As you’ve no doubt heard, the Missouri Baptist Foundation is coming home to the MBC family of ministries. On Sept. 20, the Missouri Supreme Court clarified corporation law by upholding the Appeals Court ruling and the Foundation is returning to the Missouri Baptist Convention family, ending 14 years of litigation. As I’m sure you are, I am so thankful to the Lord for the Supreme Court’s final decision. I invite you to join me in welcoming back the Foundation into the MBC family. We look … [Read more...]
John Yeats: Baptist pastors and the ‘parent card’
It was one of those “youth events.” My friends and I loaded up in our family vehicle—all eight of us. We were going to the next town to eat pizza after Sunday night church. I climbed into the driver’s seat just like I did when my family all rode in from the country for worship that evening. But this time my mom said, “John, I’d better drive.” She said it as she looked straight into my eyes as if to say, “There is no dispute about this; move over.” Wow. Right in front of my friends, my mom … [Read more...]
Cry out to God on September 11
By now you have heard the appeal from many Christian leaders for churches to carve out special time on Sunday, Sept. 11, to REMEMBER and CALL OUT TO GOD. Anyone who is 21 years of age or older probably remembers where they were on Sept. 11, 2001. Fifteen years ago on 9/11, terrorism struck our nation in a despicable, life-changing fashion. I was in the parking lot of the Baptist Building in Oklahoma City thinking, “Surely not! How can this be?” Where were you? A total of 2,996 people were … [Read more...]
MMO: Making memories, changing lives
In its most recent board meeting, trustees of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home Board learned that annual liability insurance premiums for the ministry are jumping from $18,000 to $134,000. This rate increase was in spite of zero claims and clear risk-management training. The former carrier didn’t even want to underwrite them. Yet the liability insurance is necessary to do the life-transforming work Missouri Baptist churches have assigned MBCH to do. Another record year at Super … [Read more...]
Someone declared war on religious liberty
Within the last month events set the international stage for significant crushing of religious liberty. One event was reported July 13 in the Wall Street Journal. Vladimir Putin rattled chains against religious liberty with a new anti-terrorism law that goes into effect at the end of the month. The law prohibits the sharing of the gospel anywhere but at government-sanctioned religious sites. The target was primarily the Mormons that spooked some members of the Politburo to overreact to … [Read more...]
On life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” – Second paragraph, Declaration of Independence of the United States In one 48-hour span, the U.S. Supreme Court threw “Life” and “Liberty” under the steamroller of political correctness. Instead of interpreting the law, the Court advanced a political social agenda that grieves … [Read more...]
Take the initiative to invite someone
One of the things Missouri Baptists do well is invest cooperative resources in their smaller-church pastors through an event tailored just for them. Once again this month, mb125 exceeded the cap on the number of participants of this special retreat designed to equip and encourage. Two of the key speakers were Chuck and Rhonda Kelley of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Kelley is a legend in regards to evangelism and discipleship. Part of his message included remarks that he … [Read more...]
‘Must renounce all forms of religion’
The guide led our small group all the way to the top of the Albrechtsburg Castle wall. We looked out over the panoramic landscape at the incredible beauty of the Elbe River valley in southern Germany, an area that once was in East Germany. We were precisely in Meissen, the home of some of the world’s finest porcelain ware. The work of the artisans is extraordinary. While we stood looking over the wall, one of my fellow tour members asked the question, “What was it like to live under … [Read more...]
Standing on the shoulders of giants
Libraries at historic locations can be wonderful experiences. Last month, Sharon and I were at a library in New England where we were able to hold in our hands some very rare Bibles. One Bible was a gift that Mrs. C. H. Surgeon gave to Dwight L. Moody. She stated in a note in the front of her husband’s Bible that she was giving Moody this treasure because she was confident he would preach the gospel. What a powerful testimony about Moody’s ministry of preaching and leading people to … [Read more...]
Religious liberty was tossed like a toy
On a Tuesday afternoon in April, I shared with the crowd that was gathered in the state capitol rotunda that we were there to talk about religious liberty in the context of a culture that seems to be struggling with principle vs. political power brokering. The great principle of religious liberty was tossed around like a toy doll between competing agendas. You would think that the protections passed by the Senate were common-sense “no brainers” that removed government from a potentially … [Read more...]
1,000 Missouri Baptists to SBC Annual Meeting
Last September, SBC President Ronnie Floyd asked me, “When Southern Baptists come to St. Louis, how many messengers can we expect from Missouri?” I thought for a moment and looked at the number of messengers from Ohio at last year’s Annual Meeting and thought, “According to Jim Wells’ registration report, the churches in Ohio sent 723. Surely, we can do better than that.” With great confidence I told Dr. Floyd, “The Lord is doing a fresh work in our state. You can expect at least 1,000 … [Read more...]
Bodacious faith: Is our view too narrow?
This happens more often than you think: Members of a Sunday School class decide to circumvent their offering that would normally go through the local church’s systematic giving budget to give to a worthy cause or need. Maybe there has been an appeal for support of some particular project or independent missionary or humanitarian need—all good things. Church leaders would say, “Ouch! It’s okay to pass the plate a second time around to meet a specific need but the tithe (systematic giving) … [Read more...]
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