From the Pastor (Page 2)
What Excites You?
As much as Fall may mean crisp evenings, the changing (and falling) leaves, and pumpkin spice for some people, for me it means the return of college football and my beloved Bulldogs teeing it up between the hedges at Sanford Stadium on the campus of the University of Georgia. I love the sport of football in general, but I especially love the intricacies of college…
The Dangers of Celebrity Pastors Culture, Part 2
It’s been said numerous times, but it seems as though it is beneficial to repeat: being a pastor is neither an easy nor a safe calling. Despite the jokes about only working for about 3o minutes a week (I suppose I’m an overachiever!) and spending lots of time on the golf course (I’ve…
The Dangers of Celebrity Pastor Culture, Pt. 1
For those who were active in the Church during the 1990s either as a youth or involved in youth ministry in some capacity, memories of what is today called the “purity culture” are likely to comprise a fair amount of what we remember. While this movement suffered from several abuses, not the…
The Billy Graham Rule – Today
Much has been made about the so-called “Billy Graham Rule” in recent years, due to the acknowledgement of many public figures (such as Vice-President Mike Pence) who adhere to it. When Billy Graham was beginning his ministry, he and his team understood that all of their Kingdom efforts could be undermined and discredited by a single accusation of sexual impropriety. …
#SBC19 Thoughts – Part 1
This year, the SBC’s annual meeting was held in Birmingham, Alabama with nearly 8,200 messengers representing the more than 47,000 SBC churches throughout the United States. Every year, these messengers gather together to handle the business of this convention of churches, hear reports from our various entities, ask questions, become informed and educated, and meet…
D-Day
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landing by Allied forces into Nazi-occupied Europe, a significant turning point in World War II. The full story of all the events that led up to D-Day, as well as its completion, is much too long to tell in such a short space here, but it is a story that we should all know, study, remember, and pass on to the…
The Distraction of Boredom
Have you noticed how almost everything in our society today is focused on entertainment? Our lifestyles push us so that we do not have much downtime at all, and much of the time we spend engaged in activity is centered on keeping us entertained. Sports have become a multibillion dollar industry, regardless of the level. For instance, the NFL alone reported $14.2…
The Power of Story
Over the past eleven years, a remarkable series of movies have been produced based on comic book characters from Marvel Comics. Marvel had attempted to produce movies prior to their release of Iron Man in 2008, but had failed to find much commercial success in their endeavors (in fact, they sometimes failed rather spectacularly). In casting the actor Robert Downey, Jr.…
The Day After Easter…and Beyond
The weeks leading up to Easter can be a special, if not hectic, time for believers (and especially for churches). There is something incredibly sweet about meditating on our celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are reminded of our need for a Savior, as well as how that Savior was the Second Person on the Trinity who stepped out of eternity and into…
Disappointment
Our family has made somewhat regular trips to Louisville, Kentucky, for the past few years. There have been many reasons for this destination, including the fact that it is the home of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (where I am a longsuffering student, emphasis on the long), a wonderful city full of places to explore for the whole family, and the presence of…