When March comes around I look forward to attending this conference at North Metro First Baptist Church, Atlanta.  What a great line-up of speakers.  Notice the mix of young and older men of the faith.  Not only that but notice the scholarship that is representative.  One thing I appreciate about Dr. Vines conference’s is that he mixes scholarship with the passion of preaching.  Not one of these speakers will deliver “a talk”.  These speakers will be bringing the Word of God from a heart of passion for the Word they are delivering.

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I think I have only had one post in the past of my predictions for the upcoming year.  They were so bad that year that I decided myself and predictions did not have that much in common. Well, after a hiatus of predictions I have decided to give it another shot.

SBC Predictions–We have seen much in the past that really is shocking and some other things that is not so shocking.

• Fred Luter will be re-elected in Houston. I know that was easy but I have to start with something that is a sure thing.
• Dr. Al Mohler will either be the main author or a co-author of the statement that will come from the Page Commission on Calvinism.  Read more

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I was planning to just bow out with four more posts but that has changed after observing the latest trustee debacle.  We were told at the convention by LifeWay President, Dr. Thom Rainer, “trust the trustees”.  That statement seemed to appease some in the hall but others were not so inclined to agree.  I, as one of those that disagreed with Dr. Rainer’s position, grow concerned when questions are asked and trustees respond with “I am one of you, trust me.”  The late President Reagan made famous the household phrase of the 1980′s “trust but verify”**.

It seems that MBTS Presidential Search Committee chairman, Rev. Bill Bowyer, has now told Pastor Peter Lumpkins that no answers will be given until after the Trustees vote on the Presidential Candidate. Allow me to present some issues that I believe will hurt this nomination.

The over-exuberant endorsement of the Presidential Search Committee.  The endorsements of the candidate seems to be lacking in substance and it seems the committee is trying to make up the substance with exuberance.  Trustee Chairman, Kevin Strum, said the following:

“With the heart of a pastor, a mind of a scholar, and proven administrative and development skills, Jason Allen is well gifted to become the fifth President of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The entire Presidential Search Team is thrilled about the prospect of Dr. Allen leading MBTS to the next level of training a generation of highly effective ministers, church planters and missionaries.” [Emphasis Mine]

It is an issue such as this that I want to trust the trustees, Read more

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When this journey began for me in 2006 it was due to a meeting of Southern Baptists that resulted in a statement known as the Memphis Declaration. The emphasis of this movement was not so much for repentance as it was a revolution. It revolutionized the reformed community and catapulted it into the mainstream of Southern Baptists discussion.  It was the result of this meeting that SBC Outpost–authored by Marty Duren, Twelve Witnesses–authored by Art Rogers, and Wade Burleson–authored by Wade Burleson became the go to blogs for anyone that was SBC. These blogs produced comment streams that were more like instant messages throughout the night and into the early morning hours.  The Memphis Declaration movement brought together the political savvy of denominational insiders along with disgruntled Calvinists desiring to move the SBC toward a reformed theology, using a stealth approach, through the local church.  The one thing both groups had in common was not a love for the Word of God, though everyone affirmed the inerrancy of Scripture, but the common denominator for those in this group was a dislike that bordered on hatred for one man–Dr. Paige Patterson.

In the next four posts I will reveal the reasons these are the last posts for me at Southern Baptist in NC.  I plan to focus only on local church issues. As before, if asked to serve I will, but as for my being part of any group for anything SBC it is over for me.  I will enjoy my time at the convention and when Dr. Bill Leonard is proven to be a prophet because Calvinist Soteriology is presented as the mainstream Southern Baptist position, I will be glad to help pick up the pieces. You may ask the reason I am presenting that Dr. Leonard could be a prophet?  In my next four posts I will connect the dots to reveal the connection between Founders Ministry, a leading Reformed church’s influence, Reformed leaning leaders, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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Kentucky Baptists are about to embark on a “dialogue” (If you read this before the event you can see the live stream here) that is supposed to close the growing divide between Calvinists and non-Calvinists in the convention.  Paul Chitwood has stated his desire to see this divide closed in order for us to focus on the Great Commission.

The only session that seems to even address the differences is the one hour dialogue between Dr. Hershell York and Dr. Steve Lemke. One session that will be interesting is the Q&A session after the dialogue session.  Why will this one be interesting?  It will represent questions that were emailed in and they are chosen by the moderator to be asked to all panelists.

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When I left NOLA I was prepared to launch in a direction for Southern Baptist in NC that would post at least three weekly posts.  However, the following week I was at M-Fuge with our youth at the Belmont campus and if you have been to M-Fuge you will understand my reasons for this announcement.  If you have never been to M-Fuge, then I encourage you to go to one next year with your youth. I will be honest and tell you the music was not to my liking but God has a way of softening that for us old fuddy-duds. He placed me in the group that had the drummer percussionist in the band as our group leader.  Getting to know him softened the edge for me (do wish the lead guitarist and bass player was in my group also) but the runs in the middle of a praise song is something that I just can’t get used to. Shoot, I do not even like the keyboard solo of Southern Gospel music in the middle of a song.

But, having said all that about the music at M-Fuge, I must admit that when I consciously decided to tune out the music and listen and sing the words, God began a work in my heart.  Contracting with They Came Running is not something we plan on doing in the near future to lead our Sunday morning services, but I tell you that band really touched this old man’s heart. Their heart for worship set me ablaze to abandon my idiosyncrasies and just allow the Spirit of God to lead me.  While I would not have them lead a Sunday morning worship for me (Too many funerals would have to be performed after the service, mine probably being the first. ) I am speaking with my Student Minister about trying to connect them through our CYC in the public school system to do a concert in our area. If you are looking for a band that will reach your youth with the music they are listening to, but the words are God centered, then I highly recommend this band.

All of this to tell you that I have been extremely busy playing catch-up since I have returned from M-Fuge which was the week after the convention and the convention was the week after VBS.  So for three weeks my focus was completely taken away from sermon study time and sermon planning.  Our church year begins in September and I do not have my 2012/2013 sermons planned.  Also, we are seeking new directions at EBC that God is leading and I need to seriously devote time in prayer and meditation looking for God’s direction in these various areas.  Since this is upon me I have decided to stay away from blogging for the next month.  I plan to begin again on August 15, 2012 by posting a new post then.  So, as readers peruse my blog please do not get perturbed that I have not placed anything new for your reading time.  There will be times that I will be reading other blogs and may even comment on some things I see, but I will not be writing during this time.  I am taking this time to focus on, and fulfill the highest calling on my life and the main ministry God has called me to–being the Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church–my church family.

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Dr. Eric Hankins

It is that time of year when rumors are flying like geese heading south for the winter.  We have found over at Praisegod Barebones there is a rumor concerning Dr. Eric Hankins, Pastor of FBC Oxford in Mississippi.  Dr. Hankins, it is rumored, will be nominated for 2nd Vice President at the convention.  Once I heard this rumor I tried to contact Dr. Bart Barber to see if he has a contact person that could be verified.

Well it appears that Dr. Barber posted this as a rumor but it is in fact–a fact.  Dr. Barber has returned to the metropolis of Farmersville, Texas and I feel certain we will see an update from him due to the official announcement at Baptist Press.

After some research of my own I am finding the nomination of Dr. Hankins as a refreshing drink of water.  It is simple research that reveals Dr. Clint Pressley, Pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC  nominated Dr. Eric Thomas as 2nd Vice President in Phoenix. Dr. Pressley, graciously consented to an appeal from a denominational leader when he agreed to nominate Dr. Thomas. The difference in the Hankins nomination and Dr. Pressley’s previous nomination is the process of the candidate being nominated.  Dr. Pressley and  Dr. Hankins have been friends for nearly 20 years.  This nomination will come as a direct relationship between Dr. Pressley and Dr. Hankins. A relationship so strong their families have been known to vacation together. Thus, when Dr. Hankins is nominated by Dr. Pressley, we have a nominator basing his nomination on a personal relationship.  That is something that removes politics from the entire event and makes it more than someone reading what someone else has written.  Thus, when Dr. Pressley speaks about Dr. Hankins strong commitment to the Word of God, it will come from a personal knowledge.  This nomination brings back the trust in the nominator’s words. What a refreshing move that would be.

Dr. Hankins is one that supports the Southern Baptist Convention with more than just lip music. According to the Annual Church Profile, Oxford First received $2,036,942 in undesignated giving. Our stats show that Oxford First gave $254,616 through the Cooperative Program.  That means Dr. Hankins has led Oxford First to give over 12% of of their undesignated funds to the Cooperative Program.

With this nomination I want to publicly state my support for Dr. Eric Hankins.  His is a young voice with a solid commitment to the Lordship of Jesus, the inerrancy of Scripture, and the SBC along with her future.

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I have been away for the past week preaching revival in the church my mother is a member.  We had a great time and enjoyed seeing people from my childhood.  It was good to see people I went to school with and also some that I met after my school days.  Also, it was good meeting students at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary as some attend the church.  Oak Grove Baptist Church is the church I just completed a series of sermons and it is located approximately five miles from the seminary campus.

The church is doing ministry projects in the community and also mission trips as they took three trips in 2011.  I am certainly praying for them along with their pastor Rev. Tom Ravan and his family.  They are a precious family whose heart’s desire is to glorify our Lord.  Pray as Pastor Tom leads Oak Grove.

I also had a chance to met with an old professor who attends Oak Grove.  Rev. Julian Motley retired at Gorman Baptist Church in Durham, NC and was given the title Pastor Emiritus by the church upon his retirement.  Read more

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