My family and I moved to Louisville, KY in 1996 to assume a position at Southern Seminary. Those were eight wonderful years for all of us. During that same time, we also had the joy of being members of Highview Baptist Church, sitting under the pastoral ministry of Dr. Kevin Ezell. During that time all of us came to greatly love and respect Dr. Ezell as a wonderful man of God and a tremendous leader … [Read More]
Why We Believe the GCRTF Report is Good for the Future of the SBC (5): Reaching North America (IMB & NAMB Collaboration)
By: Danny Akin & Nathan Akin
Imagine this scenario. An IMB family is stateside for an extended period due to some family matters. In the city where they live they find a community of people from the very people group the IMB has trained them to reach. So they continue to do the work of the Great Commission (seeking to disciple) among this group. They eat meals with them, live life alongside of them, meet their … [Read More]
Why We Believe the GCRTF Report is Good for the Future of the SBC (4b): Reaching North America
By: Danny Akin & Jonathan Akin
The recommendations of component 4 will allow NAMB to have a direct church planting and evangelism strategy where they can appoint personnel directly. They have not had that freedom in the past. At present, and much of this due to cooperative agreements, the majority of NAMB “missionaries” are serving in the most reached and most served areas of North America (see recent blog by Micah Fries). Despite some comments … [Read More]
Why We Believe the GCRTF Report is Good for the Future of the SBC (4a): Reaching North America
By: Danny Akin & Jonathan Akin
“There is no formal conclusion to the book of Acts. It is open-ended. God means for the story of Pentecostal power and revival to be prolonged after the same manner…Since Pentecost, there is no age, no century, no era, no time without the marvelous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The soul-saving experience continues. Darkness and death and decay may reign in one place, but always light, life, and salvation … [Read More]
Aspect 7(b): A Mission Based on Local Church Initiative and Supplemented by Entities and Associations (NAMB, state conventions, ERLC, local associations)
(By: Danny Akin & Bruce Ashford)
What are some challenges ahead for the North American Mission Board and the State Conventions? It is the charge of both the NAMB and the state conventions to reach the United States of America with the gospel. How might they partner together in order to serve the church and further the church’s mission in a 21st century context? A detailed answer to this eludes our grasp, but some things are … [Read More]
Myth #8: The GCRTF plans to abolish NAMB or dissolve it into the IMB.
To be fair it is easy to see how this myth has arisen. In fact it only constitutes as a myth as it relates to the current work of the GCRTF. Beyond that, as far as it being an item of intense discussion and interest, it is anything but a myth!
In the “Axioms message” I raised the question of some possible mergers (I was not specific) to increase efficiency and avoid duplication. Tim Patterson, chairman … [Read More]
Former SBC Leader McCall Says NAMB Is Obsolete
And he said it a couple of years before all the recent chatter about the future of NAMB. Check out this story in today’s edition of Associated Baptist Press.
Let’s All Take a Deep Breath about NAMB
NAMB is the talk of the convention right now. Or, at least it is in the top three of topics currently discussed at many denomination meetings. With the presidential vacancy at NAMB and the retirement announcements by Drs. Rankin and Chapman, plenty of people are wondering what will happen next.
Yesterday, the trustees made some helpful decisions: making Richard Harris the interim president, appointing Frank Page as Vice President of Evangelism, and appointing a search committee … [Read More]
On The GCR Declaration, Part 6
This is the final article in a series on the GCR Declaration in anticipation of next week’s SBC Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. As you read, please remember that while Between the Times is a group blog that includes a number of Southeastern Seminary professors, these articles (and every article I write) represent my own personal opinions. I speak only for myself, so please avoid imputing my views to any of my fellow contributors unless … [Read More]
