John Calvin (1509-1564) was an influential French pastor and theologian during the Protestant Reformation. He is best known for his "doctrine of predestination," which became the foundation of his theology - suggesting that God predestined certain individuals to be saved.
The football season is over, except for the Super Bowl. Since most of the teams I cheer for had lackluster seasons or unfortunate bowl performances, I am glad the season is history and look forward to next season's edition of both college and professional football.
Here we stand on the threshold of another year. Charles Lamb said, "New Year's Day is every man's birthday." Benjamin Franklin stated, "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."
It was recently reported that a Louisiana library banned a local church youth group from performing a Living Nativity scene on its property because of its religious overtones.
Andrew Ryzhkov was raised in Belarus under Soviet Communism. He stated, "I was a wild child, but when I repented and trusted Christ as my Savior I became a quiet and respectful student. Communist KGB agents were present in the schools and many of the teachers were committed to Communism.
Words matter By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published November 17, 2011
My mother always told me, "If you can't say something good about somebody, just don't say anything at all."
When I was a boy I remember the Cole Brothers Circus coming to our town. They set up their Big Top not far from The Rock Elementary School, where I was a fourth grade student at the time. From the window next to my desk I could see the elephants tethered to stakes just outside the huge tent.
On a recent trip to San Diego, CA and Tijuana, Mexico I met Hugo Campos, who is on the staff of the San Diego Baptist Association. He is a passionate Christian who shared with me a simple plan of salvation, which he uses and has found effective.
SBC President Bryant Wright, who serves as pastor of Marietta's Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, announced to the SBC Executive Committee on Sept. 19 that he was appointing a task force to study the prospect of changing the Convention's name.
There are some events of monumental significance that have taken place in the course of my lifetime. I remember where I was and what I was doing when those events occurred.
Southern Baptists have become advocates of a massive church planting movement. We have been told that new churches grow faster than old churches, that the best way to push back the darkness is to establish new churches.
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) into law. Popularly known as ObamaCare, the PPACA sought to bring government reform to America's health care system.
Assistant prosecutor Christopher Darden thought for certain that the dark leather glove found at the crime scene would surely link former American football star and actor Orenthal James Simpson to the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.
I have been attending the annual session of the Southern Baptist Convention since 1968. As I look back across 44 years of our annual meetings it seems that now everything is different and yet everything remains the same. Let me explain.
On June 3 Raymond Zack, age 52, died in the waters off Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda County, CA while first responders watched. Zack, who was suicidal, walked into 54-degree water that was neck deep and died of hypothermia after being in the water for one hour.
A few weeks ago I was given a copy of the 1925 "Southern Baptist Handbook." Since I have a great interest in history and a fascination with Baptist history in particular, I read the book with great interest.
I had just gotten home from having preached at Liberty Baptist Church in Dalton on Sunday evening. I had changed clothes and sat down to relax for an hour or so before retiring for the evening when the message came across the bottom of our television screen stating that a breaking news story was about to be released from the White House.
In college and seminary I studied neo-orthodox theologians like Rudolph Bultmann, who would never assert that the resurrection is a historical reality. He purported that it was the believer's subjective experience.
Georgia's gambling business is headed toward bankruptcy. Governor Nathan Deal recently stated, "Facing bankruptcy of the lottery program in 2013, I worked closely with members of the General Assembly to save Georgia's prized jewel, the HOPE scholarship, for the next generation of Georgians."
What do outsiders think of when Georgia comes to mind? Some would say peaches, kudzu and collard greens. Ray Charles would sing, "I say Georgia, Georgia, a song of you comes as sweet and clear as moonlight though the pines."
In my previous editorial I began to outline A.W. Tozer's rules for self-discovery. Tozer died (at age 66) the same year I got married and started my seminary education. His writings helped me maintain my commitment to the infallibility of Holy Scripture during those days in seminary and constantly drew me closer to my Savior.
Jerry Rankin, former president of the International Mission Board, announced his retirement 15 months ago in September 2009. Soon thereafter Jerry Pritchard, pastor of First Baptist Church of Forney, Texas, was chosen to lead a 15-member search committee.
When I was a boy - many, many years ago - we always had a Christmas Eve worship service at our church, the First Baptist Church of Valdese, North Carolina.
Georgia Baptist Convention president and pastor of First Baptist Church Thomasville Dan Spencer presided over the annual session of the Convention meeting with the dignity and spiritual perception one would have anticipated.
I was up until 2:30 a.m. watching the election returns on Nov. 3, not because I thought the results would signal a dramatic change in our lives, but because: (1) I like competition, (2) I was curious, (3) I couldn't go to sleep, and (4) there were some political races that had captured my interest.
There is a new phenomenon sweeping across the evangelical world called "spontaneous baptisms." One congregation, Elevation Church in Matthews, N.C., has grown from just 19 people when it launched on Feb. 5, 2006 to more than 6,000 in regular attendance today.
Has your church remembered that this is Clergy Appreciation Month? Actually, it is also Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, American Pharmacist Month, Apple Jack Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Computer Learning Month, Cookie Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Don't forget Judea By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published September 9, 2010
In 1992 when I was pastor of Peachtree Corners Baptist Church in Norcross I took a group of our people on a short-term mission trip to the Ukraine in the former Soviet Union. We ministered in the capital city of Kiev and in the town of Jagotin (Yahotyn). It was an incredible experience.
The messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando adopted the Great Commission Task Force Recommendations by what was interpreted as a considerable margin. While most are rejoicing over that decision, others are anxious to see how the recommendations will be implemented and what the SBC will look like in the next decade.
For more than seven years I have been writing editorials for this publication, some I thought were relatively sonorous and some probably nothing more than inconsequential drivel - 183 of them and never missing an issue doing so.
This editorial must go to press on Monday night, June 14. That is the evening before the annual session of our Southern Baptist Convention meeting begins.
In an April 30, 2009 telephone interview with the Florida Baptist Witness, Southeastern Seminary president Danny Akin stated that he and SBC president Johnny Hunt had "spent a great deal of time together since Hunt's election talking about what could be done "to reverse stagnation within the SBC."
Boots or ballots By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published May 20, 2010
When God's people get their priorities right they might well get in a position to experience revival.
Mimi Walker and her husband Graham serve as co-pastors of Druid Hills Baptist Church in Atlanta. However, Graham professes that Mimi is the lead pastor due to his full-time administrative and professorial duties at McAfee School of Theology.
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly."
I want to begin this editorial with a definition of terms. First, "cronyism" is defined as "a partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications."
Prior to his nomination as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Woodstock First Baptist Church Pastor Johnny Hunt stated, "Statistics indicate that 9 out of 10 Southern Baptist churches are declining. I have never been a part of anything on a death march, and I am willing with every fiber of my being to lead the charge for God’s great work in our denomination."
I went to church on January 17 and God showed up. Going to church is always gloriously thrilling and spiritually transformational when God is unmistakably present for the worship experience.
We have heard much about the Emergent Church for almost two decades. Some have looked with favor upon this movement - or "conversation," as its proponents prefer to call it. Others view the Emergent Church with skepticism, if not outright disdain.
Compromise By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published December 31, 2009
As a pastor I would occasionally have to compromise in order to keep my job or push forward my agenda.
As a pastor I was always trying to come up with some new way to present the message of the incarnation to my people so they could somehow grasp the significance of God manifesting Himself in human flesh.
Since our Georgia Baptist Convention meeting I have preached in another state convention, traveled to Germany and Latvia, enjoyed a family vacation in the Sunshine State with all ten grandchildren, had another birthday, and had some time to reflect on our recent GBC meeting at First Baptist Church in Woodstock.
I don't want to be a grumpy old man, a cynical citizen, or a crotchety curmudgeon. However, when it seems that the nation's foundations are being destroyed and the church is under assault it is not easy to be positive.
When Southern Baptist pastors huddle together, whether at Starbucks or Cracker Barrel, the conversation these days generally gravitates toward the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force and the work it has undertaken.
Earlier this year United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates addressed the Senate Armed Services Committee to emphasize that "the National Guard's domestic responsibilities must not suffer."
I thoroughly enjoy my role as editor of The Christian Index. The fact that God has opened doors for me to preach on a consistent basis adds to my joy. I feel that I am exactly where God wants me to be at the present time.
I don't want to be known as an old fogy who never had a novel idea. I don't want to be so out of touch that my words are hackneyed and my thought processes enshrouded in cobwebs.
The House of Representatives held a moment of silence Friday morning, July 3, to mark the death of legendary singer Michael Jackson. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. stated, "I come to the floor today on behalf of a generation to thank God for letting all of us live in his generation and in his era."
The messengers attending the Southern Baptist Convention annual session in Louisville seemed to overwhelmingly embrace President Johnny Hunt's appointment of a committee to study and implement his dream of a Great Commission Resurgence.
As Southern Baptists stand on the threshold of the annual Convention sessions in Louisville, Ky., there is a lot of hoopla over the proposed Great Commission Resurgence. Like most folks within the ranks of Baptist life I have an opinion about the GCR.
Southern Baptists may have defeated theological liberalism in the denomination during the Conservative Resurgence, but the liberal, secular influence in the nation seems to be advancing unabated.
It was interesting to see how the media covered the Tax Day Tea Parties last month. The nationwide turnout was estimated to be more than a million by one source and as low as 311,460 by another.
Being the tough and tenacious player he was, University of Alabama defensive tackle Charlie Compton broke through the University of Georgia's offensive line and blocked the quick kick by Charlie Trippi.
I have attended a lot of funerals in my lifetime. I have been a pallbearer on a few occasions. I have preached hundreds of funerals across almost 50 years of ministry, including the funeral of one on my grandmothers and funerals for my mom, dad, and sister.
At the most recent Executive Committee meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention, I condemned the revised version of our nation's history that is being taught in many of our public school classrooms.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported that an assisted suicide sting had resulted in the arrest of four individuals connected with the Final Exit Network.
Roger Bruce, who represents parts of Douglas and Fulton counties in the Georgia House of Representatives, is pushing his proposal to permit casino gambling in Georgia.
President Obama has been in office for just over three weeks and we are already beginning to see the kind of "change" his administration is orchestrating.
Sometimes I find myself living in the past and longing for the price tags of 1959, the year I graduated from high school. That was when first class postage stamps sold for four cents and a gallon of gas cost a quarter.
This issue of The Christian Index is dated Jan. 1. That doesn’t happen often, but all of us on staff at your Georgia Baptist state paper want to wish for you and yours a very blessed and prosperous new year.
In 2006 officials in the state of Washington refused to permit a private citizen to put up a nativity scene in the state Capitol building next to a menorah (the candelabrum that marks Hanukkah) and a holiday tree approved for display.
The North American Mission Board has launched a national evangelism initiative and none too soon. Some have contended the hour is late and the situation desperate in America.
By the time you read this editorial America’s voters will have gone to their polling places throughout the nation and cast their ballots for the candidates of their choice from the office of president of the United States to the office of the local school board.
We are soon coming to a day when politics will be devoid of any conflict over moral principles. In our postmodern culture Christianity is being marginalized in our educational institutions, in the commercial and business sectors of our society, in the mainstream media, and most certainly in the political arena.
FamilyNet, recently purchased by Charles Stanley’s In Touch Ministries, has become a great steward of the public’s airwaves and should be commended for its programming.
Every year the national Southern Baptist Convention and its state conventions elect trustees to oversee the work and operations of their various institutions and agencies.
This issue of The Christian Index is coincidentally dated Sept. 11 – the date that will live in infamy because of the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.
The 2008 summer Olympic games are over and in the last three weeks Michael Phelps has become a household name. Phelps is the United States Olympic swimmer who won a record-breaking eight gold medals in Beijing. Combine the gold he garnered in China to the medals he gathered in Athens four years ago and it is amazingly apparent that he has amassed an unprecedented sixteen Olympic medals, of which fourteen are gold.
There are some hard sayings in the Bible. Most of us who are conservative actually believe more than we obey. For example, it’s really hard to turn the left cheek to the ogre who has just smacked you on the right cheek (Matt. 5:39).
Francis Schaeffer, Christian theologian and philosopher and founder of the L’Abri community, once wrote, “Most Christian leaders try to plead with people to maintain the conservative position without realizing that the conservative position means the majority position or the generally accepted position, and Christians no longer hold the majority position. We who hold to historic Christianity are now an absolute minority.”
There are no finer Christian people in the known world than Cliff and Betty Tyler. I had the privilege of being their pastor at Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta for over nine years. Cliff is on The Christian Index Board of Directors and has served as chairman of the board. He has been a faithful prayer partner for years.
As a pastor for many years I discovered there were certain things that were extremely difficult to do. It was difficult when I had to tell young women (or men) in the churches I served that I could not perform their wedding if they insisted on marrying an unbeliever (I Cor. 6:14).
Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary, recently stated, “The Southern Baptist Convention may be top-heavy, bloated, and unfocused, but it is premature to write its obituary.”
Messengers from across the nation and around the world will gather in Indianapolis June 10-11 for the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention. For the third time Indianapolis will be the host city for the SBC Annual Meeting. Previous such gatherings in the Indiana capital city were 1992 and 2004.
In the May 25, 2006 edition of The Christian Index I wrote an editorial entitled “Bring it on – your nomination, that is.” In that editorial I wrote, “I understand that constant vigilance must be maintained to preserve the victory of the Conservative Resurgence, but I think we have come to the time when we need to see multiple nominations for each convention office both on the national and state level.”
I had given considerable thought to using this editorial page to write a scathing denunciation of Planned Parenthood. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, acknowledged that her entire life’s purpose was to promote birth control.
Last year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) gave its fourth report on global warming and announced that warming is “unequivocal” and that the cause of rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels is “very likely” induced by human activity.
The value of denominations in America is being scrutinized, analyzed, and evaluated today. Many denominational churches are in trouble due to a loss of influence, declining offerings, an aging church membership, and a failure to attract younger people.
I have not read Bernard Goldberg’s book, Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right, but the title intrigues me. In this volume Goldberg supposedly gives “hard-hitting observations and no-nonsense advice for saving America from the lunatics on the Left and the sellouts on the Right.”
Mudslinging! By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published February 14, 2008
Mudslinging has become as much a part of the American political landscape as shaking hands and kissing babies. In fact, some candidates seem to spend more time telling voters how bad the other candidates are instead of expounding on their own principles and platforms. They only try to convince voters that they aren’t quite as bad as their opponents.
I like whales. Ever since I read Herman Melville’s 1851 novel, Moby Dick, in the sixth grade I have been fascinated by whales. I find the biblical story of Jonah and his encounter with a whale even more intriguing.
Make it happen! By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published January 3, 2008
During the Thanksgiving holidays I saw a rather interesting television commercial highlighting the good customer service provided by The Royal Bank of Scotland.
For 25 years Christmas trees had graced the Seattle Airport, but two years ago a decision was made to remove the trees from the airport. The politically expedient decision was made because a local rabbi threatened to sue the Port of Seattle if an eight-foot menorah wasn’t erected to “balance” out the Christmas trees.
The sincere Christian who is sensitive to the climate and character of our present American culture would have to be gravely concerned about the present condition of our society. Subjective, situational ethics have replaced biblical morality. Tolerance and indulgence have replaced absolute, objective truth. Independence and self-reliance have replaced faith and a dependence upon the sufficiency of God.
The dry grass around our house crackles under my feet when I walk across the lawn. The Chrysanthemums in our flowerbed have wilted and are dying for lack of water. The creek near our neighborhood that was once too wide to hurdle was reduced to a narrow trickle of water in late summer and has recently dried up altogether.
Vance Havner, a preacher’s preacher of the last generation, used to say, “It is the responsibility of the preacher to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
Australian Prime Minister John Howard got the world’s attention when he recently told Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law to leave the country.
I was taught to respect authority when I was growing up. I memorized the Ten Commandments in public school and learned to honor my father and mother as the fifth commandment specifies. My parents taught me that my teachers in school and church were to be respected and admired. I was also instructed to highly esteem the pastor of our church, who was God’s man and worthy of honor.?
Several of our ten grandchildren enjoy playing the game of Monopoly. Once we have completed the game and all participants have sufficiently demonstrated their greed and avarice I insist on being the one to put all of the components of the game back in the box.
I have been accused of using this editorial page to “preach” to the readers of The Christian Index. As Adrian Rogers used to say, “If that offends you, then you can come and apologize and I will forgive you.” There are some things I am very passionate about and like Jeremiah I can say, “But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jer. 20:9b).
I took a two-day trip to Washington about a week ago to visit with Barrett Duke, the vice president for public policy with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (See story page 1). I love our nation’s capital. I have visited D.C. on numerous occasions and am always enthralled with the sights and sounds of the city.
I believe the greatest doctrinal issue confronting the church today is the exclusivity of the gospel, or the belief that salvation is possible only through a personal relationship to Jesus Christ. It is incredible to think that the most fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith could be called into question or debated among people who call themselves Christians, but that is precisely what is taking place in our world today.
A recent Newsweek survey indicates that George W. Bush has a 26 percent overall job approval rating with 65 percent disapproving of his leadership as president. It is doubtless that some Georgia Baptists disapprove of the leadership of the nation’s 43rd president, but all Georgia Baptists should applaud his veto on June 20th.
I have a secret By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published July 5, 2007
I didn’t get all excited when the new millennium dawned at 12:00:01 on Jan. 1, 2000. Many people expected some cataclysmic event to occur at the stroke of midnight on the last day of 1999. There were predictions of everything from a cyberspace meltdown to the rapture of the church.
One of the joys of attending the Southern Baptist Convention is the opportunity it affords of renewing old acquaintances and establishing new friendships. While in San Antonio for last week’s annual meeting of the Convention, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Daniel Sanchez. Sanchez, a professor of missions at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, is a native of San Antonio.
There is much symbolism in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The two ordinances of the Baptist church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are beautifully symbolic. The cross that is displayed in so many churches is emblematic of the atoning death of our blessed Redeemer. The church spire originated in the 12th century as a symbol of heavenly aspiration.
On May 3 the United States House of Representatives voted by a substantial margin to approve H. R. 1592 or the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. This bill, which will soon appear before the U.S. Senate, also expected to give the bill its stamp of approval, will make homosexuals or gender confused individuals federally protected classes under federal law. If this happens, homosexuals, transvestites, transsexuals and other “sexual orientations” can claim protected minority status.
I am absolutely exasperated, infuriated, and indignant over the whole concept of political correctness. Political correctness is just another term for social, national, and religious demolition.
Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics for “Hooray for Hollywood” in 1938 when Hollywood was much different than today. He declares, “Come on and try your luck. You could be Donald Duck. Hooray for Hollywood.”
Paul spoke of “the offense of the cross” in Gal. 5:11. And, of course, Jesus himself has been referred to as “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense” (Rom. 9:33).
The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention met in Nashville last month. Morris Chapman, the president of the Executive Committee, asked a pertinent, poignant, and penetrating question: “Is our convention any better spiritually because biblical conservatives are leading?”
In the course of human history few institutions have been more misunderstood and maligned than the Christian church. Indeed, it would be foolish to insist that the church is perfect, because it is made up of frail and fallible people like you and me. Unfortunately, the criticism being leveled against the church today is not only coming from those outside the church, but from those within.
I don’t think I want to be standing near Brian in a thunderstorm. He was raised a Catholic, and says he became a born-again Christian when he was 13. Now he professes to be an atheist and has entered a contest with God that makes the prophets of Baal in Elijah’s day look like featherweights.
Joe Graham, GBC specialist in Collegiate Ministries, invited me to speak to our Georgia Baptist campus ministers at their December retreat. During their meeting I was privileged to hear Jim Slack, a representative from the International Mission Board, who was speaking about the growth of Islam in Europe and America. He asked rhetorically, “How are they managing to grow so rapidly when we have the Holy Spirit and they have nothing?”
In 1972 the American Civil Liberties Union established its National Litigation Program to foster the “rights” of prisoners. Indeed, we should all be concerned about the trend of overcrowded prisons and jails with deteriorating structures and prisoner violence, as well as inadequate medical care and insufficient rehabilitation programs for inmates.
Peddlin' papers By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published January 4, 2007
It is 2007 and with the help of the Lord we will publish 26 copies of The Christian Index this year. I have been told that The Christian Index has never missed a deadline – not in 184 years, not during the Civil War, not during the Great Depression, not ever.
Christmas has become so secularized that it is little more than a cosmic birthday party in most circles. To avoid being swallowed up by the superficial tinsel and trappings of the holiday, most of us tack on our own religious version of Christmas and appease our consciences by at least giving lip service to the real significance of the season.
If you are a high school student, are the parent(s) of a high school student, are related to a high school student, teach a high school student, or know a high school student, I hope you will read this editorial.
I feel that it is the responsibility of The Christian Index to chronicle the work of Georgia Baptists, encourage the work of evangelism, missions, and ministry among Georgia Baptists, and provide some accountability as we endeavor to stay on mission. We must not stray from our bedrock convictions and from our mission of reaching people for Christ, planting new congregations, and building healthy kingdom churches.
According to Baptist Press one of the crown jewels among Southern Baptist churches, Bellevue Baptist Church in the Memphis, Tenn. area, is embroiled in a controversy. For me, it was surprising, even disappointing to see Baptist Press take virtually the same course as the secular press in exposing the internal struggles of a local church. However, without getting into the details of the dispute, there are some who think Pastor Steve Gaines should resign.
The idiom, “sitting on a powder keg” originated at some point in the first half of the 20th century. This metaphoric term alludes to sitting on a keg of gunpowder that could go off at any moment.
Even as a lad I loved the poetic artistry of James Whitcomb Riley. You can almost feel the brisk autumn air as you read his poignant words: “When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.”
Try Honey By J. Gerald Harris, Editor Published September 28, 2006
October is Clergy Appreciation Month. It is a time to honor pastors and their families for their faithful service and sacrificial dedication.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world with more than 1.3 billion adherents. In the United States, Islam is the fastest growing religion, a trend fueled mostly by immigration. There are almost 7 million Muslims in the United States.
He has referred to himself as “The King of all Clods from Hartselle, Ala.” However, those who know him regard him as a gracious Christian gentleman and the “Dean of all Southern Baptist Evangelists.”
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory on August 2, 1876. It was then and there that Jack McCall shot “Wild Bill” in the back of the head with a double-action .45 caliber revolver.
To say the Middle East is a powder keg is an understatement. Since the dawn of creation the part of the world known as the cradle of civilization has been the center of strife and conflict. The jealous rage that provoked Cain to slay his brother, Abel, simply previewed the fury and frenzy that characterizes that region today.
Liberty is a costly commodity. It never comes without a price. I was reminded of that in a very succinct way on Monday evening, July 3. Martha Jean and I went with some friends, Dr. and Mrs. Walter McBride, to hear the Atlanta Symphony present their annual patriotic concert at Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre in Mableton.
On a recent mission trip to Moldova I rejoiced to see the Christians of the city of Balti openly share their faith and gather in large numbers to worship in freedom. It has not always been that way. Religious liberty is a fairly new concept for many of the countries in eastern Europe once held captive by the Iron Curtain of communism. How exceedingly glorious it was to see the Moldovans exercise their freedom to worship God and how wonderfully encouraging it was to see their receptivity to the Gospel.
The Southern Baptist Convention’s most recent past president, Bobby Welch, has been relentless in his passion to get all of us to become personal soul winners. He preaches and promotes his “Everyone Can!” “I’m It!” campaign with the fervor of a general attempting to rally his troops for a critical battle or with the zeal of a football coach seeking to inspire his team to win a national championship.
My first Southern Baptist Convention was the Houston Convention of 1968. I have attended most of them since then. To the best of my recollection I have missed three Conventions in 38 years. Those years when I was not present were due to pastoral or family-related deaths.
The 2006 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting will be held in Greensboro, N.C., at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on June 13-14. It will be the fifth time the Convention has met in North Carolina, but the first time since 1916 when it met in Asheville.
I recently attended a meeting of a small group of Christian leaders hosted by Alan Sears, president, CEO, and general counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund.
I was preaching in a revival at Old Union Baptist Church in Harlem at the invitation of pastor Keith Boggs. Fifteen miles away The Masters, the nation’s most prestigious golf tournament, was getting underway with practice rounds and the annual par-three tournament. Because of The Masters, hotel prices were exorbitant and “no vacancy” signs were commonplace.
Those of us who serve on the Southern Baptist Convention Funding Study Committee finished our recent meeting in Arlington, Texas ahead of schedule. I decided to try to get an earlier flight home via a stand-by status. When they called my name to inform me that I had been awarded a seat I was elated even though it was a middle seat between two other passengers.
In the city of Columbus Mayor Bob Poydasheff is helping to facilitate a group of community leaders who have worked to establish One Columbus. This group’s stated purpose is “to create unity and respect within a diverse community.” Their stated objective is “to promote and encourage multi-cultural dialogue among all sectors and at every level of the community.”
The dear Lord Jesus loves the church and has given Himself for it, and He obviously wants the church to be healthy and vibrant. The devil hates the church and since its inception has been hurling all the weapons in his diabolical arsenal in an effort to cripple its witness and its effectiveness.
I often listen to The Albert Mohler Radio Program when I drive home from work in the afternoon. About two months ago Dr. Mohler, President of Southern Seminary and former editor of The Christian Index, cited an article in USA Today written by journalist James P. Gannon. The article was entitled, “Is God Dead in Europe?”
Several years before his death I heard Robert Greene Lee, perhaps the last great pulpit orator in America, preach. He said, “One of these days I am going to cast off this earthy tabernacle and do something common to all men. I am going to die; and they are going to bury me in this terrestrial soil. And there is some chance that some little pusillanimous preacher will stand over my grave and say, ‘There lies the body of R. G. Lee, a man who did not have an enemy in this world.’”
Judas Iscariot, whose greed prompted him to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, may be given an extreme makeover by Roman Catholic scholars. At least that is what The London Times reported on Jan. 12.
Over 30 years ago Jane Roe (whose real name was Norma McCovey), a pregnant single woman who was residing in Dallas County, Texas, brought a class action challenging the constitutionality of the Texas criminal abortion laws, which proscribed procuring or attempting an abortion except on medical advise for the purpose of saving the mother’s life.
The inexorable slide toward a loss of faith typically begins with a willingness to devalue the Word of God. When some pedigreed religion professor uses his classroom or some animated question mark uses his pulpit to cast suspicion upon the Bible he or she typically does it with the most surreptitious approach.
Our children were born more than 30 years ago, but they had the advantage of being born in sanitized hospitals with competent physicians clothed in Martinized smocks doing their work with disinfected hands washed with soap containing Chlorhexidine Gluconate.
Last year Target stores became the Scrooge of 2004 and told the Salvation Army that they could no longer have their red kettles available to collect money for benevolent purposes. Consequently, the Salvation Army indicated that Target’s decision was a devastating blow to their “Sharing is Caring” campaign because Target locations produced an estimated $9 million in donations the previous year.
"FAREWELL" was the lone word unfurled across the top of front page of The Commercial Appeal on Friday, November 18th. That was the word used by the Memphis, Tenn. newspaper to say goodbye to Adrian Pierce Rogers, the beloved pastor emeritus of Bellevue Baptist Church and one of America's most notable and powerful preachers.
Shorter College is back in the Georgia Baptist family. The battle to retrieve the school involved litigation that ultimately reached the Georgia Supreme Court, but on Oct. 21 the new governing board elected by the Georgia Baptist Convention met and began the process of writing a new chapter in the school’s history. Nelson Price, pastor emeritus of Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta, was elected chairman of the trustees and testified that the meeting was marked by “cordiality and cooperation.”
I grew up in a small town in the foothills of North Carolina. Our church owned a house at Ridgecrest, the home of one our Southern Baptist retreat centers. I loved going to Ridgecrest and went as often as possible during my teenage years. I heard some of the giants of our Southern Baptist Convention preach the Gospel and their messages made an indelible impact upon my life.
Identity theft is a serious problem in America today. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission has been assigned the responsibility of helping individuals repair the damage caused by identity theft. American Express has established its own Fraud Protection Center stating that identity theft was the largest consumer complaint lodged in 2004.
Martha Jean (my wife) and I just returned from a mission trip to Paris, France. Mike Gravette, Georgia Baptist Convention specialist for Mission Volunteers, coordinated the trip stateside with considerable help from International Mission Board missionaries Keith and Deborah Grimaud, who live on the outskirts of Paris near Versailles.
Katrina was merciless! The winds blew with terrific force. The floods came with a mighty surge of water that relentlessly pounded the Gulf Coast. The levee broke in New Orleans, submerging the Crescent City in deep water. The devastating hurricane spawned tornadoes that touched down in several states. Georgia did not escape the fury of the tornadic wrath that came in the wake of Katrina's unwelcomed intrusion onto American soil.
I have a great love for my country, but I have never served in the military, never seen the rockets’ red glare or bombs bursting in air, never smelled the ominous stench of war hovering over a country marked by death and destruction, never fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion in a foxhole, never been startled into consciousness from the sound of a rocket propelled grenade exploding just over the horizon.
Early one Sunday morning before going to church I was surfing through the channels on the television set to find some good gospel music and happened to pause at The Hour of Power from the Crystal Cathedral. They were having a patriotic service with beautiful music appropriate for the occasion. I was captivated by the pageantry and music presented in that televised service.
Senior United States District Judge William C. O'Kelly rendered his decision in the Civil Action Case of John Doe v. Barrow County on July 18. He ruled that the defendant (the Barrow County Commissioners) must "immediately remove the Ten Commandments picture currently hanging on the wall of the breezeway connecting the Barrow County Courthouse and the Courthouse annex."
Angel Martinez memorized the entire New Testament and could quote it without any reservation, qualification or hesitation. I was privileged to know the noted evangelist and had him preach in several of the churches I served as pastor.
When England was reeling on the precipice of discouragement and defeat from the constant onslaught of the German blitzkrieg in World War II, Winston Churchill inspired a weary and fainthearted nation with his persuasive and powerful words.
On June 23 of last year, Jimmy Draper got Southern Baptists' attention with his "LifeWay@Heart" column. He used the oft-told frog-in-the-kettle analogy to shake and awake us out of our lethargy in regards to evangelism.
God only had one Son without sin, but He never had a son without trials and tribulations. Human beings are creatures of emotion. God gave us the capacity to laugh, cry, fear, mourn, rejoice, worry, get angry, etc. These are the normal and natural experiences of life. However, these emotions or feelings may become overwhelming at times and so help is needed.
Having served as a pastor for more than forty years I know a little about the trials and tribulations, the struggles and stresses, the pains and problems pastors experience in the course of their ministries. I have a great affinity for pastors, and I love pastors.
Oprah Winfrey is a remarkable woman! She was born in Kosciusko, Miss., on Jan. 29, 1954, and was supposed to be named after the biblical character Orpah, the sister-in-law of Ruth, but has been known as Oprah almost from birth. Although her maternal grandmother taught her many of the stories from the Bible, her early years were tumultuous. She was sexually abused by male relatives and severely damaged by the experience.
There is a veritable smorgasbord of churches in our land today. When I was growing up, I don't think we had great variety in the choice of churches. Oh, there were plenty of churches, but there was a lot of similarity in most of them.
Most social functions and teas are probably not characterized by dialogues on death. Indeed, death is a subject to be avoided in the most refined and genial circles. Who goes to a party to eat crumpets, drink Earl Grey tea from a demitasse cup and discuss William Cullen Bryant's Thanatopsis?
Fresh from a killing spree and out of the darkness came Brian G. Nichols into the life of Ashley Smith. As the young widow attempted to find the key that opened her Gwinnett County apartment, the gun-wielding fugitive appeared and threatened to do her bodily harm if she screamed. Within seconds the man, who had terrorized a city and left in his wake a path of destruction, was inside the home of the woman he would later call "an angel sent from God."
Since the days are getting longer I am greeted by the sunrise most mornings when I drive off the Riverside Drive ramp in an easterly direction onto I-285. Quite often the morning sky is a spectacular array of purple, red, gold, orange and yellow - a veritable prism of colors designed by the hand of a loving God who thus chooses to use His creative genius to welcome me to a new day.
Television! It's almost impossible to find anything on television worth watching. It hasn't always been that way. I remember the first television set I ever saw. The year was 1948. The TV set was in the show window of a department store in Washington, D.C.
Catherine Zeta Jones, one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars, is often seen wearing a cross of gold and diamonds. Jennifer Anniston, the darling of the television series Friends and estranged wife of Brad Pitt, wears a cross of platinum and diamonds. Fashion model Naomi Campbell is reported to have a collection of enormous, jewel-studded crosses. Italian fashion stylist Giuliana Cella has more than four hundred of them.
On Jan. 20 George Walker Bush placed his hand on the Bible and was sworn in the second time as President of the United States. He recited the 35- word oath that every president has spoken since 1789 avowing to "faithfully execute the office of President, and … preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
I am happy to be a Georgia Baptist and Southern Baptist. Our denomination is a balm - a fragrant ointment or aromatic oil for healing. Our denomination is a light - a beacon, a ray of hope, shining in a dark world. Our denomination is a condiment (salt) - adding flavor to an insipid culture or in some cases preserving a society tending toward corruption.
There are four things the church of 2005 desperately needs if it is to make an impact upon our age: fervent prayer, anointed preaching, genuine persecution and divine power.
Christmas! I know people, none of whom are children, who think Christmas is boring. To these uninspired folks Christmas comes with relentless regularity and seemingly increasing frequency. These poor benign souls view the Christmas carols as worn and hackneyed. They are wearied of the accouterments of the season and generally tired of trying to pretend that they are in favor of what they view as the sham of what Christmas has become.
The Christian Index encouraged messengers to the Georgia Baptist Convention to evangelize by offering gospel tracts to those who would faithfully share the glorious story of redemption. Within three days we distributed 85,000 tracts to those who came by our booth. I believe that is a sign that Georgia Baptists are serious about sharing the Good News.
Millions of conservative, evangelical Christians flocked to the polls on November 2nd and re-elected George W. Bush to another term as president of the United States. The exit polls indicated that "moral values" was the number one issue that motivated voters to re-elect him. The second most important issue that mattered to voters was the war on terror, followed respectively by the economy/jobs and the war in Iraq.
Billy Graham has just concluded his "Heart of America Crusade" in Kansas City, Mo. The "Greater Los Angeles Billy Graham Crusade" is scheduled for Nov. 18-21; and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has announced plans for what is being called the "final" New York Crusade in June of 2005.
Some preachers, like a lot of politicians, lick their index finger and hold it up to see which way the wind is blowing. They accommodate their message to suit the moral climate of their congregation. Preachers, and Christians generally, are not to be like thermometers registering the temperature of the times, but like thermostats regulating the temperature of the times.
While the saint of God is constantly challenged to present himself/herself to God as a "living sacrifice" or lay one's entire being upon the altar for the Lord, few ever live a life of complete surrender.
News reports have indicated that in recent years Christians have been murdered in the Middle East, imprisoned in China, and enslaved in northern Africa. While such atrocities are almost inconceivable to us and these horrific reports come from far away, we must not be oblivious to the encroachments upon our religious freedom at home.
The security measures employed to safeguard the city of Boston for the Democratic National Convention cost taxpayers almost $40 million. Keeping the delegates to the DNC safe was of utmost importance.
I am not a pessimist. In fact, I have a very positive view of life. After all, with the firm conviction that God is sovereign, that I am redeemed, have a new song in my heart, have been adopted into the family of God and have a new name written down in glory, why should I be discouraged?
Years ago Karl Meninger’s book, Whatever Became of Sin? gave written expression to a widespread suspicion that the concept of “sin” was steadily evaporating from everyday life. If the question posed by Meninger’s book was apropos when he wrote it in 1973, it is even more appropriate today.
The recent gathering of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis marked the 25th anniversary of what has been called the “conservative resurgence.” One of the architects of the resurgence wrote: “Conservatives worked together because we believed that the restoration of the Southern Baptist Convention to a position of standing upon the complete trustworthiness of God’s Word was a hill on which to die.”
It was a Saturday evening in September of 1983 in Jackson, Miss. The sun was casting long shadows over War Memorial Stadium and a gentle breeze, a refreshing zephyr, provided the ideal climate for an autumn clash on the gridiron.
Ronald Reagan was a man of indomitable courage, profound convictions, unflappable optimism and personal charisma. He stood like a giant sequoia on the American landscape, but Alzheimer’s disease, a foe he could not defeat, ultimately took his life on June 5.
There was a time when the church in England flourished. In fact, the Baptists in the United Kingdom grew significantly in the 19th Century. That was the age of pulpit giants – Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Joseph Parker, Alexander McClaren and John Clifford – who drew congregations of many thousands.
The public schools of America and, yes, Georgia, too, have come under meticulous scrutiny and unmitigated criticism in recent years. Some of it is justified, because nothing of the monumental proportions of public education can be all honey and no bees.
When Southern Baptist Convention President Jack Graham addressed the Executive Committee in February he called for a new name for the denomination and indicated that he would appoint a committee to study the idea. Graham said the committee would represent the SBC both “geographically and generationally” and would report back to the Convention at the annual meeting in Nashville in 2005.
The story is told of an orphanage years ago where life was cheap, compassion was non-existent and brutality and abuse were commonplace. A little boy who resided there was seen by one of the guardians throwing a piece of paper over the wall. The boy was immediately taken to the office of the superintendent of the orphanage to await certain punishment for such an act was considered an offense requiring disciplinary action.
History has recorded some spectacular comebacks. Just five years ago news came from the Atlanta Braves training camp that Andres Galarraga had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his lower back.
In my flesh I prefer the course of least resistance. It is easier to go with the flow than swim against the current. Likewise, it is difficult to be true to the truth when tolerance is the social norm, and it is not easy to take a stand in the face of public criticism.
With a desire to make some meaningful contribution to our partnership with the Baptist Convention of New York, I recently flew to the Empire State to spend three days with J. B. Graham, executive director of our sister state Convention to the north.
I never thought I would see the day when “Christian” America would have to specify that marriage should be between a man and a woman. In fact, it has been said, “If God doesn’t judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
On 9/11, 1963, The Fugitive began its four-year run on television. The mystery thriller starred David Janssen as Dr. Richard Kimble, a man who had been falsely accused and arrested for killing his wife. Lt. Sam Gerard doggedly pursued the innocent doctor for four years as Kimble valiantly sought to find the one-armed man who was responsible for his wife’s death. The final two-part episode was the highest rated television program at that time.
I prayed for Britney Spears today. I don’t know her personally. I have never met her and probably never will, but I was prompted to pray for her today. She has become an extremely visible (no pun intended) personality in the world of entertainment and consequently has considerable influence on life in America. Teen idols such as she have helped shape fashion and pop culture for decades not only in our country, but also around the world.
Welcome to 2004! Yes, I have made some resolutions. It is a ritual. Every year at the beginning of January most of us look at our lives and see things that need improvement or change and we make resolutions for the New Year. Statistics show that most resolutions are sincerely made, enthusiastically initiated, half-heartedly maintained and eventually abandoned.
Katharine Hepburn, an academy award winning actress, died at age 96 on June 29th. She professed to be an atheist and once said on a TV talk show, "I don't believe in a god and as far as when I die, I'm looking forward to a nice, long rest in the ground."
Jerry Pereira, president of the North Carolina Baptist Convention, died three days before the Convention was scheduled to meet in Winston Salem, North Carolina. He was a good friend and a devout man of God.
When Paul went to Athens he encountered the intelligentsia of his day. There the great apostle encountered philosophers, stoics, epicureans and strangers with curious ideologies who gathered unto the Areopagus to discuss their worldviews and opinions.
I was privileged to attend the National Prayer Breakfast on February 3, 1994 in Washington, D.C. The occasion attracted a "Who's Who" list of America's most notable government and civic leaders. The primary speaker for the occasion was Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India.
A totally redeemed church could dramatically and dynamically impact our society, but how many churches are thoroughly Christian? What is a Christian? Is a Christian merely someone who believes the tenets of our faith? Is a Christian someone who willingly confesses that he or she is a believer? Is a Christian someone who has identified with a local church?
