Yesterday, the Southern Baptist Convention had one of it's finest hours. It has been a much anticipated and hyped up buildup to the election of Fred Luter as our next president. Luter is being celebrated mostly because he is the first African-American to be elected president of the SBC. This is a denomination which stated over division among Baptists in colonies whether slave owners could play a significant role in missions efforts. The issue of slavery led us to withdraw from our Baptist brethren and form a new organization that would become one of the largest denominations and one of the greatest missionary forces on the planet. The SBC publicly repented years of that poor decision years ago, but still has had a hard time overcoming the stereotype and bringing predominantly Black churches into the SBC.
Luter is the right man for the job, and not just because of the color of his skin. Fred Luter has been a shining star in the SBC for many years. He has led a church that has baptized thousands and is a major force in the city of New Orleans. He has traveled for years preaching on the SBC Evangelism Conference and Annual Meetings circuit. He is a faithful teacher of God's word and a gracious, humble leader. Now he will lead our Convention of churches - no small task for such a divided group.
Congratulations Fred Luter and Southern Baptists! For one brief moment, we stopped our squabbling and posturing and did something right. (Then we started arguing about changing the name)
Showing posts with label SBC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SBC. Show all posts
Jun 20, 2012
Jun 21, 2011
"Let's embrace the ends of the earth 'till the end of the age"
I didn't make it to Phoenix last week for the SBC Pastor's Conference or Convention. However, I watched much of it online. I am excited about the opportunities facing us as Southern Baptists and especially the focus on much of the convention about engaging unreached people groups. Here is an excellent message from Ken Whitten that I hope inspires you and I to do more.
ASPIRE Msg: Ken Whitten from Hope Baptist Church, Las Vegas on Vimeo.
ASPIRE Msg: Ken Whitten from Hope Baptist Church, Las Vegas on Vimeo.
Jun 13, 2011
I Wish I Was In Phoenix...
Right now I am sitting in my office with a cup of coffee and a messy desk from two busy weeks of ministry. I am critiquing my sermons from yesterday (not feeling real good about them) and preparing a sermon plan for the next few months. I have a Doctor of Ministry proposal that is way too far overdue and I have little motivation right now to get it done. My wife's car is in the shop with an electrical problem and I am dreading the final bill.
At the same time, the Southern Baptist Convention is taking place in Phoenix, AZ. I had planned to go this year, but several circumstances have kept me from doing so. I attended my first SBC since becoming a pastor last year in Orlando. It was my first time attending since 1996. As a pastor now, I definitely had a different perspective. I also was interested to see first-hand the discussion and debate surround the Great Commission Resurgence. It was a large topic of conversation in my local association and in my State Convention in the days leading up to the '09 SBC. I enjoyed the whole process and felt like while the SBC has a number of issues that we need to address, it is nice to know that I can be a part of the process and hopefully part of the solution.
There has been a trend for a long time of many younger Southern Baptist leaders to ignore and avoid the convention politics. I am 42. Most of my friends and colleagues my age and younger have been frustrated over the convention and have viewed it as a bunch of power-hungry pastors fighting over crumbs instead of aligning the convention for the future. I don't think that it's coincidence that the issues of declining baptisms convention-wide, detachment of younger SBC leaders, turnover in the convention entities, and the call for a refocus on the Great Commission are all aligning at the same time. I am happy to see from social media that a growing number of younger SBC evangelicals are starting to check back in. The rise of groups like Baptist21 and Advance the Church show some promise that positive change is attainable in the near future for our SBC family.
From my observation, most of the people in our churches have no idea what the SBC is, what it does, how it operates, and why it may be the last hope for conservative evangelicalism on a denominational level. We know the names of Lottie and Annie and pass the plates to support them. We have been a convention of churches with pastors who have a hard time cooperating with anybody or anything other than the Cooperative Program. We have created a false sense of health in our churches by using a methodology that inflates our numbers so we can answer that question "How many are you running?" while filling our pews with unconverted believers who have never been told that following Jesus will cost them everything. As a result we have a large State and National bureaucracy that is hard to define and harder to unite.
Do I know all the answers? Certainly not. I do have some opinions. Do I accurately understand all the issues? Not really, but I am trying to learn. Nevertheless, I wish I was in Phoenix so that I can remind myself that my church in rural Alabama is part of a wonderful family of churches that have the potential significantly impact the Great Commission. I want to be there to be part of the process instead of sitting in my office critiquing things without being part of the solution. I want to be part of a generation that takes the baton from a faithful generation that has run the race before me and hand it off to a powerful generation that is coming behind me. I want to be part of the generation that can stand soon and report that baptisms on a national level are increasing. I want to be a part of a generation that can report hundreds of new church plants in pioneering areas and list unreached people groups that now have disciples of Jesus and access to the gospel message. This is why I wish I was in Phoenix.
Here are some helpful links I have read today and recently by some much smarter bloggers than me about the SBC and the future:
Ten Thoughts About the SBC - A very helpful post from Timmy Brister about some of our issues.
Again. From Decline to Decision - An appropriate post by Ed Stetzer who is a gift to Southern Baptists. We need to heed some of his warnings.
At the same time, the Southern Baptist Convention is taking place in Phoenix, AZ. I had planned to go this year, but several circumstances have kept me from doing so. I attended my first SBC since becoming a pastor last year in Orlando. It was my first time attending since 1996. As a pastor now, I definitely had a different perspective. I also was interested to see first-hand the discussion and debate surround the Great Commission Resurgence. It was a large topic of conversation in my local association and in my State Convention in the days leading up to the '09 SBC. I enjoyed the whole process and felt like while the SBC has a number of issues that we need to address, it is nice to know that I can be a part of the process and hopefully part of the solution.
There has been a trend for a long time of many younger Southern Baptist leaders to ignore and avoid the convention politics. I am 42. Most of my friends and colleagues my age and younger have been frustrated over the convention and have viewed it as a bunch of power-hungry pastors fighting over crumbs instead of aligning the convention for the future. I don't think that it's coincidence that the issues of declining baptisms convention-wide, detachment of younger SBC leaders, turnover in the convention entities, and the call for a refocus on the Great Commission are all aligning at the same time. I am happy to see from social media that a growing number of younger SBC evangelicals are starting to check back in. The rise of groups like Baptist21 and Advance the Church show some promise that positive change is attainable in the near future for our SBC family.
From my observation, most of the people in our churches have no idea what the SBC is, what it does, how it operates, and why it may be the last hope for conservative evangelicalism on a denominational level. We know the names of Lottie and Annie and pass the plates to support them. We have been a convention of churches with pastors who have a hard time cooperating with anybody or anything other than the Cooperative Program. We have created a false sense of health in our churches by using a methodology that inflates our numbers so we can answer that question "How many are you running?" while filling our pews with unconverted believers who have never been told that following Jesus will cost them everything. As a result we have a large State and National bureaucracy that is hard to define and harder to unite.
Do I know all the answers? Certainly not. I do have some opinions. Do I accurately understand all the issues? Not really, but I am trying to learn. Nevertheless, I wish I was in Phoenix so that I can remind myself that my church in rural Alabama is part of a wonderful family of churches that have the potential significantly impact the Great Commission. I want to be there to be part of the process instead of sitting in my office critiquing things without being part of the solution. I want to be part of a generation that takes the baton from a faithful generation that has run the race before me and hand it off to a powerful generation that is coming behind me. I want to be part of the generation that can stand soon and report that baptisms on a national level are increasing. I want to be a part of a generation that can report hundreds of new church plants in pioneering areas and list unreached people groups that now have disciples of Jesus and access to the gospel message. This is why I wish I was in Phoenix.
Here are some helpful links I have read today and recently by some much smarter bloggers than me about the SBC and the future:
Ten Thoughts About the SBC - A very helpful post from Timmy Brister about some of our issues.
Again. From Decline to Decision - An appropriate post by Ed Stetzer who is a gift to Southern Baptists. We need to heed some of his warnings.
Aug 16, 2010
Thoughts from a younger SBC pastor (part 1)
I just got through reading two great posts by Ed Stetzer over at Between the Times. His two articles were about his reflections on the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando. I would highly encourage you to read them here and here. I think Stetzer is right on target with his observations about the growing loss of presence at the SBC among younger leaders. His points accurately reflect much of what I have felt and have observed talking to other young leaders I know, some of whom have come through my ministry or I have met in my doctoral work at NOBTS.
I attended this year's SBC in Orlando. It was my first time at the SBC since 1996 when it was in Atlanta. I have watched with interest some the past years to the online streams, but until I became a senior pastor last summer, I had no real compelling interest in going. I think that statement describes a lot of the people my age and younger - no compelling interest. This year's compelling interest that motivated my attendance and many others was the debate over the Great Commission Resurgence. I had my own feelings about the GCR and had trusted leaders on both sides of the debate. Many of the pastors in my own state and association were not in favor of it. There were many reasons given, much of which I thought sounded like "old school politics" rather than New Testament practices. I was torn even on my way to Orlando because I saw the pros and cons on both sides of the aisle. In the weeks leading up to the SBC, I told many of my friends and mentors that one of my biggest concerns if the GCR didn't pass was that we would lose many of the rising young leaders in the SBC. As I attended the convention, that concern was even more validated.
I have been a Southern Baptist since I was saved at age 17. I have attended a SBC church since I was in cradle roll. I listened to my pastor growing up inform me about the conservative resurgence and the battles that were being fought to get liberalism out of the SBC. I attended an SBC seminary and benefited from the support of the Cooperative Program. I have a strong personal fondness for men like Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley, Jerry Vines, and many others who have handed me a conservatively sound SBC.
However, the more I grew, the more I became concerned that much of the denomination I love seemed out of touch with what I saw being the relevant issues of the day. I was tired of seeing the SBC known only as the "cranky people who are boycotting Disney" even if the reason for the Disney boycott was a valid one. In recent years, it seemed like the SBC was becoming more known for self-preserving the "good ol' boys club" than really listening to the young leaders that were coming up. I have also been concerned because of the divide over the "Young, Restless, and Reformed" crowd. It seemed like those who had been a part of the SBC for so many years were so quick to dismiss this growing group of young leaders like they were over-caffeinated teenagers "who will learn someday." I was troubled that some of those who had gained power seemed to be using that power to quell tertiary issues instead of listening to some of these young leaders passion for real missional change. I am saddened when someone from the floor of the SBC will make a recommendation to ban Mark Dricoll's books from Lifeway as though he were Richard Dawkins or Madelyn Murray O'Hair. I understand that you may not agree with some of his theology, his occasional tendency to push the envelope of crassness, or the fact that he's become the poster-child for the young, reformed, missional movement. The fact is - ACTS 29 has done as much if not more to be a church planting machine in the last decade than the politically engorged machine of the North American Mission Board. That statement is not meant to denigrate NAMB, but to point out that while our mission agency has been mired in leadership turmoil, others have found successful ways to plant New Testament churches. Stetzer and many others have said often the last few years how many times they have seen sharp, young pastors with a heart to plant a church who have tried to work with NAMB and the State Associations only to be bogged down and turned away. As a result, they have turned to or founded other organizations that are now setting the trends in church planting while the SBC is now "resurging" to focus more on it.
These are just a few of my thoughts about the SBC I love and the time it is in. I don't believe that all the younger pastors are right. I think many of the younger pastors would do well to remember that we do stand on some significant shoulders. I heard someone I admire say recently "all the heroes of the younger pastors are themselves" meaning that maybe we don't have the affinity or have taken to time to show the respect for those who have gone before us. The impulsiveness of youth always makes us think we can do it better. Right now, I am in a transitional phase. I am about to turn 42. I am no longer a younger evangelical. I am not in the old guard yet. But, I will be closely watching both groups and trying to be a bridge-builder as much as possible.
I attended this year's SBC in Orlando. It was my first time at the SBC since 1996 when it was in Atlanta. I have watched with interest some the past years to the online streams, but until I became a senior pastor last summer, I had no real compelling interest in going. I think that statement describes a lot of the people my age and younger - no compelling interest. This year's compelling interest that motivated my attendance and many others was the debate over the Great Commission Resurgence. I had my own feelings about the GCR and had trusted leaders on both sides of the debate. Many of the pastors in my own state and association were not in favor of it. There were many reasons given, much of which I thought sounded like "old school politics" rather than New Testament practices. I was torn even on my way to Orlando because I saw the pros and cons on both sides of the aisle. In the weeks leading up to the SBC, I told many of my friends and mentors that one of my biggest concerns if the GCR didn't pass was that we would lose many of the rising young leaders in the SBC. As I attended the convention, that concern was even more validated.
I have been a Southern Baptist since I was saved at age 17. I have attended a SBC church since I was in cradle roll. I listened to my pastor growing up inform me about the conservative resurgence and the battles that were being fought to get liberalism out of the SBC. I attended an SBC seminary and benefited from the support of the Cooperative Program. I have a strong personal fondness for men like Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley, Jerry Vines, and many others who have handed me a conservatively sound SBC.
However, the more I grew, the more I became concerned that much of the denomination I love seemed out of touch with what I saw being the relevant issues of the day. I was tired of seeing the SBC known only as the "cranky people who are boycotting Disney" even if the reason for the Disney boycott was a valid one. In recent years, it seemed like the SBC was becoming more known for self-preserving the "good ol' boys club" than really listening to the young leaders that were coming up. I have also been concerned because of the divide over the "Young, Restless, and Reformed" crowd. It seemed like those who had been a part of the SBC for so many years were so quick to dismiss this growing group of young leaders like they were over-caffeinated teenagers "who will learn someday." I was troubled that some of those who had gained power seemed to be using that power to quell tertiary issues instead of listening to some of these young leaders passion for real missional change. I am saddened when someone from the floor of the SBC will make a recommendation to ban Mark Dricoll's books from Lifeway as though he were Richard Dawkins or Madelyn Murray O'Hair. I understand that you may not agree with some of his theology, his occasional tendency to push the envelope of crassness, or the fact that he's become the poster-child for the young, reformed, missional movement. The fact is - ACTS 29 has done as much if not more to be a church planting machine in the last decade than the politically engorged machine of the North American Mission Board. That statement is not meant to denigrate NAMB, but to point out that while our mission agency has been mired in leadership turmoil, others have found successful ways to plant New Testament churches. Stetzer and many others have said often the last few years how many times they have seen sharp, young pastors with a heart to plant a church who have tried to work with NAMB and the State Associations only to be bogged down and turned away. As a result, they have turned to or founded other organizations that are now setting the trends in church planting while the SBC is now "resurging" to focus more on it.
These are just a few of my thoughts about the SBC I love and the time it is in. I don't believe that all the younger pastors are right. I think many of the younger pastors would do well to remember that we do stand on some significant shoulders. I heard someone I admire say recently "all the heroes of the younger pastors are themselves" meaning that maybe we don't have the affinity or have taken to time to show the respect for those who have gone before us. The impulsiveness of youth always makes us think we can do it better. Right now, I am in a transitional phase. I am about to turn 42. I am no longer a younger evangelical. I am not in the old guard yet. But, I will be closely watching both groups and trying to be a bridge-builder as much as possible.
Aug 11, 2010
Pray for Dr. Johnny Hunt
As a young pastor, I have several men in ministry who have gone before me who are "ministry heroes" of mine. I believe it's vitally important for young pastors to have an affinity and connection to men who have gone before us. We need to devoted to the "old dead guys" like Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon, Edwards, Whitfield, and many others who have left such a strong theological heritage. Many of my young pastors love to read and quote these guys. However, we also need to build on the firm ministry foundation and legacy that has been handed off to us by more modern "heroes" whose impact cannot be fully measured yet. Some of my the men in modern time who have had a spiritual and ministry impact on me include men like Adrian Rogers, John MacArthur, John Piper, John Stott, Charles Swindoll, and more recently, Johnny Hunt.
Many of you know about Dr. Johnny Hunt. He has a powerful testimony of being radically saved from a life of deep depravity. During my early years, he was a bright, rising star in Southern Baptist life. Many looked to First Baptist, Woodstock, GA because of it's explosive numerical growth in the 1990's and because of it's energetic and fiery pastor in the pulpit. Dr. Hunt has been a regular speaker at Pastor's Conferences and the SBC platform for many year. In more recent years, Dr. Hunt has led FBC Woodstock to have one of the largest missional impact on global missions of any church in our convention. FBC Woodstock regularly sends mission teams to every continent on the globe. Many innovative mission organizations have been started from members of that church and hundreds of people from Woodstock have left full-time vocations to go "make disciples of all nations." That missional vision modeled and led by Dr. Hunt has been an inspiration to me and many young pastors who are fanning missional flames in their churches.
Dr. Hunt has been a fiery leader in the Southern Baptist Convention culminated by his last two years of service as SBC president. He poured all his energy into leading our convention to the Great Commission Resurgence. No matter what your feeling was about the GCR, no one can challenge that Dr. Hunt has a huge vision for Southern Baptists to do more.
In addition, Johnny Hunt has always been about pouring out of himself into the lives of others. He and FBC Woodstock host a phenomenal men's conference every year. Our church this past February took 20+ of our guys who came back fired up. For almost 20 years now, Johnny Hunt has set aside time through his "Timothy Barnabas" conferences to personally mentor young pastors and spend significant time with them and their wives. I went to one of these about 8 years ago and was tremendously blessed. I was scheduled to go to my first one since coming to Sixth Street on September 22-24.
However, today I received a call from the conference letting me know that it had been postponed until March. The reason is that his leadership as SBC president and full-time pastor of one of the largest churches in the convention has left him spiritually and physically drained. Earlier this year, Dr. Hunt underwent successful prostate cancer surgery and recovery. However, it didn't keep him from fulfilling his commitment to the men's conference or to his leadership of the SBC. When he finished his service in June, he and his wife prepared for their sabbatical in July. That leave of absence has been extended. It appears that the hectic schedule and burden that he has carried for the SBC and for global evangelization combined with the physical toll of cancer surgery and radiation has drained this powerful man of God. My heart is burdened for Dr. Hunt. I certainly understand the postponing of the Timothy Barnabas Conference. More so, I think this great man of God deserves the proper "well done" from his SBC counterparts and for all of us who are so indebted to his leadership to take a few moments to hit our knees and intercede on behalf of him and Janet. Study the heroes of the Bible and you will see how great service was often coupled with deep need for refreshing and encouragement.
I have no doubt he will be back and as fiery as ever. The church announced Sunday that he is scheduled to come back in mid-late September. Please pray for God to strengthen him, encourage him, empower him, and refresh him. Pray also that the time he and Janet are spending alone will draw them closer than they have ever been. I pray that when my service to the church is evaluated, that my wife and I can still have the same love and devotion to one another that Dr. Johnny and Janet hunt display.
For more info on Dr. Hunt, you can see the Baptist Press article here.
Many of you know about Dr. Johnny Hunt. He has a powerful testimony of being radically saved from a life of deep depravity. During my early years, he was a bright, rising star in Southern Baptist life. Many looked to First Baptist, Woodstock, GA because of it's explosive numerical growth in the 1990's and because of it's energetic and fiery pastor in the pulpit. Dr. Hunt has been a regular speaker at Pastor's Conferences and the SBC platform for many year. In more recent years, Dr. Hunt has led FBC Woodstock to have one of the largest missional impact on global missions of any church in our convention. FBC Woodstock regularly sends mission teams to every continent on the globe. Many innovative mission organizations have been started from members of that church and hundreds of people from Woodstock have left full-time vocations to go "make disciples of all nations." That missional vision modeled and led by Dr. Hunt has been an inspiration to me and many young pastors who are fanning missional flames in their churches.Dr. Hunt has been a fiery leader in the Southern Baptist Convention culminated by his last two years of service as SBC president. He poured all his energy into leading our convention to the Great Commission Resurgence. No matter what your feeling was about the GCR, no one can challenge that Dr. Hunt has a huge vision for Southern Baptists to do more.
In addition, Johnny Hunt has always been about pouring out of himself into the lives of others. He and FBC Woodstock host a phenomenal men's conference every year. Our church this past February took 20+ of our guys who came back fired up. For almost 20 years now, Johnny Hunt has set aside time through his "Timothy Barnabas" conferences to personally mentor young pastors and spend significant time with them and their wives. I went to one of these about 8 years ago and was tremendously blessed. I was scheduled to go to my first one since coming to Sixth Street on September 22-24.
However, today I received a call from the conference letting me know that it had been postponed until March. The reason is that his leadership as SBC president and full-time pastor of one of the largest churches in the convention has left him spiritually and physically drained. Earlier this year, Dr. Hunt underwent successful prostate cancer surgery and recovery. However, it didn't keep him from fulfilling his commitment to the men's conference or to his leadership of the SBC. When he finished his service in June, he and his wife prepared for their sabbatical in July. That leave of absence has been extended. It appears that the hectic schedule and burden that he has carried for the SBC and for global evangelization combined with the physical toll of cancer surgery and radiation has drained this powerful man of God. My heart is burdened for Dr. Hunt. I certainly understand the postponing of the Timothy Barnabas Conference. More so, I think this great man of God deserves the proper "well done" from his SBC counterparts and for all of us who are so indebted to his leadership to take a few moments to hit our knees and intercede on behalf of him and Janet. Study the heroes of the Bible and you will see how great service was often coupled with deep need for refreshing and encouragement.
I have no doubt he will be back and as fiery as ever. The church announced Sunday that he is scheduled to come back in mid-late September. Please pray for God to strengthen him, encourage him, empower him, and refresh him. Pray also that the time he and Janet are spending alone will draw them closer than they have ever been. I pray that when my service to the church is evaluated, that my wife and I can still have the same love and devotion to one another that Dr. Johnny and Janet hunt display.
For more info on Dr. Hunt, you can see the Baptist Press article here.
Jun 14, 2010
Hanging In Orlando
It’s day 2 here at the SBC in Orlando. It was a blessed time last night at the opening. We were blessed to hear from David Uth, Steve Gaines, and Ravi Zacharias. Uth is the pastor of FBC Orlando. We went to church there yesterday morning and were tremendously blessed. David morning sermon was a challenging and affirming message from Acts 27 reminding us that God has planned a time of shipwreck and crisis in our ministry but has also promised us that if we stay on the ship, we will make it. His evening message was a powerful reminder that we are in the business of changing lives.
Gaines is the pastor at Bellevue in Memphis. He shucked the corn. His message was from Revelation 3 and the church at Sardis about a dying church that thought it was alive. It was a powerful reminder of our accountability to the Lord Jesus as church leaders. Ravi Zaharias is probably one of the smartest men I have ever heard. He is a brilliant apologist. His message was an overview of the life of Joseph in Genesis. He reminded us of the need to be firm in the midst of temptations and have peace in the midst of our pain. God has given Zacharias a powerful platform to defend the faith in some of the most challenging places on earth. The evening was closed by Tony Evans. However, my party and I were ready to get home and get something to eat so I missed it.
This morning, I got to hear from Matt Chandler and C.J. Mahaney. I am extremely grateful to God for raising up these two men and the impact they have had on me in recent years. Matt did a powerful job reminding us of the dangers of boiling our preaching down to sin management and neglecting the power of the gospel. C.J. preached an affirming message from 1 Peter 5 reminding us that our task is to engage in the work of ministry with joy, eagerness, and gladness and to try to avoid the ministry crushers that we face every day.
Break for lunch now...very unhealthy Chili Cheese Dog and Fries. No wonder I weigh 235 lbs.
Sep 15, 2009
Al Mohler and the Future of the SBC
I watched this video online a few weeks ago and thought it was a timely, prophetic message. Dr. Mohler is one of the prominent voices in the SBC. I think that the leadership of our convention would do well to listen and heed this message. It's a little long, but well worth the watch.
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