When the search committee for FBC Mayfield contacted me in December of 2010, one of my first requests was for a copy of the church budget. I wanted to see what the church members prioritized and what they valued. I wanted to evaluate how much was budgeted for internal matters, such as fellowships, versus how much was budgeted for evangelism and missions. I believe you can tell a lot about a church by looking at its budget. FBC Mayfield has a long history of faithfulness. It’s where I was … [Read more...]
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‘One generation will declare Your works to the next’
From within the walls of a bleak Nazi prison cell, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote words of joy and wisdom to his niece and her soon-to-be husband in May 1943. “Marriage is more than your love for each other,” Bonhoeffer wrote at the conclusion of his letter. “It has a higher dignity and power, for it is God’s holy ordinance, through which He wills to perpetuate the human race till the end of time. “In your love you see only your two selves in the world,” he added, “but in … [Read more...]
Should pastors use Artificial Intelligence to prepare their sermons?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Matt Kimbrough serves as associate professor of theology at Southwest Baptist University. Language-learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have exploded onto the scene and are expected to add $2.6 trillion to the global economy. ChatGPT, in particular, has gained popularity because it is simple and accessible. I don’t have the expertise to explain how AI works, but I can offer a few analogies to consider. In one sense, ChatGPT (a language-learning AI tool) is a … [Read more...]
Defying gravity
A party? Yes! Friendly gathering? I’m in! Reception, celebration, shindig? Sign me up, I’m there, ya’ll. Social butterfly here, flying toward the party light. Except wait, how soon would I need to get up from the couch and get ready for this thing—and how ready would I need to get? I’ll need to know if this a yoga-pants-appropriate gathering. I confess I’m hoping real hard you’ll tell me I don’t have to change. With the pull of the comfy couch and the draw of the comfy yoga pants, it’s … [Read more...]
A wife’s reflections on a new journey with Jesus
Moves and transitions impact the entire family, and spouses are oftentimes affected in ways unknown to most. Our family is no different, and Tara has experienced a multitude of emotions throughout our journey to Missouri. Tara worked in education for over 20 years – 19 years as a high school math teacher and a year and a half as an elementary school principal. She served for more than 20 years in either the children’s or youth ministry where I pastored, the past 12 years at FBC Mayfield, … [Read more...]
Friendship is God’s gift, a reflection of Christ’s love
A peace lily sitting near a large window in my family’s living room surprised us this winter by sending up not only one or two, but six new, pure white blooms. It’s a beautiful plant, which we received a couple of years ago after a family member’s funeral and graveside service. This peace lily is quite meaningful for us, a daily reminder of a beloved family member who has gone ahead of us to heaven. But it’s even more meaningful because it was a gift from some friends who – as far as we … [Read more...]
IMB missionary: ‘God is working’ in Ukraine
by Michael Domke EDITOR'S NOTE: Michael Domke has served in Ukraine for 15 years with the IMB. (Sue Sprenkle contributed to this article.) In times of great need or despair, we’ve seen firsthand what the world’s greatest problem is, and it’s not war or hunger. It’s spiritual lostness. I recently watched people line up outside a church as air raid sirens sounded in Ukraine. The church was not a bomb shelter. They weren’t distributing food. It wasn’t even a Sunday. People stood in line, … [Read more...]
Don’t ignore the BBQ sauce
I was so proud of myself. I thought I had made it through! But as Proverbs 16:18 warns, I was only preparing myself for a fall. You see, I had made the poor decision of going into a barbeque restaurant wearing a white shirt before speaking at a church. Since I was alone, they would only seat me at the bar, which increased the difficulty level. As a “teetotaler” who is not tempted in the least by alcohol, it would not bother me to sit out at the bar, especially since I could sit in front of … [Read more...]
Hobbies, habits, happies
Who knew that would be the question that could stop me cold, mid-conversation? Like, freeze my brain. Those of you who know me know I can talk about anything. Not necessarily intelligently, mind you, but always all the talky. But at the moment a TV host asked me the simple question, “So what are some of your hobbies?” I had a surprising, painful big lot of nothing coming out of my mouth. After a couple of seconds of awkwardness, I finally joked it off with something like, “Heh heh, maybe … [Read more...]
‘Let all mortal flesh keep silence’
When one regards the season of Christmas, silence is not naturally a theme that comes to mind. The classic hymn, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” is a bit of a dark horse. It has a Baptist presence only in the last two hymnals (1991 edition, no. 80, and the 2008 edition as no. 178) but not before then. Honestly, it probably isn’t largely sung, and it is even written in a minor key. This does not have that cinnamon-smelling, candy-cane colored Christmas confection of a boisterous … [Read more...]
Working together to reach the multitudes
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was founded in 1845 with the intention of “combining and directing the energies of the whole denomination in one sacred effort, for the propagation of the Gospel.” From its inception, the heartbeat of the SBC has been about reaching as many people as possible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and this one sacred effort has fueled millions to collaborate and cooperate so that people will have access to the Gospel all across the globe. Though … [Read more...]
Reflections on Missouri Baptist life
I’ve enjoyed the honor of serving in my new role for two months now, and it’s been an absolute blessing to interact with many of our pastors and leaders throughout the state. I’m thankful for every opportunity to preach, I’ve enjoyed multiple times of meaningful fellowship, and I’m always excited to share my heart for the future of Missouri Baptists. As I reflect on my brief time in Missouri, a few observations surface rather quickly. First, our pastors are striving to serve faithfully. … [Read more...]