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.

Bryson

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 a female pastor.

But the amendment that passed didn’t say that.

It said something else entirely and MEANT something else entirely.

This is not a theological analysis by a seminarian. I’m not talking about women pastors. I’m a lawyer – not the SBC’s lawyer, not even a lawyer that practices civil law – but reading the amendment, I cannot overlook what we are about to do. [Read more…]

Dooley

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 sins. Professors repented of their pride. Our president openly apologized to numerous faculty members. Testimonies of God’s goodness abounded. Personal pettiness and secret grudges seemed to dissipate in the shadow of God’s undeniable presence. No excessive displays for attention monopolized the time. Miraculous signs or gifts were the farthest things from my mind. Overwhelmed like never before, I wanted to hide my face as I considered just how near God was that day. [Read more…]

Iorg

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 the entire Southern Baptist denomination.

When the SBC Executive Committee forwarded the amendment to the Convention in 2023, it did so with a recommendation that the amendment be declined. This remains the position of the Executive Committee and reflects my position as well. Here are some of the reasons for our position, along with some suggestions for a path forward. [Read more…]

Lonnie Wilkey

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 Baptist and Reflector was nearing an end, so my wife and I began planning for the future. We had no intent of selling our home in Nashville but in 2021, God moved in such a way that we know it was His will for us to sell. [Read more…]

Dooley

It was an honest question from an unbeliever I’d known for years. Our recent discussion about following Christ turned to more pragmatic matters born out of his general observations about Christianity in general. “Why would I give up my one day off in order to gather with bunch of people I don’t know?” was his follow-up.

Perhaps you’ve wondered the same. Do we really need the church? If we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, why does it matter if we regularly gather with a body of other believers to worship? What are we missing out on if we just stay home on Sundays? To answer these questions, we turn to the book of Hebrews where we find a biblical vision for church participation. These words demonstrate what should motivate us to worship with the saints and how we benefit from doing so. [Read more…]

Tomlin

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 time each Sunday or meeting time for children to prepare invitations and art work.  [Read more…]

Are you ready to abandon the illusion that you are indestructible and indispensable? Ready to obey the command, receive the gift, work the plan and love the Person who is calling you to rest in Him?

My interest in the Sabbath came from a painful experience. In the excitement of a season of church growth, I neglected my spiritual well-being by routinely neglecting the Sabbath.

My physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual gas tanks became empty. I justified my schedule — and my ambition — to myself, my family, my staff, my church. I was blindly racing down the road to burnout without a clue that God provides an exit ramp of rest. [Read more…]