Southern Grits & Sovereign Grace

Google To Donate $11.5 Million To Fight Slavery | Fox News

2011-12-14T06:19:00.000-08:00

Google To Donate $11.5 Million To Fight Slavery | Fox News:

Tech giant Google is donating $11.5 million to organizations fighting to end the slavery of 27 million people around the world.

It is believed to be the largest corporate grant ever devoted to the intervention and rescue of people being held, forced to work or provide sex against their will.

Google made the announcement Wednesday as part of its $40 million, end-of-year charitable donations. In total, the tech company donated more than $100 million in 2011.

Anti-slavery organizations International Justice Mission, the Polaris Project and Slavery Footprint will receive the bulk of the latest grant.

Much of their work will be focused on helping people being forced to work against their will or trafficked in India, as well as raising awareness about the issue here in the U.S.

In the aftermath of the "War of Northern Aggression" (U.S. Civil War) the Victors sought to justify their invasion and total destruction of the Old South, including the death of more Americans than all those who would died in both World wars, Korea, and Vietnam combined, by telling themselves and the world that this devastating (and completely unnecessary) war was fought to free the slaves in the South.

The truth of history has proven this to be a great lie, yet our New Masters in Washington continue to this very day to defend their actions during and following the U.S. Civil War as necessary to free the slaves in the South. If this were indeed the truth, that the invasion of the South and death of 500,000 Americans, was justified by the freeing of the Southern Slaves (for many slaves in the north remained slaves until their death many years after the end of the war) then I ask you "Where is the outcry from our Masters in Washington over the 27 MILLION held in slavery around the world today?"

Our Masters in Washington are willing to spend Billions and Billions to fight a war on terror... and yet they are unwilling to lift even one finger to free the staggering number of 27 MILLION people that are held in slavery around the world today. Why is this so???

In case you have not noticed Friends, I am through drinking the politically correct Cool-Aid... and while others may remain silent when it comes to defending the honor and integrity of the Christian Men and Women of the Old South, I will not.

If you have not read the old book "A Defense of Virginia and the South" by R.L. Dabney, published by Sprinkle Publications I encourage you to do so... It will go a very long way in enlightening you to the truth on this issue... and in the process you just might gain some insight into the gross abuse of power that we see on a daily basis in Washington today.

Grace for the Journey,

Honduras on my Mind

2011-08-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

By: Randy Umberger, Senior Pastor, Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Apex, North Carolina

Right now, I am writing this about 37,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, as we make our way back home from a week in Honduras. I have a lot of mixed feelings about our time there. So much has changed since we left back in 2008. We went down to celebrate the dedication of a new meeting place for a precious group of believers at Rebano de Jesus. We have been working with and helping these brothers and sisters for five years now. It was a joy filled celebration that we were able to participate in.

I can remember when they were meeting in a very poverty stricken area, in a tin shed with about sixty members of their body. I fondly remember teaching under that tin roof and sweating like a pig when the heat and odor were nearly unbearable. That was five years ago. Now, they have built with their own hands and literally by the provision of God, a simple facility that will seat between 800 and 1000 people! The cost to date has been about $186,000.00 and they have raised every bit of it without borrowing one dime! And to get the full miracle of this, you have to understand that they have done this in a country that has experienced some of the most severe economic problems on the planet in the last three years, as well as the fact that most of them do not make more than about $3000.00 to $4000.00 a year income! They have truly seen the hand and provision of God through the whole process.

At the celebration service (which lasted nearly three hours), they had over 600 in attendance! They did not have enough chairs so many were standing outside the building listening. I had the honor of bringing the main message, and it was humbling to see how this wonderful group has grown, not through swapping members with other churches, but by winning souls to Christ. They see their building not as a “church”, but as a means to keep them out of the elements when they gather corporately each Sunday. Their main avenue of outreach and growth is through their home fellowships that meet all over the city. That is where they train leaders and really share life together. They don’t meet for just a Bible study, but to BE the Body of Christ to each other. Pastor Giobani does not, and has never taken a “salary”. He makes his living as a tailor. He does not want the temptation of being “corrupted” by money. He has seen many of his fellow shepherds fall into that trap. The fellowship is not built around him or his preaching but many share and teach and carry out their function in the Body.

So, our hearts were richly blessed being able to be a part of this wonderful time in the life of that fellowship, but we were also saddened by how we found Honduras. Since the political shakeup several years ago, their economy has been in shambles. Unemployment is off the charts, and the recovery many had hoped for has not yet come. Tourism is WAY down, and due to the lack of legitimate means to make money, many have turned to criminal means to do so. Gangs (especially M13 and M18), have grown and become highly organized like never before. They have basically taken over many of the areas in most of the major cities. They demand a “tax” from local vendors and small busnisses that is to be paid weekly. You pay, or you die. No questions asked.

They are even going to some churches demanding this tax. In order to get into the gang, you have to kill somebody. If you want to climb the ladder within the gangs, you have to keep killing. The more people you kill, the higher you go. Friends of ours are having to pay this tax and they do so out of fear for their own lives and the lives of their families.

The streets are no longer safe to walk down in many areas, even during the day. We were told that the route Denise and I used to take every day to the coffee shop, is not safe. They told us that we would never make it there now...safely. People are robbed and shot every day, just for a cell phone or even a pair of shoes.

Of course the drug trade is rampant and growing. The areas where we used to work in the jungle have become main routes for drug trafficking and also sex trafficking. Little children are being taken out of many of these villages and sold into sexual slavery. Parents place their children in the hands of someone who promises them that they will give their kids a better life, and even pay them (the parents), to do so. So, with simple trust, the send their kids away, with good intentions, not knowing the hell that awaits them.

Tragically, the police do not do much at all about the gangs or the drugs. Many of them have been paid off by gang leaders and drug kingpins to look the other way, and they do. The government seems oblivious to the needs of the poor who are the main ones suffering the brunt of all of this. Corruption is everywhere from the highest levels on down.

Places that used to be full of tourists and people milling about were empty. We saw very few “gringos” on this trip, even on the planes going and coming. So, to say our hearts are heavy about this is a real understatement. Yet, we know that the Kingdom continues to flourish and grow even in the midst of great hardship and suffering. Rebano de Jesus is evidence of that. God is in control and He continues to build His temple of living stones. The light does shine brightest in the darkest places.

What we have seen in Honduras is small to what I believe is coming to our own country. When (not if), the economy in our land goes into crash mode, we will see the same sort of criminal and evil activity multiplied. The difference is that folks in Honduras know what hard living is all about. They have experienced this much of their lives. We here in the U.S. have no real idea. The reaction to economic upheaval here will be exponentially worse.

No matter what, Jesus is Lord. Love God and love each other. In the end, that’s what really matters!

Pray for Honduras.

By grace alone,

Randy

'Sister Wives' Taking On Utah Bigamy Law

2011-07-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

With five states now allowing "Gay Marriages" I do not believe that Utah, or any other state, will be able to defend their laws prohibiting "Bigamy Marriages" for very long...

I wish I could say that I did not see this one coming, but in fact I did. The assault on the Traditional Family Values in America continues!

SALT LAKE CITY – A polygamous family with a reality TV show plans to challenge the Utah bigamy law that makes their lifestyle illegal, a Washington-based attorney says.

In an e-mail to The Associated Press early Tuesday, attorney Jonathan Turley says he will file the lawsuit challenging Utah's bigamy law in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court on Wednesday.

Turley represents Kody Brown and his four wives. Originally from Lehi, the family is featured on the TLC reality show "Sister Wives." They moved to Nevada in January after police launched a bigamy investigation.
Bigamy is a third-degree felony in Utah. A person can be found guilty of bigamy through cohabitation, not just legal marriage contracts.

In a statement Turley says the lawsuit will challenge the Utah's right to prosecute people for their private relationships.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/07/12/sister-wives-challenge-utah-bigamy-law/#ixzz1Ru4ebZtP

Grace for the Journey,

The Federal Government's Plan to Tax the Church!

2011-07-07T13:37:00.001-07:00

Dave Miller post an article over on SBC-Voices today concerning the issue of a Pastors tax exemption for a housing allowance. Being a huge advocate for "Limited Government" (By which I mean; limited government interference in our lives) I found this conversation worthy of a comment or two.

Here is my comment:

Guys, the whole thing is illegal… The Constitution of the United States of America does not grant the Federal Government the power to impose a tax upon the personal income of it’s Citizens.
But who am I kidding, the Federal Government threw the Constitution in the trash a long time ago…
What I find disturbing is the idea of a Federal Government that has become progressively less sympathetic (openly hostile) to Christian Values, and the Ministry of the Church in general, having assumed the power to levy a tax upon the Church (Ministry/Work of God) by taxing the income paid to Pastors.
Where are those who cry out for “Separation of Church and State” when it comes to addressing the taxation of those who labor on behalf of the church? Let’s be honest here… these taxes are being paid by “The Church”… and they represent a tax upon “The Church”!
Of course the Muslim Nations levy a heavy tax upon their Christian Citizens just for being Christians… but that’s another issue altogether… Or is it?

Most of us never stop to think about the correlation between the (illegal) Federal Income Tax imposed for the very fist time upon the citizens of this nation in 1943, and the issue of the Federal Government (directly or indirectly) imposing a "Tax upon the Church".

I do not think our Christian Forefathers would embrace the notion of taxing the private/personal income of the Citizens of this nation... and I think they would have been up in arms if someone even suggested the idea of "Taxing the Church". My how times have changed.

Grace for the Journey,

Homosexuality & A People Abandoned By God!

2011-06-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

John MacArthur speaks the plan truth about what happens to a nation when God abandons them… watch this video and listen to this somber warning from one of the leading Pastor and Theologians of our day.

When God Abandons A Nation

John Piper also posted an insightful article on gay marriage today titled: “My Eyes Shed Streams of Tears”— Thoughts on the New Calamity

In this article Piper writes:

My main reason for writing is not to mount a political counter-assault. I don’t think that is the calling of the church as such. My reason for writing is to help the church feel the sorrow of these days. And the magnitude of the assault on God and his image in man.

Christians, more clearly than others can see the tidal wave of pain that is on the way. Sin carries in it its own misery: “Men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:27).

And on top of sin’s self-destructive power comes, eventually, the wrath of God: “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming” (Colossians 3:5–6).

What is even more troubling to me than what Piper writes is what Romans 1:28 says about those who embrace Homosexuality… “God gave them over to a reprobate mind”

Most Christians think that God is going to Judge us for embracing/normalizing Homosexuality at some point in the future… While that is true, there is more going on here than that.

This verse (Romans 1:28) tells us that Homosexuality is a result of God’s judgment already being poured out on a people. Notice how that first “God gave them over…” then we find the results of that abandonment by God is a people who embrace Homosexuality.

Piper is right to warn us of “the sorrow of these days” in which we now live.

Grace for the Journey,

The Gay Agenda's Assault on Religious Liberty

2011-06-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

The Baptist Press is reporting today that N.Y.'s new Gay Marriage law makes no provision to protect the Rights of an "Individuals" Personal Religious Liberty: (See B.P. article here)

In fact, this new law all but guaranties that the Religious Liberty rights of private business owners and their employees in certain businesses in the state of New York will be… “Voided” by activist Liberal Judges in the state. The B.P. article linked to above reports “if you have a private adoption agency that is not overtly religious but believes they want to adopt kids out only to moms and dads -- they're not covered.”

The B.P. article goes on to say: “It does not protect, for example, a bed and breakfast owner who is using their own private personal property in the type of intimate setting that a bed and breakfast is. It does not protect licensed professionals. For example, it does not protect counselors. It also does not protect lawyers -- you may have a family law attorney who does not want to do a same-sex divorce because of their deeply held religious beliefs. It does not protect fertility doctors who may have a strict belief and only want to help [heterosexual] married couples because they believe a kid deserves both a mom and a dad.”

In other words, it does absolutely nothing to protect the “Personal Religious Liberty Rights” of the private citizen of the state of New York.

In seeking to grant “Special Rights” to one group of its citizens, the State of New York has chosen to strip another group of its citizens of their rights to say no based upon their personal religious objections. I wonder what the founding fathers of this nation would say, not to the issue of Gay Marriage, but to the assault on the "Religious Liberty" of the "Private Citizen" that this new law represents.

Grace for the Journey,

Receiving God's Word with Joy!

2011-06-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

Friends, watch this video and see the joy as the Kimyal people group of Papua, Indonesia welcome the arrival of the New Testament in their language.

This is so powerful!!!

Dr. Mohler (vs) Peter Lumpkins: Do the Clothes make the Man?

2011-06-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dave over at SBC-Voices appears to have gotten a little squeamish over me and others raising the issue of Peter Lumpkins (P-Lump's) appearance and dress at the SBC convention last week. So I will post it on my blog where I have no issue with such a discussion taking place.

I have always been told that how a man dresses says a lot about the man, and that both men and women dress to communicate a message to those who see them.

Watch the following video and tell me what your response is to the dress, appearance, and demeanor of both men.

YouTube - Al Mohler Responds To Peter Lumpkins

Would you like a little cheese with that “Grape Juice?”

2011-06-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

I must admit that sometimes I get a little irritated by these guys who insist that Jesus never turned the water of John chapter 2 into wine, but actually turned the water into grape juice.

Here is a short reply I posted over on SBC-Voices a little while ago addressing this issue. I share it here only because, until someone (anyone) addresses the issue I raise here concerning the trustworthiness of our Bible Translators then I really am not at all interested in discussing this issue with them.

---

David,

Please look up the word “Wine” in any/every English Dictionary… What does it/they say?

Now look it up in any/every English Translation of the Bible… What does it/they say?

If you are correct then every English Bible Translator that has ever lived has gotten it massively wrong… and we need a new Bible.

For me, I think I will trust that all those English Bible Translators are not wrong… Just saying!

Grace for the Journey,

"Great Commission Giving" Affirmed By SBC

2011-06-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

Mark Kelly at Baptist Press reports that seven recommendations from the SBC Executive Committee were approved by messengers during the opening session of the SBC annual meeting in Phoenix on June 14, 2011. Of the seven recommendation approved at this year’s convention, four were related to the "Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report" that was adopted at the 2010 annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. I only want to mention just one; “Great Commission Giving”.

Here is the recommendation that was approved by the messengers to the convention:

-- Adding a new Annual Church Profile reporting category called "Great Commission Giving" to highlight each church's financial commitment to Southern Baptist mission enterprises. The recommendation also reaffirmed the Cooperative Program as "the most effective means" of missions outreach and asked churches to increase their Cooperative Program contributions by 2.5 percent of undesignated receipts by the end of the 2013 calendar year.

If you listened to the “Doomsday Bloggers” here, here, and here... you would come away thinking that affirming "Great Commission Giving" in the SBC would be the death of the Cooperative Program. It is quite refreshing to see that the vast majority in the SBC do not agree, and that the vast majority of Southern Baptist believe that we should celebrate "All" that our churches are doing to fulfill the Great Commission.

Today is a very good day in the SBC!!!

Grace for the Journey,

Help Feed The Children of Belize

2011-06-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

I need your help. You can feed a child without giving a dime!

We made our International Servants FaceBook page last night. For every LIKE we get within the next 2 weeks, a donor has pledged to donate $1 to our Feed-A-Child program in Belize. $1 will feed 2 children that day!

Go to: http://www.Facebook.com/InternationalServants then click the LIKE button. Please also click the SHARE button, it will enable you to post a link to our page to your Facebook wall.

Grace for the Journey,

Motion to be made to form GCR study committee | The Pathway

2011-06-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

It is being reported on "The Pathway" web site that a motion will be made at the SBC Convention this coming week to "study the GCR Task Force Report"...

I would be very interested in knowing who will be speaking to this motion, and who will be speaking at the meeting prior to the convention at the Hyatt Hotel in Phoenix to discuss their strategy... That information will tell me all I need to know about this motion...

I don't have the facts yet, but I would be highly surprised if this is not an attempt by the ANTI-Great-Commission-Resurgence folks (yes they are still out there) to kill or hinder the work of the GCR in the SBC. Regardless of the vote in Orlando last year these folks just can't get over the fact that they lost this issue and move on.

Below is the full article from "The Pathway" web site:

------------

PHOENIX – A group of conservatives intend to make a motion Tuesday at the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) annual meeting in Phoenix calling for the creation of a committee to study various aspects of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force report.

It is not known who will make the motion, but it is being supported initially by about 100 messengers. Those messengers are scheduled to discuss the motion and other issues before the SBC at a public meeting, 5 p.m., Monday, at the Hyatt Hotel across from the Phoenix Convention Center. Current and past SBC leaders are scheduled to speak as well.

The motion states, “that the Convention create a special committee to be called the Unity Committee, to review, evaluate and make recommendations about perceptions and realities about the impact and implementation of the GCR Task Force Report during the past year by SBC entities, state conventions and related organizations and networks, that the committee bring a report and recommendations to the 2012 SBC annual meeting; and that the Committee be comprised of 21 members to be appointed by the President, fully representational of Southern Baptists and that the minutes, records and proceedings from the Committee’s meetings and work be open to the Southern Baptist public and available to all Southern Baptists no later than 12 months after it has given its report to the SBC.”

BY STAFF Motion to be made to form GCR study committee | The Pathway

------------

Wade Burleson: Now Is the Summer of Our Discontent: The 21st Century Demise of the SBC

2011-06-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Annual Meeting for the Southern Baptist Convention officially begins next Tuesday morning, June 14, 2011. Membership in SBC churches has decreased for five years in a row, dropping 500,000 members since 2005. Attendance at this year's Southern Baptist Convention will be the lowest in nearly five decades, struggling to reach 5,000 in attendance. What has happened to the SBC?

There may be as many postulated reasons for the precipitous decline in the SBC as potential messengers in Phoenix next week. From my own personal experiences with the inner workings with the SBC I offer five reasons why the SBC is perilously close to becoming purely irrelevant. It is possible for changes to occur to prevent the SBC from her imminent and ultimate demise, but it will require immediate and effective leadership, something not yet demonstrated at any level of the SBC. The five reasons for decline are:

(1). The demonization of disagreement.

When we conservative evangelicals spend more time defining why other people are theologically wrong rather than powerfully living out the gospel of Jesus Christ, we construct our own platform for decline. The fanatical attempts to demonize other evangelicals who express a desire to cooperate with the Southern Baptist Convention in church planting and missions--a demonization due to perceived disagreements over secondary issues--guarantees the demise of the SBC.

(Continued in the link below)

Wade Burleson: Now Is the Summer of Our Discontent: The 21st Century Demise of the SBC

Screwtape on the Southern Baptist Convention

2011-06-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

My dearest Wormwood,

Though it gives me no pleasure to do so, I must tip my hat to you for the wonderful developments you have initiated in regards to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Surely you need no reminder of the perilous situation we were facing in the not-too-distant past. I had nearly come to the conclusion that all hope was lost. But alas, you surprise me, dear nephew! You have done it again. (It is obvious that I have taught you well.) I do hope you will keep up the bad work.

Still, there is much work to be done.

Remember that arrogance and pride is your greatest inroad into the Convention.

(continued in the link below)

Screwtape on the Southern Baptist Convention

Bachmann Voted Against $39 Billion Deal

2011-04-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Michele Bachmann should be our next President!!!

I will not vote for any of the Republicans who "Sold Out" all of us who strongly oppose Abortion... It has come out over the weekend that Planned Parenthood/Murder performs an abortion/murder Every 95 Seconds!!! Every 95 Seconds!!! Every 95 Seconds!!!

The bottom line is that the men who currently make up the Republican leadership are not men of conviction... So I will work hard to replace them with Women of Conviction!!!

Bachmann Voted Against $39 Billion Deal

Reid: 'Everything' resolved in spending fight but Abortion Rider

2011-04-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Reid: 'Everything' resolved in spending fight but abortion rider!!!

Protecting Planed Murder (killing your children is not Parenthood) is apparently the number-1, most important issue, for the Democratic Party.

If you are a Christian there should remain absolutely no doubt that if you vote Democratic you are voting for the murder of children. (Sorry, I will make no apology for speaking the truth!!!)

Grace for the Journey,

South Dakota governor signs abortion waiting period law - US News

2011-03-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

South Dakota governor signs abortion waiting period law - US News: "South Dakota's governor on Tuesday signed into law a requirement that pregnant women submit to counseling and wait 72 hours before an abortion."

Today is a good day!!!

Grace for the Journey,

Planned Parenthood's Bunnies

2011-03-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

Friends, watch this video and pass it along!!!

Grace for the Journey,

Only True God

2011-02-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

Awesome Song... I love the video; it reminded me of what Paul said concerning the very nature of God in Acts 17:28... Watch this video and look at His creation remembering these words of Paul and tell me just how great God truly is... "For in him we live, and move, and have our being;"

If "in him we live, and move, and have our being" as Paul says, then all of Creation must be "in him"... God does not live in Creation, but instead Creation lives "in him!"

Now that is truly a radical, mind blowing thought.

Grace for the Journey,

Breaking: Historic amendment to defund Planned Parenthod passes overwhelmingly in House

2011-02-18T12:22:00.000-08:00

This is perhaps the most historic and important vote in my lifetime!

This is truly a great day for the unborn in America...

THANK YOU LORD!!!

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-amendment-to-defund-planned-parenthod-passes-in-house/

Preacher Friend Looking for a Good Church

2011-02-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Friends, I just got a message from an preacher friend of mine, who is currently in the frozen north, and he ask me if I knew of a good church here in North West Florida or Lower Alabama that was looking for a pastor.

So, here it is... This man is a "Top Tier" Preacher, a former Missionary, and someone that I have a lot of respect for!!! So if you know of a church in our area that is looking for a very good pastor, please let me know and I will pass the info along to him.

You can post the info in the comment section, or you can send me an email if you like: alfordg@paec.org

P.S. --- First Baptist Church of Ponce de Leon Family, "This is not for me... I am not looking for a new church...:-)"

Thanks Everyone!!!

Southern Baptist leader leaves mosque coalition

2011-01-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

Southern Baptist leader leaves mosque coalition

I have mixed feeling concerning the issue of allowing the unfettered building of mosques in this nation.

My first concern is that the vast majority of mosques being built all over this nation today are not in response to the needs of the Muslim communities that already exist here for a place of worship. But instead they represent nothing less than a massive “Colonization Effort” that is being organized and funded by the wealthy Arab States which are pouring billions of dollars into an effort to “Colonize America”, and over the course of several generations to turn America into a Muslim nation. Throughout history this has been an intrical part of their strategy toward their ultimate goal of bringing about a “Muslim World”. And it is a strategy that has been very successful in binging once fee nations under the yoke of Islam.

Second, and mostly, I have mixed feeling concerning the issue of allowing unfettered building of mosques in this nation, because I am of the opinion that Islam represents the greatest threat to religious liberty that the WORLD, and AMERICA, has ever seen. (I do not make this statement lightly!) If Islam were simply another religion like Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism etc., then I would have no problem with the building of mosques wherever a Muslim community wanted to do so. But Islam is not like any other religion!

Islam is both a religion and a political movement. By its nature Islam is the very antithesis of religious freedom. The experience of nations that have fallen under the yoke of Islam throughout history, as well as the restrictions placed on all other religions by Islamic nations today, proves without any doubt this to be universally true. Islamic governments are often brutally intolerant toward anyone who attempts to bring another religion into their country. So, there is little to convince me that if Islam were ever to became the dominate religion of this nations that our religious freedoms would long survive.

Therefore, I have mixed feeling concerning the issue of allowing the unfettered building of mosques in this nation. If it were simply a community of faith building a house of worship, and not an organized effort by foreign Muslim governments to “Colonize America”, I would not be concerned at all. However, that is not what we see happening before our very eyes today; and Islam must be recognized for what it is. Islam is both a religion and a political movement. The two cannot be separated. It is for this reason that Islam represents the greatest danger to religious freedom that American has ever faced, and it is for this reason that Islam simply cannot be treated like just another religion. It is not!

Grace for the Journey,

GOP Introduces ‘No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act’

2011-01-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

GOP Introduces ‘No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act’

Question.... Should Christians participate in employer offered healthcare plans that provide for abortions? Are we not subsidizing abortion coverage for others by participating in healthcare plans that cover abortions?

Honestly, I have never thought of this before… and I don’t even know if my employer provided healthcare plan provides for coverage of abortions or not, but I would be very surprised if it does not.

What would happen if Christians started demanding a separate healthcare plan that does not subsidize abortion coverage for others? Often we feel powerless to stop abortion, and we think there is nothing we can do… But perhaps there is something significant we can do to stop abortion in this nation; and that is to stop participating in healthcare plans that provide coverage for abortions.

If Christians all across this nation stood up and demanded that their healthcare plans did not contain coverage for abortions; I truly think we might make a real difference.

Grace for the Journey,

Idaho GOP gets ready to nullify health care reform

2011-01-21T06:51:00.000-08:00

Idaho GOP gets ready to nullify health care reform

For those of you who have yet to fully grasp the depths of the division in the States caused by President Oboma and the Democratic leadership in Congress's forcing an unpopular healthcare mandate upon an already unhappy citizenry, just read the article in the link above.

For many years now the Federal Government in Washington D.C. has imposed it's will upon the people, and a storm of resentment has been building for generations. Successive Congresses have passed laws that the people did not want, but were powerless to stop. Federal Judges have set themselves up as "Lords of this land" and made a mockery of our constitution by declaring it contains such things as the right for a woman to murder her unborn children, and that the Taxpayer must pay for it no matter their personal convictions. The great lie of evolution is mandated in our schools, prayer is banned from our ball games, and homosexual marriage is forced down our throats.

“We the people” have had enough!

Have you ever wondered why the Founding Fathers of this great nation went through all the trouble to write a constitution in the first place? The purpose of the constitution is really quite simple, and something that President Oboma appears to not understand or appreciate… The constitution was designed to “PROTECT the Citizens” of this great nation from its “Federal Government”.

The Founding Fathers feared an all powerful Federal Government and they had good reason to do so, for they had seen with their own eyes what an out of control Federal Government could do to its citizens and they did not want their children and their grandchildren subjected to live a life that was little more than being slaves to the Federal Government. They wanted to insure that their children and their grandchildren would “Live in FREEDOM”… So they set down and drew up a constitution to limit the power of the Federal Government to intrude upon the rights and freedoms of the citizenry of this nation. It is this constitution that President Oboma, Congress, and the Federal Judiciary have trampled underfoot, and in doing so they have become the very thing our Founding Fathers feared the most.

“We the people” have had enough!

So how are we as Christian Citizens to respond to the storm of political upheaval that we now find ourselves in the midst of? (1) We are to remember that God is ultimately in control and not man. (2) We are to conduct ourselves in such a manner as to always bring honor to Christ. (3) We should not be afraid to be politically involved. To: vote, donate money, volunteer as a campaign worker, register your family and friends to vote, etc., etc., etc. After all our Founding Fathers, were almost to the man, men of great faith and it is precisely because of their great faith that they fought for the freedoms we now enjoy.

If you have not seen this picture and read the comments of the artist please do so… "The Forgotten Man"

Grace for the Journey,

The End is NOW?

2011-01-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

I received the following email from a co-worker today… and seeing that this is a topic that comes up quite often in Christian debate, and it is something that some people have very strong feelings about, I thought I would share it, and my reply, with you.

[Co-workers email]

I've read so much in the past few months from the Bible about the end times. It is NOW, I believe. As far as I can discern, everything is in order for the rapture.

You know much more about it than I do--how do you feel and what do you know in that it is time for the rapture?

[My Reply]

"The Rapture" is a much debated issue among theologians.

We often can get very isolated in our local churches... and thereby we often believe that everyone else believes exactly what our local church pastor(s) have told us over the years is the only valid interpretation of end time events.

For example:

There are those who believe the church will be raptured out before the Great Tribulation.
There are those who believe the church will be raptured out after the first 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation.
There are those who believe the church will go through all of the Great Tribulation.

All quote scripture to back up their position, and most can make a pretty good case... However, I personally have found each of these positions, and the arguments of the men who promote them, not wholly convincing when examined against the light of all that the Scriptures say concerning the end of time. In other words, I find holes in each position that I am unwilling to just ignore… Perhaps in time God will allow me to understand this issue even greater, and I may come to a settled opinion on who has gotten it right, but I am not there yet.

With all of that said, I can find nothing in Scripture that is yet to be fulfilled in order for the rapture to take place… and nothing that would cause me to believe it will happen in the next 5,000 years or more. Therefore, I have intended to live my life prepared to meet my God at the next moment, and to live my life in faithful service preparing the next generation, and the ones that may follow to do the same for as many years, and as many generations, as the Lord in his mercy may stay his hand of judgment.

Grace for the Journey,

Greg

NYC: A dangerous place for the unborn

2011-01-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

NYC: A dangerous place for the unborn

"41% of all NYC pregnancies end in abortion"

The number of children being murdered in their mothers’ wombs in the city of New York is just staggering!!!

The cold hard truth of what we are allowing to take place in this nation is nothing less than: “The Genocide of an entire Generation of American Children.”

The reality of this ongoing slaughter of innocent babies is so horrific to me that as I write this post I am physically sick… I am torn between praying for God’s mercy for these children, or for God’s wrath upon these mothers…

I simply must stop writing at this point and spend some time in prayer to try and get my emotions under control…

Grace for the Journey,

Greg

‘Emerging Church’: Should You Really Worship Jesus in a Bar? | The Blaze

2011-01-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Before you jump to answer this question, let me ask you another question: "Is there any place where it is improper to share/worship Jesus? Is there any place where it is improper to exalt His name? Is there any place where Jesus should not be shared with sinners?"

‘Emerging Church’: Should You Really Worship Jesus in a Bar? | The Blaze

Grace for the Journey,

Greg

Sarkozy: Mideast Christians victims of 'cleansing'

2011-01-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

When the French President comes out and admits that Mideast Christians are the victims of an organized campaign of "Religious Cleansing"; then it's a sure sign that no one is even trying to cover this up anymore... ... ... That is no one except the American Media!

Sarkozy: Mideast Christians victims of 'cleansing'

Apple now calls Christian belief "objectionable and potentially harmful"

2011-01-06T08:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Christian Friends, It is time to put your money where your mouth is!!!

Please read the following article and consider sending Steve Jobs an email expressing your shock and displeasure with Apple... I have made the personal decision that I will never buy one thing that is made by Apple. There are plenty of other technology companies around that make very good products that do not have the same Anti-Christian prejudice as Apple, and they will get my business from now on.

Pressing on, Apple now calls Christian belief "objectionable and potentially harmful"

The Cross in Our Bodies

2011-01-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

A friend sent me this amazing story today... I don't know who it is originally from, and I don't know anything about Louie Giglio, but when I read it I knew I had to share it with you.

------------

This is a pretty neat story and an interesting thing that few of us know. It's brief, so please read. (FROM A DOCTOR)

A couple of days ago I was running (I use that term very loosely) on my treadmill, watching a DVD sermon by Louie Giglio... And I was BLOWN AWAY! I want to share what I learned....

He (Louie) was talking about how inconceivably BIG our God is... How He spoke the universe into being... How He breathes stars out of His mouth that are huge raging balls of fire.. Etc. Etc. Then He went on to speak of how this star-breathing, universe creating God ALSO knitted our human bodies together with amazing detail and wonder. At this point I am LOVING it (fascinating from a medical standpoint, you know.) . And I was remembering how I was constantly amazed during medical school as I learned more and more about God's handiwork. I remember so many times thinking..'How can ANYONE deny that a Creator did all of this???'

Louie went on to talk about how we can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart..how our loving Creator is also our sustainer.

And then I lost my breath. And it wasn't because I was running my treadmill, either!!!

It was because he started talking about laminin . I knew about laminin . Here is how Wikipedia describes them: ' Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue' You see.... Laminins

are what hold us together.. LITERALLY

They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. And I knew all this already. But what I didn't know is what they LOOKED LIKE..

But now I do. And I have thought about it a thousand times since (already)....Here is what the structure of laminin looks like... AND THIS IS NOT a 'Christian portrayal' of it.... If you look up laminin in any scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see....

Now tell me that our God is not the coolest!!! Amazing. The glue that holds us together.... ALL of us..... Is in the shape of the cross. Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible And invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or A uthorities; All things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him All things HOLD TOGETHER." (Colossians 1:15-17)

Call me crazy. I just think that is very, very, very cool. Thousands of years before the world knew anything about laminin, Paul penned those words. And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint, we are held together... One cell to another.... By the cross.

You would never in a quadrillion years convince me that is anything o ther than the mark of a Creator who knew EXACTLY what laminin 'glue' would look like long before Adam breathed his first breath!!

------------

Now for the prof test... Google the word "Laminin" and see what you find.

Grace for the Journey,

Greg

Bombing opens vein of Christian anger in Egypt - FoxNews.com

2011-01-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

Bombing opens vein of Christian anger in Egypt - FoxNews.com

Islam will never live in peace with Christianity. Regardless of their great lie that Islam is the religion of peace, throughout history it has brought nothing but bloodshed to every land it has spread to.

As you read this report please remember to pray for our Christian brothers in Egypt, and all those who have been enslaved under the yoke of Muslim domination.

(***SEE THE COMMENTS BELOW FOR AN UPDATE TO THIS POST***)

Grace Always,

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell… “Your Christian Values!”

2010-12-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

USA-Today is reporting that; 'Don't Ask' repeal raises concerns for chaplains.

The first flush of speed-dialed and pre-composed e-mail reactions to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell came from gay clergy applauding the vote. Now, Sunday morning brings the conservative evangelical voices with dire predictions for its impact on military chaplains.

While some fret over the stress to those chaplains whose religion teaches homosexual behavior is unbiblical, others worry that members of our religiously diverse armed forces could be treated like a captive audience for evangelism.

The Alliance Defense Fund's Daniel Blomberg argues that by bowing to activists, the Senate is placing thereligious liberty of troops and chaplains in "unprecedented jeopardy.

... No Americans, and especially not our troops, should be forced to abandon their religious beliefs. We hope that our nation's leaders will work to ensure that none of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines are ever made to choose between serving their country or obeying their God as result of this damaging policy decision.

A Pentagon study concluded that open service would not affect military readiness but it also included some concerns about military "prayerfulness." Some of the military's 3,000 chaplains voiced fears that they would not be able to preach the truth of a religious belief that homosexual behavior is unbiblical.

The Pentagon study summary said,

A large number of military chaplains (and their followers) believe that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination, and that they are required by God to condemn it as such.

…

Terry Mattingly, founder of the religion media critique site Get Religion, writes in October that thepotential chaplain problem wasn't being fully addressed in the media.

He wondered,

What happens if the conservatives are right and that any advocacy of traditional doctrines by chaplains is labeled "hate speech," with offenders either being punished or simply denied the ability to advance in rank? If you read the views of theological liberals, there will be no problems after repeal, unless there are problems. No one is talking about "hate speech," except for those who believe that conservatives are already guilty of "hate speech."

A few years ago a Military Chaplain shared his concern with me that in the near future it would be the Christians in the Military who would be ordered to “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell… Your Christian Values!”

At the time I did not take his prediction very serious… However, driving to work today I heard the Marine Commandant on the radio saying "the Marine Corps will step out smartly to faithfully implement this new policy. I, and the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, will personally lead this effort, thus ensuring the respect and dignity due all Marines." In other words… there will be “Zero Tolerance” for any Marine who does not fully accept Homosexuality as normal behavior. This is a very sad day for all Christians serving in the military.

Cotton Picking Days

2010-12-15T08:53:00.000-08:00

My father was in the Cotton business in the late 1940’s to early 1950's in Arkansas where he provided gangs of pickers to the farmers. The first order of business in hiring a gang of cotton pickers was to negotiate with the “Community Elder”, without whom you could not hire a single picker. After the negotiations were over, and the number pickers and cost per pound of cotton picked were settled on, my father would go around and pick up all the cotton pickers in a covered flat bed truck with benches on both sides and take them to the fields before daybreak, then drive them back home again in the evening. My father told me that most good pickers could earn enough money in the four months of cotton picking season that they did not have to work very much the rest of the year. It was hard work for sure, and nothing I would like to even attempt to do in order to put food on my family’s table. However, unknown to most people today, it paid good money for the 1950’s.

My father and I have a very close relationship that began when I was in diapers and (I am told) he would take me quail hunting on his shoulders. On one occasion my father, who is now 83 years old, and I were returning home from a deer hunting trip to Camden Alabama, where I spent many a weekend and holiday as a young boy following my father through the oak and pine wooded hills of Wilcox County. Being a little tired we stopped for gas and a cup of coffee at a filling station out by the Interstate highway in Evergreen Alabama. My father, who has never met a stranger, struck up a conversation with the store clerk, a black man, and somehow the clerk caught my father's last name and asked him if he ever lived in Arkansas. My father said, yes but that was back in the 1950's and we have now lived in Florida for the past 50 years. The man then smiled and said your Mr. Alford... the same Mr. Alford that used to come pick me and my brother up each morning to pick cotton.

As someone who grew up in the Old South where calling someone a “Cotton Picker” was a racial insult, I was not sure just where this conversation was headed. I needn’t have worried; for it was like both men had stepped back in time. These were two different men from two very different worlds, one black and one white, whose lives had intersected but briefly in the cotton fields of Arkansas many years ago… yet it became clear very quickly as they embraced that this brief intersection of two different worlds during the “Cotton Picking Days”, now long past, had left loving memories that both men cherished for a lifetime. They sat and talked like old friends for over half an hour, as I tried to absorb as much as I could.

As we were leaving, the clerk (I wish I knew this man’s name) embraced my father once more and ask him to stop by and see him again the next time we came that way. A few weeks later we stopped for gas and coffee on our way back from Camden again, but he no longer worked there and the new clerk did not know him. Over the years we stopped at the same filling station many times, but we never saw him again. Life is like that I suppose, our lives intersect but for a brief moment in time and then moves on.

I am reminded by this story that as I travel through this life of the importance to take time to make friends along the way. "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24 NIV)

Grace Always,

The Christian Faith is a Journey… Not a Destination!

2010-12-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

In so much of our religious vocabulary today we here people speak of their faith as if they had already arrived. They say things like; “I got saved back in 2001”, or “I became a Christian when I was in collage”, or “Pastor Jim came to my home and shared the plan of salvation with me and I accepted Christ as my Savior”. Now there is nothing wrong with any of these statements, but I want you to notice that they are all in the past tense.

The apostle Paul spoke of his faith much differently… in Philippians chapter 3 he writes;

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…”

“…Brethren, be followers together of (with) me”

It is important as we interact with one another in our daily lives, on Facebook, Tweeter, and the Blogs that we understand that we are “all” on a Journey of faith… And that we also make allowances for, and are patient with, those who are not where we are in our understanding of Scriptures and obedience thereunto. Maturity of faith is not a fruit that we ourselves can produce, but is instead a work of the Holy Spirit produced in us by the slow and patient process of conviction and learning to yield to His leading.

So let us learn to be patient, even longsuffering, with one another… For if the apostle Paul would say of himself; “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect” how much more must we say this of ourselves… and how much more must we give allowance unto others for their Journey.

Grace Always,

Jaw-dropping image of enormous 'supercell' cloud

2010-12-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

God is just AWESOME!!!

Click the link below to see more...

Jaw-dropping image of enormous 'supercell' cloud in Glasgow, Montana | Mail Online

AVATAR - "I See You..."

2010-12-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

In the movie Avatar the blue natives of Pandora use the phrase "I see you" as a way of saying; "I see who you really are... behind the mask... beneath the surface... I see your heart!".

This is the way God sees us. He does not see the brave face we put on for the world, or the happy smile that hides our pain. He does not see the spotless image we put forth out of fear that we would be rejected if others knew the depths of our sins... No my friends, God sees us! Let that sink deep into your soul... ... ... God sees us, and the truly incredible part is that he loves us anyway, and he always will!

"Father, may I learn to see others like you see them... and love them like you love them! --- in Jesus name I pray, AMEN"

Waiting on Christmas…

2010-11-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over, the turkey is now just a sad looking bunch of bones wrapped in tinfoil on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. The kids have all gone home… and this morning I find myself waiting on Christmas. Waiting is not something I am very good at (just ask my wife), yet it is something that is woven into the very fabric of our faith. Abraham waited for the fulfillment of God’s promise to make of him a great nation; Sarah waited on Isaac; Noah waited first for the rains to come, and then for the rain to stop; Moses waited forty years on the back side of the desert; Jesus himself waited thirty years to begin his earthly ministry; and there are many more examples we could quote. Waiting it seems is a part of God’s perfect plan.

It is important that in our fast paced world of jet aircraft, microwave meals, cell phones, the Internet, and hurrying from one meeting to the next, we remind ourselves once again that God is never rushed, He is never in a hurry, and He is never late. All things will be accomplished according to his perfect will and in his perfect time. In these four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year let me encourage you to slow down, take some time out from your busy schedule each day and from all the shopping and preparing to go “over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house”, and reflect on what Christmas is really all about… and while we may be waiting on Christmas, we are no longer waiting on the Messiah. Christ has come, and the long wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise to save his people from their sins is now over… Salvation has come! That my friends, is why we may debate about the proper way to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus… there is no debate about the significance of this event in redemptive history.

Grace Always,

(PM)SBC Voices

2010-11-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or has anyone else become annoyed by all the whining going on over at SBC Voices lately?

If it were not for the big SBC Voices logo at the top of the page (claiming to be “open source Southern Baptist news & opinions”) one might think they had stumbled into a bad episode of the Jerry Springer show.

Here is an example of what I am talking about… it comes from an article written by Howell Scott titled “Radically Redefining Transparency in the SBC: Part 1”

Scott opens this episode of the show with this outlandish accusation leveled against the members of the Great Commission Task Force… Howell says:

”…the GCR has led to more division and distrust among Southern Baptists,… Not that they will take any responsibility for the increased level of division and distrust within the convention,”

And the show only gets nastier from there.

Scott next claims that by voting to seal the records of the meeting of the GCRTF for 15 years, in order that we not break the assurance of confidentially given to all who were encouraged to freely speak their mind about what was wrong and needed fixing in the SBC, the members of the Convention itself are guilty of voting to radically “redefine transparency within the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Let’s see now… we have been on the air for, what, 5 minutes now, and Scott has accused the members of the GCRTF of causing “division and distrust among Southern Baptists…” and the members of the Convention itself of being dishonest… all because Scott did not get what he wanted in Orlando.

”How dare you not give me what I want… I’ll come over there and scratch your eyes out… You big…

Yep, this is a bad episode of the Jerry Springer show all right… think I will turn the channel.

Humbling Election --- For the Media!

2010-11-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

The day after a Historic Republican landslide in the midterm elections the Leftist Secular Media is having a hard time finding anything to smile about.

Gone are the jubilant smiles and laughter that filled the room after the election of President Oboma two years ago… If there was any lingering doubt about the Secular Media being "in the tank" for the Oboma administration, take a hard look at all the sad faces in the room during President Oboma’s speech today.

A Picture is worth a thousand words.

The Tyranny of the Two Party System!

2010-11-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

The 17th amendment turned the "United States" into an "Empire" ruled by a Totalitarian Government in Washington DC. This is not what our Founding Fathers gave their lives and fortunes to establish… It is blatantly unconstitutional, and should be repealed! If you love freedom and are feed up with living under the Tyranny of the two party system… Be a voice for freedom and repost this article to your Blog and your Facebook page.

Republican Candidates Call for Repeal of Seventeenth Amendment

HOMOSEXUAL ADOPTION Legal in Florida

2010-10-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks to "Radical" Judicial Activism, and Bill McCollum, HOMOSEXUAL ADOPTION is now legal in the Socialist Republic of Florida! The Florida Family Policy Council just released the following disturbing announcement.

BREAKING NEWS:

NO APPEAL TO BE TAKEN
IN HOMOSEXUAL ADOPTION CASE

Gill Decision, Which Now Appears to Be the
Judge-Made Law of the Land in Florida, Elevates the
Adult Desires of a Radical Minority Over what is Best for Children

(Orlando, FL) Today, Friday, October 22, 2010, the Attorney General of the State of Florida, Bill McCollum, announced that his office would not be taking an appeal of the Gill case, which struck down Florida’s long standing prohibition on homosexual adoptions, to the Florida Supreme Court. The Florida Family Policy Council, a leading opponent and legal critic of the Miami Court’s decision, released the following statement:

We are disappointed that DCF, the Governor, and now the Attorney General has failed to take the appeal and defend Florida’s adoption law that rightly seeks to place children in homes with both a mother and a father. We have been in active communication with the Attorney General’s office on this matter and understand there are some legitimate and complex legal issues which have persuaded his office to make this decision. We also recognize that the current 5-2 left leaning make up of Florida’s Supreme Court (directly created by Governor Crist’s recent judicial appointments) would likely have not ruled to uphold the statute either. Nonetheless, for both the sake of legal finality, and the accountability of the judiciary, we believe the appeal should have been taken.
Gay-identified activists will herald the Gill case as some sort of a victory. But sadly, the decision only comes at the expense of the children who the social science research overwhelmingly demonstrates do better in every category when raised by both a married mom and dad. The Court only asked the narrow question of whether homosexual parents “harm” children. The Court never asked what research shows is best for children. Arguably, orphanages don’t “harm” children either, but this is certainly not what is best. The court’s illegitimate decision, which appears to now be the judge-made law of the land, has elevated the adult desires of a radical minority over what is clearly best for children-- namely to be placed with both a mother and a father. The official public policy in Florida is now that two dads are just as good as a mom and a dad, and yet research bears out that this is empirically false.

# # #
For More Information Contact:
Nathan Dunn, Vice President of Public Policy
850-567-8143
NathanD@FLfamily.org

I Wish You Enough

2010-10-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Recently I overheard a Father and daughter in their last moments, together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate they hugged and the Father said, 'I love you, and I wish you enough.'

The daughter replied, 'Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.'

They kissed and she left. The Father walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

'Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?' 'I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' he said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?'

He began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone...' He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them. Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright, no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

He then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.

(Author Unknown)

A Plea for Help!

2010-09-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Everyone…

I have just received word at our Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting last night that our small local Christian School in Defuniak Springs, that is run by a 86 year old saint of a Christian Lady that volunteers her time in order to keep the doors of the School open, is behind in paying their bills by more than $6,000 dollars due to the downturn in the economy. That may not sound like much to you, but it is huge to this very small Christian School. The School is really suffering and the Children are now selling donuts to try and keep the lights on.

If anyone would like to help me keep the doors of “The Galilean Academy” in Defuniak Springs, Florida, open for our children you can send a check to [First Baptist Church, 2877 Highway 81 N., Ponce de Leon, Florida 32455] Please make any checks out to First Baptist Church and put “Galilean Academy” in the note…

Thanks,

“Doctrine - and the Face of God”

2010-09-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

As men and women of faith; we do never hold our opinions on any matter of doctrine, or issue of life, independent and separate from our views concerning the very nature and character of God. To the contrary, our understanding of the nature and character of God underpins and greatly influences all our opinions, doctrine, and general overall worldview.

Each individual opinion, or doctrine, that we hold tells us something about our personal convictions concerning who God truly is.

Therefore, the doctrines we believe are, as it were, single threads that when woven together make up the fabric of our faith upon which a mosaic of the face of our God may be clearly seen.

This is a profound truth that many, who engage in theological debate, do never stop to consider. What do my opinions, and the doctrines I defend, say about my God?

Grace Always,

A Defense of Virginia and the South

2010-09-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

‎"A Defense of Virginia and the South" by R.L. Dabney is a book that every Southern Christian should read carefully, and then re-read it again! I am very much aware that many of my fellow Southerners may be a little embarrassed that I now take up the cause to defend the Christian nature of the Old South, but I like Dabney do so without hesitation and without apology.

Dabney explains his motivation for writing his ‘A Defense of Virginia and the South’ by saying:

To the conquerors of my native State, and perhaps to some of her sons, a large part of the following defense will appear wholly unseasonable… But my purpose in the following pages is, first and chiefly, to lay this pious and final defense upon the tomb of my murdered mother, Virginia… The last and only office that remains to her sons is to leave their testimony for her righteous fame – feeble it may be now, amidst the din of passion and material power, yet inextinguishable as Truth’s own torch.

The most fearful consequence of the despotic government to which the South is now subjected, is not the plundering of our goods, nor the abridgment of privileges, nor the death of innocent men, but the degrading and debauching of the moral sensibilities and principles of the helpless victims… The wisest, kindest, most patriotic thing which any man can do for his country, amidst such calamities, is to aid in preserving and reinstating the tottering principles of his countrymen; to teach them, while they give place to inexorable force, to abate nothing of righteous convictions and of self –respect.

--- R.L. Dabney

Irrespective of one’s personal convictions concerning the institution of slavery in all the States (Northern and Southern) of the former United States of America no honest student of American history can point to an age in which it’s people were more deeply pious than we find in the southern states of the Old South prior to the war of northern aggression that brought an end to one form of slavery only to give birth to another in which all its citizens would eventually become indentured servants (slaves) to the government through an ever increasing and unconstitutional system of federal taxation upon the person income (labor) of its once free citizens. If the contest between the states truly ever freed any of the citizens of this nation, that freedom was to endure less than a hundred years.

I say “former United States of America” for the union of coequal commonwealth states that existed prior to the war of northern aggression is long dead, and long replaced by an Imperial and Unconstitutional Federal Government that is an anathema to the principals of a union between free, coequal, and self-governing states envisioned by the Founding Fathers of this nation. The opening words to the movie ‘Lord of the Rings’ rings hauntingly true when viewed toward the history of this nation; “Much that once was has now been lost, for there are none now alive who remember.”

Get the book ‎"A Defense of Virginia and the South" by R.L. Dabney and read it carefully for it was written by one who lived through the great disaster of that time, and it’s truths are so well documented that no historian has ever attempted to refute what Dabney writes. It will change your understanding of life in the former Free States of the Old South, and it will challenge your former opinions of the character of her people.

Deo Vindice ........."God Will Vindicate"

"Evolution? It's a Lie!"

2010-07-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

“Evolution? It’s a Lie!”

Charles Brock put this on our Church Sign at First Baptist Church of Ponce de Leon Florida two weeks ago and people from out of state (Tennessee, Alabama, etc) have been stopping in our church parking lot to have their picture taken with our sign. I found that just a little unsettling… Have we so bought into the lie of Evolution that no one will even speak out against it in our day for fear of being labeled a religious nut?

Regardless of how you interpret the creation account in Genesis… Evolution is an insidious lie and perhaps the greatest scientific “Hoax” of all time. The falsified evidence in support of this key doctrine of the secular/atheist worldview has been fully exposed and refuted by modern molecular biology and yet we continue to “tip toe” around this issue. Please get “The Truth Project” videos from Focus on the Family and show them to your church, family, and everyone else you can get to watch them. Dr Del Tackett is just awesome in this video series!

Grace Always,

Are The Children of The Conservative Resurgence becoming "Moderates"?

2010-06-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

With the results of the 2010 SBC Convention in Orlando now in the history books, specifically the passing of the GCRTF recommendations by an overwhelming margin, the election of Frank Page as Executive Committee President, and the election of Bryant Wright as SBC President some have ask if the SBC is becoming more "Moderate".

I can see how some would ask this question, yet in my opinion, the positive changes we are beginning to see in the SBC are not a result of the "Children of the Conservative Resurgence" becoming more moderate or even "Moderates". From my perspective, if anything, the Children of the Conservative Resurgence are becoming more Biblical.

The Conservative Resurgence taught their Children that "The Holy Bible... is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author... without any mixture of error... Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy... and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world... the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried..."

The Children of the Conservative Resurgence believed what their fathers taught them... and as a result have rejected both Liberalism, which denies the clear teaching of Scripture, and Fundamentalism, which adds the opinions of man to the clear teaching of Scripture. So it is that we can expect both the Liberal and the Fundamentalist to view the Children of the Conservative Resurgence as becoming more "Moderate" (and from their point of view they are), but in truth they are becoming more "Biblical".

And this is the most positive thing I see coming out of the preceding of the 2010 SBC Convention in Orlando.

Grace Always,

The GCRTF “Secret Agenda” Revealed!

2010-06-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

In a post on his Blog, Between the Times, today Daniel Akin, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, made a stunning admission to the reality of the “True” Agenda behind the GCRTF. Concerning the GCRTF recommendations Akin makes the following comment:

“ It sends a strong signal where Southern Baptists want to go in terms of what we emphasize and what we support. In the “Axioms of a GCR” message, it was stated that Southern Baptists could come together and would support that which promotes 1) International Missions, 2) Aggressive Church Planting and 3) Healthy Theological Education. Here is a 3-prong vision that transcends generational and methodological differences. Here is a captivating agenda that can lead us into our greatest days as a Great Commission people”

Absolutely Stunning!

Grace Always,

SBC Convention Update

2010-06-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

2010 SBC Annual Meeting Update (July 15, 5:20)

The (Southern Baptist) World has changed…

I have been glued to my computer screen all day today watching the live-stream of the 2010 Convention in Orlando, and I thought that I might post on some of what I have seen so far.

There were 10,994 messengers registered (I think I got that number correct, if not I am not off by much.) This number was well up from previous years, and is a good sign. I do not know yet, but it is my suspicion the increased numbers are due to many of the younger generation attending for the first time in many years.

The Great Commission Resurgence Taskforce Recommendation was approved by a majority of the messengers in Orlando. Not being there and no numbers given I do not know by how large of percent this passed. But pass it did! So bring on the naysayers…

There was much (and sometimes passionate) debate and many attempts to modify the recommendations failed, however one amendment to modify the language of recommendation number 3 to basically say that direct giving is to be considered “supplemental to Cooperative Program giving” did pass. This amendment was in reality just semantics and does not change the substance of recommendation number 3 at all. In a powerful display of seeking to preserve the unity of the convention the GCRTF committee itself joined in with the messenger who made the motion to create a compromise language on recommendation number 3 that in the end may very well have won the day for the entire GCRTF Recommendations which went on to pass easily.

First Round of voting on the next President of the SBC:

Bryant Wright 36.84%

Ted Traylor 29.18%

Jimmy Jackson 26%

Leo Endel 6.32%

Wright and Traylor will advance to the second round of voting.

The low-point (and low blow) of today’s proceedings at the convention, was the address by outgoing Executive Committee President, Morris Chapman. Who last year used his time before the convention to bash Calvinism and this year used his time to bash the GCRTF recommendations. One good thing that Morris Chapman said and to which I gave a hearty amen (howbeit in my office) was when he said this would be his “Last Address to the Southern Baptist Convention.” Amen, and Amen!

Morris Chapman should be the poster boy for a campaign to limit the term of anyone serving as Executive Committee President to no more than 8 years.

By the way Frank Page has been elected to be the next Executive Committee President…

Grace Always,

“Baptist Identity" Movement Endorses Jimmy Jackson

2010-06-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Baptist Identity Movement have chosen their man for SBC President and it’s Jimmy Jackson.

If the Fighting Fundamentalist over at SBC Today have found their man in Jimmy Jackson, that is enough to give me pause in considering him for President of the SBC.

Just saying…

GCRTF and Fading Fundamentalism

2010-06-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

In the ebb and flow of the ever changing tides of influence in the Southern Baptist Convention; Fundamentalism, with it ridged set of qualifications for acceptance in SBC Leadership circles, appears (Thankfully) to be fading.

DISCLAIMER: “For those of you who do not truly know me; I am a Biblical Conservative, a 100% supporter of the Conservative Resurgence, and have been for over 20 years now! Additionally, I do not equate the Conservative Resurgence with Fundamentalism as some of the critics of the Conservative Resurgence in the SBC often do."

The influence of Fundamentalist ideology has certainly found fertile ground and expression among some members of the Conservative Resurgence over the last twenty plus years , perhaps hitting its high-water mark with the disastrous IMB policies that sought to regulate the private devotion of our missionaries and the baptism policy of the autonomous churches that make up the Southern Baptist Convention. Be that as it may, the Conservative Resurgence as a whole cannot in any reasonable discussion be considered a Fundamentalist movement. The battle cry of the Conservative Resurgence, around which the autonomous churches of the SBC rallied, was the inerrancy of Scripture (Solo Scriptoria) and not conformity to the leaders of the Conservative Resurgence idea of a “Baptist Identity”.

Some bloggers have tried to equate the work of the GCRTF with the end of the Conservative Resurgence in the SBC and have even ask if the adoption of GCRTF recommendations will actually amount to a takeover of the SBC and an end to the Conservative Resurgence itself. In a recent Blog post titled "GCRTF Takeover of the SBC?", Les Puryear lays out the argument that the passing of the GCRTF recommendations will mark the end of the “Conservative Resurgence” and sweep prominent members of the Task force into key leadership positions within the SBC.

Les writes:

“Word on the street is that after the GCR recommendations are passed in Orlando and the controversy dies down, that Ronnie Floyd will be the next NAMB President. Also, word on the street has it that Danny Akin will take the IMB Presidential slot. If Ted Traylor wins the SBC Presidential election in Orlando, then the GCRTF will have their members in all four key positions in the SBC. Thus, the transition from the "old guard" Conservative Resurgence will be complete and the Hunt/Akin/Floyd/ coalition, who can arm-twist with the best of them, will be in power.“

I am not that well connected to the political network inside the SBC to be able to say whether or not Les knows what he is talking about here, and really I don’t want to be that connected. Regardless of that, I do think that Les is correct in that clearly a transition is in the making. Les appears to believe that this transition will mark an end to the “old guard” Conservative Resurgence (whatever that is?), and that this will be a bad thing for the SBC.

I, on the other hand, believe that in the passing of the GCRTF recommendations we will be witnessing the passing of the baton from one generation of Conservatives in the SBC to the next generation of Conservatives in the SBC, and far from being something bad for the SBC, this will be something very positive for the SBC. Why? Well, for without fanfare or applause the passing of the GCRTF recommendations, and the selection of new leadership that will surely follow, will mark a turning point in the SBC… and a defeat (at least in part) of the Fundamentalist Ideology that has caused so much harm to our cooperation in the last few years.

Honestly, I am not sure (and I don’t think anyone else is) exactly how the adoption of the GCRTF recommendations will impact the various ministries of the SBC… But one thing I know for sure is this; the adoption of the GCRTF recommendations will be a huge blow to the Fundamentalist Ideology of the Baptist Identity Movement in the SBC. And this is a very good thing for the future of cooperation in the Convention.

Grace Always,

The C.P. 10% Idol

2010-05-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

The SBC Majority Initiative has Endorsed Jimmy Jackson for SBC President.

In light of the SBC Majority’s own list of qualifications for SBC candidates, which says “A man whose church gives a minimum of 10% of total undesignated funds to the Cooperative Program.” and the fact that Jimmy Jacksons’s church gives just 5% to the CP, has raised some questions about the proper percentage a church in the SBC should be giving to the CP.

Let me start this discussion by saying that Jimmy Jackson is, by all accounts, a good choice for President of the SBC and unless something changes my mind I will be supporting Brother Jimmy.

Now, concerning the main point of this post, I personally (and I don’t want to pick a fight with my friends here) think we need to be very careful that we do not make the percentage one’s church gives to the CP the end all “litmus test” for one being qualified for the position of SBC President.

There are a number of real and valid reasons why a church, large or small, may not give 10% to the CP. One of which might be providing food and shelter for a Widow within the local church, or writing a check to the local crises pregnancy center in order that they might keep their lights on and their doors open for another month, instead of sending an extra 1% to the CP in order that their Pastor might be considered “qualified” for SBC President. In such cases as these I don’t think that any of us would vote for a man who chose to ignore the needs of his own church and community in order to send his 10% to the CP.

Giving to the CP in order that we might equip and send missionaries to a lost and dying world is, of course, a noble and worthy cause… I ’m just saying that this 10% “litmus test” can become is “slippery slope” and we need to be careful that we do not create a false standard of righteousness by which we measure our leaders in the SBC.

Grace Always,

SBC Today - Three Blind Mice

2010-04-05T11:03:00.001-07:00

The “Three Blind Mice” over at SBC Today are now decrying, of all things; “Great Commission Giving”.

Are you kidding me? I wish I were making this up… but, sadly it is not April fool’s Day, and I am not making this up. Today Tim Rogers posted a lengthy screed entitled “Great Commission Giving–The Dumbing Down of the Cooperative Program”

Apparently Tim is deeply concerned about the Great Commission Task Force recommendation to give the local Baptist Church the authority to direct its mission giving to the Southern Baptist causes it deems are the most important and worthy of receiving their missions offerings.

Just how Tim equates this recommendation of the Great Commission Task Force with the “Dumbing Down of the Cooperative Program” is anyone’s guess. Personally, I think Tim is just spewing inflammatory rhetoric here, but that is nothing new. Beyond the absurd title, Tim goes on in this article to make the ridiculous claim that this recommendation actually “mutes the Cooperative Program while quashing local church autonomy.”

Yes, Tim I can clearly see how actually giving local churches a voice in the SBC as to how their mission dollars are being spent would quash the Baptist Principal of local church autonomy… NOT!

Tim tries, unsuccessfully, in this article to build his argument against this recommendation by bringing in charts and comments from other bloggers and by saying over and over that this will dumb down the Cooperative Program. As if saying it over and over will win the day. It will not.

Reading this article through it is not difficult to discover what has set Tim off… He writes:

“The combining of the CP with other designated mission monies has not seen this problem in the past. Why? Churches were not supposed to be wooed by entities to give for special projects. No one knows when this changed but it did and we are reaping the bad fruit from this practice. Now we have churches giving more of their funds directly to various entities.”

O the tragedy of it all!!! Southern Baptist Churches have had their local autonomy quashed… Local Southern Baptist Churches are in ever increasing numbers deciding (of all things at the local church level) just where their missions giving will go. This must not be allowed to happen in the Southern Baptist Convention!!! --- [Sarcasm Intended]

To truly understand what has the Blind Mice over at SBC Today so upset with this recommendation, one only need to realize just WHO these local churches in ever increasing numbers are NOT sending their missions offering to, and the fact that under this recommendation direct giving to entities would be counted toward qualifying churches for sending messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Contrary to Tim’s opinion, this recommendation is a huge step in the right direction for building a brighter future for the SBC… It is in my opinion long overdue and is something that will in practice build greater cooperation throughout the SBC by getting the local churches directly involved in the work of the SBC (something sorely missing today). And just the opposite of what Tim says; by keeping these decisions at the local church level it will empower and undergird the autonomy of the local church… not quash it. Any claim to the contrary is absurd at best, and perhaps even disingenuous.

Grace Always,

SBC Today and Spurgeon

2010-03-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

In his ongoing attempt to defend the peculiar doctrine of the “Baptist Identity” movement, David Worley posted a quote by Spurgeon on the SBC Today Blog where Spurgeon makes several comments that have been used for years by the proponents of the Landmark (Now Baptist Identity) movement to bolster support for their inflated claims concerning Baptist History.

Here is Spurgeon’s comment:

”We believe that the Baptists are the original Christians. We did not commence our existence at the Reformation, we were reformers before Luther or Calvin was born; we never came from the Church of Rome, for we were never in it, but we have an unbroken line up to the Apostles themselves. We have always existed from the very days of Christ, and our principles, sometimes veiled and forgotten, like a river which may travel underground for a little season, have always had honest and holy adherents. Persecuted alike by Romanists and Protestants of almost every sect, yet there has never existed a government holding Baptist principles which persecuted others; nor, I believe, any body of Baptists ever held it to be right to put the consciences of others under the control of man. We have ever been ready to suffer, as our martyrologies will prove, but we are not ready to accept any help from the State, to prostitute the purity of the Bride of Christ to any alliance with Government, and we will never make the Church, although the Queen, the despot over the consciences of men.”

I am not at all embarrassed that Spurgeon made these comments… I believe the “Baptist Identity” guys take these comments and grossly overstate Spurgeon’s agreement with the peculiar view of Baptist and Church history promoted by their fringe movement, but I am not embarrassed by Spurgeon making them. If Spurgeon were alive today I think it would be very enlightening to hear his explanation of these comments, and I think David would be very disappointed with Spurgeon’s explanation.

On a slightly different note, I am very pleased to see that the guys over at SBC Today have decided to adopt Spurgeon as the authority on Baptist doctrine and Identity… Very Pleased Indeed! Why? Because the same Spurgeon who made the above comment also made the following comment:

"The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox's gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again."—C. H. Spurgeon

Are you guys at SBC Today sure you like Spurgeon?

Grace Always,
Greg

Earliest Known Hebrew Writing

2010-01-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

The topic of the following article by Clara Moskowitz at LiveScience.com is worthy of discussion in and of itself… (I just love it when science finally discovers that, in spite of all the cynicism from those who have scoffed at the Biblical record for the last two hundred years, what the Bible says is true after all.)

However, in this post I do not so much want to discus the implications of this discovery on our understanding of when the Bible was possibly written… but instead I want to discuss the content of this discovery. Indeed it is quite fascinating to discover a pottery shard with Hebrew writing dating back to the period of King David’s reign… But what is equally amazing to me it that the scientists get all excited about the age of this discovery, and completely ignore the content of the message itself. To me this is like being the caption of the Titanic and getting a warning message of a massive iceberg directly in your path and being so excited over this wonderful new technology (wireless) that allows ships to talk to one another that you completely forget to read the message.

Anyway, I digress… It’s the message that’s important not the pottery shard itself.

--------------------------------------------------------
(Article begins here)

Bible Possibly Written Centuries Earlier, Text Suggests

Clara Moskowitz
LiveScience Staff Writer
LiveScience.com

Scientists have discovered the earliest known Hebrew writing - an inscription dating from the 10th century B.C., during the period of King David's reign.

The breakthrough could mean that portions of the Bible were written centuries earlier than previously thought. (The Bible's Old Testament is thought to have been first written down in an ancient form of Hebrew.)

Until now, many scholars have held that the Hebrew Bible originated in the 6th century B.C., because Hebrew writing was thought to stretch back no further. But the newly deciphered Hebrew text is about four centuries older, scientists announced this month.

"It indicates that the Kingdom of Israel already existed in the 10th century BCE and that at least some of the biblical texts were written hundreds of years before the dates presented in current research," said Gershon Galil, a professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Haifa in Israel, who deciphered the ancient text.

BCE stands for "before common era," and is equivalent to B.C., or before Christ.

The writing was discovered more than a year ago on a pottery shard dug up during excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa, near Israel's Elah valley. The excavations were carried out by archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. At first, scientists could not tell if the writing was Hebrew or some other local language.

Finally, Galil was able to decipher the text. He identified words particular to the Hebrew language and content specific to Hebrew culture to prove that the writing was, in fact, Hebrew.

"It uses verbs that were characteristic of Hebrew, such as asah ('did') and avad ('worked'), which were rarely used in other regional languages," Galil said. "Particular words that appear in the text, such as almanah ('widow') are specific to Hebrew and are written differently in other local languages."

The ancient text is written in ink on a trapezoid-shaped piece of pottery about 6 inches by 6.5 inches (15 cm by 16.5 cm). It appears to be a social statement about how people should treat slaves, widows and orphans. In English, it reads (by numbered line):

1' you shall not do [it], but worship the [Lord].
2' Judge the sla[ve] and the wid[ow] / Judge the orph[an]
3' [and] the stranger. [Pl]ead for the infant / plead for the po[or and]
4' the widow. Rehabilitate [the poor] at the hands of the king.
5' Protect the po[or and] the slave / [supp]ort the stranger.

The content, which has some missing letters, is similar to some Biblical scriptures, such as Isaiah 1:17, Psalms 72:3, and Exodus 23:3, but does not appear to be copied from any Biblical text.

(End of article)
-----------------------------------------------------------------

The principals (ideals) of social conduct contained on this simple shard of pottery dating back to the period of King David are simply extraordinary.

1st – That it was written upon a clay tablet indicates that the wisdom it contented (the message) was of such importance that it should be persevered for all future generations.

2nd – The text is in essence a “Constitution” or “Social Contract” laying down the very foundational rules for this society.

3rd – This society is first of all to be a “Religious Society” and not a “Secular Society”. The establishment of a purely secular state, so entrenched in the thinking of our society today, is not found here.

4th – In this society “Religious Tolerance” is NOT a virtue. God alone is to be worshiped.

5th – Justice for all, regardless of their station in life, is to be one of the foundational principals upon which this society is built. Regarless if one is a slave, a widow, an orphan, or even a stranger (Immigrant) in the land, all are to be treated justly.

6th – Unlike in other societies, where the strong rule over the weak and the defenseless, in this society the rights of the weak and the defenseless are to be earnestly protected. I am deeply moved by the fact that the earliest known Hebrew writing ever discovered says; “Plead for the Infant” . Which I strongly believe applies to the unborn child and the ongoing abortion holocaust of the last fifty years.

7th – And lastly the Poor, the Slave, and the Stranger (Immigrant) are not to be abused, or taken advantage of.

I may come back and expand upon my initial observations latter (depending upon if anyone is interested or not), but duty calls me away and I must end this post for now.

Grace Always,
Greg

Pastor/Teacher --- "Stranger?"

2009-12-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (Dec.9.2009) Les Puryear made the following comment on his blog:

“ I would like to see seminaries such as SEBTS begin to recognize that the majority of their students will minister in small churches, whether established or newly planted, and provide courses which will equip them to minister in the small church culture which is a completely different environment than is found in megachurches.”

The high turnover rate of Pastors in the vast majority of Southern Baptist Churches, and the damage it causes to the witness of Christ and the work of the local church in our communities, is something that I feel very passionate about. I am told that the average tenure of a Southern Baptist Pastor is around 2 years… (If anyone has the precise numbers on this I would love to have them posted)

If this inexcusable number is even close to being correct (and I believe it is) then it is a clear indication that we have a deep rooted, unhealthy, and systemic issue within our Southern Baptist culture of accepting as normal short term/unstable leadership in our small Southern Baptist Churches.

There are many factors contributing to this sad condition and I make no pretense of being in any position, or possessing sufficient wisdom, to address them all. However, there is one thing that that I believe to be ‘the’ major contributing factor in all of this, and that is the practice of most small Southern Baptist congregations of calling absolute “STRANGERS” to pastor their church.

Here is the comment I posted on Les Puryear’s blog that gives my basic argument on this issue:

Les,

Thanks for this post!

This gives me the perfect opportunity to vent about something that I am very passionate about… and that is that this whole modern system of calling a “stranger” as your pastor is completely unbiblical.

Can anyone give me just one example in the Bible where a congregation called a “stranger” as their pastor? Yet 99.9% of the time in Southern Baptist Churches, no matter how careful the search committee is, and no matter how long they take, that is exactly what they do. They wind up calling a complete stranger to fill the most important position in the Church. Would anyone dare propose to their congregation that they need to look outside of their own body for Elders, Deacons, Teachers, or general officers? I think not. So why do we do exactly that for the positions of Pastor, and then get all offended when they don’t work out, or move on to bigger churches? There is a real simple solution to the problem of small churches being used as stepping stones… “Stop calling strangers as your Pastor”.

Can anyone explain to me how any search committee can affirm with any certainty that someone from outside of their own local community actually meets the qualifications of 1 Tim. 3:1-7. How can they know if this handsome young stranger with the good looking resume and the perfect wife and 2 little children on the front row, is of a blameless reputation or is nothing more than wolf in sheep’s clothing? In truth they cannot, but if he grew up in this community, or lived there for a few years they would know. They may actually check the references listed on his resume, but does anyone truly expect to uncover anything that would disqualify someone by asking the people listed on a resume? No, not really, so they usually wind up never asking any questions whatsoever about the man’s qualifications. You will notice that 1 Tim.3:7 says that he must have a good reputation of them which are without (in the community). How can a “stranger” possibly meet this requirement?

Ok… I could go on and on, but I think you get my point so I will shut up now :-)

Les replied:

“Greg, I have never heard that perspective before.”

I know this perspective cuts against the grain of our accepted practices within our Southern Baptist culture, and as I said above I could go into a much greater defense of this position… But what I really would like to know is what some of you think about this issue?

We discussed this issue at length during our Bible Study time at our Wednesday night services last night, and one of our Elders made the comment that the church is to function like and be modeled after the family and no family would ever seriously consider going out and bringing in an absolute stranger to be their “Father”. I thought that was a very insightful comment.

So, what say you?

Great Commission Resurgence & State Conventions

2009-12-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

I have read many articles on, or about, what Southern Baptists are hoping will come about as a result of the work of the Great Commission Resurgence task force. There are certainly a lot of ideas out there as to what a reorganized Southern Baptist Convention should look like, and there are a lot of questions being ask. However, the most common question almost everyone appears to be asking is “What to do with the State Conventions?”

For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts on the GCR and State Conventions:

1.) I believe the State Conventions are important and have the potential of playing a major role in any Great Commission Resurgence that might take place in our lifetimes within the Southern Baptist Convention.

2.) I believe that full autonomy (without any oversight and genuine accountability) for our State Conventions has proven itself to be a very bad idea. Human nature being what it is; oversight, transparency, and accountability are an absolute must (especially when finances, positions, and power are involved).

3.) I do not believe the State Conventions should be in the church planting business at all! The examples of where State Conventions have wasted huge amounts of money on failed churches, and sometimes even outright fraud, are too many to list. Not to mention that (regardless of how good a plan someone has, or how large of a core group they have already gathered) many times State Convention Leaders have been guilty of discriminating against those who are from a different theological camp than they are, or who’s worship style is different from their own, or who disagree with their own convictions on second and third matter doctrines. This abuse of authority has lead to many new Baptist Churches being planted “Outside of the Southern Baptist Convention” by a younger generation of Southern Baptist Pastors and Church Planters who are unafraid to go it alone.

4.) I do not believe the State Conventions should be involved in any mission’s activity outside of their own state. We, as Southern Baptist, have both an International mission’s agency and a North American mission’s agency. Why are State Conventions duplicating services that we as a convention already provide for? Why are the State Conventions not “Cooperating” with (working through) our national missions agencies? In my opinion our State Conventions should be focusing upon reaching the mission fields of their own states, and not trying to do the work of the IMB or NAMB.

5.) Ok… here is where I believe the State Conventions could play a major role in a Great Commission Resurgence. I believe that State Conventions should put the establishment of Christian Schools, Daycare Centers, Orphanages, Adoption and Foster Care programs at the top of their agenda. This is where I feel they could truly find their purpose and place in bringing about a true and lasting Great Commission Resurgence. I also feel that no other organization within the Southern Baptist Convention is as capable of filling this much need role as is our State Conventions. How great would the impact on our culture be if every State Convention made it its goal to start a Christian School in every community, county, or parish in America by the end of year 2020? How great would the impact on our culture be if every State Convention made it its goal to start a Christian Daycare in every community, county, or parish in America by the end of year 2020? How great would the impact on our culture be if every State Convention made it its goal to see that no child in America is ever unloved and unwanted by the end of year 2020? In short, how great would the impact on our culture be if by the end of year 2020 every State Convention saw itself purely as a mission organization, and the people of their state as its mission field?

In closing, I believe if we are to have a true and lasting Great Commission Resurgence in America that we must “Reengage” the culture and society in which we live… that we must make it our highest goal to win the hearts and minds of the next generation. This we will not do unless we are willing to change. And if we are not willing to change for the sake of reaching the next generation for Christ, then all this talk about seeking a Great Commission Resurgence is nothing more than shameful religious bravado and we might as well spend our money on prayer rugs for the next generation.

Grace Always,
Greg

Pray for my Dad

2009-11-20T07:19:00.000-08:00

My Father, who is a very active 82 year old, has been having some heart problems over the last few months. Yesterday he underwent a heart-cath at Southeastern Medical Center in Dothan Alabama. The Doctor discovered that he has two severely blocked and hardened arteries leading to his heart. The Doctor was able to fix one artery with stents, but he said he had a very difficult time getting the hardened artery to open up and had to use several stents which caused a tear in the lining of the artery wall. The Doctor almost sent him to surgery right then, but he got the tear to lay down in place and put another stent over it to hold it in place while it heals.

At this point the Doctor wanted to consult with a heart surgeon about what would be the best way to proceed with the care of my dad (more stents for the other artery, or open heart bypass surgery). After consulting with a heart surgeon it was decided that they would attempt to fix the other artery with stents next Tuesday (Nov. 24th), and if things do not go well they will do open heart bypass surgery.

I would really appreciate everyone remembering my father in your prayers… his name is William A. (Bill) Alford.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom.8:28)

Grace Always,
Greg

To the IMB --- It's Personal!

2009-10-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

An article over on sbcIMPACT has got me to thinking about what is wrong with the IMB. Let me very quickly say that I believe that the IMB has in the past, and continues to this day, to do some outstanding work. Perhaps to the surprise of many of my readers, I am not against the work the IMB is doing… Anyway, this article caused me to stop and think about where the IMB is missing the boat, so to say, and how it might make positive improvements for the future. Below is the comment I posted over at SBCIMPACT.

I think one of the fundamental problems with the IMB is that our SBC Churches do not know our IMB missionaries. There have been some efforts in recent years to try and connect our missionaries with our Churches and they have failed miserably…

Our church supports two “Independent” missionaries that we both know and love. What has made the difference? We hear from them “directly” each and every month… and at least four or five times a year they pick up the phone and call me directly, and after catching up on what is going on in each others ministries we always wind up praying together over the phone… (I love these men). And usually they visit our church once a year, sometimes they cannot make it home every year but when they are stateside they come see us. I know that is a lot of personal
contact and it takes a lot of effort on their part, but in all honestly this is truly what has made the difference for us and it is what I see missing with the IMB.

I don’t care how much “junk” mail the IMB prints and sends to my church… no amount of this “professionally published” marketing literature they send will every take the place of just one hand written 3x5 post card from the mission field. And no DVD message from the IMB headquarters touting all the wonderful things the IMB is doing can ever replace having the phone ring and hearing the voice of a missionary on the other end say “I’m about to go into a new village this morning, Brother will you pray with me”.

Strange as it may sound… but in a very real way the IMB now finds itself in the position (unintended I am sure) of standing between the relationship of Churches and the Missionaries… Somehow this must be corrected.

Grace Always,

Total Depravity and Regeneration

2009-10-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Sometime back in September I was notified by Ben at Arminian Perspectives that he had written a post entitled Can A Regenerate Christian Be Totally Depraved? in response to a comment I made concerning Calvin’s actions toward Servtus that lead to Servtus being convicted as a heretic and burned at the stake by the government of Geneva. Basically Ben was strongly suggesting that Calvin was not a Christian because of his role in the death of Servtus. In trying to take a non-confrontational approach I tried to explain that Calvin’s sin (if indeed it was sin in this matter) in no way prevented Calvin from being a Christian as all Christians still have a “Corrupt” sin nature, and that all Christians still sin even after regeneration.

Here is a portion of the discussion that went on concerning this issue:
____________________

Greg Alford, on July 29th, 2009 at 9:31 pm Said:

Ben,

Thanks for being so gracious…

I really don’t think that any of us today are qualified to stand in judgment of Calvin’s conduct in this matter. Does the death of Servetus reflect badly on Calvin? You bet it does! Is Calvin the only Christian to ever have been wrongly influenced by the culture of his day? Not hardly. Does that excuse Calvin? Not at all. But it does remind us that we might not have done any differently had we been in Calvin’s position at the time. We like to think that we would have stood up against the Government and said this is wrong, but I doubt it after all we tolerate abortion in our society. (I know not a good example, but the best I can do)

You ask –

“Would he then be a totally depraved regenerate believer (since his actions regarding Servetus were post-conversion)?”

Very large smile… the answer would be “Yes”.

Just how long of a defense of that answer do you want me to give? You and I could be here for a good long time on this one, so I will spare you the long defense unless you really want to go down that rabbit hole.

Again, thank you for being so gracious… and I owe you a cup of coffee.

Grace Always,

Arminian, on July 30th, 2009 at 1:24 am Said:

Greg,

Doesn’t Calvinism hold that the regenerate are no longer totally depraved? After all, does not the C doctrine hold that total depravity entails inability to believe, but that regeneration enables and causes someone to believe? C’s often criticize the Arminian doctrine of prevenient grace as undermining total depravity. So if you would follow that line, then you would have the C doctrine undermining total depravity. So would you mind clarifying? You don’t necessarily have to defend, just explain a little. One more thing: if you believe that a regenberate believer is still totally depraved, do you think that is the standard C position or is your position unusual?

Thanks.

Greg Alford, on July 30th, 2009 at 3:59 am Said:

Arminian,

I suppose one of the greatest hindrances to truly communicating with those who are of a different theological persuasion than your own is that we have a tendency to only read, discuss, and listen to those who agree with us. Therefore we have a tendency to believe that everyone defines the terms like “Total Depravity” and “Regeneration” the same and when we hear others using these terms we assume we are talking about the same thing, when in fact we are not.

So, with the above disclaimer let me attempt to define “Total Depravity” for this discussion. Total Depravity speaks of the extent of Human Corruption caused by the Fall of Man. By extent of Human Corruption I mean that all of mans being; heart, soul, body, mind, and will were all corrupted by the sin of Adam. In short, man in his totality became corrupted by sin.

This is where we often misunderstand one another… No Calvinist that I know would ever say that Regeneration completely frees man of his corruption of sin. Man is only totally free of the corrupting influence of sin when he is glorified, and that will never be on this side of glory. The Apostle Paul spoke well when he said “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

It is with this understanding that I made the earlier comment concerning mans total depravity after regeneration; that even after man’s will is freed by the regeneration power of the Holy Spirit so that with his freedom he may now love his God, yet he finds that he is not fully made free from sin and while he indeed expresses his love for God, with his conduct he yet proves his corruption.

I hope this helps a little…

Grace Always,
___________________

Now let me return us to today's post by again defining the terms I am using, before asking the questions I really want to get into.

The result of the fall of Adam on mankind was, and is, “Complete Corruption”… or if you prefer the classical reformed phrase; “Total Depravity”. Theologians use the words “Complete” or “Total” to explain the scope of the effects of the fall of Adam on mankind, and not the depth of these effects. In common English what we are saying is; not that each and every man is as bad or as wicked as he can be, but that universally “ALL” of Man’s being was corrupted by the fall of Adam. Man’s flesh/desires were corrupted… Man’s mind/will was corrupted… Man’s soul/heart was corrupted. No part of man’s being was left unaffected by the fall of Adam. When compared to his original state before the fall of Adam, man now finds himself “Utterly Ruined” in the sight of God.

At this point I want to bring into this discussion a few comments made by the Apostle Paul that highlight man’s ruined condition. In Romans 7:18 Paul says “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing...” and in Romans 7:24 he cries out “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Literally Paul is crying out for deliverance from the dead body he indwells. I think it important to this discussion that we note that this was the Apostle Paul speaking about himself after regeneration (new birth). And this leads into the following questions that are at the heart of this post.

1) What effect, both practical and theological, does regeneration (new birth) have upon the corruption of the fallen, now regenerated, man?

2) Does regeneration completely negate the corruption of the fall in the regenerated man? (yes/no)

3) Does regeneration partly negate the corruption of the fall in the regenerated man? (yes/no)

4) Does regeneration negate none of the corruption of the fall in the regenerated man? (yes/no)

Please Explain Your Answers... use as much space as you need.

Grace Always,

Light and Fluffy

2009-09-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Paul said “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?”

We live in an age where much of Christianity has been reduced to a mere Experience… and for most Christians this Experience has been reduced to a mere Decision.

Once the “Decision” has been made… Once the “Experience” has been Experienced… the Modern Christian has very little real need for God in his life, and unless he is in the middle of a personal crisis the Modern Christian feels very much in control of things and as the writer of the beloved hymn 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing' says; he is “prone to wonder”.

(This is the wisdom and spirit of this Modern age in which we live.)

In my opinion this casual approach to our relationship with God is a result of two doctrines that when combined has had the same effect on Modern Christianity and the Modern Church as yeast and water have when added to flour … They are: (1) Decisional Regeneration and (2) The Eternal Security of the Believer.

Modern Christianity, under the influence of these two doctrines, is like modern bread… it is altogether: ”light, and fluffy… puffed up… and full of air”.

Grace Always,

Is NAMB a "Relic of the Past"?

2009-08-17T09:01:00.001-07:00

Last week on SBC Voices Blog I made a statement that has drawn some heated debate that I need to clarify just a little bit. The comment I made was:

“NAMB is a relic of the past… church planting networks like Acts 29 own the future.”

Responding to my comment Ron West wrote:

“Greg you seem bitter about the IMB and NAMB. You desire to have them done away with and calling them relics of the past is undeserved in my opinion.”

Now I will be the first to admit that I rarely beat around the bush about things and my comments can most certainly come across as being bitter or angry, both of which I am not. I do not equate having strong convictions with being either bitter or angry, but I can see how Ron could read that into my comments about the IMB and NAMB.

Following is the follow up comment I posted to Ron’s comment above which explains my original comment that “NAMB is a relic of the past… church planting networks like Acts 29 own the future.”

---

Concerning the IMB and NAMB:

My first preference would be that both the BOT and Administration of the IMB and the NAMB would realize that the Baptist Churches of the SBC, which they serve, are a diverse group of Churches. We Southern Baptist are far from being “of one accord and one mind”…

So it is with this understanding that I passionately believe that both our mission agencies should represent, and make allowances for (without discrimination), the diverse group of Churches that make up the SBC. This is something that they have NOT done in the past, and is something that I and many others in the SBC would welcome with much joy.

Should not every cooperating church, which is in good standing with the convention, have the reasonable expectation that it may fully participate with, and receive support from, these agencies equal to the participation and support afforded to others? Why is this convection such a “Radical” idea? Why is this asking to much for people like David?

The truth is that unless these agencies are willing to change and adopt a new attitude toward the diversity that is a reality in the SBC then they will rapidly become relics of the past as more and more of our churches look elsewhere for mission partners.

----

If you have had a negative experience with the IMB or NAMB, or if you believe these agencies need to change to fully represent all churches of the SBC I believe the SBC needs to hear what you have to say…???

Grace Always

The Power of Giving

2009-08-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

Dear _______,

I know you did not give the six large boxes of books in order to receive the praise of man...

But I would be remiss if I did not tell you how much of a blessing your gift of these books is to our small fellowship of believers.

The Elders have been pouring over them like little children on Christmas morning… time and time again I have heard the word “Wow” escape their (and my) lips as we eagerly dig into another box.

Your generosity in being willing to give away what clearly cost you a significant amount of time and money to acquire is very humbling to me and all our Elders. You have challenged each of us to examine our attachment to the things of this world (and that is a good thing for all Christians to do from time to time).

The timing of your gift (within just a few days of our bookcases being installed for our new Library) is nothing less than God’s affirmation of our decision to start a Library ministry for those under our care. Please know that most, if not everything, you have given will be a blessing to our church for many years to come.

Thank you so much!

Pastor Greg

Battle for the Baptist Faith and Message

2009-07-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

With the momentous resurgence of Passionate Missionary Calvinism within the Southern Baptist Convention over the last few years, I guess it was just a matter of time before those who oppose this resurgence of Calvinism within the SBC began to question the strongly Calvinistic Statement of Faith of the SBC; the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

Peter Lumpkin’s, an often vocal and aggressive critic of Calvinism on the blogs has recently posted an article titled Calvinists Critique Morris Chapman's Clarification: Part II in which he mostly criticizes Timmy Brister for his critique of Morris Chapman’s (somewhat infamous) comments to the convention this year in Louisville, KY where Chapman felt obligated to (once again) take a broad swipe at Calvinism in the SBC.

Now Peter, who is fast becoming known as an aggressive Anti-Calvinist and Anti-Alcohol “watch-dog” in the SBC, wasted no time in this article in going after Timmy Brister with both barrels blazing. Ironically, or should I say in typical fashion, in this article Peter is guilty of exhibiting toward Brister the exact attitudes he has accused Timmy of having toward Chapman. It appears that Peter is willing to allow himself the freedom to be critical of others in the SBC but would very much like to muzzle all other voices, especially those who speak out against those who abuse their positions in the SBC to advance their personal Anti-Calvinist or Anti-Alcohol agendas.

However, if Peter (who repeatedly refers to Brister as a “strict/stern/hyper Calvinist” and his Calvinism as “skewed”) wishes to engage in this tactic of “attacking” those who disagree with him, instead of debating the issues… well then he should not be shocked when others go after him in like fashion.

But more to the point of this post is something very disturbing that Peter says about the Southern Baptist statement of faith; The Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Now, Peter is notorious for (how shall I say this…) displaying “Extreme Gymnastic” skills in twisting the meaning of the English language, and playing “Fast and Loose” with his reinterpreting the meaning of words, grammar, and sentence structure as seen in his comment below.

“ And, so far as the BF&M is concerned, Timmy wants it to definitively teach regeneration precedes faith. I’ll bet that would be a new one on Adrian Rogers, Jerry Vines, and all the other non-Calvinists who worked on the revision committee.

Personally, I think the BF&M is rubbery enough to include strict Calvinists, modified Calvinists, and non-Calvinists among its supporters. For Brister, however, non-Calvinists and even modified Calvinists like Akin find no support there. It definitively teaches the theological tomfoolery that there exists an animal others have called a born-again unbeliever. ”

Here is what the Baptist Faith and Message actually says:

“ A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.”

Peter appears to be reading this portion of the BFM2000 with blinders on, so I will put the part he appears to have a hard time reading in bold print.

"It (Regeneration) is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ"

That any man, with any degree of integrity, would attempt to tell Southern Baptist that our statement of faith does not in fact teach that regeneration precedes repentance is either a display of intellectual dishonesty, or crude arrogance… or both.

Peter’s strict/stern/hyper bias against Calvinism and all Calvinist is on full display in this article. And this salvo from the pen of Peter Lumpkin is a clear indication that the long war on Calvinism in the SBC is far from over, and in fact a new chapter in this war has just began; “The Battle for the Baptist Faith and Message”.

Grace Always,

Have Southern Baptist invaded the UK?

2009-07-22T09:23:00.001-07:00

Click here to find out…

Even Peter Lumpkins can smile at this news.

Grace Always,

Passionate Missionary Calvinism – Follow up

2009-07-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

For many in the SBC the phrase “Missionary Calvinism” is considered to be an oxymoron and dismissed offhand as pure rubbish. However, the historical fact that Calvinism can lead, and indeed has lead, many young men and women throughout history to become not only Missionaries and Church Planter, but to become “Passionate” Missionaries and Church Planters is undeniable. Yet, for many who grew up in the SBC, having been exposed from the cradle to the rhetoric of such notable SBC Anti-Calvinist as Jerry Vines, this truth seams to catch them of guard.

Still, the fact remains that not only did Calvin preach evangelism his Church in Geneva became a hub for mission activity under his leadership, as can be seen in Ray Van Neste article in the Founders Journal titled: “John Calvin on Evangelism and Missions” and an article by “The Thirsty Theologian” (you just got to love his Blog name) titled: “Calvin the Evangelist”.

Any discussion of “Missionary Calvinism” would be incomplete with mentioning such Calvinist missionary giants such as: George Whitfield, Charles H. Spurgeon, David Brainerd, Jonathan Edwards, Adoniram Judson, Luther Rice, Lottie Moon, Andrew Fuller, and the father of modern missions; William Carey. Yet, sadly we find that the vast majority of Southern Baptist do not even know that these great missionary men and women were even Calvinist.

Turning toward the New Calvinist of today one would almost need to have their head in the sand not to know that Calvinism has caught fire among the current generation of evangelicals, including Baptist. In an article “Even at 500, Calvin isn’t slowing down” posted on “The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life” Daniel Burke writes:

"His theology is the hottest, most explosive thing being discussed right now," said Justin Taylor, 32, a self-described Calvinist, and an editorial director at Crossway, a Christian publisher in the evangelical heartland of Wheaton, Ill. "What he taught is extraordinarily influential right now."

Young evangelicals are scooping up books by neo-Calvinist authors, packing churches and conventions led by Calvinist preachers and studying at staunchly Calvinist seminaries. They're blogging their way through Calvin's behemoth "Institutes of the Christian Religion," setting up Facebook fan clubs and opening Twitter feeds.

Many proudly bare their fidelity to Calvinism's "five points" of predestination as if they were stars on a general's chest. Earlier this year, Time magazine served notice that "The New Calvinism" is one of "10 ideas that are changing the world right now."

In other words, Calvinism has moved out of the Puritan meetinghouse and into the megachurch.

The rise of this new “Passionate Missionary Calvinism” in the SBC is perhaps best on display at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where, under the direction of her president, Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., himself a devout Calvinist, we witnessed the establishment of “The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth”. If you are still not convinced that this new generation of Calvinist in the SBC are genuine in their passion for missions and evangelism I invite you to go to their website and spend some time reading some of their comments and discovering first hand their heart.

The old, stale, and warn out accusations of the Anti-Calvinist that claim Calvinism kills evangelism and missions have, by the actions of this new generation of Passionate Missionary Calvinist, been proven a lie… and with each graduating class from The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth that head out into the world to do missions work, those in the SBC who continue say Calvinism kills evangelism and mission only succeed in destroying their own integrity and reputation.

Grace Always,

The Rise of Passionate Missionary Calvinism in the SBC

2009-06-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Morris Chapman in his Executive Committee’s Presidential report (see here) presented on 6/23/2009 at the SBC Convention made the following comments expressing his concerning over the rising influence of Calvinism in the SBC and the negative effects on evangelism and missions that he fears this rising influence of Calvinism will have on the future of the SBC.

The Southern Baptist Convention is experiencing a resurgence in the belief that divine sovereignty alone is at work in salvation without a faith response on the part of man…

Some are given to explain away the “whosoever will” of John 3:16…

The belief that sovereignty alone is at work in salvation is not what has emboldened our witness and elevated our concern for evangelism and missions through the ages. This is not the doctrine that Southern Baptists have embraced in their desire to reach the world for Christ.

If there is any doctrine of grace that drives men to argue and debate more than it drives them to pursue lost souls and persuade ALL MEN to be reconciled to God – then it is no doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let me begin by saying that in the face of a young Calvinist movement in the SBC that is absolutely on fire for evangelism and missions these were most unfortunate comments coming from the President of the Executive Committee of the SBC, and that Chapman has seriously misjudged the current mood of cooperation in the convention. Yes, there is indeed great apathy toward evangelism and missions among many in the SBC; however it is among the Non-Calvinist that we see this sad form apathy toward the lost and not among this young generation of Calvinist in the SBC.

The issue of the rise of a passionate, missionary, form of Calvinism in the SBC and the long term apathy of many Non-Calvinist in the SBC toward evangelism and missions is one that I believe will occupy volumes in the future history books of the SBC.

In one very real sense the rise of this passionate missionary form of Calvinism in the SBC, that has lead to us now seeing a vastly disproportionate number of young Calvinist in the SBC becoming missionaries and Church Planters, is due to the fact that for many years these young Calvinist have suffered a constant barrage of criticism from the Non-Calvinist of the SBC (especially from the older generation) that Calvinism kills evangelism and missions. This criticism appears to have had an unintended effect on these young Calvinist. Instead of turning them from Calvinism, as the Non-Calvinist critics had hoped, it spurred these young Calvinist to become the most passionate and dedicated missionaries and church planters the SBC has seen in many generations.

So while many of the Non-Calvinist churches in the SBC have become apathetic toward evangelism and missions, the Calvinist are on fire for evangelism and missions. This is absolutely fascinating!

I would like to add that the Calvinist emphasis on regenerate church membership, and the Non-Calvinist lack of emphasis on regenerate church membership, has played a fundamental role in what we now see going on in the rise of this generation of passionate missionary Calvinist in the SBC. Simply put, those who are not regenerate have no passion for either evangelism or missions. So no matter how hard you preach evangelism and missions to them they simply pay no attention. Yet, if at the same time we see the Calvinist gathering more regenerate (though less numbers of) members in their churches there will be more passion for evangelism and missions among these smaller Calvinistic Churches than we see in some of the larger mega-churches that we often hear so much about from the older generation of SBC Leaders like Chapman.

In a very odd twist of fate the Non-Calvinist, by their harsh criticism of Calvinism, have fueled the rise of the passionate Calvinist Missionary, and Church Planter, we now see in the SBC. As I said earlier, this is absolutely fascinating!

Grace Always,

Hunt names 18-member GCR Task Force

2009-06-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

(Baptist Press) Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 10:18:00 AM

Speaking from the podium, SBC President Johnny Hunt seconds ago publicly named the 18-member Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. The task force is:

-- Ronnie Floyd (chairperson), pastor, FBC Springdale, Ark.
-- Jim Richards, executive director, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
-- Frank Page, pastor, FBC, Taylors, S.C.
-- David Dockery, president, Union University
-- Simon Tsoi, first vice chairman, International Mission Board
-- Donna Gaines, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tenn.
-- Al Gilbert, pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.
-- J.D. Greear, pastor, Summit Church, Durham, N.C.
-- Tom Biles, director of missions, Tampa Bay Association, Executive Committee member
-- Danny Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
-- R. Albert Mohler Jr., president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
-- John Drummond, St. Andrews Baptist Church, Panama City, Fla.
-- Harry Lewis, North American Mission Board
-- Mike Orr, pastor, FBC, Chipley, Fla.
-- Roger Spradlin, pastor, Valley Baptist Church, Bakersfield, Calif., Executive Committee member
-- Robert White, executive director, Georgia Baptist Convention
-- Ken Whitten, pastor, Idlewild Baptist Church, Tampa, Fla.
-- Ted Traylor, Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla.

(Baptist Press Article ends here)

That sure is an interesting list… I could not help but notice that a lot of North West Florida Pastors made the cut. Not sure what’s up with that except that perhaps Johnny like to vacation in my neck of the woods. I could also not help but notice who is not on the list.

Care to name those you find interestingly absent from the list?

I’ll start with my good Baptist Identity buddies from SBC Today… You would think that those guys who represent our true Southern Baptist Identity should be on the list… but alas they are not.

Tim Rogers
Robin Foster
Bart Barber
Scott Gordon
Wes Kenney
John Mann
Joe Stewart

Grace Always,

Baptist Identity Division?

2009-06-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Is the Baptits Identity Movement Seeking Division in the SBC?

While I am not attending the SBC convention (again) this year, I am trying to follow what is going on in Louisville by reading a few of the blog posts over on SBC Voices.

At the top of their [SBC Watchlist - Latest From The Most Influential SBC Blogs] section this morning is a post from the BI blog SBC Today by Robin Foster.

This is not a lengthy post by Robin but it does reveal the fundamental difference between those in the BI (Baptist Identity) movement who desire narrow parameters of cooperation in the SBC and those who wish to keep the parameters of cooperation in the SBC as broad as possible concerning 2nd and 3rd tier doctrines.

These two competing views in the SBC might be defined as the “Narrow View” of cooperation, (those who seek to exclude from the SBC all those who do not agree with their views on 2nd and 3rd tier doctrines) and the “Broad View” of cooperation, (those who seek to include those who agree with them on 1st tier doctrines yet allow for differences of opinion on all 2nd and 3rd tier doctrines).

Robin, who is one of the principal advocates of the Baptist Identity movement, writes:

“Last night I attended the pastors conference. It seems the theme at this year’s pastors conference is the Great Commission Resurgence. The first one up was JD Greear. I heard JD back at Jacksonville at the pastors conference at FBC. After JD preached this sermon a friend of mine who attended Jacksonville made the comment that JD preached the same sermon as he did in Jacksonville (1 Cor. 9), only that he used a difference text (Matt 23) to do so this time. I would have to concur with my friend, same message, different text. The one thing that was repeated and that I still have questions about is what are the secondary and tertiary doctrines that we should not divide over? He did mention tongues, but was not specific on other issues.”

Did you pick up on the “one thing” that really caught Robin’s attention? “ …What are the secondary and tertiary doctrines that we should not divide over?”

In other words, Robin appears to be most interested in what secondary and tertiary doctrines the speaker agrees with him on that should be considered issues to “divide over?” These are Robins words not mine! That has been my primary issue with the whole Baptist Identity movement all along… From their writings it appears that they wish to narrowly define a “Southern Baptist Identity” that by its very definition excludes many who have deep roots in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Now I want you to contrast Robins thoughts on this message by JD Greear and what another well know Southern Baptist Pastor, Wade Burleson, thought about this very same sermon.

Wade writes:

“J.D. Greear started the preaching off at 6:30 p.m. I have heard a great deal about J.D., but have never had the privilege of hearing him preach. He pastors The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, a fast-growing church composed of mostly young adults. J.D. did an excellent job showing the six characteristics of Christians who have substituted religion for the vitality of knowing Jesus Christ. His text was Matthew 23 and he showed how the Pharisees (1). sought personal recognition, (2). substituted religious rituals over and against love for God, (3). substituted religious rituals over and against love for people, (4). considered only themselves holy and other people sinful, (5). raised tertiary issues to the place of primary doctrine, and (6). sought fellowship around conformity to their own ideology and not the life transforming power of God.

J.D.'s message was superb. My only reservation is the manner in which J.D., like many trained in modern Southern Baptist seminaries, used women in ministry as an illustration of a "primary" doctrine. One of these days I believe J.D. will see that this "doctrine" is secondary, if not tertiary - and disagreement among evangelicals in this area should not lead to separation in fellowship or cooperation.”

Now those of you who know me know that I do not agree with brother Wade on women in the ministry, but did you pick up on the difference between the two? One (who is an advocate for the Baptist Identity movement) approached this message looking for those things that could be used to separate or divide the churches of the SBC, and the other is seeking to set aside the nonessentials of the faith and seek greater cooperation among the churches of the SBC.

For me these competing visions for the future of the SBC could not be clearer. We will either listen to the voice of those seeking to restrict cooperation in the SBC to only those who look like we look, talk like we talk, and worship like we worship (clones of ourselves) or we will respect the autonomy of the local church on all 2nd and 3rd tier doctrines and keep the door of cooperation open to all Baptist who agree with us on the essentials of our faith.

Grace Always,

The Decline of LM and CP Offerings - Some Tough Questions

2009-06-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

In his Blog article today titled “Decline of LM and CP Offerings Due to Legalism” Wade Burleson, Oklahoma Pastor and former IMB Board of Trustees member, reports that the 2008 Lottie Moon Offering was down 6.05% compared to last year. As a result of this shortfall in giving the IMB will be reducing it’s number of missionaries by up to 400 by the end of 2009 and eventually by as many as 700.

Wow, that’s a significant cut in missionaries. But rather than lay all the blame for such a drastic shortfall in Lottie Moon and Cooperative Program giving on the downturn in the economy Wade states that at least part of the blame is due to the adoption of extra-biblical policies.

Wade states “If we wish to grow CP and Lottie Moon during difficult economic times we will denounce all attempts by Baptist Identity radicals to define "obedience to Christ" and "holiness to God" in a manner that goes way beyond the truth of Scripture.”

Let me just say that Wade is absolutely right in his comment… only I would say that difficult economic times have nothing to do with it, and that if we wish to grow the CP and Lottie Moon offerings during anytime (good or bad) we must stand strong against all extra-biblical policies that cause good conservative Southern Baptist to curtail, or even stop, their giving to the CP and Lottie Moon.

During the blog conversation that followed I posted the following two comments that I wanted to share with you here.

(Comment #1)

Under the current IMB rules for personal holiness Christ’s Disciples are bared from serving as missionaries with the IMB, because in the eyes of the IMB they are considered “unwise”, “disobedient unto Christ”, “and unholy before God”.

And if you can believe such a thing; under the current IMB rules for personal holiness Christ’s himself is bared from serving as a missionary with the IMB, because in the eyes of the IMB the same Lord they claim to serve is “unwise”, “disobedient unto Christ”, “and unholy before God”.

Do you see just how dangerous it is for any man/board to set himself/themselves up as the giver of God’s law? This is exactly what the Catholic Church did many years ago when they disallowed something that God himself has not disallowed (That is for Priest to do what is natural unto man, and good according to God, and take a wife). And how has that turned out for them? What is the fruit of that extra-biblical law? Priest turning to homosexual behavior with children and life long adulterous affairs.

Ah… but we Baptist are far wiser than the Catholics, surely our extra-biblical laws will never hurt our witness. (That last line should be read with dripping sarcasm) A Baptist missionary organization disallowing Christ… A Baptist missionary organization saying that Christ was unwise… A Baptist missionary organization saying Christ was disobedient unto Christ… A Baptist missionary organization saying that Christ was unholy before God.

We Baptist are far wiser than the Catholics… I think not.

What utter stupidity is this!

(Comment #2)

Joe Blackmon - As I am sure you know; there are only two ordinances of the Church we Southern Baptist recognize as being Biblical. They are Baptism and the Lords Supper.

You comment: “I am saying there is no good reason to have to use fermented grape juice when the non-fermented kind will more than do the job and serve as the symbol intended.”

My question to you is; are you equally open to substitution being made in the ordinance of Baptism as you are in the ordinance of the Lords Supper? Following you example could not someone say “There is no good reason to have to plunge someone all the way under water, when sprinkling will more than do the job and serve as the symbol intended.”

If not? Please explain how you can be consistent in your Biblical Exegesis and observance of these two ordinances when clearly you allow for substitution in one but not in the other.

In fact you are demanding substitution in the one but never in the other... please explain.

(end of comments)

I then ask the Amazing Tim (I’ll ban you) Rogers and Jim Paslay to feel free to answer the question I ask Joe…

Alas, sometimes it’s lonely out here in the blog world when you ask question that the other side are incapable of answering… all I have heard back so far is the sound of crickets chirping.

Grace Always,

The Disenfranchised in the SBC

2009-06-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Concerning the annual Southern Baptist Convention (yes it’s that time again) Wade Burleson asked the following question on his blog today:

"Why ___, do we Southern Baptists continue to use an archaic system of governance that was established in 1845…"

Wade went on to say “Isn't it about time we started having our Convention regionally, electronically and effeciently? My wife and I just spent $2,000 hard earned dollars to buy our tickets, hotel and car to Louisville, Kentucky…”

“ It's time the Southern Baptist Convention caught up with the rest of the world. It's time we stopped using our archaic system of governance that excludes the vast majority of Southern Baptists from being able to participate in Convention business.”

“It's time we changed how we operate.”

I do not always agree with Wade, but I could not agree more with what he has said on this topic.

There is absolutely no business being done at the national convention that could not (and should not) be done by mailing information and voting packages to each and every cooperating church in the SBC…

Every cooperating church in the SBC should be given the same opportunity to have their voice heard… (And don’t anyone come back with that same worn out line of everyone can send their messengers… No they can’t and you know it!)

I have been saying for years now that requiring our small churches to send messengers to the convention in order to have our voices heard is equal to the “Poll Tax” that was used in the South for many years in order to keep poor Blacks from voting in any significant numbers.

I suppose that: “In the SBC we are all created equal, just some are more equal than others.”

The SBC should be doing everything it can in order to allow, and encourage, every cooperating SBC church to participate in the life of the convention… and right now I just don’t see it!

Grace Always,

Arkansas Nears Allowing Guns in Church

2009-02-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — The Arkansas House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill allowing concealed handguns in churches, despite hearing arguments that lawmakers should put their faith in God, not guns.

The bill, which passed on a 57-42 vote and now heads to the Senate, removes churches and other houses of worship from the list of places where concealed handguns are banned. Currently, the only private entities where concealed weapons are banned are churches and bars.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Beverly Pyle, said she introduced the measure after a series of church shootings across the country. She said it would be up to each individual church whether to allow the concealed guns.

"It is time we changed our concealed-handgun law to allow law-abiding citizens of the state of Arkansas the right to defend themselves and others should a situation happen in one of our churches," she said.

Pyle said at least 20 states have similar laws allowing churches to decide whether to permit concealed guns.

The measure drew opposition from a pair of pastors who are also legislators.

Democratic Rep. Steven Breedlove, a minister at the Valley View Church of Christ, said allowing concealed handguns won't stop someone from opening fire inside a church.

"Ronald Reagan was completely surrounded by armed guards and he was still shot," Breedlove said. "And that is why we must put our faith in God and not put our faith in something else ... Let us keep the sanctity of churches and put our faith in God and not in guns."

Another pastor, Rep. Otis Davis, said he couldn't, in good conscience, return to his constituents in eastern Arkansas and say that he voted in favor of the bill.

Pyle had an unexpected ally in liberal Democratic Rep. Lindsley Smith, who said she supported the bill because it was an issue of separation of church and state. Smith urged lawmakers to pass the bill because churches shouldn't be treated differently from other private entities under state law, she said.

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat, said Wednesday he'd sign the bill if it made it to his desk.

---------

And the AP did not say one thing about the need for Calvinist to protect them selves from all the “shots” that are being taken at them lately… (insert very large smile)

You just can't make this stuff up!

Grace Always,

Pastors and Concealed Weapons

2009-01-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

I received an email newsletter from my local association today with the following announcement:

Gully Springs Baptist Church

Pastor Tim Hall, Brother Todd (Holmes Baptist Association DOM), and Brother Eddie Eaton, pastor of West Pittman Baptist Church would like to invite all those interested for a firearm safety / concealed weapons class. Cost of this class will be $25 for materials and training. If you are interested in receiving training for a concealed weapons permit, give Brother Todd a call. Only 7 spots remaining!!!

Brothers this is exactly why I stopped having Baptist Deacons meeting… When things start to get so out of hand that our Pastors must start carrying a concealed weapon in order to defend themselves, and keep order in the church, then it’s time we need to reevaluate what and how we are doing God’s work in the SBC. (wink, wink)

Actually I am thinking about signing up for the class if I have time. This just might become the next big thing in the SBC after 40 days of purpose.

Grace Always,

Devastating Honesty about the SBC

2009-01-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

The Internet Monk (Michael Spencer) gives a straight forward and devastating honest assessment of the decline of the SBC. Michael Spencer is not a Southern Baptist, but in my opinion the Executive Committee of the SBC should fire whomever they have been listening to and hire this guy as a consultant.

All of Michael’s article is worth reading, however I will limit my interaction to the following paragraphs.

Michael writes:

[Seriously, is it any wonder that so many younger Southern Baptists see Rick Warren as their de-facto leader, more than whoever the SBC is promoting this year? Warren has found a way to do church, be evangelistic, be a servant, affirm other humans, be useful and genuinely be likable to those he wants to influence. Contrast this with the SBC’s history of “leadership by loudest, angriest preacher” system.]

Michael is absolutely “spot on” in his understanding of how many younger Southern Baptists view the leadership of their convention. The Old, Angry, Arminians of the SBC, while remaining attractive to those who would force their own “Baptist Identity” upon all Southern Baptist, they are not very attractive to the younger generation of Southern Baptist who are in greater numbers looking elsewhere for someone to follow. This can be seen by the ever shrinking numbers and the graying of those in attendance at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meetings, and the fact that many of those absent from these annual SBC Conventions are faithfully in attendance at such Conferences as Together for the Gospel, Ligonier Conference, and anything by John Piper and John MacArthur.

Michael writes:

[And what about the many thousands of young SBCers who simply don’t want to hear the denomination’s way of doing things anymore? Most of them were on board for the “inerrancy” revolution, but now they see a denomination that reads the Bible and comes out with the theology of the John 3:16 Conference. When the SBC does theology these days, I want to dig a very deep hole and disappear. The words “SBC Theologian” are about to join “military intelligence” on a certain oft-quoted list.]

Again Michael is “spot on” in his assessment of the younger generation of Southern Baptist. The main difference between the Older generation of Southern Baptist who for the most part only preach “inerrancy” but practice whatever is “pragmatic” in their ministries, the younger generation not only preach “inerrancy” they believe and practice “inerrancy” in their ministry. That many of the younger generation of Southern Baptist are embarrassed by the theology, or “Anti-Theology”, that came out of the John 3:16 Conference is evidenced by the sheer number of bloggers who expressed their strong displeasure with it.

Whatever you think of Michael Spencer, it is hard to argue with his clear assessment of what is going on in the SBC.

Grace Always,

The Bondage and Liberation of the Will

2009-01-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

From time to time I run across those in the Blog-World that have a very negative opinion of John Calvin… (Ok, I really run into them all the time). With such a diverse group of believers as found in the Blog-World that is to be expected I guess.

But what is so very discouraging to me is that many of these man and women appear to be devoted Christians who sincerely take issue with what they have been led to believe about John Calvin, and more specifically the theology that has come to bear his name – Calvinism. What is so discouraging is the fact that in today’s “information age” what they believe about Calvin and Calvinism is so distorted and twisted from the truth that it is just frustrating to deal with.

Calvin’s works have been in print now for almost 500 years. If you do not want to pay the $50 to buy your own set of Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” you can read them for free online. So there is really no excuse for anyone believing such trash about Calvin or Calvinism except their own laziness or intentional malice.

Because it’s the 500th anniversary year of Calvin’s birthday many people, including myself, are reading the Institutes through this year, however I know this may be a little much for many readers to tackle, so I would highly encourage you to get a copy of “The Bondage and Liberation of the Will” by Calvin and read it before you jump into the deep waters of Calvin’s Institutes.

Below is a comment I made on another Blog last night encouraging this person (Curious / Anon) who has a very negative opinion of Calvin to read some of Calvin’s writings for him/her-self. I am including it in this post simply because I believe it to be a good example of what I am talking about.

------

Curious / Anon, or (whoever I am having this conversation with)

I am not sure who your sources are for your information on what Calvin believed, but from what I can read in your comments, whoever your sources are they appear to have influenced your opinion of Calvin quite negatively. If your sources for what Calvin believed are books written “against” Calvinism, like those by Dave Hunt, or Wiley Richards then I can understand your bias.

I would encourage you to let Calvin take the stand to defend himself by reading some of his works… I would not ask you to read Calvin’s Institutes (at least not to begin with), but I would ask you to read “The Bondage and Liberation of the Will” by Calvin. You can get a copy from Monergismbooks.com for $24.99. It is only 303 pages long and it will open your eyes to what Calvin really believed.

In it you will find that Calvin did not deny the “free” choice of man in choosing God at all. Actually the sub-title of the book is “A Defense of the Orthodox Doctrine of Human Choice Against Pighius”

Here is a little bit of the book description:

The Bondage and Liberation of the Will is undoubtedly the most significant of Calvin's works hitherto not translated in English. This is in striking contrast to Luther's study on the same topic, which is one of his best-known publications." This is Calvin's "fullest treatment of the relation between grace and free will, and contains important material not found elsewhere in his writings. It also contains far more discussion of the early church fathers than does any other of Calvin's works, apart from the Institutes. It is high time that this major work is made available to those whose knowledge of Calvin is confined to English translations" .

Grace Always,

Calvinist are not Christians?

2009-01-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Dr. James White addresses an accusation from a fan of Dave Hunt that Calvinist are not even Christians… and in his gracious and careful manner addresses six common questions concerning Calvinism that this seriously misinformed man ask.

I am reminded by this of the extreme danger of allowing works like Dave Hunt’s “What Love is This” to go unanswered. And why we must be ever ready to give a defense of “the faith once delivered to the saints”.

Apologetics can be wearing work and there are times when we all just want to throw up our hands and say how many times do we have to answer the same foolish questions… But the enemy does not rest and therefore we must not abandon the defense of truth no mater how weary we may become.

This is an excellent video message from Dr. James White on the Reformed understanding of Salvation. Click (here) to download and listen.

I highly recommend it!

Grace Always,

Doctrines that Abuse

2008-12-30T19:58:00.000-08:00

This post was inspired by a long and sometimes heated discussion over on Wade Burleson’s Blog titled "Do Southern Baptists Set Women Up for Abuse?"

I do not wish to discuss in this post the sad reality of the abuse of women in our society, regrettably even in the SBC… I think that topic has been more than covered on Wades Blog…

What I wish to discuss in this post is the cause and effect relationship of our doctrines and our actions, and how a single thread of bad doctrine can compromise the fabric of our collective theology.

“Individual doctrines are but single threads woven into the fabric of our collective theology…” Taken by themselves each thread can seem an insignificant thing… Yet each thread impacts the pattern of the weave so that the whole is changed by every single thread that is woven into the fabric.

There are many threads that make up the fabric of SBC theology (and traditions) that taken by themselves appear quite insignificant, yet when woven together they can completely compromise the fabric of our collective theology and thereby become a deadly snare to our faith and the downfall of many in our churches.

Case in point – Can there be any doubt that there is a strong relationship between the reluctance of some Southern Baptist Pastors to recommend divorce for any reason (including abuse) because a divorced man, regardless of the reason, is treated like a “Leper” in the SBC. Is this the reason why some Southern Baptist Pastors are reluctant to believe the woman in cases of abuse; for fear that if he is ever divorced, regardless of the reason, he will be disqualified from ministry in most churches and agencies in the SBC?

Interesting that the abuse of men by the SBC (disqualifying a man from service when God has not disqualified him is indeed abuse) might just be a significant contributing factor in the abuse of women in the SBC. You see how the enemy of the soul does not discriminate between men and women… he seeks to destroy the faith of all God’s children.

We must ask ourselves; “How many rotten threads have been woven into the fabric of our collective theology (and traditions) over the years that needs now to be carefully removed?” Can they be removed without the total unraveling of the cloth? I am hopeful that in time, with patience, and with God’s grace they can, but I am under no illusion as to the danger and difficulty of the task.

Grace Always,

johnMark on Christless Christianity

2008-12-19T11:21:00.000-08:00

johnMark has put up a post on Christless Christianity Q and A With Michael Horton

This is another article that should be required reading for all Pastors and Laymen alike in the SBC…

It takes great courage to speak truth in an age of self deception…

The “supposed” Christian man of today is altogether satisfied with himself… He has followed the prescribed rituals of the Church of his choosing, yet with little or no evidence of “a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit”. And placing his trust in these man made religious rituals (Walking an isle, praying the sinners prayer, etc.) he comforts himself against the conviction of the Holy Spirit, closes his eyes, and refuses to hear the warnings of the faithful minister of God’s Word. Yes, the voice of God’s faithful Ministers falls on deft ears for; the “supposed” Christian man of today is altogether satisfied with himself…

Give us courage Lord to speak truth in an age of self deception…

Grace Always,

Michael Spencer on "Additional Doctrines," Baptist Style

2008-12-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

Michael Spencer (The Internet Monk) has put up a great article called “Additional Doctrines,” Baptist Style that is most worthy of reading. Make sure you take the time to read all the comments as they are very enlightening.

Sola Scriptura… Need I say anything else?

Grace Always,

Pelagian Beliefs in the SBC

2008-12-15T18:02:00.000-08:00

Recently I struck a “raw” nerve with Bart Barber, Tim Rogers, Wes Kenny, and Robin Foster over the issue of Pelagian beliefs in the SBC. I say that I struck a “raw” nerve with these guys because after posting a comment over on SBC Today saying that the “vast majority of Southern Baptist hold Pelagian beliefs of some sort or another…” Tim Rogers sent me an email to inform me that my comments were going to be “Censored” and Wes Kenny posted a comment on my Blog telling me that I was more than likely going to be banned from posting on SBC Today.

Now, I’m a big boy and I really don’t care if they ban me from posting on SBC Today or not, after all it is their blog and they can do as they please. However, I am a somewhat concerned by the extreme reaction of these Landmark guys over at SBC Today and I intend to post an article about that issue in the next few days. But really I am not all that concerned because neither of these guys are very influential in the SBC, nor is the Landmark movement they are a part of likely to gain many converts with these guys as the head of it’s PR department.

So, what is Pelagianism and is my comment that the “vast majority of Southern Baptist hold Pelagian beliefs of some sort or another…” true?

Pelagianism views humanity as basically good and morally unaffected by the Fall. It denies the imputation of Adam’s sin, original sin, total depravity, and substitutionary atonement. It simultaneously views man as fundamentally good and in possession of libertarian free will. With regards to salvation, it teaches that man has the ability in and of himself (apart from divine aid) to obey God and earn eternal salvation.

Pelagianism is overhwhelmingly incompatible with the Bible and was historically opposed by Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, leading to its condemnation as a heresy at Council of Carthage in 418 A.D. These condemnations were summarily ratified at the Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431).

Pelagius was a monk from Britain, whose reputation and theology came into prominence after he went to Rome sometime in the 380’s A.D. The historic Pelagian theological controversy involved the nature of man and the doctrine of original sin.

Pelagius believed that the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin (the Fall) were restricted to themselves only; and thereby denied the belief that original sin was passed on (or transferred) to the children of Adam and thus to the human race. Adam’s sin merely “set a bad example” for his progeny and Jesus “set a good example” for mankind (thus counteracting Adam’s bad example). Pelagianism teaches that human beings are born in a state of innocence with a nature that is as pure as that which Adam was given at his creation.

As a result of his basic assumption, Pelagius taught that man has an unimpaired moral ability to choose that which is spiritually good and possesses the free will, ability, and capacity to do that which is spiritually good. This resulted in a gospel of salvation based on human works. Man could choose to follow the precepts of God and then follow those precepts because he had the power within himself to do so.

The controversy came to a head when Pelagian teaching came into contact with Augustine. Augustine did not deny that man had a will and that he could make choices. But, Augustine recognized that man did not have a free will in moral issues related to God, asserting that the effects original sin were passed to the children of Adam and Eve and that mankind’s nature was thereby corrupted. Man could choose what he desired, but those desires were influenced by his sinful nature and he was unable to refrain from sinning.

Pelagius cleared himself of charges, primarily by hiding his real beliefs; however, at the Council of Carthage in 418 A.D., his teachings were branded as heresy. The Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., again condemned Pelagian doctrine and it was banished in the Greek portion of the church. However, in the West, the teachings held on, primarily in Britain and Gaul.

Pelagian teaching was replaced with Semi-Pelagianism which sought a middle ground between Pelagianism and Augustinianism, but it too was condemned at the Second Synod of Orange in 529 A.D. However, elements of Semi-Pelagianism continued in the Western (Roman) church. It emerged again after the Reformation in modified form in Arminianism which was rejected by the Reformed churches at the Synod of Dort in 1618-1619

A.D. (source: Theopedia.com)

That the vast majority of Southern Baptists hold to Pelagian beliefs of some sort or another is without question. Regardless of how embarrassed and uncomfortable some of my Landmark friends might be over my stating this publicly, it is nevertheless absolutely the truth as the above definition of Pelagianism makes it all to plain to see.

Here are the major areas of agreement between what Pelagian taught and what most Southern Baptist believe today:

1st - Pelagianism views humanity as basically good.

Most Southern Baptist view humanity (human nature) as basically good - This can be seen in that the majority of Southern Baptist believe that the “Will” of man is absolutely free to choose what is good or what is evil. And while most would not deny that there are evil people in the world, most would attribute their being evil people in the world due to the evil choices they have made, and not because they are by nature corrupt.

2nd - Pelagianism denies the imputation of Adam’s sin.

Most Southern Baptist deny the imputation of Adam’s sin – This can be seen in that most Southern Baptist believe that children are born in a state of innocence, just as Pelagian taught, and only become guilty before God after they commit actual sin. Pelagianism is the ideology behind the so called “Age of Accountability” which most Southern Baptists have adopted in order to explain how children dying before they make a profession of faith can go to heaven.

I am sure that better theologians than I can give a far more complete list of shared beliefs between Pelagian and the majority of Southern Baptist today, however I believe I have effectively proven my point.

Now, the question is; “why are my Landmark friends so embarrassed by me stating this truth in public?” I think I understand why, but what do you think is the reason for their obvious embarrassment?

Grace Always,

Calvinist Blasphemers

2008-12-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

Recently I ran across a comment by one of those “Angry Anti-Calvinist”, who is ashamed to give his real name, while reading an article on Timmy Brister’s Blog that exemplified for me the impact, and danger to the SBC, of having prominent SBC Leader host and participate in such events as the recent John 3:16 Conference.

rey Says: December 11, 2008 at 10:32 pm

Cooperate with Calvinists and you make converts to ATHEISM, not Christianity. Going around telling people “Our god held a lottery and you lost–go burn now for his glory” can’t make Christians, only Atheists and Calvinist blasphemers.

I then followed the link to this “Angry Anti-Calvinist’s” Blog where I was treated to the following comment by rey/beowulf2k8:

A Hyper-Calvinist is a Calvinist who admits to believing what all Calvinists believe. A regular Calvinist is a Hyper-Calvinist trying to convince non-Calvinists by lies that he doesn’t believe what all Calvinists believe. All Calvinists believe that their god is the author of evil and that this god causes each and every sin that is committed then punishes the puppet for doing what he made it do, but that he also arbitrarily elected some puppets to escape punishment for what he made them do.

Posted by beowulf2k8 at 7:07 PM

How in the world can any Calvinist cooperate with this kind of an attitude? For cooperation to exist and flourish in the SBC there must be at the very minimum some decorum of civility, and acceptance of the views of the other side. What I see coming from the Anti-Calvinist is no desire for acceptance and cooperation with Calvinist, but instead only Anger, Rejection, and a strong desire to Exclude Calvinist whenever possible.

If this is the kind of attitudes that Jerry Vines Ministries is producing in the SBC then we are indeed headed for some very troubling days ahead.

Grace Always