“Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.” – Proverbs 20:11 (NKJV) An incident occurred when I taught kindergarten that still sticks in my mind. Mother’s Day was approaching and I had the children in a group talking about what they could do to show their mothers that the children loved them. As we were discussing what mothers do for us, one little boy looked at me with eyes flashing and said in a very deliberate chilling voice, “I hate my mother!” I … [Read more...]
Ministering to children in today’s society
Missouri Baptist Children’s Home has been serving children, youth and families since April 1, 1886. In those early days, only very young children were served. The history shows that during the first year of operation, 76 children were received into the home of whom 25 were adopted and 26 died. These deaths occurred because many of the children were from abject poverty and were malnourished, weak and very ill. For those who were adopted, life was so much better than if they would have … [Read more...]
Ah, sweet life, sweet communion
I don’t know why we’re always making things a lot more complicated than we need to, but repairs shouldn’t be rocket science. Unless you’re repairing rockets. But for everything else it’s a lot simpler than we tend to make it. According to my grandfather, if it’s mechanical, you fix it with duct tape or WD-40. In extreme cases, both. According to my grandmother, if it’s biological, sometimes you fix it with Vicks. Sometimes Camphophenique. In extreme cases, both. According to me, everything … [Read more...]
It’s sin, people
Without much fanfare, at least in the evangelical community, the evening of Oct. 8 and the daytime of Oct. 9 passed. Surely, there were of a myriad of activities and busy schedules that needed attention. A “to-do” list for that time span needed to be completed. Life seems full of excuses when something is important. While the special day, Yom Kippur, was on the Jewish calendar, it wasn’t even a speed bump to the vast majority of the Christian world. Didn’t seem to matter that the … [Read more...]
Order reflects God’s nature; Say ‘hello’ in Branson
“But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.” 1 Cor. 14:40 One of the remarkable aspects of the “Battle for the Bible” in the Southern Baptist Convention is how conservatives followed the rules in gaining control. There was no cheating, and all business was conducted on the convention floor so messengers could hear the issues debated and vote according to the rules. Presidential candidates were elected in true democratic form and the winner was able to follow the … [Read more...]
Making Great Commission disciples through worship
What is the purpose of the church? In the mandate of Christ in the last chapter of Matthew, it is quite clear. The purpose of the church is “to make disciples.” This “disciple making” manifests itself in many facets: through preaching, through teaching, through giving, through fellowship, through evangelism, and greatly through worship. “Worship-discipling” is patterned time and again in the Old Testament, as the elder priests would cycle off after a certain age to allow the young priests … [Read more...]
Serve the list or enlist to serve?
List-maker, list-maker, make me a list. But wait, make it for someone else, not me. Because I already have eight thousand lists of my own, thanks. A family member told me the other day that my stacks upon stacks of lists make me look like an organized person. Then we laughed and laughed. Because we both know me. I don’t make all these lists because I’m organized. I make them because I’m not. Those who know me know I make lists and lists, and lists of lists. In list form. How do I love my … [Read more...]
Seven years, seven leadership lessons as Midwestern seminary president
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – For me, this week marks seven completed years as president of Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College. Annually, this season prompts personal and institutional reflection and thanksgiving. This year, it's been doubly so. At the personal level, I'm astonished how quickly the years have passed. We arrived in Kansas City with five children, ages 9-4, in tow. Now those same children are 16-11. For the Allen family, Kansas City has become our home, and the seminary our … [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...]
Our Baptist heritage: freedom of conscience
“The King is a mortal man, and not God. Therefore, he has no power over the souls of his subjects; he has no power to make laws for their souls; he has no power to set spiritual Lords over them. If the King did have such authority, then he would be an immortal God and not mortal man. O King, do not be seduced to sin against God nor against your poor subjects by making such laws.” So reads the inscription in the front of Thomas Helwys’ A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity … [Read more...]
The faith of a child
I have a four-year-old. Her name is Lucy. There are many fears a mother has in raising a little girl: Am I teaching her confidence? I pray no one ever hurts her. Will she talk to me if someone does? Will she talk to me at all? Will she hate me when she’s a teenager? Will she be picked on in school? Was that the right way to teach her that lesson? Will she have a relationship with the Lord? Will she serve Him when she’s no longer in my home? “Train up a child in the way he should go: and … [Read more...]
Three marks of godly leaders in the SBC
A few months ago, I posted at my website, JohnYeats.net, a list of attributes for SBC leaders. At the moment I wrote, several SBC ministries were without leaders. As you might expect, there was a massive scramble, blog posts, and hype by too many to fill those leadership posts with people who would be of our personal liking. If we are to be the people of God on mission with God, our particular personal “liking” or persuasion about a leader is not the order of the day. Like pastoral search … [Read more...]
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