While the nature of Baptist polity allows for varying perspectives on many issues, there was one resolution that stood out when messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in New Orleans almost unanimously voted in affirmation: A resolution “on wisely engaging immigration” passed with incredibly broad support. Those outside of the SBC or of […]
Guest Viewpoint: ‘Join in a Song With Sweet Accord’
When Isaac Watts penned these words, by “sweet accord” he designed an agreement of heart, a unanimity of opinion, a settled sense of oneness in affection. By this, he reflected the admonition of Colossians 3:16 that instructs us as partakers of the grace of Christ to join with one another in a mutual instruction in […]
Guest Viewpoint: Becoming an Empathetic Leader
Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone; empathy seeks to understand them. Sympathy feels bad when you are in a deep, dark hole — but empathy crawls down in the hole with you and may eventually help you out. My mother died when she was 54, so whenever I hear of someone losing their mother at […]
First Person: Complementarianism, Confessionalism and Cooperation in the SBC
Southern Baptists are overwhelmingly a complementarian convention of churches. This means we are committed to biblical teachings about distinct-yet-complementary gender roles for men and women, as well as the principle of male leadership in the family and the church. As the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says concerning the latter, “While both men and women […]
First Person: A Low View of Pastors
A recent Gallup survey had some very bad news for pastors — and, by extension, for the church in America. In the survey, only 34 percent rated the honesty and integrity of pastors as very high. Among respondents under age 30, the rate was a much lower 20 percent. These numbers are the lowest since […]
First Person: Why Has South Carolina’s Marriage License Changed?
While attending a wedding ceremony in 2016, I discovered a change of wording in the marriage license. After the ceremony, the bride shared with me that the officiating minister was having trouble filling out the marriage license and asked if I could help. As a pastor, I had filled out numerous marriage licenses and agreed […]
Five Myths About Adoption
After the Supreme Court handed down the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — a landmark case that reversed the harmful precedents set in Roe v. Wade — more attention is rightly focused on the welfare of children, post-birth. Lifeline Children’s Services’ mission is to equip the body of Christ to manifest the […]
Perspective: How We Answer Abortion Advocates Matters
Haunted. This is the word many women use to describe their day-to-day experience after having an abortion. Their haunting includes fear, guilt, shame, confusion — but most of all, the memory of the life that was, and could have been. Countless women bury these memories deep within. One woman, Elizabeth, recalls being young and poor, […]
Euthanasia: Premature, Intentional Murder of the Patient
The charge nurse of the medicine floor at my local hospital spoke wearily through my phone, “The older patient in bed 407, Mr. B., is not responsive, and his vital signs are stable. Can you take a look at him?” Mr. B. was 87, had Alzheimer’s dementia and several other medical conditions. When I examined […]
Five ways to think about your 2023 goals
It’s that time of year when we begin thinking about goals for the next year. Too often, these goals are not related to our walk with God. More than simply setting “New Year’s resolutions” we might break quickly next year, I hope one or more of these goals will become part of your Christian walk […]