The Scriptures are clear about the importance of a marriage that is a life-long, loving relationship with one man and one woman. However, in the hustle of life, very few of us pause to identify the benefits of a long-haul marriage. To help illustrate the benefits, read the following story. Les and Leslie Parrott tell the story of Isidor and Ida Strauss, an immigrant couple who worked hard and saved their money to sail to the “New World,” the United States of America. When they arrived, … [Read more...]
What will be said when this life is over?
What will be said about you when this life is over? Great question and worthy of evaluation. After all, for believers, we are really citizens of heaven just passing through on our way to an audience with the King of kings. What lingers behind us is the aroma of our testimony through our character and the influence we’ve had on others. The other day an editor friend of mine, Gary Ledbetter, wrote a short column about what people talk about at a person’s funeral (Southern Baptist Texan, … [Read more...]
Governing Documents Listening Session
JEFFERSON CITY – As announced at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention, the Committee on Continuing Review is charged with making minor changes to the documents that were presented. They also want to hear from you. They are hosting a listening session at 8 a.m., prior to the Friday, Feb. 24, session of the Great Commission Conference in Springfield at the Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Room 140. After reading the documents online at … [Read more...]
Five things a church can do to halt the holocaust
Science has long since outstripped the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. On Oct. 11, 2016, Oxford University released a study indicating that a baby’s heart begins to beat around the 16th day after conception. By using lab mice, they confirmed that the hearts of baby mice start to beat in 7.5 days. Then, extrapolating to the human anatomy, a baby’s heart begins beating on the 16th day, providing oxygen and nutrients to this living person. The unborn child has his or her own DNA and … [Read more...]
When is it okay to brag?
Catchy title. We have all had the experience of being around that relative or coworker who seems to be telling about his/her accomplishments with such exuberance (exaggerated excitement) that you question whether all of their story is true. An article by Elizabeth Bernstein with the same title, “When is it okay to brag?”, appeared in the Wall Street Journal Dec. 6, 2016. Her article addressed both the appropriate times to boast and those awkward, inappropriate times when people … [Read more...]
Learning gratitude
There is a sense in which our basic human flesh rebels against gratefulness. Yet gratefulness is one of the most important character traits for an individual, family, church or culture to learn. Let’s begin with a definition. There is the common definition: “warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received.” The Encyclopedia of Ethics defines gratefulness as “the heart’s internal indicator on which the tally of gifts outweighs exchanges.” Some of us were taught that … [Read more...]
Take a step of faith
You are making a difference by taking another step of faith. Five years ago (2011) Sharon and I came to Missouri as I was called to serve as Executive Director/Treasurer. As advocates for the Cooperative Program, we believed the Lord wants to do something amazing through people and churches who trust Him. We are confident that the highest percent of dollars actually engaged in the work of supporting missionaries in the state, the nation, and the world happens best cooperatively. While … [Read more...]
Power of a metaphor: Church-state separation
My friend, Dr. Michael Gabbert, senior pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church in the Tulsa, Okla., area, is an excellent researcher. He developed a series of insights in response to those who ask the question, “Pastor, who do we vote for?” Perhaps his careful insights will encourage you to speak out in the days leading up to decision day on Nov. 8: Consider Thomas Jefferson—political theorist, statesman, diplomat. He was a scientist, an inventor, an architect and a farmer. He was also the … [Read more...]
Abortion & the Election: Five million plus children
There are many voices screaming at the top of their lungs, attempting to sway the vote of adults in this nation for their particular candidate. By this stage of the game, only the uninformed are unaware that both candidates are seriously flawed. It is a good thing when the personality of the leader exudes greatness and virtue, but neither of the candidates’ characters and personality traits rise to a level worthy of enthusiastic support. But this election was never as much about which … [Read more...]
Welcome home, Mo. Baptist Foundation!
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...]
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