First Thoughts

The Law Amendment is the current effort to add the biblical requirement for male pastors into the constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). I have been a strong supporter of this effort, but that support does not mean I’ve had no concerns. My support for this amendment has not come cheap. Initially, I Had Doubts I had three initial doubts about the amendment. First, I believed the amendment was unnecessary because our statement of faith, the Baptist Faith and Message (BFM), alrea…

At this moment, a committee is meeting to decide whether the Southern Baptist Convention as we know it will continue to exist. That committee is called The Cooperation Group, and more is at stake in their work than you may know. This group was created at the 2023 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in New Orleans because some of our leaders believe the Baptist Faith and Message (BFM) is too high a standard for cooperation and must be lowered to maintain the unity of our Great Com…

The Law Amendment is one of the most crucial issues facing messengers headed to Indianapolis for the 2024 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The amendment passed by an overwhelming margin in New Orleans and is required to be approved by a 2/3 majority this year in order to be added to the Constitution. I want to help Southern Baptists understand the importance of this decision by examining what the Law Amendment is, what issues are not involved in this decision, and what is rea…

The Bible isn’t relevant for life if the Bible isn’t practical. Our theology must be practical or else it will be irrelevant. This is because we obey or disobey God in specific ways. Our idolatries are not vague. Our sins are not general. When we are fearful, we think fearful thoughts in our mind. When we are sinfully depressed, we neglect real responsibilities. When we act in anger, we do things with our tongues and our hands. Thankfully, the Bible offers practical ways to overcome our sin a…

Are you a good person? Our initial gut reaction to this question most likely is to answer in the affirmative. We may even think to ourselves, “Of course I’m a good person! I haven’t killed anyone or robbed a bank, and I don’t cheat on my taxes.” Oftentimes, we look at a list like this as “evidence” to convince ourselves that we are, in fact, a good person. However, upon deeper reflection, we may find that our positive self-evaluation does not match reality. We are sinners who still live in a …

Christianity is an experiential religion because a convert must be born again (John 3:3-8). This conversion involves genuine faith and repentance in Christ which creates a new love for Jesus in the heart of the believer (Romans 5:5). Someone can’t simply claim to be a Christian, you have to experience Christ. You are saved not only when “you confess with your mouth” but also when you “believe with your heart” (Romans 10:9-10). Yet, that experience of new life does not happen in a vacuum. “Fai…

The new year is a time when Christians think about Bible reading plans (First Baptist Church Bible Reading Plan) and are often looking to purchase a new Bible as they set goals for the next 365 days. There are tons of great options for adults, but there are also many delightful options available for kids. I am often asked by parents of younger children which Bibles I would recommend. Children’s Bibles are typically collections of biblical stories retold in age-appropriate ways that are accomp…

I hate the day after Christmas. Some call it the “post-Christmas blues” or “post-Christmas depression.” It happens when the most wonderful time of the year screeches to a halt. No more Christmas movies. No more Christmas food. No more get-togethers with family and friends. You go back to work. You go back to school. The Christmas cards come down off the mantle. It just feels wrong to take down words like “love,” “joy,” “peace,” and “hope” from the walls of my house. But we dutifully do it. Ho…

Whenever anyone asks me if I am an adherent to the Regulative Principle (RP), I cannot give a simple “yes” or “no” response. I must first ask about their version of the Regulative Principle. For those who do not know what I am talking about, the RP is a means of governing the corporate worship life of a church that affirms the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. John Calvin seems to be the first to formally codify it in response to the Reformation, and Westminster later enshrined it in th…

When something exciting happens in your life, who do you tell first? You get the job. You find out the cancer is gone. You find out you’re having a baby. You find out the kids can come home this year for Christmas. Who we tell something to first matters. Conversely, we all love it when people say: “You know, you’re the first person I have told this to.” Why? Because it shows us who the messenger values. Now– enter Jesus. The Messiah is born. The Savior from our sins. The fulfillment of the La…