GCR Task Force Recommendations 1. Rally towards a clear and compelling missional vision and begin to conduct ourselves with core values that will create a new and healthy culture within the Southern Baptist Convention. 2. North American Mission Board to prioritize efforts to plant churches throughout North America, and to reach our nation’s cities. 3. Entrust to the International Mission Board the ministry to reach unreached and under-served people groups without regard to geographic limitations.4. Move the primary responsibility for Cooperative Program promotion and stewardship education  ministry assignments from the Executive Committee to the state conventions. 5. Reaffirm the Cooperative Program “as our central means of supporting Great Commission ministries” and establish a broader category of “Great Commission Giving” to celebrate all the financial support. 6. Raise the percentage of Cooperative Program funds received by the International Mission Board in the 2011-2012 budget year to 51 percent. (Read the full GCRTF progress at http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=32352) … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Members of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force told reporters Monday that their proposed dissolving of cooperative agreements between the North American Mission Board and state conventions will make the respective sides stronger and more equipped to reach the nation with the Gospel. The proposal could have a significant impact on state conventions located in areas which do not have a strong Southern Baptist presence. [img_assist|nid=6103|title=GCR Task Force members Johnny Hunt, Ronnie Floyd and R. Albert Mohler Jr. took questions concerning proposed changes|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=65]The various cooperative agreements NAMB has with state conventions would be dissolved by the end of a four-year period to free up more money to “budget for a national strategy” to prioritize the planting of churches, particularly ones in cities. Currently, the state conventions forward a portion of Cooperative Program money to the SBC’s Allocation Budget, and NAMB takes its portion of that budget and sends $50.6 million each year back to the state conventions -- a process that is “complicated” and results “in a lack of productivity and accountability,” the report … [Read more...]

By Joe McKeever, pastor, cartoonist and retired DOM BAGNO The most common complaint denominational people and guest preachers hear when they call on local churches is, “I’m unhappy with our pastor.” Invariably, it’s some lay leader of the church speaking. [img_assist|nid=6106|title=Joe McKeever Pastor, cartoonist and retired DOM BAGNO|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]Let’s state the obvious here: some pastors we ought to be unhappy with. I’m thinking of one preacher who was known to curse, tell shady stories, gamble, and drink. When he was forced out of the pulpit, no one shed a tear. But what about all those other situations where some church members are unhappy with their preacher? Let’s see if we can do some good on this subject. One: It’s always something. If the pastor is effective at all, someone is always going to be unhappy with him. Mark it down. It’s par for the course. The pastor who takes a stand on issues will find some disagreeing with him. When he preaches on a controversial doctrine or calls for purity in the personal lives of leaders, some will be unhappy. Ninety-percent of a pastor’s headaches in ministry do not come from the unbelieving world but from within the church. … [Read more...]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Southern Baptists must be gripped anew by the lostness of the world, repent of their self-centeredness and focus their local churches on taking the Gospel to those who have yet to hear, the chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Great Commission Resurgence Task Force said Feb. 22. Toward that end, Ronnie Floyd, pastor of First Baptist Church in Springdale, Ark., presented a “progress report” to the SBC’s Executive Committee on the task force’s work. [img_assist|nid=6107|title=GCR Task Force Chairman Ronnie Floyd presents the progress report of the group to the SBC Executive Committee|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=66]The report specified six “components” of a vision they believe Southern Baptists will rally around and experience renewed passion for the Great Commission – making disciples of all the world’s people groups. To open his 90-minute presentation, Floyd drew on Joel 2:12-17 to deliver a challenge about the need for urgent, wholehearted repentance if Southern Baptists are to participate in the evangelistic harvest that will accompany the outpouring of God’s Spirit in the last days. “I believe with all my heart that God is calling us to return to Him now in deep … [Read more...]

By David Jeremiah, Pastor Shadow Mountain El Cajon, California Our victories are gained on our knees. As we turn ourselves, our plans and our problems over to God, He intervenes. When we bow before Him, we’re acknowledging Him as our “Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.” [img_assist|nid=6109|title=David Jeremiah, Pastor Shadow Mountain El Cajon, California|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=83|height=100]Sometimes we make the mistake of not getting on our knees before accepting a job offer, making a purchase, choosing a new church, or making any decision of consequence. People are quietly watching, and they know when we’re living in prayerful obedience or when on the other hand, we act without consulting Him. It’s also obvious to others when our knees draw down blessings from above. In the January/February 2003 issue of Pray! magazine, Elmer Towns said that he and his wife made it through college by faith, praying together and trusting God to meet their needs. Towns earned a dollar an hour driving a school bus, but his income barely met their needs. “One evening,” he wrote, “the only thing in the kitchen cabinet was a can of tuna, so my wife served a tuna casserole. As we clasped hands to thank God for the food, I … [Read more...]

I need your help. If you can explain the following, please let me know. It really has me stumped. [img_assist|nid=6111|title=Jeff Iorg, President Golden Gate Seminary|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=80|height=100]Recently, I heard a wonderful testimony of a believer who had overcome his struggle with alcohol. He told the story of how he initially got involved with alcohol, how it became more and more of a problem, the high price he paid in lost relationships and health struggles, and the victory he finally won through prayer, counseling, and tough choices. He concluded by declaring he would never touch alcohol again. When he finished, he received a nice ovation – deservedly so. It is always good to hear a touching story of redemption and recovery. Shortly thereafter, I was part of another conversation in which a person told a different story. She reported she had never had a drink of alcohol; having decided at an early age drinking made no sense on any level. She also concluded by declaring she would never touch alcohol. But the response to the second person was quite different than the first. The second person was called a “legalist” who “doesn’t understand the social value” of sharing alcoholic beverages … [Read more...]

In recent years, Seattle-area pastor Mark Driscoll has come under a great deal of scrutiny for his past use of foul language and a controversial sermon series on sex. [img_assist|nid=6114|title=Page Brooks, Assistant Professor of Theology NOBTS|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=67|height=100]I need not repeat here some of the objectionable phrases and words he has used as they are readily accessible via transcripts on the Internet. Let me say the following at the outset: I believe our speech and behavior should be above reproach. Therefore, I am not defending Discroll’s use of foul language. Several motions were even made at the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting that revolved around Driscoll’s words and actions. To be fair to Driscoll, he has repented and asked forgiveness for his past cussing. Some of Driscoll’s apologies were actually encouraged by Lifeway Christian Resource’s own Ed Stetzer. Driscoll has apologized for other similar incidents on various occasions. I think the question vexing many evangelical Christians about Mark Driscoll is the paradox we find in people like him: He claims to be “culturally relevant” while at the same time he maintains he is “biblically conservative.” While … [Read more...]

By Ed Steele, Associate Professor of Music Leavell College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary C. S. Lewis spoke how dogs generally won’t look to what you point at with your finger. Instead, they go sniff the finger, missing your intentions. Worship, for many, is like that. They begin to focus on worship itself, rather than the God to whom all worship belongs. [img_assist|nid=5774|title=Ed Steele Professor of Music in Leavell College at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=67|height=100]As I teach and converse with students about worship, one of the most common things I find is the fascination of the “feelings” of worship. There is a sense that if they haven’t felt like they had in the past, then it must not have been real worship. Worship, like love, is reflected more in commitment, than feeling. Like the dog, they keep sniffing the finger, rather than see the point of real focus. If we were to get specific about what some of these “fingers” are, I would start with the following, but would certainly welcome others that fit the illustration: The feeling and emotions of worship. Not that experiencing a specific feeling is wrong, but our emotional state is not the measure … [Read more...]

The most common complaint denominational people and guest preachers hear when they call on local churches is, “I’m unhappy with our pastor.” Invariably, it’s some lay leader of the church speaking. [img_assist|nid=6106|title=Joe McKeever Pastor, cartoonist and retired DOM BAGNO|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]Let’s state the obvious here: some pastors we ought to be unhappy with. I’m thinking of one preacher who was known to curse, tell shady stories, gamble, and drink. When he was forced out of the pulpit, no one shed a tear. But what about all those other situations where some church members are unhappy with their preacher? Let’s see if we can do some good on this subject. One: It’s always something. If the pastor is effective at all, someone is always going to be unhappy with him. Mark it down. It’s par for the course. The pastor who takes a stand on issues will find some disagreeing with him. When he preaches on a controversial doctrine or calls for purity in the personal lives of leaders, some will be unhappy. Ninety-percent of a pastor’s headaches in ministry do not come from the unbelieving world but from within the church. Zechariah wrote, “And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds?’ … [Read more...]

By David Jeremiah, Pastor Shadow Mountain El Cajon, California Our victories are gained on our knees. As we turn ourselves, our plans and our problems over to God, He intervenes. When we bow before Him, we’re acknowledging Him as our “Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.” [img_assist|nid=6109|title=David Jeremiah, Pastor Shadow Mountain El Cajon, California|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=83|height=100]Sometimes we make the mistake of not getting on our knees before accepting a job offer, making a purchase, choosing a new church, or making any decision of consequence. People are quietly watching, and they know when we’re living in prayerful obedience or when on the other hand, we act without consulting Him. It’s also obvious to others when our knees draw down blessings from above. In the January/February 2003 issue of Pray! magazine, Elmer Towns said that he and his wife made it through college by faith, praying together and trusting God to meet their needs. Towns earned a dollar an hour driving a school bus, but his income barely met their needs. One evening,” he wrote, “the only thing in the kitchen cabinet was a can of tuna, so my wife served a tuna casserole. As we clasped hands to thank God for the food, I … [Read more...]