SBC Voices

Editor:  Ricky Kirk, a pastor from Ohio, blogs at Panta ta Ethne, where this post recently appeared. Thanks for sharing this with us. Our church as recently been studying/exploring evangelism as we prepare for an upcoming revival and Easter weekend. I am modifying material from several sources and approaching evangelism as something more than the Romans Road or the rote memorization and sharing of a few particular verses. I am also challenging our church to have a greater understanding of God's overarching story of the Bible, so we have covered God, creation, man, fall, Christ, and … [Read more...] about Evangelism. Storying. Gospel. Sex-Offenders. (by Ricky Kirk)

I had a playful argument with my daughter yesterday about whether is such a thing as Christian rap.  It is hard enough for me to go and hear my son's Christian rock band (earplugs help), but I'm an old fogey and rap just ain't my cup o' tea.  She reminded me that I was, in fact, a hopelessly old codger who just doesn't get it. Then, I saw this on Timmy Brister's blog today. I was left with one conclusion - I was wrong.  This is one of the best presentations of the gospel you are going to hear.   G.O.S.P.E.L. from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo. Powerful gospel … [Read more...] about “G.O.S.P.E.L.” An Old Fogey LIKES It!

Editor: William Thornton is the SBC Plodder and a keen observer of SBC life.  This is a repost from his site. What shall we say about SBC leadership and their support, or lack thereof, for our grand Cooperative Program? Here is a summary of the past SBC presidents and their Cooperative Program support over the past 32 years: Less than 4%: Rogers, Smith, Stanley, Vines, Young, Elliff, Merritt, Graham, Hunt, Wright. Above the contemporary average: Draper (7%), Chapman (11%), Henry (10%), Welch (15%), Page (12%). Between 1979 and 1992, the year the Conservative Resurgence was … [Read more...] about SBC presidents and the Cooperative Program (by William Thornton)

Why do people who pile into movie theaters on a Friday evening complain that the Bible is boring on a Sunday morning?  One reason, and I stress ONE reason, is that we have not rightly been convinced that the Bible is a compelling story. If our view of Scripture is akin to Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth then I doubt very seriously that we will be compelled to open its pages.  At least not until something goes wrong. I’m one of those guys that tries to put something together without reading the instruction manual.  I only read it when I end up with an extra part or the … [Read more...] about Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth?

Ever been reading your Bible and a phone rings, a baby cries, a doorbell chimes?  Ever find your prayer time interrupted by similar things?  Ever plan to do a particular ministry and find yourself bombarded with demands of equal or more pressing priority?  Ever start to share Jesus with someone and chaos rips into the conversation? Take heart; interruptions, impediments, chaos, and confusion are mere tactics to undermine your mission as an ambassador for Christ. In Ambassadors On Mission, The Priority Of Prayer and Proclamation, author, Dr. Dan Crawford*, shares how Christians are "first … [Read more...] about PRIORITY ON PRAYER AND PROCLAMATION

Blog Madness is back for 2011.  Over the next few weeks, while some little basketball tournament is being played, we are going to be holding our own "favorite bloggers" tournament, with a prize for the winner of LESS THAN $1 Million.  (Lot's less - mostly just the joy of being selected). This year, the readers of SBC Voices are the selection committee.  You have the next few days (until Wednesday night) to nominate your favorite blogs - up to 10 per person.  We'll compile the stats and form our brackets. So, tell, who are your favorite BAPTIST blogs (yes, only fully immersed blogs are … [Read more...] about Blog Madness 2011: You Are the Selection Committee

When major sporting events are on, (such as NCAA Basketball Conference Tournaments), blogging hits tend to go down. Hope your team wins (unless it is Duke, UNC, Texas or Kentucky). … [Read more...] about An Observation about Baptist Bloggers

"He didn’t say it, but I think that traditionalists feel as if we are committing denominational suicide by promoting to prominence those who do not have much denominational loyalty or commitment.  We are hiring entity heads who showed little commitment to the denomination in their pastorates.  The podium at our conferences and conventions are largely filled with people whose Cooperative Program giving and denominational commitment are either minimal or non-existent.  Are we turning our denomination over to people who don’t care about the future of our denomination?"  (From "It's Deja Vu All … [Read more...] about Re-framing the Debate About the Future of SBC