Opinion Column

ONE MESSENGER’S PERSPECTIVE OF SBC 2023

It’s always a great day to be a Tennessee Baptist, but there were many moments during the recent Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting when I was also proud to be a Southern Baptist.  Here’s a sampling of some of those moments: 

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ARE WE FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT THING?

Southern Baptists are once again in the national news. Here are a sampling of headlines from across the nation last week: “Southern Baptists take first step in approving ban on women pastors” — The Tennessean “Southern Baptists move to purge churches with female pastors” — The New York Times “Southern Baptists vote to expel two churches led by female pastors” — NBC News And the list continues to grow. Sadly,

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TO ALL THE FATHERS PLUGGING AWAY

Father’s Day is not like Mother’s Day and not always in the best way.  I was sitting behind a dad and his son during church on Father’s Day several years ago. The son was probably about 11 or 12 years old. The sermon majored on how fathers “need to pick it up,” supported by a healthy dose of dead-beat-dad statistics. It was a depressing sermon and as I looked around

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GODLY FATHERS TEACH COMPASSION, FAITH

Being the kind of father that brings glory to God requires time and patience. It is often through every day experiences and activities that children learn trust, compassion and faith. And by working with their dads, they learn skills for living. My father built the home I grew up in through hard, physical labor. He tore down two smaller houses and even removed the nails, to construct our dwelling. A

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ADVICE FROM ONE WHO HAS ‘CUT HIS TEETH’

After I had graduated from seminary, I met with a local pastor to discuss my options. I had to decide if I wanted to pursue a “senior” pastorate or if I wanted to pursue a staff position. He told me to go and “cut my teeth” at my first position. What a graphic, yet accurate, description of many pastors’ first experiences.  After much prayer and other counsel, I took a

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FIRST-PERSON: GAINING ALTITUDE – WMU CELEBRATES 135 YEARS OF SBC MISSIONS

According to an insect identification database, 647 types of bugs and insects are found in Alabama. Some downright scare me. I looked at images of each until I located the entry most resembling the flying insect I watched from a chair on my back deck. I believe it was a common whitetail skimmer dragonfly that captured my attention. I can’t be totally sure since there are 5,000 species of dragonflies.

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BF&M 2000 TO UNDERGO SCRUTINY AT SBC

Southern Baptist Convention president Bart Barber, a pastor in Farmersville, Texas, recently announced on a Twitter video that he expects there will be a motion to amend the SBC’s Constitution and Bylaws along with the motion for the newly elected SBC president to appoint a committee to study both the Constitution and Bylaws and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. The proposed amendment from Virginia pastor Mike Law would clarify

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WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH LITTLE FAITH?

One of the adventures I love is leading tours of the Holy Land. Seeing God’s Word come alive in people’s lives is something that I really enjoy. Each time I go to Israel, one of my favorite places to go is the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  I seem to always think about that time Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water, and Peter called out

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SATANISM IS NOT ALWAYS OVERT

Last month a sold-out crowd of satanists descended on Boston for SatanCon 2023 to celebrate The Satanic Temple’s 10-year anniversary.  Many within my tribe were upset, and I get that. I really do.“They’re not even hiding their satanism anymore!” Be that as it may, brothers and sisters, “Satan (also) disguises himself as an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14). So, if we’re going to be offended by misguided souls parading

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LA SALUD MENTAL Y EL EVANGELIO

Dedicado a todos aquellos que compartieron valientemente sus luchas personales contra la salud mental, con la esperanza de que su valentía inspire una mayor comprensión y compasión hacia aquellos que sufren en silencio. El Evangelio y la salud mental están interconectados porque ambos abordan la condición humana y nuestra necesidad de sanación gracia, compasión y restauración. Más importante aún, demuestran cómo deben responder los cristianos a un mundo que está

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