Great Commission Resurgence – Part 2
As promised, even though a few days later I am ready to speak to the next four portions of the Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) doccument. The first three commitments provide an overarching direction to the whole of the doccuemnt. As I see it these commitments are ones that provide us more specific direction like a turn by turn map would offer us. In our Convention and in our church the overarching direction is necessary but it most certainly cannot be effective unless certain steps and directions are followed. Thus for each of these commitments I want to offer some specific applications to the life of our church. (Read More)
Newsletter July 2009
June 24, 2009
Filed under Perspectives
Tags: 2 Corithians 13:5-10, Great Commission Resurgence
What will a Great Commission Resurgence mean for our church?
As I am writing this newsletter column, the Southern Baptist Convention is meeting to consider the Great Commission Resurgence. Though I am hopeful and prayerful about what God will do for our Convention through this emphasis, I am even more concerned about how this emphasis will impact our congregation. We certainly face the same factors that the Convention has recognized as troubling ones. No one can ignore the fact that our sanctuary even this year has thinned due to the departure of some brothers and sisters to an eternity with Christ. As your pastor it has been my privilege to celebrate the promise of God to those absent from the body, now being present with the Lord. Even so, I long and yearn to see God’s promise fulfilled concerning his word will not return void. Truly right in our back door, the harvest is plentiful though the harvesters are few!
GCR
Drive Through Church?
June 16, 2009
Filed under Perspectives
Tags: Drive Through Church, Needs Based Church
I saw this clip the other day and thought it would be a good one to share. One of the trends I am most disturbed by is the idea that church should meet people’s “needs” instead of having the focus be on God’s glorification. By this I do not mean that the church should not endeavor to meet legitimate needs of people. Even so, the most legitimate need of people is to hear the gospel and be called to respond. The opportunity to preach the gospel should be the primary reason we meet other needs, the force behind meeting other needs, and the followup after meeting someone’s other needs. Without the gospel there is no church! It is not so important that we meet all the needs of people, but when we come together we need meet Jesus Christ on our knees.
Great Commission Resurgence – Part 1
June 8, 2009
Filed under First Baptist Enoree
Tags: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Battles for the Bible, Christian Memory, Colossians 3:16-17, Conservative Resurgence, Emergent Church, Ephesians 4:15, Great Commission Resurgence, Matthew 22:37-40, Matthew 28:18-20, Mega Churches, Moral Majority, New Atheism, Racial Reconciliation, Southern Baptist Convention, Worship Wars
Since I spoke on this last night, I wanted to make sure that I added a few points of clarification and definition to my understanding of this Great Commission Resurgence emphasis in our convention. First let me be clear in stating that what was said last night as well as what follows is my opinion and not the authorized voices of the SBC. I do think these opinions reflect the heartbeat of the doccument, but I am more apt to state things in language and in terms that come from my viewpoint on the situation. (Read More)
Has the Pro Life Movement Recieved a Mortal Wound?
June 1, 2009
Filed under Perspectives
Tags: Abortion, Abortion Doctor Shooting, Exodus 20:13, Pro-Life, Tiller
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/31/pro-life-groups-fear-backlash-tiller-murder/
As I heard this story yesterday, particularly as I prepared to go to my morning services, I was appalled. Even more so I found myself thinking how such a shooting injures the very movement it seems to be promoting. Further, the sixth commandment prohibits one from performing the murder of a baby just as much as it should prevent the unprovoked murder of a doctor who has the blood of babies on his hands. My heart grieves because had this doctor become convicted of his sin this Sunday at church, think of the impact such a change would have on the Abortion culture across America. As it stands now, the Pro Life movement has recieved the seemingly mortal PR wound of being connected with such a vile act.
