1 Corinthians 13 is more often romanticized than thoughtfully studied. You hear it at weddings and see it on wall-hangings as if it were some kind of ode to love. But in at least two ways this chapter actually is devastating. One, it describes love in such a way…
THIS MUST BE CLEANED UP! QUOTE MARKS, ETC. Both of these descriptions speak to the issue of pride. Love and pride are enemies and cannot both rule in a person’s life at the same time. So, when you see a braggart, someone who is arrogant and obviously full of…
Not long ago my wife and I were visiting in the home of a family who have visited our church worship services recently. We wanted to welcome them, get to know them and take the opportunity to speak to them about the Lord and our church. It turns out…
Pastor Fred Malone and Heritage Baptist Church of Clinton, Louisiana continue to coordinate hurricane relief efforts for Founders Ministries through several churches that were severely affected on the Gulf Coast. You may still contribute to this effort via Founders Ministries. In his latest update, Fred writes, “I am glad…
Should existing churches be reformed or should new churches be started. Well, that is sort of like asking whether you should love your wife or your kids. The two are not–indeed must not be–mutually exclusive. It is easy for us to slip into this dichotomous way of thinking about…
I am an unreconstructed ecclesiophile. I love (phileo) the church (ecclesia). I love the idea of the church because of the wisdom and power of God that it displays. I love the practical expression of the church in local churches. I love one local church in particular and regularly…
In the current issue of Facts and Trends, Dr. Jimmy Draper, President of Lifeway, comments on a recent research report issued by Ellison Research on why Protestant ministers change jobs. Among the study’s many findings is this: only 25% of Southern Baptist ministers attribute moving from one church ministry…
Sometimes those of us who are unwilling to jump and down with joy upon hearing reports of hundreds of children accepting Jesus as their “forever Daddy” are accused of not believing in childhood conversions. To question how children are evangelized is to position yourself in the minds of some…
I just learned that Lakeshore Baptist Church near Bay St. Louis, MS had their building completely destroyed by the hurricane. Don Elbourne, who writes the blog, Locusts and Wild Honey, is the pastor. He has moved in with family in Baton Rouge. I originally stated that the church is…
I usually do not read “Perspective,” the publication of Women’s Missions and Ministries Department of the Florida Baptist Convention. However, my wife pointed out an article in the Fall/Winter 2005 issue by Dr. Sharon Thompson, the “Camp Worldlight Director.” According to the Florida Baptist Convention’s website, Thompson has a…