By Tom Strode, Baptist Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- Resolutions adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention offer multiple benefits. That was the response of this year's Resolutions Committee chairman and an SBC ethics leader when asked by a reporter shortly after messengers to the 2015 meeting adopted nine resolutions. In unanimous or nearly unanimous votes during the Tuesday afternoon session (June 16), the convention approved measures on such topics as marriage, racial reconciliation, the sanctity of human life, religious persecution and spiritual awakening. Steve Gaines, who chaired the committee, said he believes resolutions are imperative at the annual meeting even though they are not binding. Others from various perspectives are making statements, Gaines said at a news conference, "and we want to tell them what we believe the Scripture says and what we as Baptists believe." "[I]t's very important for us to do that, to do it in a loving way and yet to do it, [while] speaking the truth forthrightly based on Scripture in love," said Gaines, pastor of the Memphis-area Bellevue Baptist Church. Resolutions encourage Southern Baptists, he said. "When they hear their Southern Baptist Convention, which they've … [Read more...]
Louisiana College TEACH seminar features autistic college grad
By Norm Miller, Special to the Message PINEVILLE – Diagnosed with autism at age 12, Paul Griffin conquered every challenge toward the education that medical and behavioral specialists predicted would be impossible. The child who was told he’d never read nor write earned a degree in sociology from the University of California. Louisiana College’s summer TEACH program is bringing Griffin to its Pineville campus June 25. “I heard Paul speak at Stanford University, and he received a standing ovation,” said Cathy Eschete, LC’s assistant professor of education and director of field experience. “Our community has an incredible opportunity to hear Paul’s moving story.” Griffin states on his website that he “refused to let my diagnosis keep me from achieving my dreams.” He adds that he can help others “have success on the Autism spectrum.” Success typifies Griffin’s presentations, as indicated by comments posted on his site: “Although I’ve known Paul since he was a young boy, I never dreamed he would become the concise and engaging speaker he has become today. He effectively demystifies the autistic syndrome and presents his material, which he in fact has lived, in a powerful biographical presentation that mesmerized … [Read more...]
Luter among past SBC presidents releasing a joint statement on same-sex marriage
By Staff, Baptist Press COLUMBUS, Ohio - Past Southern Baptist Convention presidents - including Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans - along with current SBC President Ronnie Floyd have released a joint statement on same-sex marriage. The full text of the statement follows along with the names of the former SBC presidents who have endorsed it: As Southern Baptist Christians, we are committed to Biblical faith and ethics. As a result, this body of Believers stands on the authority of Scripture and God’s Truth as central to our lives. What the Bible says about marriage is clear, definitive and unchanging. We affirm biblical, traditional, natural marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The Scriptures’ teaching on marriage is not negotiable. We stake our lives upon the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Consequently, we will not accept, nor adhere to, any legal redefinition of marriage issued by any political or judicial body including the United States Supreme Court. We will not recognize same-sex “marriages”, our churches will not host same-sex ceremonies, and we will not perform such ceremonies. While we affirm our love for all … [Read more...]
Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams may begin work in flooded areas of Shreveport/Bossier later today
By Message Staff Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams are expected to begin work on homes impacted by flooding in the Shreveport/Bossier area later today. Larry Cupper, a Disaster Relief Regional Coordinator as well as the SB Louisiana Incident Commander for the Red River flood who is handling operations in the area, said 65 volunteers are meeting at Eastwood Baptist Church, in Haughton, LA., on this morning, before departing later in the day to begin mudouts of homes that were affected by floodwaters of the Red River. Cupper said in the next three weeks, teams will work on between 125 and 150 homes. "None of this could happen without the volunteers from our Southern Baptist Church members," Cupper said. The mudout, feeding, assessors, chaplains, shower and laundry units will work Monday to Saturday. A childcare unit under the direction of Stanley Staham, director of missions at Baptist Associations of Southeast Louisiana, also will help while the flood affected families are trying to get assistance. "Our childcare volunteers and unit will be ministering to their children and helping keep their minds off of the devastation of a flooded home so the parents can seek assistance this Saturday at the Bossier … [Read more...]
Live webcast available for Pastors Conference, SBC Annual Meeting
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Messengers are meeting for the Pastors Conference and Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting through Wednesday. If you are unable to attend, a live webcast is available for both events, which are in Columbus, Ohio. Click here for the live webcast for the Pastors Conference and Southern. Baptist Convention Annual Meeting … [Read more...]
IMB personnel policy may draw messenger questions
By Baptist Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- A Louisiana director of missions has urged pastors in the Baptist association he leads to raise questions about new personnel policies of the International Mission Board during the IMB's report at the June 16-17 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, according to a June 10 report by the Southern Baptist TEXAN newsjournal. Lonnie Wascom, a former IMB trustee and director of missions and ministries for the Northshore Baptist Association in Hammond, wrote in a June 2 email to the nearly 100 pastors in the association that he has major concerns" related to the missionary qualifications policy adopted by IMB trustees during their May 12-13 meeting in Louisville, Ky. Wascom told the Baptist Message that he has nothing personal against anyone at or affiliated with the IMB but just wants people to ask questions. “I love the IMB,” Wascom said. “I pray that God will continue to use the missionaries that Southern Baptists affirm and support to push back the darkness to the ends of the earth. But I’m about the gospel the New Testament teaches, not the one we make up.” SBC President Ronnie Floyd told the TEXAN he hopes any questions posed by messengers during the IMB's report … [Read more...]
Is Christianity a ‘lost cause?’
By Will Hall, Baptist Message Editor There’s been a lot of talk about the recent Pew report announcing the growth of “nones” in the United States during 2007-2014. Overall, the number of adults in the nation grew by nearly 18 million during that seven-year span, expanding from 227 million to 245 million, and the “unaffiliated” segment (atheists, agnostics, and those who named “nothing in particular” as their religious preference) picked up all this gain and then some, growing from an estimated 36.6 million to 55.8 million. At the same time, those who claimed a Christian identity fell in actual numbers, 178.1 million to 172.8 million, dropping from 78.4 percent to 70.6 percent of the adult population. The mainstream press played up the angle that this decline points to signs Christianity is dying in our country, and evangelical commentators were quick to object: -- Some dismissed the sweeping changes as nothing more than “nominals” – those who are Christian in name only, and not committed to the faith – finally being honest that they really are “nones.” -- Others took solace in the fact the actual number of evangelicals increased by an estimated 2 million new members, even if “market share” possibly dropped by … [Read more...]
NOBTS among seminaries urging tax-exempt protection
By Diana Chandler, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) - Southern Baptist educational leaders are among 74 signatories to a June 3 letter urging Congress to pass a bill protecting the tax-exempt status of schools in the event the U.S. Supreme Court approves same-sex marriage as a civil right. If the Court establishes gay marriage as the law of the land, educators are concerned there may be legal precedent to withdraw tax-exempt status to schools that uphold the biblical truth that marriage is between one man and one woman. "It is out of concern that schools adhering to traditional religious and moral values could lose tax-exempt status that we urge support for the Government Non-Discrimination Act, which would ensure that the federal government cannot discriminate or take action against private entities because they act in accordance with a moral or religious belief that marriage is between a man and a woman," the letter reads. "This bill, introduced in the 113th Congress with more than 100 House and Senate cosponsors and which will be introduced soon in the 114th Congress, would protect against government discrimination of those who believe in natural marriage." Christian educators are concerned after an April 28 exchange … [Read more...]
Louisiana College, seminary students with Louisiana ties graduate
Students from Louisiana College, as well as those from Southern Baptist seminaries recently graduated. Below is a list of the graduates. LC President Brewer addressed the 148 graduates and hundreds of onlookers May 16 at the college’s 158th commencement ceremony. His message was entitled "And Then Some," with the goal of challenging the graduates to "do hard work, and then some." Meanwhile, Daniel Akin told the spring graduates of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, that "Our God is a global God. He is always with those who are on mission with him." The seminary's 61st graduating class of 274 graduates heard Akin, the president of the seminary, issue a challenge with Jesus’ last words in Matthew 28:18-20. He highlighted God’s sovereign power, plan and promise. And at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., 297 graduated on May 14, with 107 graduating from the seminary's Boyce College on May 8. Seminary President Albert Mohler Jr. charged the new Southern graduates to "Take your place in line and fulfill your ministry with eyes wide open, knowing your destiny in Christ. Go into the world of darkness as brave children of the day." Click here for 2015 graduate listings … [Read more...]
The future of the Southern Baptist Convention
By Doug Munton, pastor and author I’m neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. That’s a bad start for confidence in my predictive powers. But let me speculate on the future of the Southern Baptist Convention with whom I have been associated my entire life. In many ways I am describing what is more than what will be. Perhaps this is more of where we are than where we are headed. While it seems likely we will have more of what we currently have, God can change things dramatically. Perhaps we will have a great revival. Perhaps we will have ruin. But here is where it seems we are and where we are headed. (Keep in mind the “neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet” part.) 1. We will be less evangelistic. It is hard to imagine a denomination being much more evangelistic than the SBC was for several decades. While not all churches were evangelistic, and certainly many individual members weren’t, the denomination as a whole was focused on reaching people. For a variety of reasons, we are less so now. Focusing on those reasons is for another blog. (Is it theological, cultural, because evangelism is so hard, etc.?) But it seems obvious we are less likely to be involved in evangelistic activities. We even talk about … [Read more...]
