On April 14, I will have been a pastor in Iowa for twenty years. I spent 14 1/2 years in Cedar Rapids and now have been in Sioux City for (you could probably do the math yourself) nearly 5 1/2 years. Iowa has some pretty unpleasant winters (though Jeff Musgrave can probably tell stories that will make me feel like a Floridian). This morning when I drove my daughter to school, it was 11 degrees below zero - actual temps, not windchills. We had a pretty brutal storm on Monday, which dumped several inches of snow on us, which blew sideways in blizzard conditions. The snow let up during … [Read more...] about “Snowmageddon” and Why Your Theology Matters!
House Hunting with Spoiled Brats
I am laying on the floor of my family room right now, hovering between Stage 1 and Stage 2 of influenza. Stage 1: I want to die. Please let me die. Stage 2: I guess I'm going to live, but I'm not that thrilled about it. Stage 3: Jimmy Stewart on the Bridge - I want to live again, Clarence. I want to live. Over the last week, as I have dipped in and out of Stage 1, I have done more of one thing than ever before. I've watched HGTV. I live in the same house I've lived in for 5 years and have no plans to move or to sell any time soon. But I have gotten engrossed in "House Hunters," "House … [Read more...] about House Hunting with Spoiled Brats
If Any Doubts Remain about Planned Parenthood…
Watch this video. Planned Parenthood, New Jersey, counsels a man posing as a pimp and a woman who "works" for him how to skirt laws and get abortions and other services for girls as young as 14 who are working as prostitutes. The video is shocking, and not for the young or the weak of heart. But if anyone needs more evidence of the immorality or utter craven motives of Planned Parenthood, watch this video. What is shocking is how enthusiastic the Planned Parenthood worker is about advising this "pimp" on the ins and outs of skirting the law. She even gives advice about how to … [Read more...] about If Any Doubts Remain about Planned Parenthood…
Not Sure Where I Fit In…(by Tom Bryant)
(Editor: I often browse the blogs of people who comment here at SBC Voices. I browsed Tom's blog - The View from Osprey - yesterday and came to one conclusion - he doesn't write often enough. He has a brilliant post which I got permission to copy here. Thought you might enjoy it.) Do you ever feel like you don’t fit in among any of the evangelical groups? I’m not a Calvinist, but I am uncomfortable at my fellow non-Cals painting Calvinists as the evil spawn of a new fascism with a desire to take over the SBC. I am not a Calvinist, but Al Mohler’s idea that Reformed theology … [Read more...] about Not Sure Where I Fit In…(by Tom Bryant)
Christians and Internet Presence: A Roundtable with Trevin Wax, Steve McCoy, Jared Wilson, and Brandon Smith
This is the most popular blog post of all-time at my blog, and I thought the Voices readers would enjoy and be blessed by it, as well. In attempt to look at the practicality and benefits of social media and blogging for Christians, three friends who have experience with popularity in the blogging and social media world (with 4-digit Twitter followers and top 100 Christian blogs) joined me to discuss. It is my aim that this discussion would help you personally and the Church as a whole consider the Kingdom implications of blogging and social media. THE PANEL: Trevin Wax BLOG: … [Read more...] about Christians and Internet Presence: A Roundtable with Trevin Wax, Steve McCoy, Jared Wilson, and Brandon Smith
Church or Super Bowl? An Old-School View
So, are you having church Sunday night (if you normally do)? Services cancelled? A Super Bowl party on the church's big screen? At Southern Hills Baptist Church, we will be having our regularly scheduled service at our regularly scheduled time. Are we the last church in America that carries on as normal on Super Bowl Sunday night? I would love it if the only voice in my head was the still small voice of the Lord leading and guiding me. But I have another voice there. It's the voice of Lew Miller. I grew up in a preacher's home - one who had some pretty strong beliefs about some … [Read more...] about Church or Super Bowl? An Old-School View
A Moral Dilemma: Can I Cheer for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers in the Super Bowl?
(This was originally posted Wednesday at sbcIMPACT. Thought it might be a good Super Bowl Week discussion starter) I’ve been a Steeler’s fan since my high school years, when Terry Bradshaw had hair and was rifling passes to Lynn Swann and John Stallworth; since Jack Hamm, Jack Lambert and Mean Joe Greene erected a Steel Curtain that brought even the most powerful offenses to their knees. Four times I cheered passionately as they crushed their Super Bowl foes in the 70's. My passion for the Steelers waned a bit in recent years. I still cheered for them, but as I got to know the life … [Read more...] about A Moral Dilemma: Can I Cheer for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers in the Super Bowl?
Still the Best Church Ad EVER!
I saw this some time ago and was deeply impressed. Frankly, I think a lot of church advertisement lacks biblical quality. This is the "Grace Community Church" in San Antonio. I don't know anything about the church. It is not, I believe, Southern Baptist, but it does use the London Baptist Confession as a doctrinal basis for church life. Their website has this video that is exactly what church ads should be. Its not about how hip, happening and cool the people of the church are. In fact, it is a confession of their sinfulness. It is about the saving and transforming power of Christ. … [Read more...] about Still the Best Church Ad EVER!
Ezell’s Strategy for NAMB Begins to Unfold
Kevin Ezell has begun to share his new vision for NAMB and Baptist Press is reporting it. He is planning to divide NAMB into 5 regions, each of which will have a VP who will report directly to him. He has named the VPs for the Midwest and Canadian regions. Here is the map of the regions that NAMB has published in BP: He claims that each of the regional supervisors will work with the state convention executives in partnership. There has been a persistent fear (long before Ezell took the helm) that NAMB has been wanting to move away from partnerships and wants to work directly with … [Read more...] about Ezell’s Strategy for NAMB Begins to Unfold
The Day I Learned I Could Do More
The other day I wrote a short article wishing I could do more to end abortion. (Link here.) I said that my voice “just seems so small and insignificant” compared to the need. A friend who has been a long-time pro-life advocate and is well connected in the pro-life movement saw my post and challenged me: I could, in fact, do more. This morning I went with him to a local abortion clinic. We did not picket, we did not carry signs, we did not jeer at, malign, or otherwise harass the women who went in to end the lives of their babies. We stayed the legal distance away and never once … [Read more...] about The Day I Learned I Could Do More