SBC Voices

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

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

Generations ago people wore hats to church on Sunday. Now they’re more likely to come with duct tape wrapped around their heads to prevent them from exploding from the 7-24 infusion of breaking news and cultural revision. Could it be that the constant cultural change blaring from our televisions, radios and the Internet on sites like Drudge, regurgitated on Facebook and Twitter and various blogs and forums is leaving us overwhelmed and searching for something truly constant? Could it be that Southern Baptists are yearning for a well-preached, on-target sermon, a clear and consistent Bible … [Read more...] about The Church Home: A Refuge in an Information-Overload Era?

As we begin a new year in our churches, in the sense that summer is behind us, maybe it’s a good time for each of us to take a close look at the admonishment to bear each other’s burdens. Fulfilling the law of Christ might prevent many a fall this fall. No one disagreed that I was probably the worst vocalist in our high school church youth choir. I had been told I was a bass, so I was always on the back row, which was fine with me. The choir director would sometimes know something was amiss and he'd say "Let me just hear the bass row on this part," and he'd cup his ear and lean towards our … [Read more...] about Ready to Bear Some Burdens?

I am very glad to report that I am restarting the Conventional Thinking blog directed at issues of importance for the Southern Baptist Convention and its churches. I am really excited about this new conversation and especially about the opportunities for asking all the big questions as we think about the future of our denomination. Yesterday, I delivered an address, "The Future of the Southern Baptist Convention," at a Presidential Forum on campus.  Now, this video is available for you. Conventional Thinking Talk about another great Southern Baptist blog! … [Read more...] about Conventional Thinking with Al Mohler

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Three staff members of Southern Baptist Convention entities are among eight leaders of a new leadership school being launched by Mars Hill Church, the Seattle, Wash., mega-church co-led by Mark Driscoll. Bruce Ware, Gregg Allison and Ed Stetzer will join Driscoll, John Piper and Sam Storms on the faculty of the Resurgence Training Center, a 36-hour graduate program in leadership. The faculty also includes executive director Rick Melson and Bill Clem, a leadership coach with the Acts 29 Network. The new school, according to the Mars Hill website, is intended to develop … [Read more...] about What do Piper, Driscoll, Ware, Stetzer, Allison, and Storms have in common?