For most of my 37 years as a pastor, I primarily used the “Roman Road” when witnessing to lost people (Romans 3:23, 3:10, 5:12, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-13). It did not always lead to an immediate profession of faith, and there were often detours and surprises. I want to share a few of those experiences with […]
With all the buzz on social media focusing on the Southern Baptist Convention and its problems, it is tempting to speculate about our future. Some believe we will splinter into two or more groups. Others think we will continue on a course of decline and dysfunction, while some believe we will experience revival. There are […]
The firing of legendary Southern Baptist conservative icon Paige Patterson as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on May 30 created a whirlwind of opinions, controversies and speculations leading up to this year’s annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas. Charges asserting that Patterson failed to deal forthrightly with an alleged rape of […]
In 2016, more people were cremated than buried in the United States. It is a trend that continues to grow, with as much as 78 percent of the population estimated to choose cremation within 20 years, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Theological questions and differing viewpoints revolve around the cremation versus burial debate. […]
We are the largest non-Catholic denomination in the country. We have a number of megachurches. We … well, you get the picture. Even though the Southern Baptist Convention is declining in numbers, we are still big. But being big is not necessarily biblical; faithfully serving Christ is. The determination of where we will serve should […]
It is described as “The Baptist Seminary of South Carolina” and serves as the graduate division of the College of Christian Studies at Anderson University. Officially known as Clamp Divinity School, it is named for David T. Clamp, whose estate presented AU its largest single gift in school history — $8 million — in 2008. […]
It has been observed by some Baptist historians and onlookers that when there is a controversy, attendance increases at the annual Southern Baptist Convention meeting. If that observation is accurate, this year’s SBC has the potential to be very interesting. Three areas that could spur increased attention and attendance are the election of a new […]
Jeff Maxey, special education resource teacher at Starr Elementary School in Anderson County and a former Southern Baptist minister, has been named South Carolina Teacher of the Year for 2019. While serving as minister of senior adults and students at Eastwood Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Ky., from 1990-2002, he was asked to speak at […]
Being prepared for crisis situations and having a safety plan in place can be assets for any church, especially when combined with having trained members who are able to provide immediate, lifesaving assistance for people during a medical emergency. Chris Holliday, business manager for The Baptist Courier, is certified by the American Heart Association to […]
On Sept. 11, 2001, the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed after terrorists hijacked and flew two commercial jets into the buildings. In an instant, the world changed. Our country has not been the same since. In 2016, an NBC/Wall Street Journal survey found that 47 percent of Americans believe the country is […]