RICHMOND, Va. – One of the battle cries of the Reformation was Soli Deo Gloria: Glory to God alone. The Reformers looked at the Medieval Roman Catholic understanding of the Christian faith and realized that it was fundamentally flawed at several points. The Medieval Roman church believed in three sources of spiritual authority: Scripture, tradition, and the leadership of the church of Rome. Final deciding authority fell to the Roman church. But the Reformers believed that the Bible was … [Read more...]
Why our church recites the BFM 2000
As a pastor, I’m grateful for the way our church family participates and responds in worship. They are “all in” whether it’s during the musical portion of worship, praying, reciting verses, or the sermon, and I greatly appreciate it. I especially appreciate our time together as each week we recite an article of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Granted, I know it’s not the same as Scripture (no Baptist should ever say it is), but it highlights some top-tier things we believe about … [Read more...]
‘Reformation without tarrying for any’
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 19th column in a year-long series leading up to the 500th anniversary of the 16th-century Reformation on Oct. 31, 2017. When King Henry VIII’s Catholic daughter, Mary Tudor, claimed the throne of England in 1553, the English Reformer John Hooper backed her claim as legitimate. Since Hooper was a staunchly Protestant bishop, his support of the new Catholic queen may come as a surprise. What comes as less of a surprise is his opposition to other leading … [Read more...]
‘Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving’
Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field (Matt 13:44). It seems a wealthy man buried a fortune on his land and died before he could retrieve it. No one knows it is there until a traveler finds it, marks the spot, and races home. In his great joy all he can think about is selling everything he owns to buy that land and get that treasure. From that moment on the traveler’s life is transformed; every decision he makes with every cent of his wealth is aimed … [Read more...]
Between some math and a stuck place
When I was in junior high, anytime I felt like I needed a good cry, I’d just ask my dad to help me with my math. I’d like to say something about the “sums of the fathers” right here, but any way you pun it, it was actually all me. Even in high school, I remember going up to my algebra teacher’s desk saying, “Mr. Showalter, I’m stuck on number 5.” At which point he would do the problem for me with a smile. Mind you, I was also stuck on numbers one through four, but I didn’t want to … [Read more...]
Is the Bible literally true?
Christians are sometimes asked if we believe the Bible is literally true. After all, whether eating Christ’s flesh and drinking His blood is a plunge into cannibalism, or a figurative expression of full devotion, depends on how we understand the language of Scripture. In one sense, we might say the Bible is divinely inspired literature through which God speaks to human beings in our own language. This naturally includes a range of literary devices, from narrative to hyperbole. So, … [Read more...]
Maximize your time: Five important maxims for redeeming the time
I was challenged by this thought the other day: Imagine you have a bank account and someone places a gift of $86,400 into the account every morning. There are rules: You have to use it all every day. None of the funds can carry over to the next day. No refunds and no borrowing from the next day. You must give an accounting of how you spend the funds, and the donor has high expectations for its use. Sound familiar? You guessed it. You and I have 86,400 seconds to utilize every day. … [Read more...]
The Pathway flourishes, others face challenges
Circulation and readership is growing at a remarkable pace for The Pathway, bucking a trend that many other state convention newspapers are experiencing. While The Pathway flourishes, Missouri Baptists should be aware that is not the case for many other state convention newspapers throughout the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). It is an issue deserving of much-needed discussion by Southern Baptists. The SBC’s viability may turn on how this issue is treated. Secular printed newspapers … [Read more...]
The Baptist missionary movement in Mo. remembered after 200 years
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of several articles commemorating the Baptist history in Missouri, written by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Historical Commission. JEFFERSON CITY – Upon the purchase in 1803 by the United States, the Louisiana Territory (Missouri) was open to religious and educational freedom. A few Baptist churches were established in southeast Missouri after 1803, there was no organized Baptist missionary effort until 1817. At the meeting of the … [Read more...]
We need more than soap!
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” – Matthew 12:36 There was a time when people joked about getting the mouth washed out with soap for saying bad words. I’m afraid there isn’t enough soap in the world to stop all the bad language we are hearing in society today! Perhaps using the mouth-washing technique worked for some, but we have more of a heart problem today. What a challenge we have to teach our children … [Read more...]
‘That we finally lose not the things eternal’
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 18th column in a year-long series leading up to the 500th anniversary of the 16th-century Reformation on Oct. 31, 2017. “God (the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy), increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal; grant this, heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake our Lord. Amen.” – The English … [Read more...]
A mansion over the grill-top
I don’t believe it’s true, but someone once told me that a house perpetually and perfectly well-kept is a sign of an “uninteresting” life. Again, not true. But for people who believe it, I might be one of the most fascinating people they’ll ever meet. Sometimes, to get inspired to get my house in order, I look up cleaning and organizing tips on Pinterest. Next thing I know, I’m thinking about D-I-Y-ing something amazing. It has nothing whatsoever to do with cleaning my house, but still. … [Read more...]
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