The doctrine of hell is disturbing. The very idea of suffering and separation beyond the grave elicits a wide range of responses, from anguish to anger. The possibility of departed loved ones languishing in outer darkness only adds to the grief of those laying flowers on their graves. Some atheists cite hell as a reason to deny the existence of a loving God. What’s more, Anglican cleric John Stott, who wrote the influential book Basic Christianity, found the idea of eternal suffering in … [Read more...]
Standing for the sanctity of life in the SBC
Just a few days ago, I met with a media leader from the Kansas City area to discuss our goals for the organizations we lead. Part of our time together included a tour of the unique building that Missouri Baptists own as part of its missionary strategy. The building is just four blocks from the Missouri State Capitol, which makes it convenient for fulfilling one of the primary roles of a state convention, namely public policy engagement that protects the religious liberties of individuals … [Read more...]
Prayers, pro-life bills and Good Samaritans
A reproduction of Arnold Friberg’s iconic painting of General George Washington kneeling in prayer in the snow at Valley Forge hangs over my desk. The original hangs in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. I love Friberg’s painting because it reminds us that we must pray and ask God to heal and bless our land. Ever since our nation’s founding, America’s leaders have prayed for Divine guidance. Even today, with Christianity seemingly losing influence over American society, many … [Read more...]
‘Joy to the World, the Lord has come!’
“Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! Come and behold him, born the King of angels!” “Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies, with the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Christmas is a time of joy. As these songs remind us, because the eternal Son of God came to this earth, peace … [Read more...]
‘Presence, not presents’
Ah, Christmas shopping. When you can find yourself completely enveloped in the smell of evergreen. And sometimes pepper spray. When my five kids were little, I remember sometimes feeling my children thought my Christmas list was some sort of magic lamp. Make a wish, rub my list and POOF! It was under the tree. I might even remember one of them wishing for three more wishes. Every year I would resolve not to be manipulated. I would be very determined…as I wrote all their “wishes” down on … [Read more...]
Mo. Baptists celebrate 200 years: Missouri Baptists establish Will Mayfield College
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the seventh of several articles commemmorating Baptist history in Missouri, written by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Historical Commission. I have pastored in Southeast Missouri for over fifty years. I grew up in Jackson, MO and united with the First Baptist Church when I was twelve. Our R.A. (Royal Ambassador) group would visit the old cemetery at the Old Bethel location. I had heard much about Old Bethel. I knew that Old Bethel was the first … [Read more...]
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
I was in fifth grade when my mother, who is now a 50-year-plus member of the First Baptist Church choir in Monticello, Kentucky, was singing in the Community Christmas concert at the large Nazarene church in our town. There were over 120 choristers; and for our small town, that was a huge deal. Mama Lela (grandma), my Dad and I were in the congregation. There was definite electricity in the air that night in worship. There came a point in the service when my Uncle Norman, who directed the … [Read more...]
Jesus as the firstborn
Jehovah’s Witnesses have a disturbing take on the apostle Paul’s description of Jesus as the “firstborn over all creation.” Consider how the Watch Tower renders Col. 1:15-17 in its New World Translation: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have … [Read more...]
Fund future ministry
I have been asked more than once, “Why?” “Why did I leave the best church in the world (with the best preaching by the way) to take a position with the Missouri Baptist Foundation?” “Why did I leave Branson?” I mean, it is Branson, for goodness sake, with Silver Dollar City just down the road, lots of lakes and trees and hills, and the land of outlet shopping malls? “Why would I uproot my family after ten years of developing deep and meaningful relationships?” On many levels, I admit, … [Read more...]
Christmas ruminations; farewell to 2017, hello 2018
During this Christmas season as you pray for what God would have you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering for our foreign missionaries, also pray for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world facing persecution. Every six minutes a Christian dies for their faith around the world, making Christianity the most persecuted religion on Earth. * * * * It was a blessing to be among the more than 400 who attended the American Renewal Project event in … [Read more...]
What you may have missed in the Christmas story
My longtime friend from Louisiana, Joe McKeever, crafted a column titled, “10 Things About the Christmas Story You May Have Missed.” I was fascinated at these 10 items, so much so that I began to explore on my own some less obvious things surrounding the first coming of our Lord Jesus. In his panoramic view of that very first Christmas scene, some of the things McKeever observed are: Joseph had no speaking lines Mary was a deep thinker After the angels appeared to the … [Read more...]
HLGU’s John Francis: Give thanks!
Baptists are Baptists because of worship. Our predecessors, the English Particular Baptists, claimed worship as their early distinctive from every other Christian denomination in the world. Understand that their idea of “worship” were two principle concepts or ordinances, “Baptism” and “The Lord’s Supper.” This new people group wanted desperately to be “people of the Word.” In doing so they sought to worship as those in the earliest church did with a desire to take everything back to their … [Read more...]
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