SBC Voices

Revealing Our Inner Onion

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I know the journey seems so long. You feel you're walking on your own. But there has never been a step Where you've walked out all alone. Troubled soul don't lose your heart, Cause joy and peace he brings. And the beauty that's in store, Outweighs the hurt of life's sting. There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, We’ll see Jesus face to face. But until that day, we'll hold on to you always. -- Jeremy Camp, "There Will Be a Day" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le-TG4sRRiQ But … [Read more...] about Revealing Our Inner Onion

Diverse Voices Debate: What Does Eternal Security Have to Do with Baptism?

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Is the belief in eternal security necessary to perform a valid, biblical baptism? Do the doctrinal beliefs of the church or administrator of baptism contribute to the validity of that baptism? Should a person who wishes to join a Baptist church and was baptized by immersion in a church that believes salvation can be lost be re-baptized in a Baptist church? This debate has raged in blogs for years, often creating as much heat as light. In our last debate we focused on church oversight of baptism. Now, we tackle this thorny issue in hopes that we can take one step toward greater … [Read more...] about Diverse Voices Debate: What Does Eternal Security Have to Do with Baptism?

Southern Baptists and Denominationalism

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Like me, most of you missed what I hear was a great conference-Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism.  If you would like to read Trevin Wax's summaries of the messages follow the links below. Here are links to my summaries of all the lectures at the Union University conference: Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism. Special thanks to David Dockery and Tim Ellsworth for the invitation to live-blog this event. Trevin Wax To listen to the messages go here- Union University. … [Read more...] about Southern Baptists and Denominationalism

Church Discipline for Persistent and Willful Non-Attendance

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not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins Hebrews 10:25-26 (ESV) Neglecting the meetings of the church is a sin and church discipline is to be used in the case of unrepentant sin. Church discipline not only restores wayward sheep, but also removes unbelievers from the church and protects the corporate witness of the local church. If a member is not attending, it is … [Read more...] about Church Discipline for Persistent and Willful Non-Attendance

Diverse Voices Debate: Multi-Site Churches- Good Option?

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Multi-Site Churches: Not A Good Option Our family was once involved in a multi-site church at its satellite location. We began that experience with enthusiasm and anticipation. The possibilities seemed endless. It was located in a brand new community development. We had the weight of the mother church and all its resources behind us. The mother church had installed a strong Bible expositor as its pastor. Over time, however, the difficulties of this arrangement seemed to outweigh its benefits. To be sure there were many positives in our experience, but we finally concluded that the model was … [Read more...] about Diverse Voices Debate: Multi-Site Churches- Good Option?

“The Good Wife” in Real Life

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In the new drama television series, "The Good Wife," Juliana Margulies plays the wife of an elected official who is caught in a sex and money scandal. The official, played by Chris Noth, is sent to prison and "the good wife" returns to work as a lawyer, raising her two children on her own. Take a look at the profiles of many of your Christian friends and you’ll discover that listed among their favorite programs are TV series like “Desperate Housewives,” and “Gray’s Anatomy,” both of which frequently glamorize sexual relations outside marriage. Other TV series are busy normalizing … [Read more...] about “The Good Wife” in Real Life

A Response to the Baptism Oversight Debate

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Thanks to Robin Foster and all who have participated in this debate – especially those who agreed with me! I have been disappointed only by the cruel comments that Doug Hibbard made about the New York Yankees, but I am trying to work through my feelings against him. Other than that ugly episode, it has been an encouraging inauguration of this debate series. Observations 1) Blogging has a tendency to magnify our differences. I am convinced that we are not as far apart on this issue as our rhetoric might make it appear. I do not say that church oversight is never appropriate and those … [Read more...] about A Response to the Baptism Oversight Debate

Diverse Baptists Debate: Church Oversight of Baptism- Foster’s Rebuttal of Miller

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This rebuttal is only my attempt to challenge Dave Miller’s thoughts and theological understanding concerning the church’s responsibility to oversee baptism.  I appreciate what he has written and hope that further debates over essential doctrines in the Southern Baptist Convention can be as cordial as ours.   In Dave’s paper he proposes that, “…the view that all valid baptisms must be performed under local church oversight may be argued from historic confessions, but not from scripture.”  I beg to differ in that to argue against church oversight of Baptism is to make scripture say what … [Read more...] about Diverse Baptists Debate: Church Oversight of Baptism- Foster’s Rebuttal of Miller