Truth for Today

GRITS For the SBC

G - Great Commission Focused
R - Repentance from Arrogance and Divisiveness
I  - Intentional in Seeking Unity
T - Total Commitment to the BFM2000
S - Sensitive to the Views of Others

Like it our not... Southern Baptist are a very diverse group of people.  You may not agree, but I believe that is a good thing!  I know there are those within the Southern Baptist family who are obsessed, it would appear, with imposing their identity and doctrine upon all Southern Baptist regardless of the utter destruction such an agenda would have to the Convention if successful. 

I believe there is great strength in diversity, even if it means that we must at times agree to disagree on some pretty important stuff.  Other denominations have gone down the path of seeking a very "narrow identity", and sometimes even a "forced conformity", and each time it has not ended well for them.  

Just as most of us have our own preference for what we like to eat for breakfast, most of us have a preference for the church in which we worship.  We want breakfast made "our way"... and we church done "our way".  Let me just say that "there is absolutely noting wrong in either of these".  One of the great blessing of freedom in this great nation is that if I don't like what they are serving for breakfast at one restaurant I can simply go somewhere else.  Don't like what they are serving at McDonald's?  Then go to Waffle House.  Don't like what they are serving at Waffle House?  Then go to Denny's.  No, where we get into trouble as Southern Baptist is when we feel the need to order breakfast for everyone else.  

Have you ever saw a couple at a restaurant and the man ordered for both himself and his wife (without asking her)?  I don't know about you, but on the few occasions that I have witnessed this I got a knot in the pit of my stomach because it was obvious to all that the wife was living under the domination of her husband.  Is this what any of us really want for the Southern Baptist Convention?  I certainly hope not, because the movie Sleeping with the Enemy depicts what will happen if any one group of Southern Baptist think they can "rule" over the convictions of other believers... it will not end well. 

Perhaps it is time that all parties within the Southern Baptist Convention started allowing their brothers and sisters to order off the menu for themselves?  And don't forget the G.R.I.T.S "I'll have mine with a little cheese please". 

Grace for the Journey,    

Southern Baptist Theological Confusion

As I have been saying for a long, long time... The Majority of Southern Baptist are "Atheological".  

Atheological refers to one's lack of  concern for theology, and this new survey from LifeWay research shows that about 50% of Southern Baptist Pastors, if not unconcerned about theology, are at the very least "Greatly Confused!" 


"If a person does not care about their theology, they miss the importance of rooting their entire life in the true knowledge of God and a true, coherent, rational, theological worldview. A person's relationship with God is built on the foundation of what one believes about God and what it means to be right with God, and this is the most important determining factor in shaping the way a person lives. An atheological person does not seriously reflect on their own foundational worldview assumptions (e.g., what is truth, who is God, does this matter?), nor do they see how doing so would be relevant to everyday life." - [http://www.mormonwiki.org/Atheological_tendency] 


Some are trying to use the above survey data to say that the majority of Southern Baptist have a problem with the growing influence of Calvinism in the SBC.  If that is true then an equal majority of Southern Baptist have a problem with the lingering influence of Arminian (Non-Calvinism) in the SBC.  But neither of these are what this survey truly shows... 


No, this survey shows that, sadly, over 50% of Southern Baptist Pastors are "atheological".  


I don't have any data to back this up, but it is my suspicion that this is largely a generational issue as theology was not stressed in seminary in the previous generations of Southern Baptist as, thankfully, it is today.  I pray that as the years go by that we begin to see an improvement in these numbers.  


Grace for the Journey   

Florida Independent Blues

Florida Independent Blues, Company B, 3rd Florida Infantry

The 3rd Infantry Regiment was formed near Pensacola, Florida, in July, 1861. It recruited from the counties of St. Johns, Hernando, Jefferson, Duval, Wakulla, Madison, Columbia, and Suwanee. The unit served along the coast at Talbot Island and Cedar Keys, then moved to Mobile. After fighting at Perryville it was assigned to Preston's, Stovall's, Finley's, and J. A. Smith's Brigade, and during December, 1862, consolidated with the 1st Florida Infantry Regiment. The 3rd was engaged at Murfreesboro and Jackson, then participated in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Bentonville. It was organized with 950 officers and men, and the 1st/3rd lost twenty-six percent of the 531 engaged at Murfreesboro and thirty-four percent of the 273 in action at Chickamauga. In December, 1863, this command totaled 240 men and 119arms, but only a remnant surrendered in April, 1865. The field officers were Colonel William S. Dilworth; Lieutenant Colonels Lucius A. Church, Elisha Mashburn, and Arthur J. T. Wright; and Major John L. Phillips.

Dance in the Rain

No matter what you are facing today...

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalms 23)

Quote for Today:

[Freedom is not befitting of, nor long held by, an Immoral People!]

It is important for us to remember that our Freedom comes from God alone... and not man. It is also important for us to remember that as Christians we have an obligation to Vote For Godly Men.

A Wicked man is incapable of ruling well... The Scriptures put it this way: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bears rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29:2)

So in choosing whom to vote for, the believer bears the responsibility of not only knowing the public policies of the candidates but also knowing their personal values.

Grace for the Journey,

Greg

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

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

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

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!

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,