Southern Baptists are not as confessional as we claim we are, but we ought to be. This is my thesis. For some Southern Baptists, this will seem like common sense. For others, it will be provocative and perhaps even anathema. But the time has come to begin having this discussion. My prayer is that it will soon become a discussion before the Convention itself.
The following paragraphs are cited from my essay “Priorities for a Post-Resurgence Convention,” … [Read More]
Alvin Reid on Camps, Calvinism and Coalitions
Between the Times contributor Alvin Reid has written an excellent article for his personal blog titled “Of Campus, Calvinism, and Coalitions.” You should check it out. We hope that more Southern Baptists, on all sides of the Calvinism debate (and other debates), will commit to labor together for the sake of the nations.
Toward a Unified SBC
The SBC annual meeting is rapidly approaching and, as it does, the back and forth across the Internet seems to have accelerated pace. Pastors and denominational leaders have rushed to publish their views, sometimes gently and sometimes not so gently, but publish they have. If the secular press decides to take a gander at blogs, news sites and Twitter feeds, they will likely have no shortage of evidence to substantiate their long held belief that … [Read More]
GCRTF Report Challenges to all Southern Baptists (4): Challenges for Local Associations and State Conventions
GCRTF Report Challenges to all Southern Baptists (4): Challenges for Local Associations and State Conventions
By Danny Akin and Nathan A. Finn
From almost the very beginning of our movement, likeminded autonomous Baptist churches voluntarily cooperated through local associations in evangelism, church planting, mercy ministries, and doctrinal accountability. In part because of their aversion to the societal method of cooperation, by the 1820s the Baptists of the South were further cooperating through state conventions. In 1845, they … [Read More]
M. E. Dodd and the Cooperative Program
Louisiana pastor M. E. Dodd was one of a half-dozen key leaders of the SBC during the first half of the 20th century. Dodd was an entrepreneurial leader who pastored a growing church, was a tireless advocate for evangelism and missions, and played a crucial role in the launching of numerous denominational ministries. Dodd’s most important contribution to wider Southern Baptist life was chairing the committee that created the Cooperative Program in 1925. This year … [Read More]
Prayer Request for the GCR Interim Report on February 22
Monday evening February 22 will be an important moment in SBC life as Dr. Ronnie Floyd will make an interim report from the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. We had hoped to live stream the presentation but we were denied that request. However, Dr. Floyd will post a video that contains the substance of his report immediately following his presentation at the Executive Committee. We are excited and hopeful about what will be shared. Again, … [Read More]
When Words Aren’t Enough: A Report from the Field, Part 1
For much of the month of January, a colleague and I have been in an international setting serving with overseas workers. We have worked together daily in an educational context, and I have been reminded continually of the significance of the Great Commission. To say I am impressed by the workers of our mission board is an understatement, but I don’t want to embarrass my friends by being overly effusive about their labors. None of … [Read More]
With Whom Can My Church Cooperate?
In the past few days, I have had several fruitful conversations with seminarians, pastors, and prospective church planters about the nature of interchurch cooperation. One topic that has frequently arisen is that of cooperation with other churches in a given city or county. Specifically, mission-minded Southern Baptists want to know with whom their church can in good conscience cooperate, particularly in church planting. It’s a good and timely question.
Before proceeding much further, I need to … [Read More]
