By Will Hall, Message Editor MEMPHIS – Describing what his presidential priorities might mean for the Southern Baptist Convention, Steve Gaines emphasized during an exclusive interview the need to pray for revival in our churches and a spiritual awakening in our country, and an equally critical need to train to be soul winners again. Moreover, Gaines said there is a stewardship problem among Southern Baptists – starting with personal budgeting, and he made the point that “the Cooperative Program is by far the very best way to support Southern Baptist missions,” not societal giving. In that regard, Gaines said there needs to be greater emphasis on the value of local associations and state conventions in order to have healthy and growing national programs and entities. Finally, on the issue of Calvinism, Gaines said he believes “anybody can be saved” and that although there is room in the SBC tent for different beliefs, “I do not believe that Calvinism should be taught as the optimal exclusive theological position in our schools, whether our seminaries or our colleges.” DELIBERATE SOUL WINNING “We've got to win souls,” Gaines, pastor of the historic Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis, told the … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor NEW ORLEANS – David Crosby, pastor of the First Baptist Church in New Orleans, shared with the Louisiana Baptist Message some of his thoughts about what his possible election as president of the Southern Baptist Convention might mean for the denomination, emphasizing that “the work we do together is about the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.” Speaking by phone, Crosby said on that point “We’ve got to do both proclamation and incarnation.  I think the Gospel requires behavior as well as words.” He added he would work with our national entities to underscore compassion ministries as a way to unleash churches to reach the lost. Crosby also expressed “alarm” about the multi-year trend of designated giving -- the focus on independent work instead of cooperative ministries -- outpacing gifts through the Cooperative Program. Likewise, he expressed grave concern about the “almost accidental” downsizing of the International Mission Board, asking “Why didn’t we have a conversation about this?” instead of “just being blindsided by it.” Regarding the impact of Calvinism on the Convention, Crosby said Southern Baptists always before have been able to live together “with some tensions but in relative … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor Despite making an appointment for a phone interview and after a substantive conversation, J.D. Greear declined to participate in a live question and answer session with the Louisiana Baptist Message about his run for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention. During the exchange, Greear made several special requests, some that were acceptable and one that was not. He asked for questions to be submitted in writing. The Message declined to grant this privilege because the two other candidates for SBC president -- Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, and David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana -- agreed to the live format, which requires the interviewee to be thinking on his feet and avoids getting typed responses ‘written by committee.’ For the record, to start their respective interviews, Gaines and Crosby each were asked to reflect on the axiom “keep the main thing the main thing” and then explain what the “main thing” would be in his presidency. Follow-up questions essentially were the same for both but were asked naturally during the respective conversations. Greear would have been treated the same. Greear also asked to … [Read more...]

By Joni B. Hannigan, Christian Examiner ***This article was previously posted at the Christian Examiner and is used by permission. CLEVELAND, Ga. (Christian Examiner) – Following a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court today to unanimously overturn the lower court rulings against the Little Sisters of the Poor, the president of Truett-McConnell University said he was "thrilled" a six year "battle of ups and downs" has finally come to an end. "That's as strong as it gets," Emir Caner told Christian Examiner, about the high court's decision that ordered the government to leverage no fines and work with the Little Sisters' and others who do not want to participate in directly supplying contraception, to offering other ways to provide services that do not require them to forfeit their religious liberties. "You can tell [the Supreme Court justices] have had enough of the government dictating to our conscience what we can or cannot do," Caner said.  The Court, according to a Beckett Fund Fund attorney, vacated the lower courts' decision. To Read the Full Article click here. … [Read more...]

By Dave Christiano “Everybody needs a purpose in life” says Dave Christiano, the movie’s director “and one simple verse in the Bible provides the direction we all need.” Remember The Goal is an inspirational dramatic movie about a girls cross country team coming to theaters on August 26th.  It follows the story of a new coach, fresh out of college, who takes over the girls cross country program at a private Christian school and attempts to lead them to a state title. “The coach has great wisdom for her young age and imparts this to the girls by covering many situations and issues in the story” says Christiano. “Allee-Sutton Hethcoat plays the lead role of Coach Courtney Smith-Donnelly” says the director. “She is terrific in this role and a strong role model and leader with high character. We need more people like her in real life and my hope is that she will be a positive influence to many.” The theme of the movie is based on 1 Corinthians 10:31: “whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”  That phrase 'whatsoever ye do' includes running. Remember The Goal will speak to many important issues. For example, the movie is a visual example of the humility and the character of Christ. It … [Read more...]

By Joni B. Hannigan, Christian Examiner ***This article was previously posted at the Christian Examiner and is used by permission. ATLANTA (Christian Examiner) – Several Southern Baptist state conventions leaders have accused the denomination's North American Mission Board (NAMB) of linking financial support from the national entity — funding for church planting and other ministries — to secretive Cooperative Agreements which include a clause that threatens to withhold ministry funds to the states if disclosures about the agreement — or concerns — are shared publicly. Cooperation is the essential bond among Southern Baptists whose 46,500 churches are autonomous, but historically have rallied together around a common theology and the desire to work together in evangelistic missions at home and abroad. Local associations, state conventions and the national denomination (which includes domestic and overseas mission boards and an extensive seminary education system) each adhere to a system of independent governance — driven by elections, boards and appointments — that provides accountability to the churches which ultimately are the centers of sustainability for a massive system of financing and budgets which includes special … [Read more...]

By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner SAN FRANCISCO (Christian Examiner) – Golden State Warrior guard Stephen Curry accepted his second straight NBA Most Valuable Player trophy award Tuesday, and then sprinkled comments about his Christian faith throughout a news conference televised nationwide. Curry became the first unanimous selection in the history of the NBA trophy, winning all 131 first-place votes and doing something that the NBA's other great players of the past – such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan – never did. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

by Timothy E. Head, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS -- Health care costs continue to rise due to impact from the federal Affordable Care Act and are causing insurers to seek large rate hikes, while others have chosen to depart the health care exchanges altogether, according to GuideStone Financial Resources. The financial services arm of the Southern Baptist Convention noted some ways to help "mitigate the impact" of rising costs. UnitedHealth, the nation's largest medical insurance provider, recently announced it lost $650 million in 2015, on top of a $425 million loss in 2014, as a result of offering medical insurance on the various exchanges established through the Affordable Care Act. UnitedHealth has announced it would pull out of all but a few exchanges for 2017. While private insurance rates may vary from the rates charged on health care exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, they are related. According to the Associated Press, customers in the health care exchanges could see medical insurance rate increases that reach "well into double digits," as evidenced by Virginia health care providers on the HealthCare.gov website filing preliminary notices seeking average premium increases ranging from 9.4 percent to … [Read more...]