How Quickly Things Can Change
It’s amazing how quickly things can change, but what’s equally amazing is how some things have never really changed at all. The truth is some things are probably never going to happen; and there are things that will always stay the same.
Nevertheless, we wonder: are there things in our world that can change?–things in our experience that can be altered? Are there things within the sovereign will of God that we have been given the ability to control? Are there aspects of our lives that we have been given the freedom to choose, that we must deal with personally so as to give glory to God and show the world that Christ is supreme?
The answer, of course, is yes–there is! From what Paul has said to the Philippians in chapter 1 verses 12-20 of his letter to them, the apostle himself exhorts us that we can change a number of important things in our lives. In these verses, I have found that God, through Paul, calls us even in this postmodern day to intentionally change that which can be changed–things we have control over–namely our mindset, motive, and methodology. In these 3 areas, let us examine and evaluate ourselves, and to check and change that which needs to be changed. (more…)
President Mohler to be nominated for President
The current president of my seminary, SBTS, Dr. Albert Mohler is finally now a candidate for President for the Southern Baptist Convention. This announcement is a heart-warming one, though not a surprise as rumors have been floating around throughout 2007. There is no better time than now for Mohler’s leadership to help take Southern Baptists forward into the 21st century with fervent passion for Gospel proclamation throughout the world.
Here is the press release from Towers (see also the Southern Baptist Texan):
FBC Dallas pastor to nominate Mohler for SBC presidency
January 02, 2008
By Tammi Reed LedbetterSouthern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. provides “the kind of visionary leader Southern Baptists need to communicate a missional conservatism and biblical clarity to the world,” stated Robert Jeffress, pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in announcing his intention to nominate the 47-year-old Mohler for Southern Baptist Convention president in June.
In a news release provided to the Southern Baptist TEXAN Jan. 2, Jeffress said his decision is the result of prayer and concern for the future of Southern Baptists’ global witness. He said he believes Mohler would “motivate Southern Baptists to unite around cooperation for global missions and evangelism.”
If elected on June 10 when messengers meet in Indianapolis, Mohler would become the sixth seminary president to serve in the top denominational office.
Before moving to the Dallas congregation last August, Jeffress served 15 years as pastor of First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls, Texas. He hosts the “Pathway to Victory” television program and broadcasts a daily sermon series heard in 13 countries.
“When Southern Seminary seemed to be lost to liberalism and irrelevancy, Dr. Mohler put his life and ministry on the line for the truth of God’s word and the urgency of sharing Christ with a lost world,” Jeffress said. “Since that time, he has led Southern Seminary to be a boot camp for young men and women training to take the gospel to the nations—whatever the cost.”
Mohler’s experience as a spokesman for Southern Baptists in the public square is another reason he should be president of the SBC, Jeffress added, noting the seminary president has been recognized by influential publications such as Time and Christianity Today, with Time calling him the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S.”
“For years, Southern Baptists and other Christians have seen Dr. Mohler stand for biblical revelation on programs such as “Larry King Live,” Jeffress said. “And, each and every time, no matter what the issue, Dr. Mohler has been a strong witness, telling lost people how they can come to know Christ. That kind of truth-telling with gospel compassion is the kind of leadership we need in these tumultuous times,” Jeffress added.
“Southern Baptists will be blessed to have a president in Dr. Mohler who can walk into the Oval Office or into the pulpit of your local Baptist church and say the same thing, ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ with clarity and conviction,” Jeffress said. “Whether the issue is the family and marriage or Islamic terrorism or the religious liberty of Christians to share the gospel freely anywhere in the world, Dr. Mohler represents Southern Baptists well in pointing to Christ and his word,” Jeffress said.
He added that a Mohler presidency also would be critical in emphasizing the necessity of a strong and healthy Cooperative Program, pointing to Mohler’s experience in denominational leadership on the Program and Structure Study Committee that made recommendations for sweeping reorganization of the denomination in 1995 and to his work with fellow SBC entity heads on the denomination’s Great Commission Council.
What is Church?
From The Baptist Faith and Message (2000):
VI. The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
Reasons to drop out of Church
A new study from LifeWay Research (branch of the SBC) reveals that more than two-thirds of young adults who attend a Protestant church for at least a year in high school will stop attending church regularly for at least a year between the ages of 18 and 22.
- According to the study, 70 percent of young adults ages 23-30 stopped attending church regularly for at least a year between ages 18-22.
- The paths toward college and the workforce are also strong reasons for young people to leave church: “I moved to college and stopped attending church” (25 percent) and “work responsibilities prevented me from attending” (23 percent).
- In addition to moving to college, others simply “moved too far away from the church to continue attending” (22 percent) and, it can be assumed, did not find a closer church.
- Many of those who drop out do eventually return. Among church dropouts who are now ages 23-30, 35 percent currently attend church twice a month or more. Another 30 percent attend church more sporadically. Thus, about two-thirds of those who leave do return at some level.
Read the article here.
It’s another reminder why integrated family ministry is so important, and a sign of the effectiveness of life-stage segregated ministries like that of youth ministry.
(HT: Said at Southern)
Southern Baptist Private Prayer Language
Half of Southern Baptist pastors say they believe the Holy Spirit gives some people a special language to pray to God – what is known to some as private prayer language – a surprising new study found.
Southern Baptist leaders have continued to debate on the issue of speaking in tongues and private prayer language in recent years as some agencies have adopted policies banning the charismatic practice.
Continue reading “Surprising Study Reveals Half Southern Baptist Pastors Believe in Gift of Tongues” @ The Christian Post.
See also the more recent article, “Tongues Survey Fuels Baptist Debate“.
Christian Schooling
Through Voddie Baucham’s blog, he has brought to light and to my attention issues of family and church that I have never thought of before. He has done it again most recently with his article on a new SBC resolution to get our children out of the public school system (and into Christian schools / home school):
I believe our current government education harms children academically, socially, morally, emotionally and spiritually. I believe Christian parents are obligated to do whatever they can to see to it that their children receive a Christian education. I do not believe this is a neutral, “whatever-you-feel-led-to-do” issue. As I have stated elsewhere, the Bible is not silent on the education issue. Nor has the church been silent over the years…
Read his article here.
