’ Tis the season for graduation addresses, and as a college professor for many years I’d like to share some thoughts with you (and others who might want to listen in). Our culture encourages you to laziness, and then, mocks and caricatures you as lazy. The truth is if you want a meaningful, worthwhile life, you must work hard. It is odd to me to hear the word lazy used
My mother’s first cousin was an adult with exceptional needs. He unfortunately died several years ago. His name was Doug. Doug lived with his mom and dad, had several siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins who deeply cared about him and for him. His parents were his primary caretakers until he passed away. Family members pitched in financially along the way to ensure his physical, emotional and financial needs were met
In just a few days, thousands of Southern Baptists will journey to Indianapolis for our annual meeting. Every year, it feels like the SBC is a big pressure cooker on the stove building steam throughout the year until we hit the release valve at the annual meeting each June. There are multiple issues of significance that have certainly led to quite a bit of pressure being built through social media
I attended my first annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Pittsburgh in 1983. The “Conservative Resurgence” was in its infancy. The conflict between “moderates/liberals” and “conservatives” remained throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s. Many moderates left the SBC in 1991 and formed the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. One of their parting shots at the SBC was that now that moderates were gone, the conservatives would “turn on
Necessary legal disclaimer: I’m a lawyer. I’m not your lawyer. I’m not the SBC’s lawyer. This article isn’t legal advice or intended to create a lawyer-client relationship between the SBC or any other party and me. Mike Law circulated a letter last year informing the Southern Baptist Convention that for the sake of clarity he intended to propose an amendment that churches were not in friendly cooperation when they employed
I will never forget the day God visited my college campus. None of the songs we sang that day readily come to mind. The subject of the visiting preacher’s message is less familiar to me than what I had for dinner on this same date last year. What I do remember, though, is that God showed up in an unusual way during our campus wide revival. Students began confessing their
The Southern Baptist Convention will soon consider final action on an amendment to the SBC Constitution stating that a cooperating Southern Baptist church “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” This is a significant decision which raises important issues related to Baptist theology, polity and practice and has the potential to profoundly impact not just the Southern Baptist Convention, but
For more than 35 years, I have attended countless events at Tennessee Baptists’ two camps/conference centers at Carson Springs in Newport and Linden Valley in Linden. But it wasn’t until the last two-plus years that I have truly come to understand the treasure Tennessee Baptists have at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center and Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center. About three years ago, I sensed my time as editor of the
I love good advice. Proverbs 11:14 has been a benchmark verse for me: “Where there is no counsel people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety (success).” You can never have enough wise counsel. Conversation from competent and proven practitioners in any field is worth the time and resources to obtain it. I’d like to offer some much-needed investment advice to pastors. Oh, not the sort of
In honor of mothers, or other women who serve as guardians, plan a special time to say “Thank You” the second Sunday in May. Help children in your church Sunday school class make preparation for this important event. The following ideas can be used for children: • Schedule on your church calendar a special class session for Mother’s Day. • If possible, make plans several weeks in advance. Set aside
’ Tis the season for graduation addresses, and as a college professor for many years I’d like to share some thoughts with you (and others
My mother’s first cousin was an adult with exceptional needs. He unfortunately died several years ago. His name was Doug. Doug lived with his mom
In just a few days, thousands of Southern Baptists will journey to Indianapolis for our annual meeting. Every year, it feels like the SBC is
I attended my first annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Pittsburgh in 1983. The “Conservative Resurgence” was in its infancy. The conflict between
Necessary legal disclaimer: I’m a lawyer. I’m not your lawyer. I’m not the SBC’s lawyer. This article isn’t legal advice or intended to create a
I will never forget the day God visited my college campus. None of the songs we sang that day readily come to mind. The subject
The Southern Baptist Convention will soon consider final action on an amendment to the SBC Constitution stating that a cooperating Southern Baptist church “affirms, appoints,
For more than 35 years, I have attended countless events at Tennessee Baptists’ two camps/conference centers at Carson Springs in Newport and Linden Valley in
I love good advice. Proverbs 11:14 has been a benchmark verse for me: “Where there is no counsel people fall; but in the multitude of
In honor of mothers, or other women who serve as guardians, plan a special time to say “Thank You” the second Sunday in May. Help