I'm sitting here, perusing the Baptist Press article regarding NAMB President Kevin Ezell's goal of seeing 55,901 Southern Baptist congregations by the end of 2020. Especially telling is the closing paragraph of that article, which gives us this information: Ezell said within the Southern Baptist Convention in 1900 in America, there was one SBC church for every 3,900 people. Today, there is one SBC church for every 6,700. In Mississippi, there is one SBC congregation for every 1,400 people. In Canada, there is one congregation for every 124,000; in New Jersey, one congregation for every … [Read more...] about Let’s talk crazy for a moment
Mormons, Missionary Strategy, and American Politics
The place was Badajoz, Spain, the time about 15 years ago. I was at that time missionary-pastor of the local Baptist church, back when there was still a place for that type of assignment within IMB strategy. We were hosting a few volunteer workers from the States, and that night they wanted to eat hamburgers, so I took them to the local Burger King and ordered their food for them in Spanish. As we were waiting in line, speaking to each other in English, the store manager took notice and started up a conversation with us in broken English. He told us he was interested in improving his English … [Read more...] about Mormons, Missionary Strategy, and American Politics
What If We All Thought This Way?
On Wednesday nights, like a lot of “traditional” Southern Baptist Churches, we have a prayer meeting followed by a time of Bible study—basically like what we do on Sunday nights but without the music. We have spent the past 13 months quickly working through the entire Bible, doing a broad overview of all 66 books, one each week or sometimes one for a two week span. This past Wednesday we studied Philippians. The cool thing about short books is that in this study we actually get into more detail than we do with the longer ones like, say, Jeremiah. But I digress… Philippians is a book … [Read more...] about What If We All Thought This Way?
IMB’s Baptismal Policy and 4th Century Schismatics
In North Africa in the early 4th century, a presumably theological point of contention morphed into a ecclesiological debate that ultimately split the church in that area. Yawn. The issue behind it all related to Christians who had crumbled during one of the more recent rounds of persecution; specifically, church leaders who turned over copies of the Scriptures to the authorities for burning. Once the persecution ceased, the church had to decide what to do with these traditores of the faith. One group (the laxists) encouraged the church to respond gracefully, forgiving these lapsed … [Read more...] about IMB’s Baptismal Policy and 4th Century Schismatics
Time to Disc It Up
Out here on the Arkansas Grand Prairie, we've finished up this year's harvest. The soybeans are cut, the rice is at the mill, and the corn's gone to the river. It's now time to start doing a little field work to get ready for next year. Some farms will get this done and get wheat in the ground, while others will flood fields to grow a lucrative crop: duck hunters from the city. (Duck hunters from the city is a prized crop for winter time in these parts.) Most everyone right now, though, is out in the fields with a tractor, discing up the ground. The discs cut up the stubble that remains … [Read more...] about Time to Disc It Up
Is God a Narcissist?
I was talking with a student one day, that the most important thing in all of creation is that it reflects and gives God glory. In the dialogue I stated that is the most important thing is to give God glory, than God also does good by bringing Glory to Himself. The student replied "is God narcissistic?" That is an honest question from a student's vantage point. My gut reaction was "no, God is not a human and is not flawed, so it's glory He should get because He deserves all of it. That question however, took me to a larger train of thought. How do we usually look at God? Do we try to … [Read more...] about Is God a Narcissist?
Defenders who Destroy? An Association’s Sad Decision
At their annual meeting, held October 17-18, the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association in Kentucky voted 104-9 to withhold fellowship from Pleasant Valley Community Church in Owensboro. The Western Recorder has reported the action and given the primary reason for the action as the fact that the church was "too Calvinistic." Associated Baptist Press also covered the story, mostly based on the story from the Western Recorder. Sadly, Baptist Press has not covered the story. The facts do not seem to be in dispute. The association brought no charges of heresy against Pleasant Valley. They did … [Read more...] about Defenders who Destroy? An Association’s Sad Decision
The Convention’s Unconventional Name Change
Quick: what's the longest name in all of North American professional sports? No cheating, googling, etc. Just sit on your answer for me; we'll come back to it. As I've watched the lively debate surrounding the potential for a name change in the SBC, I've had to admit a certain apathy. In many ways, it mattered not to me how we organized the letters that form our identifying nomenclature, so the convention's name was off my radar. Then, of course, I realized it really did matter to me; there are certain words I to which I certainly would object (satan, hate, platypus, Calvinist, … [Read more...] about The Convention’s Unconventional Name Change
Feel Better about NAMB? (by William Thornton)
(Our friend the SBC Plodder gave me permission to republish this reflection on the recent workings at NAMB. Thanks, William.) Our North American Mission Board has been the closest thing to a completely dysfunctional agency that Southern Baptists have ever had. Well, let's go ahead and say that NAMB has absolutely been dysfunctional for most of the 21st century. Informed SBCers, even those who love to argue anything and everything, will likely not argue that point. Along came the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force and report and, more than any other SBC entity, NAMB was singled out for … [Read more...] about Feel Better about NAMB? (by William Thornton)
When God Seems Distant
I’ve had several people in my church come to me recently at different times but with the same issue: “I feel like I’m just going through the motions, and when I pray or read my Bible nothing is there. I’m not sure anymore if I’m even a Christian.” It’s those difficult moments where the God who has spoken and the God who is personal and near suddenly seems like the God who is so distant. We’ve likely all experienced those times—those spiritual valleys where we feel as if we’re alone, and no amount of prayer seems to break the depression. So, of course, it becomes easy to question and to … [Read more...] about When God Seems Distant