Category archive - blog

Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

Alert readers (and both of you know who you are) will notice that significant changes have been implemented here. Many thanks to Jesse Heath for his help in updating the look of the blog. Now if only I can come up with the content to match. If you’d like Jesse to help you with your web project, contact him via Twitter.

Back at the Keyboard

According to my SiteMeter stats, I still get between 30 and 40 daily visitors, and for the life of me, I have no idea why. Oh, sure, I’ve written some compelling stuff, but it has been nearly two years since I posted anything, and longer than that since I posted with any kind of consistency. I’m hoping to change that.

Much of the break has been due to my studies at Liberty University. Twenty years ago, when I should have been pursuing my education, I was instead pursuing my dream of becoming a major league baseball umpire. Sadly, that didn’t work out as planned, but by the time it became clear that it wasn’t going to work out, life had intervened, and a college education seemed to me to be out of reach. It pretty much stayed out of reach, from my perspective, for the next decade.

Then my friend and SBC Today co-founder Joe Stewart told me about an organization called the Liberty Baptist Fellowship. Founded by Jerry Falwell in the early 1980′s, the group has two primary functions: to plant Baptist churches, and to certify chaplains to the armed forces of the United States. Only churches hold membership in this group, and one of the benefits had always been a tuition-free scholarship to Liberty University, either to study on campus or through their distance learning program. That scholarship benefit has tightened up considerably since Dr. Falwell’s death, but it still exists. When I began, the minimum contribution for a church the size of the one I serve was $25 per month, and this made a scholarship available for all full-time staff members. As of January 2011, the minimum contribution became $200 per month per scholarship, and the scholarships are limited in number. I understand that there is now a waiting list.

Even at that higher rate, discerning readers will recognize that this is still an absolute bargain, and I took full advantage. I began studies in the spring of 2008, and on May 14 of this year, I walked across the stage at the Tolsma Indoor Track Center to shake hands with Dr. Elmer Towns and to receive the degree of Bachelor of Science in Religion.*

I’m sure this won’t be the end of my educational journey. I recognize that in order to be fully effective in the role to which God has called me, pastor of a local church, I need yet more training. I’ve done some investigating of various seminary options, and look forward to beginning work on my M. Div. just as soon as I figure out where to begin it. In the mean time, I plan to return to regular posting here. I will continue to focus on issues of interest to Southern Baptists, or at least to this Southern Baptist. I will continue to write in advocacy of a robust ecclesiology, and against forces and ideas that would weaken our distinctives as Baptists. And I’ll look forward to opportunities for interaction with readers.

I had a couple of opportunities last week in Phoenix to reflect upon the beginning of my blogging in 2006. The issues we faced then are not the issues we face now, but in many ways they are similar. What I remember most fondly about those days is the relationships formed, some through heated exchanges in the comments sections of various blogs. Time and time again I was forced more deeply into the scriptures, and forced to be ever more careful in articulating what I learned there. I don’t imagine this new phase of blogging will be anything like that, so different is the landscape today from what existed five years ago. But I look forward to making my contribution.

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*Dr. Towns didn’t actually hand me my diploma, of course. It was a fundraising letter with a ribbon around it.

Brushing Away Cobwebs

Man, is it ever dusty around here. It’s been far too long since I’ve posted here, a fault I intend to correct. But first, some updating is in order.

First of all, I’m grateful to God for my wife’s recovery thus far from her accident in September. It has required one rather significant surgery thus far, in which an artificial disk was inserted in her neck. Since the accident, she has experienced a continuous burning sensation in her hands, apparently the result of an injury to her spinal cord caused by the impact. The artificial disk will restore necessary space for the cord to begin to heal, a process that takes four to six months. So while she still has the pain, it should be able to heal now. She still has an issue with her lower back, and we’ll be visiting the neurosurgeon again in January to find out what the next step is. Considering the severity of the accident, it clearly could have been much worse. We’re grateful to be on the road to recovery.

All of this turmoil has posed challenges in other areas, as you might imagine. The date of my last post here was just two days after the accident, and I’ve been only slightly more active over at SBC Today. I intend to improve in both areas. I miss the release that blogging can be, and I miss the interaction and the iron-sharpening that goes on in a good blog fight discussion. So while I don’t think I’ll ever return to 2006-2007 levels, I do intend to post somewhat more frequently that I have over the last couple of months.

Another impact has been on my studies. I had enrolled in eighteen hours for this Fall semester, which is what I completed in the spring. That load was divided between two subterms of three classes each. After the accident, I was forced to drop all three classes in the first subterm, and I ended up dropping one of the three in the second. I finished the remaining two courses last week, and was within two points of an “A” in both classes. My Spring schedule is populated by the four classes dropped this Fall, two classes per term. That’s a more manageable level for me at this point. Those eighteen hours I took in the Spring may have spawned undue optimism on my part. I realize now that there is a significant difference between ENGL 102 and BIBL 450.

It’s good to be back (if you can call this back). I’ll likely not post again here between now and Christmas, but I look forward to returning to a much more consistent schedule in the new year. To the handful of folks who still check in every day, I’m very grateful, but perhaps a feed reader would serve you well. Just sayin’…

Today is the Day

Today marks the beginning of a new venture in blogging, SBC Today. As you probably know already, this site is a joint venture between myself, Robin Foster, Tim Rogers, and Joe Stewart. Our desire is to foster productive discussion about issues in our convention, with the goal of, as the header states, “Restoring Unity through Biblical Discipleship and Baptist Identity.” To that end, we plan to offer articles and other resources from the leading thinkers in the SBC, and we’ll be adding in our own thoughts from time to time.

We have begun with two outstanding resources. Dr. Terri Stovall, Dean of Women’s Programs at Southwestern Seminary, has written an excellent article addressing some common misconceptions about the homemaking concentration the seminary is offering through their undergraduate program.

And Dr. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, addressed students at the opening of D. Min. seminars back in July regarding current issues within the convention. We have received permission to post the streaming audio of that presentation, and it is finally (after a morning of scrambling) up and running.

So take a few minutes to drop by, see what we have to offer, and share your thoughts with us.

A New Venue

Click here for details.

Guest Author – “The Irenic Reformation of the SBC”

You have probably seen Ron P.’s comments on various blogs. Ron P. attended Criswell College from 1986-1988. He currently works in the IT industry, but has served as an interim pastor, two youth pastorates, and other ministry positions. He is a homeschool father of three sons (of which the second is starting college) and has been married to his wife for over 21 years. Today, he offers the following as a guest author here at Reason for the Hope:

For the past several months, I have been trying to understand the current reform movement by some SBC bloggers. In jest, I have come to call this movement The Irenic Reformation. I became aware of the Baptist blogs with repeated references to bloggers as source material in the religion section of one of our local newspapers. I just assumed it was the online chatter that traditionally was done in person at associational meetings and state and national conventions (not that gossip in person is any better than gossip by blog). I should have been aware of the movement, but I confess, like many, I was inattentive. I realize not all those within this crusade hold to all of the beliefs and practices that are prevalent in this movement. I do not wish to paint all with a broad brush, but it is not easy to ignore what has taken place in the “Baptist blogs”, unless, like me, you have not read them.

Part of the problem I have encountered in this endeavor, is the apparent change in the definition of words. In the computer software industry, this same practice with software standards is called “embrace and extend”, which one particular software monopoly is infamous for. An existing universal standard is taken (embraced) and then subtle undocumented changes to the standard are made (extended). The changes are pushed out, and by default, the change is now the standard, which is now owned by the one making the change. This very same thing is being done with the definitions of words by these so called reformers. History is replete with examples of words that once meant something to only be morphed into something analogous and sometimes disparate. A recent example is the word evangelical. It no longer carries the purpose and intent that it once did, as evidenced by the belief that one in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church can still serve as President of the Evangelical Theological Society. Another example is the word gay no longer really means merry, but something quite different in our culture. I believe that several words are being co-opted in this movement, such as conservative and inerrant. I find it ironic that some of the reformers have to endlessly remind us that they are conservative, just like moderates kept reminding us that they were conservative and inerrantists during the Conservative Resurgence (CR). However, just as it was during the CR, their words and actions betray them. The use of the word irenic has especially been “embraced and extended” in this movement. In essence, Post Modernism is thoroughly embraced. Definitions of words are changed, so that they can “embrace and extend” their version of the truth. You can even call yourself conservative and inerrantist if you want to. For the purpose of this analysis, I am not referring to the definition in the dictionary, as someone wanting to promote peace or reconciliation, but to those within this movement, that quite frankly, are promoting neither.

Being irenic apparently necessitates the acceptance of those that do believe and practice what is being published (and commented by those that are a part of the irenic) on the blogs. These bloggers have chosen, again I state emphatically, CHOSEN, to make their blogs and comments the public persona of this Irenic Reformation. I amassed this incomplete list of beliefs and practices, with website links for you, the reader, to reference. I apologize for the length, as what originally was only 894 words proliferated to this current document. Yet there is so much more out there. The more I researched and read, the more appalled I became. When reading the linked sites, please also read the comments posted by the irenic ones addressed to those that dare disagree or question them. Many times the comments by the irenic ones are much more atrocious than the blog entry itself. Some of the links below are from conservative bloggers that point out the fallacies of their logic (and theology). The number of links that could have been posted is too exhaustive for this work. Since I am relatively new to these blogs, I freely admit that there are probably better links available than what I have provided. Without further adieu, here are some of the beliefs and actions of the Irenic Reformers on full public display:

• • Public vitriolic ad hominem attacks are common place and encouraged. These same attacks against fellow trustees are even more laudable. The highest esteem goes to any attack upon Paige Patterson. See here, here, here, here, here, and here.
  • You get to call anyone who disagrees with you: gnostic, fundamentalist, legalist, or Landmarker. See here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
  • Privately praying ecstatic utterances (but not speaking in tongues) is the new Baptist, non charismatic practice that can not be questioned without being accused of being a cessationist or someone who wants to redefine what a Baptist is. A very flawed (scientifically speaking) survey is used to prop their belief that 50% of SBC pastors believe in PPL. Don’t laugh, they are serious. See here, here, and here. Oh, other new spiritual gifts are to follow: here.
  • The death penalty is morally reprehensible for civilized Christians. See here.
  • Gun control needs to be embraced. See here.
  • Drinking is a great evangelism tool. See here.
  • Ecumenicism is the new inerrancy. See here, and here.
  • It is no one’s business if an SBC church supports the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The church should still be allowed full fellowship with other SBC churches. See here.
  • Baptism – what does it matter? Duh, we are Baptists. See here, here, and here.
  • The pot calling the kettle black winner award: (SBC Blogger Bile): here.
  • Lawsuits and complaints against believers and our institutions, over clearly religious issues, are encouraged and supported, violating both Scripture and the U.S. Constitution. See here, and here.
  • Double entendres that are of a sexual nature attacking women of the non-irenic persuasion is well within the accepted (and defended) behavior of some. See the comment section here.
  • Publicly revealing confidential information about a pastor being called to another church, before the church is first informed, is considered an acceptable practice. Except when it is one of the irenic ones, who happens to be a contributor to said blog. I believe they were correct to NOT leak his move, just hypocritical. It is to their shame that they do not give the same courtesy and honor to a fellow pastor. See here, here, here, here, and here.
  • A Baptist Blog that touts itself as the premier information for Baptist news and information believes that religious concerns should not override their “news” decisions. I thought the Word of God trumped all. Mind you, these are actually pastors making such comments. See here and here.
  • You get to call your blog a bridge and a place of diverse opinions. However, only the irenic opinions are valued. If you don’t like what you read you are told “don’t read it”. How’s that for valuing diverse opinions within the SBC? See here, here, here and here.
  • You can take a “clearly vague” statement that passed at the convention, and then get to claim it says something it does not say. In the same vein, when you incontrovertibly lose an important vote you were pushing, you just listen to the “Sounds of Silence” and ignore the loss and declare that it means nothing. See here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
  • The Baptist Faith and Message is seen as full of tertiary doctrines. Even though we as Southern Baptist clearly have stated that these doctrines are “precious and essential to the Baptist tradition of faith and practice.” See here, here, here, and here.
  • The irenic leaders want the Baptist Faith and Message to be both a minimal doctrinal guide and a maximal guide. The twisted loops of logic that you have to go through to be able to hold to both of these opposite positions (at the same time), is enough to cause the most avid roller coaster enthusiast to say “no mas, no mas”. See here, here, and here.
  • Irenic leaders want to be able to allow those serving an SBC institution to affirm the Baptist Faith and Message with caveats (or be able to affirm any of our historic confessions). How is that affirmation to something that the SBC holds essential to our doctrinal unity? See here and here.
  • You can call yourself and others irenic, but only if they agree with the irenic. What is really priceless: Always being one of the irenic no matter how mean spirited and acrimonious you are. See here, here, here, and here.
  • If you are an irenic one, your comments are logical, thoughtful and scholarly. If you are not one of the irenic, you are just one of the minions of the evil one, blissfully ignorant of your blind stupidity. See here, here, and here.
  • Our missionaries, though financially sponsored and supported by our convention, should only answer to the Lord, which in reality is a push to be accountable to no one. They should not be required to affirm and teach the beliefs that uniquely make one a Southern Baptist Christian. Who are we to tell our missionaries what to teach and preach? See here, and here.
  • A woman’s place is NOT in the home and there should be no support of such biblical archaic beliefs by our institutions of higher learning. Good grief, it’s the 21st Century already! See here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
  • Christian men should not stand up and sacrifice their lives in defense of others, and most especially should not be encouraged to do so by evil men who love guns. It’s everyone for him self. See here.
  • Mohamed, the Qur’an, Mosque, Muslim prayers and Muslim beliefs about their god, can be continued to be held by “completed Muslim Christians”. They can also forsake the assembly of believers. Those teaching this false gospel can serve as SBC missionaries. See here, here, here, here, and here.
  • Paige Patterson MUST be brought down! No matter what the cost, the sacrifice, the effort… Kind of reminds me of Moby Dick by Herman Melville: “I’ll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition’s flames before I give him up!” Also from Moby Dick: “Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee. Sink all coffins and all hearses to one common pool! and since neither can be mine, let me then tow to pieces, while still chasing thee…” Read almost any posts/comments at: Baptist Blogger, click on the Paige Patterson link and read ANY of them. But see these too: here. Actually, read any of the irenic bloggers and note that Outpost is becoming a lead ship in their “whale hunt” of Dr. Patterson.
  • Anything that will help in the attacks on Paige Patterson is a legitimate high value target, including his wife, professors, his dog, or others that agree with him. See here, here, here, here, and here.
  • The ban on women Pastors is/will be something we need to repent of. Though not supported by one of the irenic leaders for personal and cultural reasons, he can not biblically justify the prohibition of women pastors. Women teaching men is OK by him though. I for one do not get that logic. It does seem apparent that the movement will definitely support Woman Pastors. See here and here.
  • Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Mercer, Bill Underwood, Tony Campolo, Marian Wright Edelman and others have organized the National Baptist Covenant (NBC). The organizers alone should give Southern Baptists pause to carefully scrutinize this effort and their motives. Some of the irenic leaders have been invited to participate. See here, here, and here.
  • The NBC, though not officially inviting pro homosexual conventions, do have them serving on committees. But don’t worry; they’ll be at the table in a short time. See here.
  • If leaders of the NBC personally tell an irenic leader that they believe in salvation in Christ alone, oppose abortion, etc. but yet publicly make contrary statements, those that point out the contradiction are denigrated or told that the personal assurance is enough and is to be believed. See here, here, and here.

Once you have immersed yourself in the blogs, certain conclusions are unavoidable:

• • Several of the reformers are anything but irenic (in the dictionary sense of the word).
  • Undermining those in authority is considered acceptable and common place.
  • Gossip is not confined to the local church but is blogged to a lost and dying world.
  • Posting an emoticon (like “:)” or “:D”) makes it OK to be acerbic and invidious while twisting the proverbial knife in the backs of the non-irenic.
  • It appears that animosity towards Dr. Paige Patterson and an aversion to anything for which he is associated is the propellant that fuels some of the irenic.
  • Attacks against a man’s wife (Dr. Patterson) though reprehensible and repugnant, seem to be done with such perverse delight by some of the irenic.
  • These “reformers” are quick to remove the speck in other’s eyes, but do not see the log in their own eyes.

In light of beliefs and practices of the Irenic Reformers, we need to wake up our Baptist brothers and sisters in Christ and sound the clarion call to once again, stand up, get organized and fight for the convention to remain true to God’s Word. This time it is not just the inerrancy of the Word of God that we must defend, but the sufficiency of it as well. We must also defend what we as Baptists have understood what it means to be a Baptist. Who would have thought that Baptists would have to defend biblical baptism within our own convention?

The Irenic Reformation appears to be nothing other than an attempt to undo the CR using technology (blogs and blackberry’s) as a tool, but employing an age old tactic: the politics of personal destruction. If you can not win on the issues, attack any and all who stand in the way. Again, I do not want to paint all with a broad brush, as some who agree with the irenic have been most kind and Christ like in their comments and actions. But some of those same sweet brothers and sisters stand by silently while repeated caustic attacks are made. Those that have been the most vociferous mistakenly believe that if they take down the leader of the CR, the whole resurgence will fall. How naïve of them! Despite their prating, the CR is not tied to any person, though we are most grateful to all who led the battle for the Bible. The CR is the belief in the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Holy Scripture to guide us in all matters, not the one who led it. I must humbly stand in opposition to a movement that would seek to strip Southern Baptists of their historic identity and do it in a manner that is more reminiscent of Absalom and Diotrephes than of Christ, the Apostles, and our Baptist forefathers. Those that have bled and burned for that heritage deserve so much more from us.

Wake up, Stand Firm, and be Vigilant!

Remaining Questions

Endorsements have been the predominant subject of my blogging this week. The endorsements of the reincarnated SBC Outpost by several convention entity presidents was a matter of great concern to me as a Southern Baptist. Those whom the convention, through its elected trustees, has entrusted with the leadership of our entities ought to represent all Southern Baptists equally and without favoritism. For those men to so openly favor a group of bloggers who have at best been critical of trustees and others and at worst have maliciously vilified trustees and even entity presidents is a disturbing development indeed.

But now the endorsements have been retracted, so all is well. Or have they?

What I could glean from reading the relevant posts and comments is that the person in charge of SBC Outpost, Micah Fries Ben Cole, unilaterally removed the page containing the much-discussed endorsements, apparently at the private request of one of the endorsers. This leaves me (and many with whom I have spoken) with several questions.

The first question that comes to my mind is this: Have these endorsements been retracted? They were publicly trumpeted when they were first announced, and the words of the endorsers themselves figured heavily in the overall promotion. But now that the page contianing them has been removed, we have yet to hear from the endorsers themselves. Do they still believe that SBC Outpost, which in one week has suggested that one entity president is incompetent and another an habitual prevaricator, is the place to go for relevant and timely SBC news and commentary? Absent any contrary statements from the endorsers themselves, I am left to assume that they do.

And who was the one who made the private request that they be removed? Did Dr. Morris Chapman become concerned that he was closely and publicly aligned with a group of bloggers openly seeking to discredit fellow members of the Great Commission Council? Did Dr. Jerry Rankin become suddenly disquieted by the fact that he was on the record endorsing a blog whose contributors are repeatedly on record with harsh criticism of the board elected to hold him accountable?

I don’t expect that answers to these questions will be forthcoming, but neither do I intend to allow myself to be convinced that a sudden change of heart has taken place. Certainly some sort of public pronouncement would have accompanied such a development, rather than a craftily-worded statement from one blogger.

Endorsers (Pants on Fire Edition)

My previous post revealed the meaning and significance of an endorsement. To endorse literally means “to write on the back of,” and it implies the sanction or approval of all that is contained within the thing endorsed, protestations to the contrary notwithstanding.

I thought this picture was needed, just to remind everyone that the official SBC establishment blog, previously guilty of questioning the character and leadership of entity presidents, carries the endorsement of the men pictured.

This has further significance on a day when said blog has, without any shade of nuance, called one of those presidents, Dr. Paige Patterson of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a liar.

I can hear the objections now:

“They were just endorsing conversation!”

“They’re not responsible for what we write!”

“They just think it’s important to exchange ideas!”

My response to such nonsense is in the form of two questions related to my previous post:

1. Did you cash that check?
2. Has the bank called yet?

“Endosser”

Recently, I felt compelled to do a little bit of research on the origin and meaning of the word “endorse.” The title of this post is the Anglo-French word from which the English word is derived, and it apparently has as its most literal meaning “to write on the back of.”

This makes sense when one thinks about the word “dorsal,” describing the back of something, and most commonly the fin on the back of a fish. It also makes sense to me as I remember my high school economics class, where we learned all about endorsing checks. When I endorse a check in order to cash it, I am declaring that no matter what is written on the front of that check, I am good for it. I am binding myself to stand behind it, and if it should turn out to be a worthless document, I will be forced to pay to the penny the amount on that check.

“Endorse” is a transitive verb, and its noun form, “endorsement,” has as the third definition “Sanction, approve,” according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Clearly, endorsements and the act of endorsing are things not to be taken lightly.

I share all this research in light of some highly-touted endorsements of the new incarnation of SBCOutpost. As you probably know, this group blog has been endorsed by three presidents of Southern Baptist Convention entities (and one university president). You might also be aware that writers on this blog have, in the last week, made pointed and direct attacks against the character, intelligence, and leadership of two men who serve as president at other entities.

I thought it might be helpful to share a little about what I’ve learned about the meaning and significance of this word, because I would expect that in short order we will hear, from some defenders of SBCOutpost, assertions of how little those endorsements mean, and condescending statements to the effect that they should not be taken as an approval of everything posted there. In fact, after the endorsements are so minimized, one might be left wondering why they appeared in the first place, meaningless statements that they are.

As a public service, I’ve come up with a little exercise* that will help us all. The image in this post is of a check. It is made out for $1,000, and the “Pay to the order of” line is blank. Print that check out, write your own name on that blank line, endorse it, and cash it at the nearest branch of your bank. Then in a couple of days, when the bank calls to demand that you pay them $1,000 because the check was phony (assuming they don’t laugh in your face to begin with), tell them that just because you “wrote on the back” of that check doesn’t mean you were standing behind what was on the front of it. This will be a lesson you will not soon forget.

*OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: Please do not, under any circumstances,

attempt this exercise. The check, and the signature, are fake.

Do I Hear Fifteen? [UPDATED]

I’ve never sold anything on eBay before, but I’m trying it now. I just upgraded my cell phone, having traded the enormous (though highly functional) Nokia 9300 for the small, music-playing Sony Ericsson W300i.

After previous upgrades, I’ve just tossed the old phone in the drawer, or disabled it and made it a toy for the kids. But it occurred to me that this particular phone might actually have some value, and since it was free to me (I received it as a warranty exchange after three RAZR’s went on the fritz), anything I get for it will be a bonus.

So I started the auction out at ten dollars. It ends Tuesday morning, and so far, though there are several people watching, I’ve only received one bid. So if you’re interested, click here and incite a bidding war. Or, you know, not…

[UPDATE: My auction was removed by eBay at the last second (literally) when someone in Nigeria bid, apparently by fraudulently using someone else's account. The person then sent me a fraudulent email purporting to be from PayPal confirming that payment had been received, and would be held until I confirmed that the item had been shipped. So, basically, they tried to steal the phone. So I've changed the "click here" link above to my new, improved, three-day auction. What a waste of seven perfectly good days. Ugh.]