Life is plagued with tough decisions. How to spend time, which restaurant to visit, which job to pursue, or which person to marry are small samplings of life’s various decisions. Because decisions carry consequences, people respond in different ways to decision making. Wanting to move on with life, some people impulsively make decisions with little deliberation. For others terrified of making a wrong decision, debilitation often accompanies long deliberation. Endless lists and irrational … [Read more...]
What is God teaching us?
Most would agree this year has been hard on many levels. Added to the normal daily stressors have been an array of life-changing events – global pandemic, economic shut down, and current social unrest. While the Christian worldview broadly understands everything fits perfectly into God’s complete plan (Ephesians 1:11), the question is often asked, “What is God teaching us?” To answer this question, a few biblical affirmations need to be made. First, Christians must recognize God uses … [Read more...]
Churches serve North St. Louis County
ST. LOUIS – In times of crisis, hope is a rare commodity. While much of the country is struggling in fear and uncertainty, local churches are coming together meeting the needs of their communities. This effort was recently seen on a bright, sunny day in one of the state’s hardest-hit areas amid the COVID-19 pandemic, North St. Louis County. On May 1, two Missouri Baptist Churches – First Baptist Church of St. John and Garden Baptist Church – partnered with the St. Louis Area Foodbank to … [Read more...]
Where is your security?
Judging by nearly every metric, COVID-19 has significantly exposed what we value most. Widespread toilet paper shortages, panicked monitoring of the Stock Market, and food hoarding all bear evidence of people’s security being shaken. The recent pandemic’s sobering reality is we find security through what we believe we control. When our sense of control is either taken or shaken, so too is our sense of security and well-being. The feeling of lost security often results in familiar responses … [Read more...]
Founders Midwest conference celebrates 25 years, partners with MBC entities
ST. LOUIS – This past February marked the 25th consecutive year of the Founders Midwest Conference. The yearly conference provides sound, theological teaching and genuine fellowship to pastors and laypeople in the Midwest. Meeting at the First Baptist Church of Fenton in St. Louis, Founders Midwest welcomed attendees from across Missouri and the surrounding states of Kansas, Illinois, Arkansas, and Texas. The Founders Midwest Conference offers a unique opportunity for pastors to … [Read more...]
‘We believe God sustains us’ – Former Mo. Baptists minister in China amid COVID-19 epidemic
CHINA – Imagine a city with millions of people yet hardly anyone leaves their home. Normally bustling buses and metro trains run practically empty. Restaurants discourage dining in favor of food delivery, public parks remain closed, children attend school online, and everyone wears breathing masks in public. This seemingly bleak picture is the effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in China, which has unexpectedly provided ministry opportunities for pastor Matt Tyler. Matt and Emily Tyler … [Read more...]
The promise of future grace for today’s trials
Statistically, January is the most disliked month of the year. For most of us January is a dreary month full of cold, holiday let-down. Factoring in that January has the highest death rate, it’s not hard to see why people don’t care for the first month of the year. However, January has a unique ability of bringing out the same desire in each of us – a longing for something greater than the present. January is truly God’s yearly grace for Christians to faithfully serve in the present and to … [Read more...]
Telling the biblical Christmas story
One of the most anticipated seasons of the year is finally upon us. Houses are festively decorated for Christmas, shopping malls are crowded with gift seekers, and children everywhere are expectantly longing for both Christmas break and presents. As Christians enter the Christmas season, many eagerly anticipate not only the excitement of the holidays, but more importantly the significance of Christmas. Desiring to keep Christ in Christmas, Christians seek to tell the story of Christ’s birth … [Read more...]
What is God’s solution for life’s problems?
Few lessons are learned better than those through parenting. Endless lessons are gained by observing children. In parenting a toddler, I’ve come to the realization that my son is incapable of grasping the greatest solution to his problems. After an enjoyable morning in the park, he always cries when it’s time to leave. He’s supremely confident that more time spent at play is the solution to his problems. At such a young age, he’s simply incapable of understanding that his loving father has … [Read more...]
Morality does not equal godliness
I’ll never forget the moment when a dear church attender struggled to grasp that morality alone does not bring glory to God. She couldn’t seem to fathom that good works don’t grant some measure of godliness. In her defense, evangelical churches have often missed the heart of the Gospel by teaching that morality equals godliness and a right standing before God. In an attempt to simplify the Gospel and make it easier to understand, holiness has been reduced to little more than moralism and … [Read more...]
‘Run in such a way that you may win’
ST. JOHN – For most Americans, the act of running is a necessary evil. We run to keep up with our children, to maintain health, to not be embarrassed in a swimsuit, or to justify our Thanksgiving feasting. Very few of us look forward to the grueling effort of training and perseverance necessary to be successful in a race. And yet as any serious runner will passionately explain, success comes only when motivated and driven by a clear purpose. Recently in the 2019 Boston Marathon, a former … [Read more...]
Is God’s Word enough?
Forty years ago, a war raged for the very soul of Southern Baptists. This war was not fought for riches or fame, but instead for the truth once delivered for all the saints – the iner-rancy and sufficiency of Scripture. This doctrinal war is best remembered as the Conservative Resurgence, which resulted in Southern Baptist churches and institutions returning to and treasuring biblical truth. And yet, while many Southern Baptists believe the Bible is without error (inerrancy), many … [Read more...]