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Why We Believe the Bible: We Believe the Bible Is True Because Jesus Said So

I’ve probably said it a thousand times in my sermons over the years: When Jesus differs from the culture, go with Jesus every single time. What Jesus said about Himself: He is the Son of God and Son of... Continue Reading »

Why We Believe the Bible: We Believe the Bible Is True Because We’ve Seen It Transform People

We’ve all seen the commercials or reels on our social media feeds. Someone has a product that is sure to unlock your body’s hidden potential and unleash its full strength. Their proof? The product has changed their life. It’s... Continue Reading »

Why We Believe the Bible: We Believe the Bible Is True Because of Fulfilled Prophecies

Children across the generations used to play a familiar game: Truth or Dare. In this pre-adolescent rite of passage, the group challenged one another to answer a potentially embarrassing question with the truth. The only alternative to telling the... Continue Reading »

Why We Believe the Bible: We Believe the Bible Is True Because It is Self-Attesting

Every serious reflection on the Bible’s inspiration and authority must engage with its self-attesting nature as the Word of God. To say that Scripture is self-attesting is to affirm that it testifies to its own divine authority; it does... Continue Reading »

Where Circus and Church Meet: A Plea for the Sufficiency of Scripture

I struggled to keep a straight face when he asked me the question. I was a candidate for the pastorate of this Baptist church, one that was nearly 200 years old, one that had sprung up as a result... Continue Reading »

Every member matters in the goal of ministry

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from “Every Member Matters” by Matthew Capps and Josh Wredberg, releasing Sept. 2, 2025, from B&H Publishing Group. “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body... Continue Reading »

‘God Is’: Alena Franklin of ‘War Room’ Fame Ministers With New Teen Devotional Book

Alena Pitts Franklin was three years past her cinematic debut as Priscilla Shirer’s daughter in “War Room” when Alena’s mother went to sleep one evening and entered heaven without awakening. A 14-year-old Alena was left with her father, Jonathan,... Continue Reading »

Supreme Court Decisions Support Parents and Religious Liberty

Our country continues to enjoy the legal and cultural benefits of the legacy President Trump created with three legitimate conservative-leaning additions to the Supreme Court during his first term. A flurry of 6-3 decisions and one 9-0 decision reached... Continue Reading »

Are Americans More Permissive on a Host of Moral Issues?

When it comes to morality, Americans don’t see much wrong with using birth control or getting a divorce, but few support extramarital affairs or human cloning. The latest poll results from Gallup spell out what activities U.S. adults view... Continue Reading »

Call to Action: Two Bills in the Upcoming S.C. Legislative Session

As the rhythmic patterns of fall, family and church life return, I would like to ask you to act on two important legislative items coming in the 2026 session. The session officially begins the first week of January, but... Continue Reading »

NGU Doing Evangelism in the Heart of Mormon Culture

Mormonism is hard to shake loose from those who are long-time adherents. Allen McWhite, chairman of the Intercultural Studies Department at North Greenville University, says missions work in Utah is almost like being outside the United States. “It is... Continue Reading »

A Little Bit of Courage: Greenville Pastor Shares of Past Detainment for Gospel Proclamation

Two years ago, Josh Powell, pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church, spent the night in jail for sharing the gospel on a faraway island. Powell has been to five continents and undertaken an estimated 60 mission trips. He’s pastored... Continue Reading »

New and Noteworthy Books — August 2025

(Editors’ note: With the passing of John MacArthur, for this month’s N&N Books I will recommend four of my favorite among his most important books. MacArthur wrote dozens of books on many biblical, theological, and ethical issues, a systematic... Continue Reading »

Perspective on Life’s ‘Momentary Light Afflictions’

I recently conducted the funeral of a good friend. Only 65, he had suffered from early onset Parkinson’s for years and then developed dementia. He died much too soon. Preparing for his funeral, I found the perfect passage for... Continue Reading »

What the Bible Says About … the Intermediate State

Some Christians, while firmly affirming the doctrine of bodily resurrection, unwittingly leave no place for it within their broader theological framework. Many hold that at the moment of death, believers receive their glorified bodies and immediately enter their final,... Continue Reading »

God’s Wisdom: He’s Chosen the Foolish to Shame the Wise

No fallen human being would’ve invented the Christian faith. Historic, orthodox Christianity runs deeply counterintuitive to the conventional thinking of the children of Adam. A crucified Savior who rose from the dead, a Savior who was born of a... Continue Reading »

How Do We Preach the Bible’s Wisdom Literature?

I recently completed two objectives. First, I finished preaching through Ecclesiastes. Second, I finished driving from South Carolina to Montana and back. Now, these two accomplishments might seem disconnected, and for the most part they are. But for the... Continue Reading »

How Do We Grow in Wisdom?

The biblical view of wisdom has some things in common with secular ideas of wisdom, but the differences are also profound. A simple definition of wisdom is “the ability to use knowledge and experience to make good choices and... Continue Reading »

Five Ways the Local Church Makes You Wiser in an Age of Foolishness

(Editors’ note: Content adapted from The Wisdom Pyramid by Brett McCracken. This article first appeared at Crossway.org; used with permission.) The church is the second-most foundational source of truth that can make us wise. Some might scratch their heads... Continue Reading »

Wisdom Applied: God’s Wisdom for Life

Editor’s note: One of my (Jeff Robinson) ministry mentors once told me, “Theology and biblical truth does you no good if it doesn’t land on the ground.” This was a wise saying, one that a young seminary student and... Continue Reading »

Is It Wise to Use Humor in the Pulpit?

In Charles Spurgeon’s day, ministry and merriment didn’t often mix. Evangelicals, particularly those of the Reformed variety, weren’t exactly known for their sense of humor. In his autobiography, Spurgeon quipped that the 12th commandment must have been, “Thou shalt... Continue Reading »

After 250 Years, Chaplains Remain Indispensable “Points of Light”

I first learned about the military chaplaincy 65 years ago during a Sunday service at my home church in Rome, Ga. Up to that point, I’d never met a chaplain. The only thing I had heard from others was... Continue Reading »

Back to School: Sumter Pastor Says Teachers Need Prayer Support

In 1962, the Supreme Court struck down government-mandated prayer in public schools. This ruling led many to believe that it was forbidden to pray in school. Not so. As one bumper sticker stated, “As long as there are students... Continue Reading »

Debunking the Myths: Ministry Burnout and Leaving the Ministry

Each week, headlines tell us pastors are burnt out. They’re leaving the ministry. They’re throwing in the towel. Pastoral ministry is too hard on the family. The demands are too high. The challenges are too difficult. The message we... Continue Reading »

The Tension of Prayer

I love math. I majored in math at Furman. I love that math problems are black and white — there is a right answer and a wrong answer. I never enjoyed writing school papers because of the subjective nature... Continue Reading »

On Winning and What Matters: Scheffler’s Comments Are for Everyone

Success and Scottie Scheffler have become practically synonymous lately. Yet, it’s the world’s top-ranked golfer’s comments on what constitutes true meaning — and more to the point, what doesn’t — that keeps grabbing attention. It comes within an interesting... Continue Reading »

Cultural Engagement Calls for Christlike Qualities

Words mean things. This simple phrase didn’t originate with Rush Limbaugh, but he made it popular. Our current cultural moment is filled with what the Apostle Paul might call “a noisy gong or clanging symbol” (1 Cor. 13:1). Words... Continue Reading »

The Winning Team

Individual talent without cooperation will not win championships. The 2004 Los Angeles Lakers may have been the greatest collection of individual All-Stars that failed to win because they did not cooperate with one another. The team was loaded with... Continue Reading »

July 2013 Bible Study photo

Reading Scripture Better Self-Care than Exercise, Friend-Time

Reading the Bible has better self-care outcomes than exercising, meditating or spending time with friends, the American Bible Society said in the latest release of its 15th annual State of the Bible. In drawing their conclusions, researchers considered how... Continue Reading »

The Sun of Righteousness Rises Across the Palmetto State

When I first moved to Columbia from Texas in the spring of 2023, several South Carolinians told me to brace myself for the summer heat. “There’s nothing like it,” they said. “It sticks to you.” They weren’t wrong. I... Continue Reading »

Celebrating a Free Church in a Free State

I would imagine that I am not the only SCBaptist who has unfinished projects around my home. This past Memorial Day, I checked one of those projects off when I installed a flagpole at our house that I purchased... Continue Reading »

Where is God When It Hurts?

This isn’t one of those pieces that ties everything up in a neat spiritual bow. It’s not filled with pat answers or hollow clichés. It’s born out of pain, prayer and the unshakable truth that — even in the... Continue Reading »

New and Noteworthy Books — July 2025

In the Midst of the Years: A History of Reformation and Revival in America (Founders Press) by Thomas J. Nettles Christians yearn for rapid advances in the progress of conversion in the world, holiness in their lives, and fruitful... Continue Reading »

Watch Out for Communication’s Two Catastrophic Cousins

The following article is an adapted excerpt from Jeff Robinson’s 2021 book, Taming the Tongue: How the Gospel Transforms our Talk (TGC). _____ Joseph Stowell calls them “catastrophic cousins,” and it wouldn’t be difficult to make the case from... Continue Reading »

SBC Worship Platform Draws Thousands of Churches in First Month, Leader Says

SBC Worship, a new collaboration between The Worship Initiative and a broad swath of the Southern Baptist family, has attracted thousands of churches in its first month of operation at sbcworship.com, Robbie Seay told Baptist Press. “It’s been great,”... Continue Reading »

Religious Liberty ‘the Best Blessing’ America Has, Baptist Immigrants Say

For distributing the Bible and sharing the gospel in the Soviet Union, Aleksei Kharlamov’s great-grandfather was sent to Siberia and never heard from again. His grandfather and father both were persecuted for being Baptist pastors. Growing up in post-Soviet... Continue Reading »

North to Alaska: SC Vet Marks 20 Volunteer Years at The Iditarod

In 2001, South Carolina Baptist layman and veterinarian Roger Troutman stepped out of his comfort zone and traveled to Alaska to serve as a volunteer trail veterinarian for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, commonly referred to as The... Continue Reading »

The Wrath of God (Part 1)

Understandably, when Christians are asked to complete the sentence “God is ____,” virtually all will respond with “love” (1 John 4:8) rather than “a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). Yet, both are profoundly biblical — even essential to the Christian... Continue Reading »

From Fearful to Free: Delighting in Evangelism

Keeping in step with the competitive nature of my family, as kids my brother Samuel and I tried to outdo each other passing out gospel tracts. Mission teams visited my family overseas, and we’d prayer walk through neighborhoods, invite... Continue Reading »

Church Membership Matters: Joining a Church in College

Making the commitment to regularly attend and even become a member at a local church is one of the most positively influential decisions a college student can, and should, make. Many Christian college students spend their Sundays migrating from... Continue Reading »

Don’t Bypass the Congregational Vote

Baptists must retain the historic Baptist distinctive of congregationalism, even as they recover the biblical office of pastor/elder. Conversations with two pastors in recent years alerted me to this dynamic. In each of their churches, only the pastor/elders voted... Continue Reading »

The Most Audacious Claim: There is Salvation in No Other Name

One of the more challenging aspects of the Christian apologetic task is defending Christianity against the objection that the gospel is exclusivist. Christian exclusivism means that the Christian faith is the only true faith, that Jesus Christ is the... Continue Reading »

What Can Hollywood Teach Us About Telling the Story of Christ?

If God wants us to believe in Him, why doesn’t He just reveal Himself already? You’ve probably heard someone ask that. Maybe you’ve asked it yourself. I have. This question is not new. In fact, Thomas voiced it when... Continue Reading »

Preaching and Apologetics: Partners in Proclamation

In 1 Peter 3:15, the apostle instructs his readers to always be “ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (CSB). That is the... Continue Reading »

Sola Scriptura: Is Scripture Sufficient for Apologetics and Evangelism?

One of the running motifs in Scripture is that God supplies the necessary resources for that which He commands. The Lord commanded the ancient Israelites to follow Him through the desert, and, in Exodus 15 and 16, He supplied... Continue Reading »

BF&M 100, Part 3: The Baptist Faith and Message Committee

Editor’s note: This piece is the third in a five-part series in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Baptist Faith and Message at the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas. The Southern Baptist Convention messengers arriving in Memphis... Continue Reading »

The Image of God in Man (Part 2)

In the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2, God deliberately distinguished human beings from all other beings as His crowning work. He created humans only after everything else, setting the stage for man’s grand entrance. He assigned humans... Continue Reading »

Should Christians Attend ‘Gay Weddings’?

I have been writing and speaking about gender and sexuality for over decade and a half. Whenever I talk about transgenderism, one of the first practical questions I hear concerns the use of pronouns. Whenever I talk about homosexuality,... Continue Reading »

Is It Loving Your Neighbor to Use Transgender Pronouns? No, It’s Anti-Gospel

A few years ago, a civil war erupted within broad evangelicalism, and the idol of LGBTQ+ is dividing the house. This issue is personal, political, and spiritual for me. In 1998, I became one of the first crop of... Continue Reading »

Resources for Further Reading and Thinking about Gender and Sexuality

Books: • Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism (Revised edition) (Crossway, 2021), edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem. This book has long been the gold standard in unpacking complementarianism from all perspectives — biblical,... Continue Reading »