All a man’s ways seem right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the motives. Proverbs 16:2 HCSV On more than one occasion, I have participated in a purge of my library. There are just some books I can’t afford to keep around anymore. From my perspective, they aren’t classics and the information is attainable online. In that process, I came across several books that were published over 40 years ago by Broadman Press, the publishing arm of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay). … [Read more...]
Let’s love like the best spray-on orbit
I can always tell when we’re at the beginning of a new season. Not by a wanky knee or Granny’s weather beetle. Nothing like that. No, I can tell by the sudden need to refigure the frizz to hair-product ratio. Time to check out the atmos-hair-ic condition. Percent relative humidity times the circumference of your head, divided by the barometric pressure, times the wind velocity, then multiplied again by how important it is for you to look good for a meeting. Most days when I’m breaking in a … [Read more...]
Five things all churches should have in their bylaws
Editor's note: The article and download that follows is made available through Alliance Defending Freedom. "In the wake of battles in several states over the issue of same-sex “marriage” and the adoption by states and local governments of special rights for those engaging in homosexual behavior, many churches are unsure of their legal rights. Churches have broad constitutional protections designed to ensure the free exercise of religion and to prevent intrusion by the state into matters … [Read more...]
MBC apologetics network to help churches defend faith
The Missouri Baptist Convention is making it easier for MBC churches to train their congregations to defend the Christian faith. The MBC has launched the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network, a group of church leaders committed to the defense of the Christian faith and called to equip believers to more effectively share their faith. Each leader is an active member of a Missouri Baptist church and engaged in an apologetics ministry. Inaugural members of the network are Eugene Curry … [Read more...]
Should evangelizing be work or play?
A number of veteran IMB missionaries were given personality tests and then given four samples of print materials to evaluate. Since this was my project, I assumed that the stern accountant-types would choose terse text and bullet-point layouts with conceptual analysis. Not so. The missionaries regardless of their personality type all chose print media that had lots of photos and testimonials of personal struggles or victories. They chose play over work every time. There is a sociological … [Read more...]
Northeast Missouri churches celebrate missions
EWING – Missouri Baptists from Northeast Missouri churches gathered to perpetuate the work of Jesus during “On Mission Connection” (OMC), an event hosted by First Baptist Church here, March 21-23. Fourteen workers representing the International Mission Board (IMB), North America Mission Board (NAMB), and the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) shared their stories at OMC, which was sponsored by the Mt. Salem/Wyaconda Southern Baptist Association. After a dinner at FBC, Ewing, these workers … [Read more...]
Seven words that reveal Islam’s worldview
Sharing our faith with Muslims requires Christians to know at least something about the religion Muhammad established 14 centuries ago. Particularly enlightening are seven words that expose Islam’s view of the non-Muslim world and help us understand why Muhammad and his followers have consistently treated Christians with disdain. Kafir. A kafir is “one who covers or conceals the known truth; an unbeliever.” In other words, a kafir is any non-Muslim. Since kafirs reside outside the … [Read more...]
Keeping the Southern Baptist faith
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Southern Baptist Convention with 15 million members is the largest Protestant denomination in the country. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., is its oldest and arguably most influential seminary. Albert Mohler has been president at Southern Seminary for more than 20 years, but when he arrived there as a young man still in his 30s, he had a huge task before him. The seminary had taken a hard, left turn in liberalism, and his job was to do no … [Read more...]
‘Do You Believe?’ is powerful follow-up to ‘God’s Not Dead’
NASHVILLE – What’s the best evangelistic movie ever? By that, I mean the best film that has, at its core, the Gospel – and one that makes the message of Christ the film’s theme. I have a new nomination, and it came out in theaters March 20. The film is called Do You Believe?, a movie that follows the lives of a dozen people as they face their own unique challenges in life and must decide what they believe about God – and then what they’re going to do about it. It’s written by the same … [Read more...]
Where’s the Remote?
Oh, the things we do to keep from having to get up off the sofa. “Do you have the remote?” “No. You had it last.” “You sure you don’t have it? Get up.” I’m not sure why there are places in the deepest recesses of the couch where the remote becomes completely invisible. There must be an entrance into some kind of parallel TV universe in there. Incidentally, the first time I heard they were making a “universal remote,” I thought we finally had something that would help with the … [Read more...]
Your church can be an Easter illustration
WEBSTER GROVES (BP) – For years in Southern Baptist life the message among pastors about plateaued and dying churches was simple -- stay away. As a church planter, I believed, and experience had shown me, that it was easier to start a new church rather than resurrect a dying church with damaged DNA. But there was a problem with that belief. Jesus is in the resurrection business. The church must be as well. When a community sees a once-dead church become a thriving, Gospel-proclaiming, … [Read more...]
Setbacks and victories of religious freedom
NASHVILLE (BP) – The freedom to live according to one's religious beliefs has been a fundamental right in America since its founding. As the culture changes and those opposed to biblical values become more vocal, it is becoming increasingly difficult to express religious beliefs without being socially ostracized or legally penalized. The following compilation by SBCLIFE, the journal of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, lists many of the political and cultural … [Read more...]
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