Brother Jerry Davenport

Brother Jerry Davenport has presented us with another great article.

Brother Jerry is a graduate of Criswell College and also a West Texas rancher.  He told me that being a rancher does not mean he has bunches of money, it just means he has the capacity to lose bunches of money.  Brother Jerry also told me that his ranch is merely the object that God uses to allow him to take mission teams into Mexico. Jerry is a very effective missionary to Mexico and is being used by God to establish a mission plan for that area.  When many people are talking about evangelizing the dangerous territory of Mexico, Brother Jerry is doing it.   It was a mission trip to Mexico where Jerry and I met.  Brother Jerry heads up The River Ministry, a ministry where he coordinates mission trips into Mexico.  He is also an active member of Mother Holmes Memorial Baptist Church in Sheffield, Texas.  Jerry produces an article for the local papers in his area and he agreed to send them to me also.

Walking the Aisle

The day and the hour had arrived and everything had been made ready. It was so beautiful the different colors, music and flowers. All the friends and family were there. Just by the excitement in the air you knew a very special event was about to take place. The groom appeared not dressed as usual but in fine clothes and then came his groomsmen all dressed in fine attire. As the music continued the bridesmaids appeared followed by little children spreading beautiful flower petals that the bride would walk on. The groom had a special glow on his face because he had planned and waited for this special moment. A hush fell upon the place and then that special music and the moment the groom and everyone was waiting for. The bride appeared and proceeded with such grace and beauty and the gown was so elaborate and yes it was white, pure and spotless. The moment she had been waiting for because she took her place beside her groom. They said their vows and were forever joined together in a special new relationship. That beautiful event reminded me of something that is going to take place in the future. It will be the day that every Christian or born again believer, (1 Peter 1:17-23) is united with Christ Jesus, (John 1:29) in heaven, (Revelation 19:5-9). It will be such a glorious event and day! See you in Church next Sunday. Brother J

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Well it is the annual convention time again and one already notices a posturing that seems odd at best.  It seems that some leaders, who in the past have sounded the alarm of the death nail of the SBC based on low attendance, are now expecting a low turn out at the convention this year. These expectations are lower than our previous Phoenix convention, and we now see a position taken for this low turnout. What really is interesting is a comment made in that stream.  The commenter gives us great insight into how we should view the annual meeting.  Of course the next comment in the stream moves us back to the question of cost and money paid in order to go to the annual meeting.

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It appears that we have another speaker recently added to the line-up of our Pastors Conference.  I must admit it appears that Brother Pitman is hearing the concerns of many pastors.  This addition is not only a person of color but is also one that is coming from a traditional background.

Pastor Bartholomew Orr is Senior Pastor of Brown Baptist Church in Mississippi.

Brown Baptist Church Southaven, Mississippi

Brown Baptist has a rich history as she was founded in 1882.  She has steadily maintained her commitment to our Lord and served faithfully the people in Southaven, MS.  Through her years she has been faced with difficulties but not one so memorable as the fire of the facilities in 1987.  Without a pastor at the helm Brown Baptist sought to continue in God’s direction and in January 1989 Brown Baptist elected Rev. Bartholomew Orr as her 8th pastor.  Pastor Orr saw the completion of the rebuilt 400 seat facilities in May 1989.  He established for the church her vision statement; “A Church with a Vision.”

Pastor Orr began preaching in 1981 at the tender age of 11.  He was licensed into the Gospel ministry in 1983 at age 13 and ordained to Preach in 1986 at the age of 16.  Therefore, Pastor Orr stood in the pulpit of Brown Baptist Church in January 1989 at the age of 19 as her Senior Pastor.  Under his leadership, the church has experienced tremendous growth, spiritually and numerically.

• Ministries have been added (i.e. Condolences Ministry, Singles, Boys to Men, Titus) and an extensive amount of others to meet the needs of a growing membership
• A new Family Education Building was erected in 1998 which includes classrooms, a library, a nursery, and a fellowship hall.
• A new Family Enrichment Center was erected in 2006 which includes a kitchen, classrooms, a fitness room, and a weight room.
• A new state of the art multimedia Sanctuary was erected which seats 1200 and a new administrative suite.
• Additional property has been purchased; and a lake, softball field, and a walking trail have been added.
• Membership Exceeds 5000
• Most importantly, lives have been changed; homes have been strengthened, and marriages have been restored.

I look forward to hearing this man of God proclaim the Word of God in Phoenix on that Monday morning.  I also want to give a shout out to Vance Pitman for hearing the concerns of his fellow pastors.

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This just in.  Peter Lumpkins has been appointed as Vice President of Public Relations for a major SBC entity.  Lumpkins has called attention to the influx of Calvinistic doctrine within the SBC.  When questioned about his new VP position Lumpkins responded:

“There is going to be considerable change.  A lot of the changes will not be directed to competency of people because we are going to be doing some things so drastically different. What does that look like specifically, I don’t know yet. But we are working on that as fast as we can.”

What SBC entity has appointed Lumpkins as their new Vice President of Public Relations?

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In this series we have noted the “know when to hold them and know when to fold them” theme that is driving this series.  In the first series I laid the ground work expressing my back ground and how I understood the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.  I also noted the needed changes that were prevalent during the times I came into the ministry.  In the second series I noted the training I received and how it was drilled into me that we took stands for the things that were needed.  We were taught that we learned from everyone but we also knew there was a dividing line because of doctrine that we were not willing to cross.  In this third series I want to focus on the leaders that I have watched over the years.

Third, the leaders I have watched in recent years. Read more

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“I realize this post will not make universalists, inclusivists, and non-Christians change their minds. ” Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung blasts those who have challenged his premature critique of an upcoming book that he has not read.  I have interrupted my series in order to lament the way that some throw around the “heresy” label just because they disagree with someone.  DeYoung makes a case for the reason he has issued the charge of heresy against Rob Bell.   His charge concerns Bell’s video about his the upcoming book.  I have viewed the video and agree with Dr. Al Mohler.  Mohler says;

In his [Bell] clever and artistic way, ever so artfully presented, he affirms what can only be described as universalism.

We must await the release of the full book in order to know what Rob Bell is really saying, but his advance promotion for the book is already saying something, and it is not good. The material he has already put forth does demand and deserve attention.

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