Category Archives: news

Southern Baptists Travel to Sochi, Russia

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Screenshot 2014-02-13 at 12.16.32 PM

 

SOCHI, Russia (BP) — Amid tight security, the 2014 Winter Olympics commenced with impressive opening ceremonies, while Baptist volunteers from across the United States arrived to be part of the international festivities.

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Among those present is a select group partnering under the name Engage Sochi. Their purpose is simple: to make a difference for Christ before, during and after the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Southern Baptist volunteers journeyed thousands of miles despite persistent media attention to fears of terrorist threats.

-Evelyn Adamson, Feb 7 2014

Read the full article at Baptist Press. Image and text above are the property of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

Best Dressed Man of the Year

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Francis First, Pope Francis was selected as Time’s Man of the Year. That was a very classy choice. Now he has been honored with a title that I imagine he is less thrilled about: Esquire Magazine’s Best Dressed Man of the Year. This pope is known for his acts of humility, such as packing his own luggage and moving into a small papal apartment. But it may be that sense of modest style that earned him the recognition. Check out this headline from the Daily Mail:

Screenshot 2013-12-30 at 6.50.26 AMHe was selected ahead of Joseph Gordon Levitt and other Hollywood types for his “unadorned style” and “humble clothes.” I think Martin Luther would approve.

 

 

Phil Robertson, A&E, and the Beliefs of True Christians

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phil A&E has suspended Phil Robertson from the reality series Duck Dynasty, and the Internet is blowing up. It has nothing to do with anything said or done on the show, but remarks he made in an interview with GQ magazine. Here is part of what Phil said:

“Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

Continue reading →

The SBC Resolution on the Boy Scouts of America

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boy scouts The SBC passed a resolution today regarding the BSA and its policy change toward openly gay members. I came down pretty hard earlier this week on the SBC leadership for what I expected the resolution to say, and am pleased to admit that I like the actual resolution that was passed. Perhaps it was much ado about nothing; or perhaps there are many others that feel the same way I do.

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SBC and the Boy Scouts

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boy scouts UPDATE: Resolution 6 has been passed by the messengers in Houston. This post is based on my expectations, please read this post for more details on the actual resolution that passed on June 12. 

I was optimistic when I read this article at Baptist Press; I am certainly not alone in my convictions. But the further I read the more I realized while not alone those of us that are Southern Baptist and believe in supporting the Scouts are certainly a minority. The first portion (can’t say half) of the article relates A.J. Smith’s defense of the Boy Scout’s policy change, and explains how sponsoring organizations, churches in particular, can outline behavioral rules and expectations of members. He talks about fishers of men and how we much engage in the society, mirroring some of my own ideas. Continue reading →

The Read and Share File

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At 105 years of age this pastor in Minneapolis has no plans to retire. He said he tried once at 90 and it didn’t work out.

We borrowed that first link from the Wednesday Link List, published weekly at Thinking Out Loud. 

Shifting gender roles is a serious issue, but if you need to laugh to keep from crying check out why this blogger is thankful for skinny jeans.

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Good News for Hobby Lobby

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hobby lobbyHobby Lobby’s legal battle against the abortion/contraceptive mandate received a boost Friday (March 29) when the full 10th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to hear the company’s case.

Such “en banc” hearings are relatively rare.

In November a federal judge ruled that Hobby Lobby must cover the drugs in its employee health insurance plans, and in December a three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit refused to step in and prevent Hobby Lobby from being impacted by the mandate.

Continue this story at Baptist Press.

The State of Marriage to be a Federal Issue

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wedding rings“The Obama administration abandoned its states’ rights position on marriage Thursday (Feb. 28) by asking the Supreme Court to overturn California’s Proposition 8, and in the process it laid the legal groundwork for legalizing gay marriage nationwide.” -Baptist Press, March 1, 2013

Last year president Obama announced his support of gay marriage and made it an issue in the campaign, but at that time indicated the legal specifics of marriage should remain the business of each state. Last year he said  “I think it is a mistake to try to make what has traditionally been a state issue into a national issue.”  Now in his second term he can say and act on what he really thinks.  The Justice Department is asking the Court to use a form of review known as “heightened scrutiny” which is much more likely to result in Prop 8 being struck down than “rational basis.”  Reviewing California’s Proposition 8 under heightened scrutiny could be a big step in legalizing gay marriage nationwide.

Read the full article here.  

A Lesson for Those Who Serve

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18%Church people are notoriously bad tippers.  This is certainly not news to me, and I consider myself something of an expert.  I worked at Shoney’s while in high school, Chick-fil-A during college, and am today an ordained minister.  With much apology I realize the above statement is true.  The worst case I ever heard of was a church group going out on a Sunday afternoon following their morning service.  After being served by the cook and wait staff, they informed the waitress they would not be leaving a tip because they believed it was wrong to work on Sunday.  Let me repeat: AFTER they ate the food the cooks worked to prepare and the waitress worked to serve, they told her it was wrong to work on Sunday.  That’s the opposite of sharing the Gospel.  If those are really your convictions what you should do is NOT eat out or shop on Sundays.

Yahoo News recently carried this story of a waitress fired from Applebee’s for posting a receipt online.   Continue reading →

Government Mandated Abortion Coverage

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hobby lobbyI wish more attention were being drawn to this issue.  Millions of people lined up at Chick-fil-A back in August to support a Christian business owner’s right to free speech, but the plight of Hobby Lobby and other businesses fighting mandated health care – including chemical abortion – have garnered less support.

The new health care mandates that took effect Jan. 1 require employers to provide access to birth control, including emergency contraception.  Plan B is just one such method which causes a medically induced (or chemical) abortion.  Beginning on the first day of January, Hobby Lobby was facing a fine of up to $1.5 million per day – one and a half million dollars per day – for refusing to provide abortion coverage to its employees.  The new new loop hole buys them some time as the court battle continues. Continue reading →