A bill is working its way through the Georgia state legislature that would criminalize sexual contact between clergy and adult individuals. This is an important issue and not one that can be reduced to a thousand world blog post. While I have no questions about the intent of the legislators, supporters, and lobbyists for this, a number of difficult questions arise. The matter is summarized in this article from Ministry Watch: https://ministrywatch.com/ga-senate-committee-unanimously-advances-bill-addressing-clergy-sexual-abuse/ I am not optimistic that the discipline and patience exists … [Read more...] about Criminalizing adult, ‘consensual,’ sexual contact by clergy
What No One Tells You in Church Planting: Part Two
I started this series after a conversation with a friend whose church was supporting a new church plant. I shared some advice that I hadn’t heard when I was planting but wished I had. The first time I talked with a church planter, I told him I was thinking about planting a church. His main advice was about money. He told me to buy Randy Alcorn’s The Treasure Principle for everyone in the core team and then gather them together and ask them to put their treasure into the church. He advised not being afraid to ask everyone, including broke college students. I now think his advice is wrong … [Read more...] about What No One Tells You in Church Planting: Part Two
Reflections on Life Intersections with Rev. Jesse Jackson (William Dwight McKissic)
As with millions of Black teenagers across America, Rev. Jackson instilled in me a sense of “somebodyness” with his simple, but penetrating, speech to the last generation living in a Jim Crow Society, designed to remind you of your inferiority and less-than status: “I Am Somebody.” A biography of Jesse Jackson somehow made its way into my hands at about age 19 or 20; and my most salient remembrance from reading it was that Jesse Jackson, according to the book, did not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. Faced with the temptations to do both at that age, it was Jackson’s lifestyle of … [Read more...] about Reflections on Life Intersections with Rev. Jesse Jackson (William Dwight McKissic)
Moses’ Failure and the Pastor’s Calling
In Sunday School this last week, we were talking about Moses’ death on Mt. Nebo. God led him up the mountain and reminded him that he could only see the Promised Land, not enter it, because he “broke faith” with Him before the people at Meribah Kadesh. Moses led the Hebrews faithfully for 40 years, endured their grumbling, their idolatry, and everything else. He was a great leader, but that one failure caused God to keep him from the Land. This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did … [Read more...] about Moses’ Failure and the Pastor’s Calling
Why is the Southern Baptist Convention Declining?
I saw a Tweet on X (formerly Twitter) about the SBC by Dr. Ryan Burge. Dr. Burge (long at Eastern Illinois University, now at St. Louis University) is recognized as the leading authority on denominational growth and decline in the USA. In the Tweet he mentioned that the Southern Baptist Convention has lost 3.6 million members in the last twenty years. He posted a graph that showed our membership peaked in 2006, when we reported 16.2 members. This piqued my curiosity, and I decided to research and analyze the SBC’s decline. Just so you know, I was trained in church growth analysis, and I’ve … [Read more...] about Why is the Southern Baptist Convention Declining?
Do Southern Baptists Really Desire to Plant Churches in North America?
Recently, Joe Radosevich wrote a post for Voices in which he told of his trials and tribulations as a church planter in the USA. Another church planter commented and reported that his experience was similar. Most of my experience in church planting is foreign, not domestic. My wife and I served with the International Mission Board in Southeast Asia for 25 years. My missionary assignment was to teach in a seminary, but all missionaries engage in church planning. We had the opportunity to plant several churches during our careers. Church planting overseas is somewhat different from that in … [Read more...] about Do Southern Baptists Really Desire to Plant Churches in North America?
A Nation Unites Against the Patriots
America is a deeply divided, fractured, splintered nation. Our politics has never been more splintered than it is today. Our own denomination is more tribal and less united than it has ever been, for a number of reasons. It is a breath of fresh air, then, when something unites us as Baptists and as Americans. We can rejoice and give thanks for that, even if it is only a brief and fleeting unity. This weekend, Americans will come together, ever so briefly, uniting to against one of the greatest evils of our generation, the New England Patriots. As one, we hope that they will go down to … [Read more...] about A Nation Unites Against the Patriots
Should We Adopt the Nicene Creed? (Part 2 – Answers from Dr. Yarnell)
In Part 1, I explained the historical background of the Nicene Creed and published the creed for our readers’ information. You should read Part 1 before you read Part 2. In this post, I am sharing Dr. Yarnell’s responses to several questions that I posed to him. So, the questions are mine, the answers are his. Let me share a disclaimer. Dr. Yarnell is a respected professor of theology, Research Professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. I am not a theologian, but rather a missiologist. I’m sure some readers will ask questions. It may be that Dr. Yarnell will respond. I don’t know. … [Read more...] about Should We Adopt the Nicene Creed? (Part 2 – Answers from Dr. Yarnell)
What No One Tells You in Church Planting: Part One
You are planting a church in a broken world. Here is what you face that no one talks about: First, churches will sin against you. Every church planter I know had the rug pulled out from under them by their sending church or a nearby church. Another planter will recruit from your core team or pastors will talk about you behind your back. After a disappointing start, supporting churches aren’t so supportive anymore. Every planter has stories of being let down by those that should have helped. If you have problems with your sending church, then you are normal. If you don’t have problems … [Read more...] about What No One Tells You in Church Planting: Part One
Should We Adopt the Nicene Creed?
At the 2025 Annual Meeting of the SBC, Dr. Malcolm Yarnell, Research Professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, made a motion, asking the SBC to formally adopt the Nicene Creed. His motion failed to garner enough votes to pass, but Dr. Yarnell intends to make the same motion at this year’s meeting. When I read about his motion, a question came to mind. I thought—Our SBC Statement of Faith and Message rests on the ancient creeds of the church and several historic Baptist statements of faith. Why does the SBC need to do this? My inquiring mind prompted me to write Dr. Yarnell to … [Read more...] about Should We Adopt the Nicene Creed?