PREFACE I’m a Baptist of Baptists. I wasn’t baby-dedicated at my church on the 8th day, but it was done within a few weeks. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church in a family that faithfully gave. As a carefree middle-class youth, I never knew how much was given but it made an impression … Read more
The Gospel. The original word is “εὐαγγέλιον,” or “euaggelion,” in Greek, and literally means “good tidings,” or “good news.” The Oxford dictionary defines the word as “The teaching or revelation of Christ,” and Thayer has it as “the proclamation of the grace of God manifest and pledged in Christ.” Simply put, the Gospel is, according … Read more
Some people just can’t let bygones be bygones. A few Days ago, Joni Hannigan of the Christian Examiner blog wrote a flimsy piece claiming that Calvinist bloggers bullied Willy Rice into disinviting Carson from the 2015 SBC Pastor’s Conference. It was tacky enough that she barely sourced anything in her article, and those she did … Read more
“Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” John 4:29 M. Knight Shyamalan’s film Unbreakable tells the story of a security guard named David Dunn who possesses, unbeknownst to him, superhuman powers. Through the intercession of an interested party, Dunn learns of his powers which include near … Read more
On April 30th, Perry Noble, pastor of SBC megachurch NewSpring Church, published a personal reflection in which he expressed his disappointment that Ben Carson will no longer be speaking at the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference. In the course of his reflection, Noble decried the existence of “theological police” who display “pharisaical arrogance”. This … Read more
Last week, we gave our concerns with having Seventh Day Adventist, Dr. Ben Carson, speak at the 2015 Pastor’s Conference. We echoed the rightful concerns first articulated at Baptist Twenty-One. Thankfully, wiser heads prevailed and the Southern Baptist Convention dropped Dr. Carson from the event. This came as welcome news to most, as many shared the same concerns. However, … Read more
If you’ve been following Southern Baptist news, you know about the uproar that was cast by the SBC inviting Seventh Day Adventist, Dr. Ben Carson, to speak at the 2015 Pastor’s Conference. Aside from the serious theological differences that sets Southern Baptists apart from Seventh Day Adventists, it was also widely seen as an endorsement of a political candidate. In the wake of this massive outcry, a follow-up opinion was written at SBC Voices blog by Dave Matthews, basically stating that he disagreed with decision to invite Carson, but since it’s already done, for the sake of avoiding bad press, we should just shut up about it, accept it, and have lunch together.
Not too long ago, I reported on the SBC leaders who were chosen by president Ronnie Floyd to lead this year’s Committee on Committees. Here I want to give a run-down on what I perceive to be part of a bigger problem within the SBC. The leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention is designed in … Read more
Once in a while, I’ll have a conversation with a pastor, usually a Southern Baptist pastor, who has read some of my articles, and find it puzzling that I would be calling out such leaders as Russell Moore or Ronnie Floyd. What I often notice however, is that while most of the time this pastor … Read more
The Southern Baptist’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s President, Russell Moore, has been very outspoken about the need for the Church to address racism. In fact, the majority of the SBC’s leadership has followed him into this rabbit hole and made dealing with racism their personal mission, as well as one of the official missions … Read more
“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” Luke 16:10 What has happened to the Southern Baptist Convention? What is perhaps the United States’ last biblically faithful and conservative denomination is sliding precipitously towards … Read more
“They say that patriotism is the last refuge To which a scoundrel clings Steal a little and they throw you in jail Steal a lot and they make you king” Bob Dylan If the Southern Baptist Convention is God’s Country, then Ronnie Floyd is its President. Thom Rainer and Ed Stezer are its secretaries state … Read more
There is no doubt that the word “evangelical” doesn’t mean the same thing it used to mean. The word is used to describe almost anyone who says the name “Jesus” these days. Mormons are referred to as Evangelicals, as are Jehova’s Witnesses, and other unbiblical sects like the New Apostolic Reformation. There is even a … Read more
By now, it’s no doubt that Rick Warren has not let the criticism from fellow believers, advice from his colleagues, or even the Word of God stand in his way of promoting questionable practices, ideas and beliefs in his ministry at Saddleback Church. In the past, he has promoted (and currently still does promote) unbelievers … Read more
It’s all too easy to point fingers at the bad actors in American churchian life, and when we avoid self-righteousness, having removed the log from our own eye so as to see clearly to remove the specks in others’ eyes, it is actually a good thing to do. Attempts to free people from deception so … Read more
