The legacy of Donald Trump’s term as President of the United States will not be measured in terms of legislation passed, appointments made, or diplomatic accords achieved. It will not be counted by any advancements of the Republican party’s agenda, by any conservative causes that were championed, or by any national or international crises that were averted. No, the lasting influence of the 45th President will only be measured by the bitter division and caustic animosity that has absolutely engulfed our country. It is an insidious sickness that has pervaded every sphere of our public discourse, … [Read more...] about Suggested Ethics for Online Theological Discourse (Phillip Powers)
The SBC and Itching Ears
We love 2 Timothy 4:3-4 because it is a biblical prophecy we have seen come to fruition in our day and one that allows us to point our fingers at "them" - those outside our circles who have abandoned truth to embrace the spirit of the age. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. We immediately think (and point fingers at) the Joel Osteens and other positive … [Read more...] about The SBC and Itching Ears
Perhaps the most important item in Nashville: updated Business & Financial Plan
This isn't a sleeper item, it's been publicized by Baptist Press: Rewritten Business & Financial Plan awaits adoption by SBC messengers. It is a snoozer, though. Not one messenger in 100 will read it. Not one Southern Baptist in a thousand will care one whit about it, but it is an important item. The various entities are required to report certain things to the SBC Executive Committee so that the ultimate, though indirect, decision makers, individual Southern Baptist messengers attending an annual meeting, may be informed. The process is a mess, seems to me. Entities report a lot … [Read more...] about Perhaps the most important item in Nashville: updated Business & Financial Plan
Announcement: Scholarships for #SBC21 Organized by SBC Voices
For the 2017 Pastors' Conference, one of the most edifying experiences (out of many) was being able to provide scholarships for 50 61 pastors to attend the Conference and Annual Meeting in Phoenix. We've had people ask about the possibility since and this year we decided to do something about it. We're raising money to help send messengers to Nashville. No strings attached. As long as they meet the criteria for the application, they'll be eligible and recipients will be chosen randomly from those who apply. Some details: Scholarships will be awarded on a random basis for those who … [Read more...] about Announcement: Scholarships for #SBC21 Organized by SBC Voices
History and Notes of Resolutions at the SBC Annual Meeting
It's no secret that this year at the Southern Baptist Convention is shaping up to be a contentious one, especially when it comes to resolutions. Several have already been released, and more are in the works. Anyone who is a member in good standing can submit a resolution to the SBC meeting, where a committee will decide whether or not to present it to the convention at large during the business sessions. The SBC has done a remarkable job of keeping track of all the resolutions ever presented at their website, with a very handy searchable database. My rough count shows somewhere over 600 … [Read more...] about History and Notes of Resolutions at the SBC Annual Meeting
Video: Hear Dr. Ed Litton’s Vision for the SBC
As SBC 2021 draws near, don't miss this message from Ed Litton, who will be nominated for SBC President by Dr. Fred Luter. Litton lays out his positive vision for our convention, including three priorities: Unity - A great commandment heart and a great commission determination; commitment to the Baptist Faith & Message Gospel Engagement - Renew our commitment to evangelism strategies Diversity - continue broadening ethnic diversity on our boards to reflect who we actually are Watch for yourself and hear from Ed in this 4 minute introduction. … [Read more...] about Video: Hear Dr. Ed Litton’s Vision for the SBC
The Next Chapter
In the '90's we used to watch the TV Guide channel for what seemed like hours, waiting for something interesting to pop up on the schedule. Then, a classic or favorite movie would appear. We would change the channel to TNT or TBS, maybe USA, and watch a movie we'd seen dozens of times. If we were lucky enough to catch the beginning of the movie we would see this disclaimer- This film has been modified from its original format. It has been edited for content and to run in time allowed. Years later, thanks to streaming, no network censors are editing those old favorites for time and … [Read more...] about The Next Chapter
This day eighty years ago the ‘Mighty” HMS Hood was sunk; will the SBC follow?
In one of the great naval battles of history, the HMS Hood, pride of the British Navy, for years the largest, most powerful ship of its day, was sunk on May 24, 1941 by the giant and famous German battleship, the Bismarck. The Hood, launched in 1918, was getting a bit long in the tooth but along with British battleship Prince of Wales engaged with the Bismarck and German heavy cruiser Prince Eugen in the battle of Denmark. The Hood was hit by several German shells and sank in three minutes. There were only three British survivors among the Hood's crew of around 1,500 souls. Over 46,000 … [Read more...] about This day eighty years ago the ‘Mighty” HMS Hood was sunk; will the SBC follow?
2020 SBC Covid year statistics, not all that bad
This is the time of the year, just prior to the SBC Annual Meeting, when Lifeway Christian Resources releases the dreaded Annual Church Profile data collected for the previous year. Baptist Press story: Southern Baptists grow in number of churches, plant 588 new congregations amid COVID-19 pandemic. I'm in favor of emphasizing the positive so long as we're given all the data, not just the headline worthy stuff. Last year was a statistical mess with the pandemic; churches weren't meeting for much of the year, much less having intimate events like baptisms where hugs and close contact … [Read more...] about 2020 SBC Covid year statistics, not all that bad
Why Ed Litton Will Be A Good President for the SBC
This is a post about why Ed Litton, pastor of Redemption Church just north of Mobile, Alabama, will be a good president for the SBC. I'm not writing about the other candidates up for election next month in Nashville, so this isn't meant to be a comparison. We have enough of that going on. But, I wanted to write about my knowledge of Ed and his wife Kathy and what I've seen of his life and ministry over the past 5 years. This is my first post here at Voices in a couple of years, but I was motivated to write about Ed Litton because I believe him to be a good man. I first met Ed and Kathy at … [Read more...] about Why Ed Litton Will Be A Good President for the SBC