions behind the survey. I realize any fool can throw a rock. It was Charles Spurgeon who said, "asking questions are as easy as kissing the back of your hand; to answer them is as hard as fattening a greyhound." It is my attempt here, to fatten the greyhound. It does not surprise me that the findings of Ed … [Read more...] about Get to the Right Road Soonest! (by Paul Thompson)

Poor ol’ Saint Nick—sometimes I feel he gets a bad rap.  You want to talk about Christmas and wars, don’t forget the old Santa Clause.  It reads something like this… Families, Sunday Schools, coffee table, it doesn’t matter.  We evangelicals are quite opinionated with our opinions thinking that we hold the mystery of the key of David.  What we open no one will shut and what we shut no one will open.  After all if it is something we have an opinion on, we must be right! Hence you have those families who see Santa as a fun part of Christmas and family traditions—a jolly ol’ guy in a red … [Read more...] about If you rearrange the letters in Santa you get…

Churches can be IN the city, AGAINST the city, OF the city, or FOR the city.  It is the latter approach that Darrin Patrick and Matt Carter encourage churches to adopt.  Actually the word “city” could be replaced with culture.  Whether it be a rural farming community, a ghetto, a wealthy suburban area, or a gathering of mountain men in the hills of Kentucky the church has these four options in regards to her response to the culture. The church in the city is primarily focused with bringing outsiders into the church.  The church against the city has adopted a defensive posture that considers … [Read more...] about Review of For the City

Josh Collins, who has been one of our contributors and commenters (often as Josh C) needs your help.  He is in a contest to win a free conference trip - to Verge. Here's the link if you want to help him out.  Takes about 2 seconds. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FgdMlYIyd&h=2AQFAvkmEAQEI66sr48LBXuH-90UyQC53GweyTvoWJLeVtw     … [Read more...] about A Plug for a Friend of Voices

Deuteronomy 6:5-7, 20-25 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise… 20 "When your son asks you in time to come, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?'  21 then you shall say to your son, 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in … [Read more...] about Discipleship Begins at Home

I was raised hearing that "there are no contradictions in the Bible." My dad was hammering that message from the pulpit long before anyone heard anything of a conservative resurgence in the SBC. But then I read Scriptures and found that there is one very clear contradiction.  Look at Proverbs 26:4-5. 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. There it is.  Verse 4 tells me not to answer a fool according to his folly, then verse 5 contradicts that advice and gives me the opposite … [Read more...] about Dealing with Fools: Sorting Out a Biblical Contradiction

“Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person”.  (Matthew 15:10-11) Translation: All foods are clean.  I, Jesus, am declaring by my own authority that the ceremonial laws of Leviticus 11:1-47 no longer apply. We eat our pork chops and read through this very quickly without thinking about the offensive and sweeping claims that Jesus is making here.  He is overturning over a millennium worth of history and tradition.  That would be like going into a deeply traditional Southern Baptist church and … [Read more...] about Should the Scarecrow Scream

Herman Cain suspended his campaign today.  Not sure what that means, but I think it is clear - he's not going to be president. I'm not sure we know the truth now or whether we will ever know the real truth.  Did he sexually harass women and carry on a long-term affair with another woman or is he the victim of another character assassination by the hit-and-run media in America (and perhaps a political hit by campaign rivals)?  I don't know. But the political nomination process has become a bloodsport that produces one winner and a lot of broken lives.  Is this the way we really want to do … [Read more...] about Herman Cain Suspends Campaign