A Conference We Plan to Attend
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Click on Picture for Registration
Like most Pastors I have to choose carefully which conferences earn my time. Some conferences are nothing more than a mere get together for a whoop and holler and go back pumped. That pumped feeling wears off usually within a day of returning. Why? Most of the time something happens to burst your bubble when you get home. A deacon will call you an say something like; “while you were out of town we received information that Sister Bertha better than you, was offended by something that you said in the message.” Or you get a visit from a precious church member that reminds you of something you said 3 years earlier that was offensive and he/she were leaving the church and “just wanted you to be aware”. The conference was just as well not attended and you are now wondering how in the world those at the conference could make statements like; “I hire my own staff”, or “I do not visit in hospitals”, or even better than those two, “I don’t have anyone on my staff that is not my friend.”
What I appreciate about Dr. Vines conference is that people will be on hand to discuss the issues one may meet. Problems come and those who are in the trenches are the ones that can tell you what to expect and how to overcome them. Well, I am registered for the upcoming conference and if I can convince Brother Wes to go, he will be registered by the weekend. 
I encourage those who are looking for hands on practicums to sign-up and be there.
Security of the Believer Series
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Dr. Steve Lemke
Rev. Peter Lumpkins
In case you missed it I want to direct your attention to my friend Peter Lumpkins blog. He began a six part series on the Security of the Believer that is entitled: Why Your Faith Is Secure. Of course Brother Peter is only re-posting this series that was originally authored by Dr. Steve Lemke, Provost at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The original series appeared in the [Louisiana] Baptist Message. I encourage you to take a gander at this series as it delivers great insight and encourages believers. While I am a little late to the party, one can find Part 1 here.
New Blog Post
Posted by ·In keeping with the spirit of the blog administrators here at SBC Today, I am posting over at my personal blog. In my personal site I post on things that pertain more to NC Baptist events. However, during our time off, I have posted on a theological issue pertaining to infant death and election. You can click here to view the article.
Baseball Reveals Much
Posted by ·Click on the link above and you will see a Southern Baptist Pastor. If you will look closely you will notice, seen better in the replay, a bald man in the lower left side of the shot, reaching up to protect his family. However, his look of amazement at the ball hitting the lady behind him is classic. That bald pastor is none other than Dr. Nathan Lino current President of Southern Baptist of Texas. He really looks like the protector that he is. Of course he never spilled his drink. Notice how he holds it close to his chest as he tries to reach out and protect his family. You go Nathan.
Bo, in his interview, has a classic baseball line; “the ball was in the lights”.
Dr. Johnny Hunt
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Dr. Johnny Hunt
Dr. Johnny Hunt is on a Leave of Absence until September 19, 2010. The Executive Pastor, Rev. Jim Law, of FBC Woodstock made a statement on Sunday, August 8, 2010. We here at SBC Today want to ask our readers to pray for Dr. Hunt and his wife Janet as requested by the leadership of FBC Woodstock. More coverage can be found at Baptist Press and a video link can be found on FBC Woodstock’s website, or you can go here to find a link.
Thank God for the CR
Posted by ·One of the reasons that the CR was needed is illustrated by the recent string of articles in the Associated Baptist Press on women pastors. There are some people in our SBC sphere of existence who wish to rewrite history, and who like to think that the CR was not really needed. They think that it was all purely political, and it was an evil grab for power and control. But, the issue was definitely theological. The leaders of the CR just represented what thousands and thousands of Pastors and people in the pews were wanting to happen; praying for; and longing for someone to lead the charge. Thank God for Dr. Page Patterson and Paul Pressler and Dr. Adrian Rogers and all the others, who had the guts and the faith to lead out in this incredible endeavor. God used it and blessed it greatly.
But, what I really want you to see in this post is some of the reasons that the CR had to be, and where the SBC would be today if it had not happened. The ABP is a good place to look when trying to see what the SBC would’ve been. Look at this article: http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5411/53/ and this one: http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5410/9/ So, clearly going against the teaching of the Bible does not seem to matter to these people. They could care less that the Bible clearly teaches that only men should be Pastors/Elders in a church. This just shows their total disregard for what the Bible teaches. They’d rather fit in with society. And, this is where the SBC was going before the CR.
Also, I’ve always thought that winning souls and worshipping Jesus was at the heart of Christian ministry? I always thought that fulfilling the Great Commission was at the heart of what a Christian should be about? I’ve always thought that people knowing God and loving Him would answer the problem of man. Is that not what the Bible teaches? But, according to the ABP, the heart of Christian ministry should be something else. Now, please, dont come in here telling me that I dont believe in helping the sick and the poor. Of course, Christian compassion should lead us to help people in need, and we’re commanded to do that in the Bible. But, is this the “heart” of Christian ministry? Is this the core of what we should be about? Look at this article: http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5410/9/ Also, notice that it’s a woman that’s “preaching” it! lol. And again, this is where the SBC was going before the CR.
Also, the ABP has shown how the liberal/moderate crowd of the former SBC’ers disregard the clear teachings of the Scripture concerning homosexuality. Look at this: http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3469&Itemid=9 and this one: http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5001/9/ And then, look at this one: http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5281/53/ This is where the SBC would be today had not the CR taken place. This is the way we were going before the CR.
Folks, we need to thank the Lord that the leaders of the CR had the courage and the faith to lead our SBC back to the Bible. We need to thank God most of all for doing this great work in the SBC. God has blessed us in the SBC in great ways. God is using the SBC in tremendous ways to carry out His work on this Earth. And, we need to realize that being a people of the BOOK is the reason that God uses us and blesses us so greatly. The fact that we preach the Gospel and teach His Word is why He continues to choose to bless us and use us. And, if we ever drift away from a true faith….based on the Bible….then we’ll go the way of the other denominations and churches that left the faith. You dont have to look far to see how dead and dying these churches and denominations are.
Help in San Antonio
Posted by ·I have a need and thought I would open it up to the Body of Christ found in the San Antonio area.
I am leaving Saturday, July 31, 2010 for a Mission trip to Mexico. My plane lands 12:20pm CT and I need to get from the airport to the border crossing at Eagle Pass. Can someone help me with a ride for two people and their luggage? If you can help just email me and let me know. If I do not get any responses then I will use the shuttle. Just trying to save some money. We will cover your gas costs.
Age of Accountability
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Dr. Steve W. Lemke
The Resource Managers here at SBC Today are on a hiatus until sometime this fall. However, we are still publishing on our personal blogs. Over at Southern Baptist in NC, I have posted an article by Dr. Steve Lemke. I encourage you to come over and view it. Dr. Lemke serves as Provost of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He also holds the position of Professor of Philosophy and Ethics. His article on the “Age of Accountability” was originally published in January 7, 2010 issue of the Louisiana Baptist Message. Dr. Lemke is a good friend and has articulated a doctrine that seems to be taken for granted in today’s younger pastors. Dr. Lemke gives a very reasonable argument and Biblical foundation for this doctrine.
Podcast Episode 29
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Les Puryear joins us on the podcast to discuss the SBC Majority Initiative and his recent series of posts on the distinction between Reformed pastors and traditional Southern Baptist pastors who are Calvinists. A storm caused us to lose our connection with Les just as we are beginning to discuss his blog series, so you’ll notice a bit of disconnected dialogue in there, as we edited out the chatter that went on while we were working to get everyone reconnected.
This podcast also marks the beginning of a bit of a hiatus (or should that be “an hiatus”?) for us here at SBC Today. As we explain in the closing moments of the podcast, summer is in full swing, and everyone is busy with VBS, camps, mission trips, and the like, so we’ve decided it would be best to take a break. We plan to be back around the time state conventions begin having their annual meetings in the fall, and we will return with a renewed focus on the issues of ministry, evangelism, and ecclesiology that give us our distinctive identity as Baptists. We look forward to promoting and discussing these issues.
You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or you can subscribe in iTunes by clicking the image in this post or the link in the sidebar. Below are links to some of the items discussed in the podcast:
SBCMI’s online presence:
Les Puryear’s Reformed/Southern Baptist series:
- Introduction
- Pastors
- Why It’s Important
- Ordinances or Sacraments?
- Covenant Theology
- Polity
- Altar Calls
- Support of SBC/non-SBC ministry
- Final Thoughts
Article about the SBC
Enhanced Podcast [47:38m]: The SBC Majority Initiative
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I have recently agreed to help a friend, Les Puryear, who has called to our attention an important need and emphasis within the life of the Southern Baptist Convention. The need is set forth in what Les has established as the SBC Majority Initiative. This is a movement to encourage the smaller in attendance churches in our convention, which comprise approximately 83% of the 40,000+ churches of the SBC, to greater involvement in leadership within the ongoing work of our entities and trustee boards.
In addition to awakening our national convention to the need for our smaller churches to be more involved in leadership, those involved also hope to provide news about resources to help our churches more fully and faithfully carry out our Great Commission calling and ministries.
SO, if you haven’t already, please go check out the following opportunities to get connected to the SBC Majority Initiative:
Web Page
Blog
