Founders Ministries Blog

How are you celebrating Calvin's 500th?

2009-07-07T01:23:00.002-04:00

July 10 marks the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth. His impact on western civilization is hard to measure. Recently I was asked to provide 3 reasons that Calvin is important today. Here is what I wrote:

1. Western civilization owes an incalculable debt to John Calvin because his exposition of Scripture's view that all creation is the theater of God's glory helped set a vigorous, world-changing agenda for vocation, culture-making and society. The political freedoms and other blessings that we enjoy have been granted to us by God, in large part, through the outworking of ideas that were first systematized and promoted by Calvin.

2. Calvin has left a great legacy for the church by virtue of his personal testimony of grace, humility, industry and perseverance through desperate times. It is far easier to vilify him than it is to consider his life carefully in light of his historical context. In a hard age when church and state were in complete upheaval, he maintained a steady course as a faithful pastor. Despite his preference to "die a hundred other deaths" than to give himself to pastoral ministry in Geneva, he nevertheless took up that cross and bore it well. Despite threats, opposition, sickness and mistreatment from those who should have been his supporters, he pressed on in his calling to shepherd the people of Geneva, strengthening the church through consistent preaching and teaching and leading them to send out missionaries to preach the gospel in hard places.

3. In my estimation the most significant reason that Calvin is important for us today stems from his exposition and theological writings. His commentaries are models of exegetical skill and power and set a standard for all successive Protestant commentaries. His Institutes demonstrate the inextricable relationship between doctrine and life by combining exegetical, historical, systematic and pastoral theology that is written not for the academy but for the church. Calvin's influence is so profound in this area that a man can scarcely regard himself as educated while remaining unacquainted with his works.

With all of his flaws--and as with all sons of Adam, he had many--all Christ-followers owe a debt of gratitude to the Reformer from Geneva. His advocacy of civil punishment, even to the extent of death, for religious ideas is something that most believers, especially those of us the free church stream, abominate. Likewise, we Baptists cannot tolerate his position on paedobaptism (a position that, according to this picture and this explanation from the ruins under the present church structure, the church he served evidently did not share with him in earlier centuries). After all, the best of men are men at best. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that he was--and remains--a great gift to the church.

How will you celebrate Calvin's birthday? In the true spirit of the Reformer from Geneva and, more importantly, in keeping with the biblical, missional gospel which he taught (see FJ 75), I am laboring with a team of 8 from Grace Baptist Church to make Christ known to an unreached people group in SE Asia. We got here today and look forward to 10 days of working with field personnel here with the IMB.

Pray that God will use us to make disciples and add to that glorious multitude of worshipers "that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages" for whom our Savior shed His precious blood.

A long journey in church discipline-Pt. 3

2009-07-03T04:48:00.002-04:00

This is the third and final installment of the story of God's grace of restoration through church discipline at Grace Baptist Church. The other parts can be found here (#1) and here (#2).

When I came to serve Grace Baptist Church 23 years ago it was like many contemporary evangelical churches in that it was completely unfamiliar with biblical church discipline. There were many serious problems in the church, some of which called for corrective discipline, but the church was in no shape to administer it. I could have tried to "take the bull by the horns" and forced the issue, but even if I had been successful, the result would not have been church discipline but only pastor discipline--something that does not have the authority of the New Testament behind it.

Teaching on church order and what constitutes a healthy church was one of the top priorities of my early years at Grace. By the time we were called on to address the situation with Steve, the church was biblically equipped and had already come to understand the wisdom of God and the blessings of both formative and corrective discipline.

God has put His great grace and mercies on display for us and others through this whole process. The reason that I asked Steve if I could put his story on this blog is because I believe it can encourage lots of other people as much as it has the family of Grace. I know that there are pastors and others who are in churches that have neglected the practice of biblical church discipline. They want to see their congregations led to recover this teaching and begin to obey our Savior's instructions. It can happen, and the benefits are worth the efforts.

Steve's story serves as a warning to every Christian. The sin that remains in us is not of a lower-grade quality from the sin that formerly reigned in us. It is deadly and if left unmortified, will take a person to hell. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13; cf. Matthew 5:27-30). If this seems inconsistent with perseverance of the saints then I suggest that you get John Owen's Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers and read it before next week. If you can't do that then read chapter 27 of John Piper's Future Grace before tomorrow night.

Steve's story also can give incredible hope for both those who have loved ones who have turned away from the gospel they once professed to believe and those who are themselves prodigals. Sometimes we are tempted to give up on people who have walked away from Christ. Steve is a reminder of the truth I like to rehearse often with our church: "As long as there is breath, there is hope." Had you taken a snap shot of Steve's life at nearly any point over a 15 year period it would have looked hopeless. Yet, all things are possible with God and He is able to rescue anyone by His sovereign grace and power. Therefore, we must keep praying and persuading, confident that nothing is too difficult for our God.

Sin brings devastating consequences. The sorrows that Steve has lived through and the pain that he has inflicted on people he loves as a result of his choices have left scars that will not be healed completely until heaven. There is no need to go into detail in order for this lesson to be recognized. Scripture has many illustrations of this (David and Samson, to name just two) and most of us know of modern examples that underscore this point. God has shown great mercy to Steve but those mercies have been very severe. Whom the Lord loves, He disciplines, and no discipline is joyful at the present, but grievous (Hebrews 12:5-11).

The practice of church discipline is designed by Christ for the honor of His Name, the welfare of His people and the advance of His kingdom. We have seen these purposes fulfilled to some degree in this process with Steve. One dear brother in the church was converted as a direct of Steve being removed from the church 14 years ago. Several members have already expressed to me that Steve's testimony has humbled them and led them to take more specific steps to put sin to death in their lives and to make no provision for the flesh.

There is no easy way to lead a church to understand, embrace and practice church discipline. It is hard work and pastors must not allow themselves to become paralyzed by the myth that "there's got to be an easier way." There isn't. If we are going to be faithful shepherds then we must roll up our sleeves, dig in our heels and do the hard work of lovingly, prayerfully and persistently leading our churches to obey Christ at this point. It is not easy, but it is worth it because God will be glorified, the church will be strengthened in holiness and mission and individual believers will be helped. Fortunately, there are many resources readily available today that can assist in recovering biblical church discipline in a local church. I will list a few at the end of this post.

Many of the good things in ministry occur over long periods of time. Though God may well lead a pastor not to spend the better part of his life in one church, there are wonderful blessings that come from doing so.

If you have been at your God-assigned task for a long time, be encouraged. There still blessings ahead that the Lord will show you that you would not be able to see if you had not stayed the course for the long haul.

Resources on Church Discipline

James Leo Garrett, Jr., Church Discipline: Lost, But Recoverable
This is an revision of an article Dr. Garrett first published in 1959
A Summary of Church Discipline from the Charleston Association
Instructions for Baptist churches in the South from 1774
James P. Boyce, Church Discipline—It’s Importance
The founder of Southern Seminary published this article in 1852
Mark Dever, Editor, Polity: A Collection of Historic Baptist Documents
An excellent resource from ancient Baptist wisdom on discipline and related issues
Don Whitney, Reforming through Discipline (mp3)
A very helpful message from one who has done it
Wyman Richardson, Walking Together Ministries
A website with a wealth of resources, including workbooks, on church discipline and heath
A few articles that I have written that touch on the subject:
Robert Murray M'Cheyne on Church Discipline
A Plea for Church Discipline
Bill Clinton and the Discipline of our Churches

Danny Akin, Creeds, Deeds and the Great Commission MP3

2009-07-02T10:04:00.003-04:00

Here is a link to the audio file of Dr. Akin's talk from the 2009 Founders Breakfast (thanks Tim Brister!).

A long journey in church discipline-Pt. 2

2009-07-02T09:13:00.000-04:00

When I received Steve's email I was overwhelmed with a sense of God's power and grace which certainly appeared to be working to rescue a man who had been living in the far country for over a decade. I wish I could say that I had lived in expectation that one day I would get a phone call or email like that. But too often, to my shame, it is easier to believe in depravity than it is in grace.

I immediately sent the following email response to Steve and began an exchange that included phone calls along with at least a couple of dozen emails back and forth.

Steve:

I am very encouraged to get your email today. I have often prayed for you. Each time I see your old house I ask the Lord to rescue you and your family....I have fond memories of some of our times together here.

Steve, this morning I preached on some of the strategies of the devil that the Bible warns us to guard against. One of the things Satan does is misrepresent God to our minds so that we do not believe the truth about God. God is a true Father--the perfect Father--to all of His children who trust in the Lord Jesus. As such, He is full of mercy and compassion. He delights in mercy and He has mercy enough for you.

Jesus said "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:11-13). If you know that you are sick (which you do) and you know that you are a sinner, then you can be sure that you are exactly the kind of person that Jesus came to rescue.

No doubt there are some confusing thoughts about your experience over the last 12 years. Was your faith ever real? Have you, as a real believer, been running away from God? What is the state of your soul? These and probably dozens of other questions can plague your mind and, if you are not careful, can paralyze you from doing what you should. And what should you do? You should take God at His Word. Trust Him. Believe what He says in the Bible and heed His calls. Your sin is great. His grace is greater.

Think about this gracious invitation that Jesus makes in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Read Luke 15:11-31. It is your story. Believe what it says about God.

I want to hear the rest of what you have to say. This email address come directly to me. I have friends and know of a couple of good churches in the Baltimore area. I will be glad to put you in touch with them and to help you in any way that I can.

Psalm 130 is one of my favorites. May the Lord enable you to pray it from your soul:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” - Psalm 130

In Christ,
tom

Over the next few months we worked through issues related to his repentance. He also was able to make contact and become involved with a great church with faithful elders who took him in and helped personally shepherd him through the process. Since he lives in a different part of the country, having the cooperation of a church that understands biblical church discipline to assist and nurture him was was great blessing from God.

As Steve prepared his testimony, expressing his repentance and seeking the forgiveness of his church family, we made arrangements to bring him to Cape Coral for a scheduled Lord's Supper service. Only a handful of the current members of Grace know Steve from 14 years ago. But it was evident from the very outset that he was indeed among family.

As he spoke through tears, we listened through tears. We experienced a heightened degree of what every Christian must learn to experience regularly in order to maintain emotional health and spiritual stability--sorrow and joy at the same time (2 Corinthians 6:10). It was a God-honoring testimony. Sin was not minimized. Neither was it glorified. The grace of Jesus Christ for sinners was the dominant theme.

Next, I spoke briefly before we ate and drank at the Lord's Table. My remarks included reading this letter:

Steve,

The elders and members of Grace Baptist Church love and forgive you. Many of us wept with grief 14 years ago when we were forced to take that most sobering step that a church can ever take and, in the words of the Apostle Paul, delivered you to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that your spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:5). Today we weep tears of joy that God has indeed preserved you, that the wandering sheep has returned to our Lord and Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

We reaffirm our love for you and express our thanksgiving that the Lord has rescued you and brought you back from the far country. The same grace that pursued and restored you has rescued and sustained us. All of us in the household of faith are children of grace. All of us are dependent on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our lives. None of us has any reason to think himself better than others because each of us must say, I am what I am by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10).

So, brother, as we rejoice in your repentance may you rejoice in our forgiveness. Live for the One who has saved us and is preparing us for heaven. Seek His glory and let the story of your life be the story of His amazing grace.

In behalf of Grace Baptist Church,
Tom Ascol

In the next (and final) post, I will mention some of the lessons that we have learned (and are learning) through this process.

A long journey in church discipline-Pt. 1

2009-07-01T12:50:00.001-04:00

On June 1 I began my 24th year of serving as pastor of Grace Baptist Church. While there are challenges that go with a long pastoral tenure blessings that attend it far surpass them--things like baptizing and marrying the children of people you baptized and married 20 years ago. A long ministry in one place also allows you the opportunity to see God work in ways that you would otherwise miss if you hadn't stuck around.

Woody Allen said that 80% of success is showing up. If you show up long enough you get to see some special things. One of the greatest blessings of my pastoral ministry at Grace has been unfolding over the last 6 months and culminated last Sunday night. A man that we had been forced to remove from our membership due to unrepentant, public, scandalous sin was restored to our fellowship after living for more than 15 years in the far country. He has given me permission to tell part of what happened. It is a great story of God's great grace.

Steve came to faith in Christ and was baptized during the 2nd or 3rd year of my ministry in Cape Coral. He had been caught up in long-time patterns of life-dominating sin that had taken their toll on his personal life and his family. When I first met him his wife had taken their children and fled to Texas to get away from him. After Steve became a covenanted member of Grace I had the opportunity to fly to Texas to meet with his wife and persuade her to return home. When she agreed, several men from our church took up a collection for plane tickets for her and the children to come home.

Within a few months, she also professed faith in Christ and their home began to be rebuilt by the gospel. After 4 years, Steve began secretly to flirt with some of the sins that had previously dominated his life. His activities were providentially brought to light when he was arrested one night. That event began a 2 year effort to help him put sin to death and learn to live by gospel grace. He was removed from all ministry responsibilities, formally admonished and the church was called on to engage in the effort of encouraging him to live faithfully.

These efforts, though apparently promising for the first year, ultimately proved fruitless and ended when Steve became belligerent and completely rejected the counsel he was being given. As we moved forward with the final step of church discipline, he moved his family to Texas.

On September 25, 1995, with many tears, the church voted to remove him from membership. On that occasion I said to the church, "In one sense Steve has already removed himself from us. Our action tonight is simply a sad confirmation of that. In another sense, we are called on by the Word of God to 'deliver such a one over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus' (1 Corinthians 5:5)."

As you would imagine there was no joy in taking that unanimous decision. After we voted, I made the following statements to the church:

This is the most serious step the church of Jesus Christ can take on this earth. It ought to humble us and make us very sober. It is not something that we have come to lightly. There have been countless tears and sleepless nights by many of those involved who have tried to help Steve.
Do not stop praying for the __________ family. They have left our area, but God knows exactly where they are....Pray that God will bring Steve to the end of himself, that he will repent of his sin and will be restored to fellowship.
Take this as a reminder that Satan is constantly on the prowl seeking whom he may devour. Do not trifle with sin. What may seem to be a harmless, secret tryst with sin today can destroy you tomorrow. Do not give Satan a foothold in your life.
Pray for your church. That God would protect us and keep us faithful as we seek to follow Jesus Christ in obedience to His Word.

Over the next several months and into the ensuing years, I had indirect contact with Steve through one of a couple of his relatives. For most of the last 14 years, however, he has been out of contact even with them. All that changed on Sunday afternoon, January 11 of this year. Waiting in my in box after church was the following email, sent through our church's website:

Pastor Tom:
May I first start off by apologizing for turning my back on Jesus Christ, Grace Baptist Church and all the people who helped me in my faith and walk with GOD. I don’t know where to start but you are one person I know I can trust for direction. I’ve spent the last 12 or so years going through divorce’s addictions, etc. due to my own doing and [I am] very empty inside (soul sick). I have been attending several different Baptist churches...but just can’t seem to fit in or understand how Christ can allow me to return for what I’ve done, or if my faith was ever real. I have a lot more to say, but want to make sure it is you that will get my e-mail. I just want to find my way back into Christ’s love and His grace.
Pray for me and thank you for your time,
Steve

That email led to the reestablishment of a relationship that culminated in Steve's restoration last Sunday night. In the next post, I will explain how that process unfolded.

Danny Akin: Creeds, Deeds and the Great Commission-Founders Breakfast 2009

2009-06-30T13:23:00.003-04:00

It was a great privilege to have Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, speak at our Founders Breakfast last week in Louisville. God has raised up Dr. Akin to give strategic and principled leadership to Southern Baptists at this crucial juncture of our history. Pray for him and the seminary he leads.

His message from 3 John was at the breakfast was one of the highlights at a Southern Baptist Convention that had an unusually high number of them this year. Listen and be challenged and encouraged.

2009 Founders Breakfast with Dr. Danny Akin from Grace Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Reflections on the #SBC2009

2009-06-24T22:27:00.003-04:00

The 2009 Southern Baptist Convention may well go down as the one that has left me the most hopeful...ever. My first convention was 1979 when Adrian Rogers was first elected President and the "Conservative Resurgence" (CR) officially began. I am grateful for that movement because it inhibited the slide toward liberalism that was taking place in many of our agencies and institutions. Some doubt that such tendencies were present, but I lived through them and have many personal stories to illustrate the documented case that has been made in various places.

Others (Ed Stetzer, Aan Cross, iMonk, SBCimpact, Alvin Reid) have offered insightful recaps and observations of the convention and following are some of my own reflections of what took place the last two days in Louisville.

The Great Commission Resurgence

Many of us who fully support the CR have grown increasingly uneasy over the last several years as it became apparent that the gospel was being pushed (or left) on the periphery of convention life in favor of secondary or tertiary issues. God has used that unease to unite brothers and sisters who do not agree on some fine points of theology in the common cause of reasserting the preeminence of the gospel in both our creed and deeds. The growing call to recover the gospel and and to reassert its pride of place energized a growing number of Southern Baptists over the last few years while leaving others fearful that gospel preeminence would necessarily mean Baptist indifference.

The 2009 convention, on initial blush, seems to have set a course for Southern Baptists to major on Christian essentials without compromising on Baptist distinctives. The means by which this has been accomplished is the Great Commission Resurgence led by Drs. Danny Akin and Johnny Hunt. The call of such a resurgence over the last year has rallied Southern Baptists--including more of the rising generation than we have seen interested in a while--to reexamine, retool and recommit to great task of proclaiming the gospel in word and deed.

The passing of Dr. Mohler's motion to form a task force to study how the SBC can become more effective in serving Christ through the great commission was a significant milestone in our recent history. His motion was challenged, most notably by a messenger from Florida who asserted that what ails the SBC is nothing other than the rise of "Calvinism." But the challenges did not hold sway and Dr. Mohler's motion passed by a 95% margin.

Anti-Calvinist Rhetoric

It may be that the anti-Calvinist messenger was emboldened in his opposition by the foolish remarks of the president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, Morris H. Chapman which were made earlier in the day during his report. Dr. Chapman's words have been publicly repudiated by SBC agency heads as well dozens of Southern Baptists who have voiced their concerns on blogs and twitter, and well they should be. He stated,

The Southern Baptist Convention is experiencing a resurgence in the belief that divine sovereignty alone is at work in salvation without a faith response on the part of man.

Some are given to explain away the “whosoever will” of John 3:16. How can a Christian come to such a place when Ephesians says, “For by grace are you saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8)? I do not rise to become argumentative, or to change minds already convinced of one perspective or the other. But I do rise to state the obvious. Man is often tempted to design a theological theory in light of a biblical antinomy in order to clarify what God is trying to say.

I daresay that Dr. Chapman, or any Southern Baptist for that matter, can find any person in the Southern Baptist Convention who holds such horrific views. If such a miscreant could be found I would be the first to renounce his errors and to try to persuade him to submit to the teaching of Scripture that God is absolutely sovereign and people are absolutely responsible in the gracious work of salvation.

Dr. Chapman's comments were out of place and sounded more like the incendiary rhetoric of years past than the more respectful kinds of exchanges that have tended to characterize the Calvinist debates since the Building Bridges Conference in 2007. Though I was disappointed in him, I was greatly encouraged by the response of the messengers. No one went to a microphone to attack him personally and all of the public comments that I have heard dealt with his words, not with his person or character. That is the way that it should be among brothers.

Personal Conversations

I was greatly encouraged by personal times of fellowship with brothers and sisters at the Founders Breakfast, Baptist 21 lunch, 9Marks sessions and President's reception as well as in hallways, parking lots, restaurants and shuttle buses. It was great to learn about work going on amon unreached people groups, new church starts, church restarts as well as in established ministries. Not all of the stories were of great victories, but all of them reflected the grace and goodness of God as He is keeping His servants strengthened and faithful in the task.

I was even blessed to have both fun and serious conversations with brothers with whom I disagree theologically. It is good to be able to have good-spirited banter over differences on fine points of doctrine, as important as they are, knowing that we agree on the essentials of the gospel. I enjoyed that kind of fellowship on more than one occasion. It is also good to be able to confront a brother with love and respect with whom there is strong disagreement and to be shown love and respect in return. Some of us may never agree on some points this side of heaven, but we can learn to disagree without rancor and resorting to caricature. I believe that this kind of spirit is spreading within the SBC and, despite the antics of one or two blogs that continue to assert half truths, distortions and conspiracy theories that border on paranoia, will ultimately the SBC of tomorrow.

Finally, who cannot be encouraged to see the number of younger Southern Baptists who participated in the convention this year? As I listened to some of them preach, lead dialogues and describe God's work in their lives and minstries, I could not help but be energized. Under the grace of God, the future looks bright for Southern Baptists and I am very hopeful. God has raised up exceptional leaders for such a time as this and seems to be stirring the hearts of more and more among us. So I leave Louisville motivated to keep pressing on in working for renewal in my own life and congregation as well as trying to encourage others along the same path.

May the Lord grant us a genuine resurgence in love, joy and zeal in pursuing His mission in the world.

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Vote Passed

2009-06-23T23:52:00.002-04:00

Dr. Al Mohler's motion to commission a task force passed tonight at the Southern Baptist Convention. Specifically, the motion requests that

the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 23-24, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky, authorize the President of the Southern Baptist Convention to appoint a Great Commission Task Force charged to bring a report and any recommendations to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida June 15-16, 2010, concerning how Southern Baptists can work more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission.

There was brief public opposition during the time for debate. The most rancorous opposition came from a pastor who is convinced that the problem with the SBC is the rise of Calvinism in our ranks. He likened it to the Primitive Baptist movement and blamed all the ills the convention on the revival of the doctrines of grace in the convention. His comments were inflammatory and unfounded. They did not carry the day.

A substitute motion was put forward but was fortunately voted down, allowing for an overwhelming affirmation of Dr. Mohler's original motion. The Parliamentarian, Dr. Barry McCarty, later said that the vote was at least 95%-5% in favor.

This was a good move that bodes well for the future of the SBC. Of course, it is just the beginning. Johnny Hunt must now appoint a committee that will take up the responsibility of this assignment. Pray for him and for those whom he appoints. The last thing that the SBC can afford at this point is a study and report that fall short of serious analysis and recommendations. While these recommendations will not be binding on any entity in the SBC just because a task force recommends them, they can become rallying points for the way ahead in marshalling our cooperative efforts more energetically and efficiently in the work of the great commission.

Though in the big scheme of things this vote is not all that important, I believe that it is a harbinger of better days on the horizon. In fact, today is the best day that I have ever spent at a Southern Baptist Convention. In no particular order, following are some of the reasons that I say that.

1. Danny Akin. Dr. Akin spoke at the Founders Breakfast at 6:30AM, the Baptist21 luncheon at noon, at the SBC giving a theme interpretation at 3:30PM and at the 9Marks after-meeting at 10:00PM. No doubt he is tired! But his weariness is reason for Southern Baptists' encouragement. In each assignment, he knocked it out of the park, communicating great insight in a personable, humble and courageous manner. He is the kind of leader that Southern Baptists desperately need right now, and the demands on his time indicate that he is willing to answer the call.

2. Johnny Hunt. He has proven to be a remarkable leader for Southern Baptists this last year. Dr. Hunt makes it very hard not to love him. He is gracious, humble, transparent and enthusiastic in his leadership. He has demonstrated a willingness to work with all Southern Baptists who are willing to unite around the gospel and press forward in the great commission. He has been very gracious and kind to those with whom he disagrees at certain points, setting a tone of genuine love and respect in the SBC that we have needed for a long time. Some have been less than thrilled with his leadership but, from my vantage point, their antipathy has more to do with his unwillingness to tow anyone's party line than with him personally. His love for Christ, pastors and for the conversion of unbelievers is contagious and I, for one, want to catch what he's got! I look forward to his next year of leadership and will continue to pray for him privately, in my home and in our church.

3. Though I have not heard all of the sermons from the pastors' conference or that were preached today at the convention, what I have heard has left me more encouraged about the state of preaching in the SBC than in a long time. There have been wonderful messages preached. Sell your blood if y0u must, but be sure to purchase the CD of David Platt's sermon from last night at the pastors' conference. It was incredible.

4. The IMB. Everyone has heard of the financial shortfall that will result in the decrease in our missionary force by the end of the year. Of the $16 billion that Southern Baptist churches collected last year, less than 2.6% went to the IMB. But that message seems to be rallying Southern Baptists to renew our commitment to getting the gospel to the unreached peoples of the world. I was deeply moved by the IMB report tonight of what God is doing and what the needs yet are. Jim Richards of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention presented Jerry Rankin with a $100,000 check to help start making up for the shortfall. The pastors' conference took up a special offering to assist with it as well. I believe that Southern Baptists will rally and that this financial crisis will provoke the kind of self-examination that we need at this time in order for us to re-order our priorities.

5. The growing humility within the SBC. I heard agency heads, featured preachers and seasoned pastors saying publicly what has needed to be said for a long time. God doesn't need the SBC. The SBC can fail and be thrown onto the ash heap of ecclesiastical history and the kingdom of God will march on victoriously. It is that kind of awareness and humility that breeds the kind of perspective on the SBC that may well lead us to see our brightest days in the future. Until we get over the SBC we will not be in a position to utilize it for kingdom purposes as we ought.

So, I am hopeful. It seems to me that a fresh wind is blowing. If it is the wind of God's Spirit then may we recognize His work and redouble our efforts to be faithful in following wherever He leads.

Two new titles from Founders Press: Soldiers of Christ and Stray Recollections

2009-06-03T15:03:00.000-04:00

Founders Press is pleased to announce two new titles from two of the world's premier Baptist historians.

Basil Manly, Sr. and his son Basil Manly, Jr. played vital roles in shaping a number of the central institutions of the Southern Baptist community in its formative years in the nineteenth century, including the influential Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Undergirding their churchmanship was a vigorous Calvinistic Baptist piety that was expressed in sermons and tracts, hymns and confessional statements, letters and diaries, all of which are represented in this timely volume of selections from their writings. Here we have a wonderful window onto the vista of nineteenth-century Southern Baptist life with all of its glorious strengths as well as its clear failings.

Founders Press is glad to introduce the Manlys to modern readers with a new title by Michael Haykin, Roger Duke and James Fuller entitled, Soldiers of Christ: Selections from the Writings of Basil Manly, Sr and Basil Manly, Jr. We are now taking pre-publication orders on this 240 page paperback. It will retail for $17.95 but until July 31, you may purchase a copy for $12.95. The book is scheduled to begin shipping June 15.

*****

On the 15oth anniversary of the founding of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary it is fitting that a book should be published that provides more insight into the heart and mind of that institution's principal founder. Tom Nettles' Stray Recollections, Short Articles and Public Orations of James P. Boyce does just that. This book combines some never-before-published material by Boyce along with articles that have not been available since their original publication.

This 185 page paperback will retail for $14.95 but is available at a special pre-publication price of $10.95 until July 31, 2009. It will begin shipping on June 15.

For a very limited time both books may be purchased for a special price of $19.95. This offer is limited to web purchases only and ends June 19, 2009. Take advantage of this pre-publication bundle by placing your order at the Founders Online Bookstore.

Morris Chapman and the Great Commission Resurgence

2009-05-31T14:36:00.006-04:00

Morris H. Chapman is president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee. Last week he published an article through Baptist Press entitled, "This One Thing I Do (Philippians 3:12-14)." In it he provides a critique of the Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) document and offers reasons for his unwillingness to sign it. I have previously explained why I did sign it and also addressed why I find the call for a GCR particularly urgent at this time. After reading Dr. Chapman's article I find that not only am I unconvinced by his arguments, my resolve to support Johnny Hunt, Danny Akin and others in calling for a GCR is strengthened. Indeed, Chapman's article actually highlights the need all the more.

I hope to explain my meaning by interacting with Dr. Chapman's arguments. Before doing so, however, I want to commend him for his willingness to speak openly and forthrightly about his concerns with the GCR document. This kind of open and honest dialogue about ideas is exactly what the Southern Baptist Convention needs. As Chapman has demonstrated, it can be done without stooping to personal attacks or assuming the worst about those with whom we disagree. I hope to follow his example by being pointed without being personal. I am concerned with his ideas and arguments, not with his motivation, intentions or integrity. I have no reason to doubt that his desire is to see Christ honored among the people known as Southern Baptists.

Dr. Chapman's main complaint about the GCR document is Article IX, which is entitled, "A Commitment to a More Effective Convention Structure" and states,

We call upon all Southern Baptists, through our valued partnerships of SBC agencies, state conventions/institutions, and Baptist associations to evaluate our Convention structures and priorities so that we can maximize our energy and resources for the health of our local churches and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This commitment recognizes the great strength of our partnership, which has been enabled by the Cooperative Program and enhanced by a belief that we can do more together than we can separately.

Chapman rightly points out that the explanatory language following this article has been softened as a result of concerns raised. What he finds particularly bothersome is the original language that said,

... our denominational structures have become bloated and bureaucratic at every level, from local associations to state conventions to the SBC itself. We believe our ministry effectiveness is being strangled by overlap and duplication, poor stewardship, and a disproportionate amount of Cooperative Program dollars being kept by the state conventions.

Though this statement no longer appears in the published explanation, Chapman fears that it reflects "an obvious, predetermined bias toward restructuring" of SBC entities. Furthermore, he believes that the Program and Structure Study Committee which completed its work in 1997 and issued the "Covenant for a New Century" (which the convention adopted and whose ministry statements are now part of the Organization Manual of the Southern Baptist Convention) has adequately met the concerns raised by Article IX.

On this point, I simply disagree with Dr. Chapman. Far from seeing the work of that earlier committee as being adequate for our present challenges, I believe that the structures of the SBC need to be carefully reexamined--and soon--to see how Southern Baptists can get more Great Commission bang for our buck. In my estimation, everything ought to be open to scrutiny. No entity or agency should be exempt.

His arguments against even considering possible restructuring almost sound protectionistic, but I am confident that they are not because, as Johnny Hunt mentioned a few weeks ago, Dr. Chapman himself called for a "major overhaul" of the convention in 2004. In an address at the Baptist Identity Conference at Union University, Dr. Chapman said this:

The Southern Baptist Convention needs fine tuning. In fact, the Convention may require an overhaul, not in its polity, but in its programming and processes by which it functions daily. A major overhaul by the national Convention and the state conventions appears to be an absolute necessity, letting the facts speak for themselves lest the conventions discover too late they were blind and deaf to a delivery system that better serves the churches (emphasis added).

This language is much stronger than anything in Article IX of the GCR. Furthermore, this recognition of the need for further structural change beyond the "Covenant for a New Century" was acknowledged again by Dr. Chapman on his blog post from September 25, 2006, when he wrote,

One primary question remains to date, "Should other changes be made within the SBC infrastructure for the purpose of enhancing our Southern Baptist witness in North America and beyond." A similar question is, "Can the operations of SBC entities become leaner, more focused, and more effective? To both questions, the answer is, "Yes." (emphasis added)

Article IX is doing nothing other than what Dr. Chapman himself has said ought to be done and in fact called on Southern Baptists to do. His objections to it, therefore, ring hollow.

The reason that he gives for objecting also are unconvincing. He raises the issue of revival (which is not raised in the GCR document) and then criticizes Article IX as an impediment to revival.

Revival and spiritual growth are the greatest needs in our Convention and our nation. This is the challenge around which all Southern Baptists can rally. Reorganization is not. Neither is it a prerequisite to revival.

Don't get me wrong. Effective and efficient organization is critical to any corporate endeavor and periodic changes are necessary. But revival in our churches and appointing a task force to study Convention structures are not two parts of one whole. They are two separate objectives that, if sought under the same banner, have the potential to cause both to fail.

This is a straw man argument. No one has ever claimed that studying the structures of the SBC will promote revival. To suggest otherwise only confuses the issue. As does this:

Perhaps some have the mistaken notion that if we get our stuff organized first, then God will pour out His blessings. Does history bear this out? Are there biblical examples from which to draw that would lead us to expect this? Reorganization does not change hearts.

Again, against whom is Dr. Chapman arguing? Certainly not the framers of the document that he is criticizing.

A paragraph that begins with this statement, "My overriding concern is that if Article IX remains in the Declaration, all attention will remain riveted on this one article," goes on to mention Article IX eight more times, thus supplying an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I fear that some who read Dr. Chapman's article may be misled by the following paragraph:

The work of the Program and Structure Study Committee was completed in 1997 under the Covenant for a New Century. At that time, the Southern Baptist Convention was restructured so that 95% of all Cooperative Program funds received by the Convention were, and still are, directed to the very three priorities identified by the framers of this Declaration -- our two mission boards and our six seminaries.

One of the biggest concerns that I hear from pastors today is not so much what happens to CP dollars after the funds are "received by the Convention" but rather, what happens to them once they leave the churches. According to this BP report, in 2007-2008 only 1.13% of undesignated offerings given by Southern Baptists made it to the International Missions Board. This is the kind of statistic that is causing alarm bells to go off inside the missionary hearts of Southern Baptists. Doesn't this at least raise a question about our structures and how funds are allocated and shouldn't this question at least be honestly asked and studied? That is all that Article IX is asking for.

Dr. Chapman's attempt to distinguish between his call for an "overhaul" of the convention in 2004 from the call in Article IX is unconvincing. He writes,

I did not recommend that a task force be appointed. I also did not recommend that the national Convention appoint a committee to judge other Baptist bodies. I could never do so, for the SBC has pledged never to even attempt to do so (SBC Constitution, Article IV).

This strikes me as odd given his expressed appreciation for the work of the committee that recommended the "Covenant for a New Century" to the SBC. Did that committee "judge other Baptist bodies?" Did it violate the SBC Constitution Article IV, which states, "Authority: While independent and sovereign in its own sphere, the Convention does not claim and will never attempt to exercise any authority over any other Baptist body, whether church, auxiliary organizations, associations, or convention." No on both counts. Neither would blue ribbon committee violate the SBC constitution, despite to Dr. Chapman's contention to the contrary.

One further point and I will close. Chapman cites a concern for unity in the SBC as a reason that he cannot sign the GCR document.

I cannot sign the Declaration as long as Article IX is included because it is likely to be divisive.

I love unity among God's people and I hate division, so my heart goes out to this concern. But as one who worked for a Conservative Resurgence (CR) in the SBC from 1979 onward, this sounds eerily familiar. Those who opposed the CR at that time sounded this warning repeatedly for over a decade. If we allow fear of division to trump all other concerns, then we will soon be headed right back down the slope toward liberalism that we once trod.

How can taking an honest look at who we are and what we are doing be offensive to truth-loving, kingdom-advancing people? If there are better ways for us to do what we are trying to do in our cooperative efforts, why wouldn't we want to know? If needed changes are discovered that will benefit the kingdom of God and spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, why wouldn't we seek to make them?

I have great respect for Dr. Chapman, but on this issue, I believe that he is wrong. I much prefer his earlier call for a "major overhaul" of the SBC to this latter warning of division and quenching of revival. Weighing his arguments has caused me to appreciate the need for honest evaluation and appraisal even more than previously. If we don't then I fear we might miss an opportunity to strengthen our cooperative efforts in ways that will benefit kingdom work for years to come.

IMB cuts and the GCR call

2009-05-21T19:54:00.005-04:00

What is the relationship between the recent call for a Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) and the vote this week by International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention to scale back missionary appointments for this year? Just this: both make the case that Southern Baptist churches desperately need to reexamine and retool their priorities and the latter heightens the importance of the former.

The GCR encourages us to face up to the fact that biblical Christianity requires more than strong affirmations of biblical authority. Certainly we should not ever back away from our commitment to the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture, but neither should we think that such a commitment is enough. In fact, fidelity to Jesus Christ demands that we measure our lives and values by the Word of God. Where we are found wanting, Christ calls us to repent--to change.

The GCR emphasizes the Lordship of Christ, centrality of the gospel, priority to the Great Commandments and the health and mission of local churches. It also calls for "A Commitment to a More Effective Convention Structure" (article IX), stating specifically,

We call upon all Southern Baptists, through our valued partnerships of SBC agencies, state conventions/institutions, and Baptist associations to evaluate our Convention structures and priorities so that we can maximize our energy and resources for the health of our local churches and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This commitment recognizes the great strength of our partnership, which has been enabled by the Cooperative Program and enhanced by a belief that we can do more together than we can separately (emphasis added).

I do not understand why any informed Southern Baptist would disagree with this statement. The SBC is in dire need of reexamining the way that we do things, including the way that we allocate our financial resources. Every Christian and every church ought to be concerned that they are getting the most "bang-for-the-buck" with their financial investments in kingdom work. That fact alone should make Southern Baptists welcome a healthy evaluation of the current structures of SBC life to see how we can do what we ought to be doing in increasingly better ways.

This is simply a matter of stewardship, and I am grateful that the framers of the GCR included this article in the document.

The IMB announcement that financial shortfalls are forcing a reduction in the number of missionaries that we will send to hard places this year highlights the timeliness of the GCR call. I first wrote about this in December 2008, noting that it is time for Southern Baptists to get serious about the allocation of Cooperative Program dollars. Three years prior to that, I showed how money given through state conventions to the Cooperative Program (CP) actually is allocated. The little-known fact is that most CP dollars are used by the state conventions through which they are given. Less that 40% actually reaches Nashville and less than 20% gets to the IMB.

Now the trustees of the IMB are forced to announce (through tears, according to the BP report) that there is not enough money to appoint all of those who are willing, equipped and ready to be sent by their churches. Can we sit back and let this happen?

Isn't it past time for Southern Baptists to reevaluate the structures of our convention organization and see how we can improve our financial stewardship?

I agree with SBC President, Johnny Hunt, who responded to the IMB announcement with these words, "We need to take the gloves off in Jesus' name and tell the truth so the people will know." Baptist Press goes on to quote Dr. Hunt as saying, "I think Southern Baptists are going to say there are some things we can cut, but sending missionaries is not one of them....That is not an option."

Amen.

Though there are many reasons to support the GCR, the need to reexamine the structures of the convention should be a rallying call to all Southern Baptists who want to see the sacrificial gifts of their churches make it to the places where it is needed most.

Death is Not Dying

2009-05-15T20:18:00.003-04:00

If you have not seen this video of a talk given by Rachel Barkley then I encourage you to stop reading and watch it now. Rachel is a wife and mother who is dying of cancer. She talks about her life and impending death to a group of ladies in Vancouver. It is a compelling case for the gospel and the sufficiency of God's grace in His Son, Jesus Christ.

John Wesley said, "Our people die well." Indeed, how a person thinks about and faces death is a testimony to his or her faith. As her recommended book list testifies, Rachel Barkley has been helped to face terminal cancer by sitting at the feet of some of the Lord's most faithful teachers through reading.

Watch the video. Then encourage others to do so, as well. And pray for Rachel and her husband Neil, and their children, Quinn and Kate.

New Founders podcast: Wyman Richardson interviews James Leo GarretP

2009-05-05T14:12:00.006-04:00

Dr. Wyman Richardson interviews Distinguished Professor of Theology Emeritus, Dr. James Leo Garrett, in the newest Founders Podcast. Dr. Garrett was my major professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the embodiment of a faithful, careful, humble Christian Scholar and was a great encouragement to me in my MDiv and especially PhD work. His most recent book, Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study (Mercer University Press, 2009) provides an overview of Baptist theology by examining books, confessions and leaders across the last four centuries. Dr. Richardson interviews him about the book and other issues related to Baptist theology and practice. Listen to the podcast here.

Why I signed the Great Commission Resurgence declaration

2009-04-30T14:35:00.004-04:00

Danny Akin, Johnny Hunt and others have released a manifesto entitled, "Toward a Great Commission Resurgence." It is a document aimed at Southern Baptists with implications far beyond the SBC. In some respects this call is the culmination of a growing concern among many Southern Baptists over the last several years. The essence of the concern, as I see it, is that having won the battle for the authority of Scripture in the SBC, we are in danger of losing the peace through infighting, political power struggles and neglecting the "weightier matters of the law" while championing other things.

I am sure that some would not articulate this exactly as I have, but from ongoing conversations that I am having with brothers and sisters across the SBC, I don't think my way of stating it would be contradicted by those leading the charge in calling for a Great Commission Resurgence (GCR). One of the most encouraging dimensions of this growing movement is that those who are joining it come from diverse sectors of the SBC. Calvinists as well as non-Calvinists, elders (older boomers) and youngsters (Gen Xers) as wells as "in-betweensters" (I am sure that there is a name for us, but I didn't read the newspaper the day it was announced) all all signing on. Denominational workers, pastors and laymen are on board.

What unites us in this movement is not some naive notion that we are all the same or that we all agree on every doctrinal or practical issue that confronts us. Rather, we agree that the gospel is central to any and every Christian effort and that we must not allow anything, no matter how good and noble it might be, to detract from proclamation of that gospel around the world.

Let me try to explain a bit. Everyone whom I regard as a fellow-laborer in the gospel would fully affirm the the first of the GCR's 10 points, which has to do with the Lordship of Christ:

We call upon all Southern Baptists to submit to the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ in all things at the personal, local church, and denominational levels. (Col. 1:18; 3:16-17, 23-24)

Scripture is clear that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Therefore, Jesus Christ must be our passion and priority and we should aspire to both know Him and love Him more fully. We must long to see Him have preeminence in all things. We desire to see a Convention of Christ-centered, "Jesus-intoxicated" people who pursue all that we do by God's grace and for His glory. We believe we need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to lead us into a new and fresh intimacy and communion with the Lord Jesus that results in greater obedience to all that He commands. Christ's Lordship must be first and foremost in a Great Commission Resurgence or we will miss our most important priority and fail in all of our other pursuits.

This is a great statement. I may want to call attention to our Lord's commandment to exercise church discipline (Matt. 18:15-18) while others in the movement may be zeroed in on His commandments to love or to evangelize or to care for the poor and needy. The great hope of joining with brothers who are clearly committed to the statement above is that we can genuinely help each other by pressing each other to take seriously all that Christ commands and perhaps even expose our respective blind spots or weaknesses. I need that and want that and even invite it from those who are pre-committed with me to the type of vision articulated in the GCR.

Or take another example. The second point addresses the centrality of the gospel:

We call upon all Southern Baptists to make the gospel of Jesus Christ central in our lives, our churches, and our denominational ministries. (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:17-21)

The gospel is the good news of all that God has done on behalf of sinners through the perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection of Jesus. As individual Southern Baptists, we must be gospel-centered from first to last. Gospel-centered living will promote a grace-filled salvation from beginning to end by putting on display the beauty of the gospel in every aspect of our lives. It will remind us that we do not obey in order to be accepted, but rather we obey because we are accepted by God in Christ. Gospel-centered living will help ensure that the bloody cross of a crucified King is the offense to non-believers rather than our styles, traditions, legalisms, moralisms, personal preferences, or unhelpful attitudes.

The gospel must also guide and saturate our local churches and denominational ministries. Too many of our pulpits have jettisoned the pure proclamation of the gospel, which has resulted in many of our people losing the full meaning and wonder of the gospel. Too often our denominational programs and agendas have been crafted without a close tethering to the gospel. If we assume the gospel, we will lose the gospel. We must get the gospel right and proclaim it with clarity and boldness if we are to experience a Great Commission Resurgence.

This statement reflects, perhaps more noteably than any of the others, the fresh winds that are blowing across many of our churches. The gospel is not only for unbelievers. It is for Christians, too. It is not simply the means for the beginning of new life in Christ. It is the way and essence of that life. I might want to argue (as I have repeatedly over the years), perhaps more than some others who affirm this statement, that in many respects we already have lost the gospel and need to work for its recovery. And as this statement recognizes by way of warning, I believe that one of the main ways we have lost it is by assumption.

Though others who buy into this movement may not agree fully with me on this point, by expressing our agreement on this statement we have established clear grounds to have meaningful conversations about it. The statement recognizes that without the true evangel, there cannot be true evangelism, and I am delighted by such a declaration.

No doubt many in the SBC will not want to sign on to the GCR movement. Some of these are men with whom I share much in common and for whom I have great respect. Bart Barber fits into that category and his recent explanation of why he cannot sign the GCR document is worth reading though, obviously, I did not find it convincing.

Others are opposed the the GCR for reasons that appear to me to be primarily political--they fear losing control of the SBC or at least their (or their elders') sense of legacy in having fought for the conservative resurgence (CR) of the last 30 years. I have no sympathy with this mindset and hope that it will have no influence on those calling for a GCR. While I worked for the CR from the time I first cast a vote for Adrian Rogers in 1979 it is time for Southern Baptist inerrantists to recognize that inerrancy is not enough. Timothy George was prophetic when he warned decades ago that "the exchange of one set of bureaucrats for another does not a reformation make." We must keep pressing forward for the sake of the gospel.

Others seem to be afraid that embedded in the gospel-centeredness of the GCR is an inevitable loss of Baptist identity--that to speak of Christian essentials as being more important than Baptist distinctives somehow diminishes the latter. While I don't know anyone in this group to whom I would have to take a backseat regarding Baptist credentials (and I know several whose calls for Baptist distinctives--such as regenerate church membership--are more theoretical than practical when their church life is examined), I simply do not share their fear and believe that it is unwarranted. The call for a GCR is made by convinced Baptists and is directed primarily to Baptists. To claim that the substitutionary death of Jesus is a "weightier" matter of biblical doctrine than believers' baptism is no slight to baptism. Any view that disagrees with this will ultimately devalue both doctrines of atonement and baptism.

All of this to say, I am encouraged by this call for a Great Commission Resurgence. I am under no delusion that issuing a manifesto and gathering thousands of signatures will bring about the reformation that we need. But such actions may further that effort by clarifying lines of demarkation regarding what we must be and do, and what we must not be and do if we are going to be faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is why I am grateful to Drs Akin, Hunt and others who are boldly leading the way in this effort.

Our God will receive the glory that is His due when His work is engaged in His way; when His message is received and passed on without any editorial adjustments by well-intentioned messengers; and when His Son is seen and honored and delighted in as the all-surpassing treasure of His people.

The GCR could well be an instrument that helps further this cause. For that reason, I support it and want to stand with others who are committed to the vision that it casts for the future of the SBC.

Reflections on the death of a friend, Brian Hamrick

2009-04-25T15:46:00.006-04:00

Pastor Brian Hamrick entered the land of the living last night, April 24, 2009, while recuperating from surgery in Gulf Coast Hospital in Ft. Myers, Florida. Brian served as Pastor of First Baptist Church, Clewiston, FL. He was admitted to Gulf Coast via medi-flight on April 11 after serious complications from surgery set in. Brian was 33 years old and leaves behind his wife, Katherine, and two sons, Nathan (4) and Luke (1).

I visited with Brian last Sunday night during one of his more difficult times. I read Augustine's favorite Psalm to him (Psalm 32) and before we prayed, he said, "Tom, I want you to know that I am ready for whatever the Lord has for me. If He heals me, I am ready. If not, I am ready for that, too. It's OK." His grip was as strong as his faith and I left encouraged by the obvious display of God's grace in his life. I grieve over our loss.

I hate death. It is, after all, our "last enemy." We were not built to die. Sin ushered in death to the human experience. For the Christian, death is gain because it means entrance into the immediate presence of our Lord. But it is still a sorrowful experience because not only does it separate a husband from his wife, a father from his children and a pastor from his flock, but it also separates the spirit from the body. We were not designed to experience any of these losses.

Although death is an enemy, for the follower of Jesus Christ, it is a defeated enemy. Christ has conquered death through His powerful resurrection. As such, He is the "firstfruits," the trail blazer for all who are trusting Him. As He has gone, so those who are His shall also go. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has removed the sting of death for every believer. Though we will not escape it, we no longer have to be terrorized by it.

That is why Christian grief is different from the grief of unbelievers. Yes, we grieve, but not as those who have no hope. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with HIm those who sleep in Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

Brian was a faithful husband, father and pastor. He loved God's Word and was willing to teach and preach with gentleness and patience, trusting the Lord to do His work in His time through His appointed means. I am grateful to have known him.

Please pray for his family. Katherine knew far more clearly than did Brian the seriousness of his situation. The one request that she made of me last week was to pray that her faith would be strengthened. May the Lord grant her this. Pray for Nathan and Luke who are too young fully to comprehend what their dad's death means. Pray for Associate Pastor Joshua Vincent, Worship Pastor Todd Buck and the church as they grieve the loss of their friend and shepherd. And pray that, as in his life, so in his death, Brian's Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will receive glory and honor.

Akin: Axioms for a Great Commission Resurgence

2009-04-16T13:32:00.001-04:00

In a much-anticipated message at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Danny Akin today unveiled 12 "Axioms for a Great Commission Resurgence." Dr. Akin, more than anyone else, has been outspoken in his call for such a resurgence. His leadership in doing so has met with mixed response ranging from condescending, dismissive scoffing to enthusiastic support.

One question that has been raised is, what exactly is meant by "Great Commission Resurgence" (GCR)? Dr. Akin begins to answer that question today in his address. Obviously, no Christian will position himself against the the great commission. That leads some to feel justified is decrying the need for a great commission resurgence. But that attitude was common when the Conservative Resurgence earnestly began within the SBC in 1979. "Everyone believes the Bible, so why is this issue being raised?" That was the question then. Now it goes like this, "We never stopped believing in the great commission, so what's the point in calling for this resurgence?"

The axioms that Dr. Akin outlined help give definition to the GCR vision. Notice how gospel-centered it is:

"We must be gospel centered in all our endeavors for the glory of God" (II)
"...building a theological consensus for partnership in the gospel" (V)
"We must covenant to build gospel saturated homes" (VII)
"We must encourage pastors to see themselves as the head of a gospel missions agency" (X)
"We must pledge ourselves to a renewed cooperation that is gospel centered" (XI)

If this vision begins to shape the mission of Southern Baptist churches then the future of the association known as the Southern Baptist Convention will be much healthier than many would ever have imagined. If such a vision does not win the day then I fear that the SBC, as a convention, will continue down the path of increasing irrelevance.

Audio and video recordings of Dr. Akin's message will soon be posted here. Following are the axioms as reposted from Between the Times.

Axioms for a Great Commission Resurgence
Acts 1:4-8
By: Daniel L. Akin, President
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest, NC
April 16, 2009

I. We must commit ourselves to the total and absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives (Col 3:16, 17, 23-24).

II. We must be gospel centered in all our endeavors for the glory of God (Rom 1:16).

III. We must take our stand on the firm foundation of the inerrant and infallible Word of God affirming it's sufficiency in all matters (Matt 5:17-18; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

IV. We must devote ourselves to a radical pursuit of the Great Commission in the context of obeying the Great Commandments (Matt 28:16-20; 22:37-40).

V. We must affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a healthy and sufficient guide for building a theological consensus for partnership in the gospel, refusing to be sidetracked by theological agendas that distract us from our Lord's Commission (1 Tim 6:3-4).

VI. We must dedicate ourselves to a passionate pursuit of the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus across our nation and to all nations answering the call to go, disciple, baptize and teach all that the Lord commanded (Matt 28:16-20; Acts 1:8; Rom 1:5; 15:20).

VII. We must covenant to build gospel saturated homes that see children as a gift from God and as our first and primary mission field (Deut 6:1-9; Psalm 127; 128; Eph 6:4).

VIII. We must recognize the need to rethink our Convention structure and identity so that we maximize our energy and resources for the fulfilling of the Great Commission (1 Cor 10:31).

IX. We must see the necessity for pastors to be faithful Bible preachers who teach us both the content of the Scriptures and the theology embedded in the Scriptures (2 Tim 4:1-5).

X. We must encourage pastors to see themselves as the head of a gospel missions agency who will lead the way in calling out the called for international assignments but also equip and train all their people to see themselves as missionaries for Jesus regardless of where they live (Eph 4:11-16).

XI. We must pledge ourselves to a renewed cooperation that is gospel centered and built around a biblical and theological core and not methodological consensus or agreement (Phil 2:1-5; 4:2-9).

XII. We must accept our constant need to humble ourselves and repent of pride, arrogance, jealousy, hatred, contentions, lying, selfish ambitions, laziness, complacency, idolatries and other sins of the flesh; pleading with our Lord to do what only He can do in us and through us and all for His glory (Gal 5:22-26; James 4:1-10).

Pray for Brian Hamrick

2009-04-14T06:41:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: Wednesday at 3:30 PM Eastern Time I spoke with Katherine and learned that Brian has had 2 stable days. He was taken off the ventilator for 15 minutes today and responded well. The doctors are hopeful that further surgery will not be necessary and they plan to start slowly taking him off the heavy medications soon. The family is encouraged and very grateful for the prayers of friends far and near.

Please pray for my friend, Brian Hamrick, pastor of First Baptist Church in Clewiston, Florida. Brian had to be rushed via life-flight to Ft. Myers late Saturday night due to complications following major surgery. Early Monday morning his condition deteriorated and sepsis set in.

In an email late last night his wife, Katherine, wrote, "He is a strong man and is fighting for his life. Please be in prayer for him. God is in control and can do anything! Our hope is in Christ, the ultimate healer and great physician."

Please pray for Brian, Katherine and their 2 sons, Nathan (4) and Luke (1).

"Better to Light a Candle" - Pierre-Charles Toureille (1900 - 1976)

2009-04-10T09:26:00.006-04:00

From Kairos Journal (an excellent online resource):

Pastor Pierre-Charles Toureille risked his life during World War II to keep Jews out of Nazi death camps.(1) At the beginning of the war, before many people could fathom Hitler's true intentions, he served under the Protestant Federation of France (FPF) as chaplain for refugees in southern France. His job was to make living conditions in the internment camps as comfortable as possible. When it became clear the Jews were not being merely relocated but killed, Toureille pushed his colleagues to adopt a more aggressive stance. They refused, preferring instead to maintain their cordial relations with German authorities. Thus rebuffed, Toureille began secretly hiding Jews in his own church-members' homes or smuggling them to safety in Switzerland. He finally resigned in frustration from the FPF in 1945.

Some years later, Toureille wrote about the Christian Church's mission in the world. In true evangelical fashion, he pointed to a fate even worse than physical death in a German gas chamber--spiritual death. In the face of an enemy so terrible as that, he said, the Church simply cannot afford to stand on the sidelines.

There is a Buddhist saying, adopted by the Quakers as a motto for their aid to the needy: "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." It is in passing the light to others that one disperses the shadows . . . I often see boxing matches on television where the boxers lose because they only defend themselves without ever attacking. The same is true today for the Christian Church. It is by going on the offensive that the Mission will save the world.

Please understand me: it is not uniquely the church's mission to save men socially, economically, politically. But above all else, it is the church that must save men's souls. If the church does not accomplish this task, nothing else will. A church that does not evangelize is useless on earth. If the Church does not go to the front, with zeal and faith, the world will die, however it might be magnificently equipped technologically, monstrously rich and developed, endowed with superior social legislation and possessed of the best possible material conditions for living comfortably--this world will die because it has no soul. Unless the world has this peace of the soul that authentic conversion and the assurance of eternal life can give, all is useless and in vain. The night comes, when no one can work. Let us work, then, without cease. (2)

Footnotes:

(1)For other examples of pastors being faithful to their calling during the Holocaust, see Kairos Journal articles, "The Pulpit at Le Chambon" and "The End - A Beginning."

(2)Tela Zasloff, A Rescuer's Story: Pastor Pierre-Charles Toureille in Vichy France (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 2003), 211

How to stay out of debt

2009-04-06T18:30:00.000-04:00

Owen Strachan has a very good post about financial strife that many people bring with them to marriage. Debt has a way of creating stress in a marriage and, unfortunately, it is a subject that too few are willing to consider biblically.

In our consumeristic age (now compounded with a growing "government bailout" mentality) the idea that a person should live within his means seems rather quaint. Even Christians are often influenced more by the prevailing cultural attitudes on debt than biblical teaching. Yet, as Proverbs 22:7 summarizes, "the borrower is the slave of the lender."

I ran the following clip in 2007. It is still funny. And it still communicates the kind of practical wisdom that the Bible commends and that is far from common in our day.

Enjoy.

Founders Breakfast with Dr. Danny Akin

2009-04-05T14:13:00.004-04:00

This year's Founders Breakfast will be held June 23 at 6:30 AM in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Coronet Ballroom A/B (on Level One) in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary will be our speaker. He is one of the key leaders in calling for a Great Commission Resurgence within the Southern Baptist Convention.

Dr. Akin will be addressing this theme as he speaks on "Creeds, Deeds and the Great Commission." Tickets are $15.00 but may be purchased early at a discount for only $10.00 (before June 1). They are available exclusively online from the Founders Website.

No National Founders Conference in 2009

2009-04-03T05:00:00.003-04:00

The National Founders Conference will not not meet this summer. Though we will miss the fellowship, instruction and encouragement that the conference has generated over the last 26 years, there are good reasons behind this decision. Let me list several of them:

1. There are now many excellent conferences based on the doctrines of grace that are regularly held throughout the United States. Last year we counted over 50 such gatherings. That was not the case over a quarter of a century ago when the Founders Conference first began. The revival of the doctrines of grace has spawned this new era in which it is relatively easy to find a good conference to attend nearly any time of the year. We are grateful to see this development and encourage Founders supporters to consider attending one of the many Christ-exalting gatherings that will be held this year.

2. As announced at last year's conference we are in the process of working on a church planting initiative that will involve future networking and gatherings of like-minded church leaders and planters. Taking a break from the national conference this summer allows us to keep moving forward with this and adequately to prepare for such efforts. I am very excited about what God is doing in this regard and believe that it has the potential to further the advance of the gospel in significant ways.

3. Our regional conferences continue to meet annually and are doing a great job. Currently we have 4 conferences that are meeting: Arklatex (Shreveport), Southwest (Ft. Worth), Deep South (Jackson) and Midwest (St. Louis). These are excellent conferences that collectively serve several hundred people each year. Additionally, we continue to host an annual Founders Breakfast at the Southern Baptist Convention. This year's speaker will be Dr. Danny Akin. The breakfast will be on June 23, 2009 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Coronet Ballroom A/B in Louisville, KY at 6:30 AM. (watch for further details and tickets to go on sale soon).

4. Though Founders has hosted dozens of conferences over the years and has seen the Lord use them to accomplish great things, we are not in the "conference business." We are in the "reformation business." Our goal has always been to see biblical reformation take root in churches throughout our nation and into the nations of the world. We have articulated this by declaring that we are committed to the recovery of the gospel and the reformation of local churches. We want to see the simple gospel of Jesus regain its place of preeminence not only in the work of evangelism but also in work Christian living and church growth.

5. We may periodically host future national conferences as the need and opportunity arises. We also may partner with other groups to sponsor gatherings and share resources that will further the advance of the gospel in our day.

Through the efforts of Ben Cripps, 16 years' worth of the past Founders Conference messages are available online. These, together with the wealth of material available on our website (maintained by Stan Reeves) will continue to provide loads of resources that are readily available to anyone who cares to access them.

It is encouraging to see what the Lord is doing in our day. Founders Ministries remains committed to to pray and work for ongoing reformation and revival. We are deeply grateful for the partnership, encouragement, support and prayers of those who share our vision to see vital Christianity returned to our churches that will result in renewed devotion to spread the gospel throughout the nations.

These are exciting days for all who love the gospel of Jesus Christ. God is doing a work of restoration among us. From what can be observed, this is obvious. But it I am convinced that there is far more taking place than can be observed. So let's keep pressing on as we look forward to even greater displays of His glory being manifested among us.

Interview with Cindy, widow of Pastor Fred Winters

2009-03-28T07:10:00.007-04:00

In the following interview Cindy Winters gives a grace-filled testimony of the power of the gospel to enable believers to love their enemies. She tells of her prayers for the salvation of Terry Sedlacek, the murderer of her husband, who was gunned down while preaching March 8, 2009 in the church he pastored, First Baptist Church, Maryville, Illinois. Watch it and pray--for Cindy and her daughters, for Mr. Sedlacek and his family. And pray that believers everywhere will be empowered to exude this same hope and love through the power of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:43-48).

How can anyone do this? Only through the power of the gospel. Only as we have been forgiven are we empowered truly to forgive from the heart. Only through the power of a risen Savior can we have the hope of a future resurrection that releases us from the tyranny of present tragedies. May this testimony and display of God's grace in the gospel call each of us who name the Name of Christ to live more faithfully as citizens of heaven as we continue our pilgrimage on earth.

HT:Denny Burk

Reconsidering Calvin and Calvinism

2009-03-27T09:22:00.003-04:00

The latest Founders Journal is out and the theme is "Reconsidering Calvin and Calvinism." The articles in this issue should disabuse any honest reader of history or theology of the caricatures that so often are promoted about the man and the views that are usually associated with his name. In this, the 500th anniversary of his birth, Calvin deserves an honest reassessment of hi life and teachings. This issue of the FJ hopes to make a modest contribution to that.

The full contents of each issue of the Founders Journal is place online about 6 months after its publication. You can subscribe to the journal to have it delivered to you as soon via snail mail as it comes out by going to the subscription page of our website and signing up. The journal is published quarterly and the annual subscription is only $20.00 ($25.00 outside the USA).

Following is a lineup of the contents of the current issue:

"Calvin the Evangelist" by Frank James III
"Calvin the Calvinist" by Erroll Hulse
"Calvin and the Atonement" by Tom Ascol
"Calvin on Missions" by Michael Haykin
"John and Idelette Calvin" by Michael and Victoria Haykin

The Promise and Power of God's Word

2009-03-19T16:10:00.001-04:00

One of the great temptations in Christian life and ministry is to lose confidence in the Word of God. Among conservatives this usually happens subtly, not blatantly. No self-respecting evangelical would ever admit to such a loss of confidence, but too often that attitude is betrayed by the way that some minister.

It is easy, when little or no visible fruit is seen, to doubt whether the Word of God is enough in the work of evangelism. Is the gospel enough? Can we really trust the Spirit of God to use the Word of God to accomplish the purposes of God? What about when it seems like nothing is happening? When there is no visible fruit from sincere gospel labors?

The promises that God makes about His Word are true even when evidence seems to suggest otherwise. It is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrew 4:12) even when we cannot see it working in these ways. And the gospel remains the "power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16) regardless of how much or little the immediate, visible effects are. One of the outlandish and encouraging promises that God gives us about His Word is found in Isaiah 55:10-11, which says,

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

The Lord has recently given me several clear demonstrations of the truth of this promise. Over the last few weeks I have been contacted by people who sat under my preaching more than a decade ago, each with a unique story about the power of God's Word working in their lives. One of them is Gayle, who when I first met her was a practicing witch.

Thirteen years ago Gayle worked for one of our deacons, who later moved with his family to a Muslim country and helped plant the 1st evangelical church among an unreached people group. Sam and his family befriended her and faithfully witnessed to her. I also got to know Gayle and had several opportunities to explain the gospel to her. She was a follower of wicca, and proudly displayed a "Born Again Pagan" bumper sticker on her car. Gayle was always open and willing to talk about spiritual things until she finally understood what she was hearing.

After one worship service she was visibly shaken (and shaking). Her face was red and she was angry. She asked me, "Did I understand you to say that if I don't trust Jesus Christ, then I will go to hell?" I explained to her that she had indeed understood me correctly and that the fact that God had caused her to understand that was a display of His mercy and kindness to her, providing her an opportunity to repent and trust Christ. I'll never forget her response. She said, "I cannot believe the audacity of anyone who would make such a claim! Who do you think you are? I will never step foot in this church again!"

Over the ensuing years I have had sporadic contact with her. She was interested in the welfare of her former boss and his family, knowing that they were living in a dangerous place and would occasionally call to check on them. Our conversations were always polite, but she never allowed me to engage her about the state of her soul.

A couple of months ago Gayle called me to tell me the rest of the story. Over the last decade her life began to spiral out of control. In fact, she came to a point where she resolved to kill herself. With pills in hand, she decided inexplicably to walk down the street to a church before swallowing them. A maintenance worker saw her and began to talk to her. She eventually agreed to meet with a minister and ultimately came to trust Christ Jesus as Lord. She is now a faithful member in that church in a nearby city.

In our phone conversation she said, "You know, through the years I couldn't stop thinking about the things that you and Sam said to me. God has shown me how wrong I was and how right you and he were. I want to apologize to you and thank you for giving me God's Word." I rejoiced with her and encouraged her to keep growing in the Lord.

It would have been very possible for all this to have taken place without any news of it ever reaching me. I thank the Lord for His kindness in allowing me to know how His Word accomplished a saving work in Gayle's life more than a dozen years after it had initially been planted in her life.

How many other stories are there like this that could be told about the power of God's Word bearing fruit long after it was first planted or watered in a person's life? How many wayward children have returned to the Lord whom they once rejected and bowed in submission to His Lordship in obedience to the Word that was faithfully preached to them years earlier? How many more will yet return, in answer to the fervent prayers of moms and dads, perhaps even after the praying ones are silent in the grave?

What encouragement this truth ought to give to pastors, evangelists and witnessing and praying Christians everywhere! We must continue to preach, teach and share God's Word, trusting the Lord to do His work in own time. Who knows what testimonies might return to us in future years about the power of God's Word at work in imperceptible ways right now? And how many such testimonies will never be known until eternity?

So regardless of how much or how little fruit your evangelistic efforts are currently bearing, keep pressing on, with full confidence in the promise and power of God's Word. Let the Apostle Paul have the final word:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).

2009 Blog Madness

2009-03-14T13:33:00.004-04:00

Tony Kummer is at it again with the 2009 version of Blog Madness. The following promo video is great, employing some classic images from last year when I narrowly ~~won~~ was defeated by my nemesis from Chicago, Steve McCoy. Of course, we have all recently been given a fresh reminder of how nasty Chicago politics can be, so in the interest of truth, justice and the American way (or at least truth and justice), go to SBC Voices and vote for your favorite blog. I am in the South Division, pitted against such heavy-weights as Ed Stetzer, sub.text, Alan Cross, Art Rogers and Bob Cleveland.

Remember, every vote counts. And, if done right, some votes count 3 or 4 times.