The Man of God and The Word of God

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV)

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV)

We now live in the age of AI – artificial intelligence. AI can write research papers, news stories, and, yes, even sermons! Wait a minute. It’s the 21st century. More and more churches no longer have pastors who preach sermons; they have “communicators” who give “talks.” With the rise of social media these “communicators” have huge “platforms” from which they share their “talks” – all carefully crafted for just the right look, image, and message.

PLEASE NOTE WHAT I AM NOT SAYING. I am not against leveraging technology. In fact, I am typing this post on a MacBook Pro, using Logos Bible Software, and putting out onto the internet. All of my sermons are available on our church website and Lakeside app and people watch them from many different places. Personally, I am on three different social media platforms. I AM NOT AGAINST USING TECHNOLOGY.

So, what is my point?

My point is the BIBLICAL MODEL. The Biblical model is a pastor (that you know) diligently, faithfully praying, studying, and preparing to preach the Word among a gathered community (church) that you are connected to. This model works for churches of all sizes and all contexts.

Let’s take a brief look at this Biblical model. A Christian without a church family is foreign to the New Testament. By definition, a Christian is to connect with a gathered community of believers – a church. Week in and week out, you are taught the Word by pastors who have labored in the study of the Word – preparing themselves to feed the flock. Furthermore, these pastors are men who live and serve among you. You see their lives and know that, while not perfect, they are men who meet the Bible qualifications for elders. They stand and preach the Word, depending not on their creativity, but the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the faithful ministry of the Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in lives, life change happens – most of the time gradually and sometimes miraculously. THIS is the church.

Artificial intelligence, social media platforms, and slick marketing will never replace the true church that Jesus is building. Looking for a church? Start by finding a church with a pastor who faithfully preaches the Bible each Sunday in the power of the Holy Spirit. Commit to that church. Join the community. Be transformed by these ordinary means of grace. The man of God preaching the Word of God is the model God has ordained. Accept nothing less.

Pastor, your job is not to keep up with the latest trends or deliver the most creative “talks.” Lock yourself in your study – alone with God, the Word, and study resources. Pray. Study. Pray some more. Study some more. Prepare yourself. On Sunday morning, preach from the overflow of God’s work in your own life. Get up on Monday morning and start repeating the process again until the next Sunday. Let your time in your study – prayer and the Word – be the fountain from which your whole ministry flows.

The man of God preaching the Word of God will never go out of style. Yes, the church will need more than that – organization, leadership, etc. However, the church will NEVER need less that. Our leadership and organization must flow from our time in the Word and prayer.

The man of God preaching the Word of God. Look for nothing else. Accept nothing else. Be nothing else.

The Myth of Neutrality

Social media was up in arms last week after the Biden administration issued a proclamation for March 31 as the Transgender Day of Visibility. March 31 also happened to be Easter Sunday. The criticism was (rightly) ferocious. Defenders pointed out that March 31 is the Transgender Day of Visibility each year and Biden was simply acknowledging it as he has each year of his administration. The date of Easter varies from year to year, so the defenders say that it was just a coincidence that Easter happened to fall on the same day this year.

As they say where I grew up, “That dog won’t hunt!” Any honest look at the situation reveals the great worldview divide we are experiencing. One of two things is true here. Either President Biden is far removed from the process and those in his administration who manage such things completely lacked any awareness that March 31 was Easter OR the Biden administration knew exactly what it was doing and wanted to make a statement. Either of these options is greatly disturbing and is a symptom of a reality that Christian believers would do well to understand…

Neutrality is a MYTH. Neutrality DOES NOT EXIST.

In recent decades, we have witnessed the basic worldview framework that our nation was founded with (and which the overwhelming majority of Americans embraced) being jettisoned – at first inch by inch and now yard by yard. On the surface, it even sounds reasonable.

The argument goes something like this. America is a growing, diverse country with diverse ethnicities, religions, beliefs, lifestyles, etc. Now, in America, we have freedom of religion, so you are free to believe what you want and worship or not worship. In your heart and in your pew, you can believe what you want. However, when it comes to the public square – government, education, the workplace, media, sports, etc. – then we must have neutrality. We can’t allow Christians to force their beliefs on people. We must have neutrality. Therefore, prayer must go from our schools, sporting events, and public life. Don’t talk about your faith at work; we must have neutrality. We will educate our children and teach them science, math, English, and history, and build their character, BUT we will do it with neutrality. Everyone is equal. All beliefs are equal. It’s neutral. That sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? There is one big problem with this argument….

IT’S A LIE.

When the basic worldview of America’s foundation is cast aside, you do not get neutrality. The void is filled with another worldview. Have we gotten neutrality in America recently? Let’s see. We see the Biden administration celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday while banning any religious symbols from the eggs at the annual White House Easter egg hunt. We see controversy in school systems all over America as parents become more aware of what their kids are being taught in school regarding LGBTQ+ issues. We see the United States military increasingly concern itself with social and climate issues rather than its core mission of warfighting and keeping America safe. We see Vice President Kamala Harris with great fanfare visit a Planned Parenthood clinic to trumpet “access to reproductive healthcare.” I doubt the child in the womb would describe what happens there as “healthcare.” Mere days after the horrific slaughter of 1400 innocent people in Israel on October 7 by Hamas, we see many of our own young adults take to the streets in protest, arguing that Palestinian suffering and injustice give some justification to what happened.

We have not gotten neutrality. Why? NEUTRALITY IS A LIE.

The Judeo-Christian worldview that shaped America is not being replaced by neutrality. It is being replaced by a radical secular humanism wrapped in radical sexual anarchy. The fruits of this happening are becoming crystal clear. We are reaping what we have sown.

All Christ followers, and, in particular, Christian parents raising the next generation need to take great heed to these issues. The late great theologian, author, and Bible teacher R.C. Sproul spoke to this issue, particularly in terms of education…

“There is no such thing as a neutral education. Every educational curriculum has a viewpoint. That viewpoint either considers God in it or it does not. To teach children about life and the world in which they live without reference to God is to make a statement about God. It screams a statement. The message is either that there is no God or that God is irrelevant. Either way, the message is the same: there is no God. An irrelevant God is the same as no God at all. If God is, then He must be relevant – to His entire creation.” – R.C. Sproul

While Dr. Sproul was speaking of the impossibility of neutrality in education, to insert business, entertainment, the armed forces, sports, or any other arena into this quote makes the same point: Neutrality is a MYTH. More than ever before in my lifetime, the choice between truth and lies, good and evil has never been more clear before our very eyes. To believe the Bible, teach the Bible literally as it is written, and seek to live our lives by the clear teachings of the Bible increasingly puts us in the crosshairs of a hostile culture now almost fully controlled by a radical secular humanism wrapped in radical sexual anarchy.

Make no mistake. No one will long be able to hide behind a veneer of neutrality. A time of choosing is upon us all. As Christ’s followers, this should not surprise us “one little bit.” After all, our Lord never presented following Him in terms of neutrality. Quite the opposite. I close with the words of our Lord and his half-brother, James….

““He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30, NASB95)

“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4, NASB95)

The Resurrection Chapter & Resurrection Sunday

1 Corinthians 15 is one of the most famous chapters in the Bible. It is commonly referred to as the “Resurrection Chapter” not because it tells the story of Jesus’ resurrection but because it speaks of the necessity of it and how it applies to our lives today. As we approach Easter Sunday 2024, I encourage all of my readers to take some time and read through this great chapter.  I intend to do so in my own devotional times.  Let’s look at some key points of this chapter…

“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:12–19, NASB95)

Here we see the absolute necessity of the resurrection to our faith. If He is not victorious then there is no victory for us. However, Christ has risen from the dead, so there is victory for us.  In fact, Paul goes on to explain that Christ’s resurrection restores spiritual life to sinful humanity who had lost their spiritual life through Adam’s fall in the garden of Eden…

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20–22, NASB95)

Because Jesus is victorious over sin, death, and the grave we can have that same victory through faith in Him!  Furthermore, Paul explains that Christ’s resurrection ensures our resurrection – comparing Christ’s resurrection as the first one of many to come…

“But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:23–28, NASB95)

I hope that’s enough to get your Bible study juices flowing and encourage you to dig into 1 Corinthians 15 this week as we count down to Easter Sunday – resurrection Sunday!  A few years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel for the first time to visit the Biblical sites. Of course, one of the great highlights of any trip there is a visit to the Garden Tomb…

GardenTombexterior

We do not know for sure exactly where Jesus was buried.  The Garden Tomb is one of two locations that many Christians believe to be the place. The other is found just a short distance away in Jerusalem inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  The Garden Tomb has a number of characteristics that coincide with what we know from the Bible, making it the location that is preferred by most evangelical scholars today, although we cannot be certain.

GardenTombinterior1

This is the burial chamber inside the Garden Tomb.  If Jesus was actually buried here, this is very likely the spot.  Take a moment and think about that. Every group that enters the Garden Tomb grows silent as this awesome thought sinks in. For me, it is a spiritually moving experience to be reminded in such a concrete way that I serve a risen Savior!  You see, the most important issue is not WHERE Jesus was buried, but rather THAT Jesus has risen!  Here is what you see above you as you exit the Garden Tomb…

GardenTombinterior2

Yes! That is what really matters! As the old hymn says, “I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today. I know that He is living whatever men may say…”  That is the message and the hope of Easter.  In fact, Easter Sunday is not the only Sunday that the Christian church celebrates the resurrection. Have you ever wondered why we worship on Sunday?  Because Jesus rose on Sunday.  The early Christians did not gather to worship on the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) but gathered to worship on Sunday because that was the day their Savior rose.  So, every single time we gather for worship on Sunday, we are celebrating the resurrection of Christ.  Yes, Easter Sunday and every Sunday is resurrection Sunday!

Thinking Biblically About Gender and Sexuality

In January, I began preaching through the book of Genesis. In preparation for preaching Genesis 1-2, I developed sermons on God’s design for humanity, marriage, and family. You can view the messages from January 21 and January 28, 2024 here….

https://lakesidebaptist.com/media/series/hfnnq4c/worldview

As I preached these messages the heaviness of these subjects was apparent. EVERYWHERE we look, the issues of gender and sexuality are front and center. I told our church family I wanted our church to be a place of CLARITY and HOPE. A place of clarity in teaching the clear truth of scripture about these issues. A place of hope in terms of loving all people and being willing to dialogue and walk with people who struggle.

As part of preparing that series of messages, I read several books to help me think through and understand these issues better. Some were particularly helpful to me. I thought I would share them with readers of this blog so that others can be helped as they navigate these waters.

The focus of this incredibly helpful book is dealing with the relevant texts in the Bible. DeYoung also does a very good job answering those who teach that the Bible doesn’t really mean what it clearly says in some places. If you can only read one of these books, this is the one.

Dr. Walker is a professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A brilliant theologian, Walker writes with clarity, compassion, and accessibility – focusing mainly on the transgender issue. In addition to dealing faithfully with the Biblical texts, Walker has some very helpful sections where he answers specific questions that often come up.

For those who would like a study for a small group, Burk and Sanders have produced excellent work here. They address some tough issues with Biblical clarity and compassion.

For those wondering, “How on earth did we get here?” Dr. Mohler gives some great history of different movements and calls the church to faithfulness.

Why Reaching New People Must Always Be at the Forefront for the Church

“Pastor, you talk about reaching new people all the time, but what about the members we already have?  Shouldn’t we take care of them?  Don’t we care?” 

Those words were spoken to me years ago when I was the pastor of another church. We had been experiencing a good season of growth. I was excited to see new people at our church each week. To be honest, I was stunned by the questions as it never entered my mind that someone might not be happy with the growth we were experiencing. I am sure I croaked out some answers, but I honestly do not remember how I answered that church member all of those years ago.  However, I do want to answer these questions for all Christians today who love their church and care about its future.

THE SHORT ANSWER:  Of course, we should care for the members we already have. If we are not a church that cares for each other, we are not a Biblical church. Scripture compares the church to a flock that needs to be shepherded. Scripture says the church is a family. It is not an “either/or” proposition. A biblical church does BOTH – reaching new people and caring for the people already reached. 

HOWEVER, THERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY REACHING NEW PEOPLE MUST ALWAYS BE AT THE FOREFRONT….

  1. There is a BIBLICAL reason.   The mission of the church revealed in scripture is not to care for the members (although that should happen as we go). The mission of the church Jesus gave us says that we are to make disciples and take the gospel to the nations. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8). 
  1. There is a PRACTICAL reason.  Even before COVID, research showed that the average church loses 7-10% of its people yearly – even if things are going well and there is no controversy.  How can this be?  Each year a number of people in every church pass away, get physically unable to come, or relocate to another city. In addition, each year finds people who drop out or move to another church. The result is an average loss of 7-10% each year – even if the church is healthy. A church that isn’t reaching new people will quickly be in trouble. 
  1. There is an INTERNAL reason.  I suspect those questions that came to me years ago really weren’t about taking care of our members. They were actually about discomfort with change and all of the new people coming into the church. Let’s face it. Being selfish and inward-focused comes naturally to us. We have to intentionally be unselfish. A church NEVER drifts toward an outward focus. A church ALWAYS drifts toward a more inward focus.  This fact is why leaders must always seek to continually turn the church outward and cultivate an outward focus.  

I once preached revival services in a church that had not baptized anyone in three years. The people had a sweet fellowship and genuinely cared for each other. They told me about their illnesses, surgeries, and how much they loved their classes. Somewhere along the way, they just stopped reaching anybody new and became satisfied and focused on themselves. That church is closed today.  Think about it. Then go share Jesus with someone and invite them to church!

Harry Reeder: Thoughts from a Grateful Neighbor

I distinctly recall the first time I met Harry Reeder. He had recently come to be the pastor at Briarwood Presbyterian Church and we had a graveside funeral together at Elmwood. How did that happen? The deceased was a Briarwood member whom I had gotten to know because I pastored his daughter and family. They had a graveside only funeral and asked me share a few words before Dr. Reeder spoke. Here I was, the young 20-something pastor of a small Baptist church in Blount county conducting a funeral with Harry Reeder. I was in WAAAY over my head! However, Harry was very kind and gracious to this young pastor he had never met.

Fast forward to 2013 when I was called as pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church off I-450/Actor Road exit. Now I was literally just across Acton Road from Briarwood. Harry Reeder and I were now neighboring pastors! Over the years, I became privileged to count him as a friend. I was with him at a few community pastor’s events. Both of our boys graduated from Briarwood Christian School and our paths crossed several times. We knew one another and chatted briefly when we saw each other. Once we shared a laugh about how the Acton Road exit is a great illustration of different strands of evangelical theology: Metropolitan Church of God on one hill with Briarwood Presbyterian on the other hill – and the Baptists right between them! He loved the visual!

While I did know him, mostly I appreciated Harry Reeder and his ministry from a short distance. I often listened to his preaching and followed him on social media. My last interaction with him came back in April after he had preached at the Ligonier Conference. I watched his message online and was so moved I sent him an email of appreciation. He responded with his typical graciousness and we made plans to have lunch together. Sadly, that never happened. Tragically and shockingly, Harry Reeder went to be with the Lord on May 18 in a car accident. I have many friends at Briarwood Presbyterian Church who are in profound, shocked grief. I have prayed much for the Reeder family and Briarwood.

As a neighboring pastor, I had a TON of respect for Harry Reeder and his ministry. He was a tremendous Bible preacher who always shared the gospel and pointed people to Christ in every message. He had a tremendous intellect and used it to speak to issues of our day with a clear, Biblical worldview. He was a steadfast, unbending defender of life, truth, and righteousness. You never had to wonder where Harry Reeder stood – he told you! By all accounts, he was not just a bold preacher. He was a faithful husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and friend – in that order. For these reasons and many more, I had the utmost respect for Harry Reeder.

Count me a grateful friend and neighbor for the life and ministry of Harry Reeder. Well done, good and faithful servant!

THE key issue: The Authority of Scripture

“I know what the Bible says about abortion, but I am for it!”

Even after many years, those words still hit me like a gut punch. They were spoken to me by a person who was in church almost every Sunday and even led in a Sunday School class at their church. While there are many problems with such a statement, I want to focus on what I believe is the biggest one: the open rejection of scripture’s authority. In one sentence, the person who spoke those words communicated that they did not believe the Bible was authoritative for how they lived their lives. They didn’t say they didn’t “believe the Bible” and they didn’t say the Bible wasn’t clear about the issue. They simply said the Bible wasn’t their final authority in making decisions and living their life. They rejected the AUTHORITY of the Bible for their life.

No doubt there are many professing Christians today who make similar statements – to their great peril and the peril of the church. Contrast this line of thinking to what the Bible actually says about itself…

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NASB95)

If you are reading this post, you may know that the Greek word translated “inspired” literally means “God breathed.” The very words of the Bible are God’s words. Then, in response to the nature of the Bible, there is the ROLE of the Bible in the Christian’s life…

“teaching” = The Bible is where we GET what we believe and the source from which we teach what we believe.

“reproof” = The Bible rebukes and strongly corrects us when we sin and need to be confronted.

“correction” = The Bible helps us improve and become more of what we need to be.

“training in righteousness” = We never outgrow the Bible. The Bible is part of our constant growth as a Christian.

Sounds pretty “authoritative” to me!! Please understand what I am NOT saying. I am NOT saying that every single issue is crystal clear in scripture. I am NOT saying that sincere believers (who believe scripture is authoritative) cannot disagree about some issues (i.e. mode of baptism, eschatology). I am NOT saying that every issue is simple and sincere believers shouldn’t wrestle with implications and the bigger picture.

I AM saying that scripture is absolutely authoritative in the life of the believer. It is not enough to “believe the Bible.” We must study the Bible and seek to understand the Bible. We must seek to adjust our lives to the teachings of the Bible – not the other way around as so many do today. These facts hold true even if we don’t like what the Bible says to us. These facts hold true even if the culture tells us the Bible’s teaching is outdated and out of step.

If the Bible isn’t binding and authoritative on my life as a Christian, then it immediately becomes an “option” among many. If the Bible isn’t binding and authoritative on my life as a Christian, then the Bible really means very little. Sadly, this is where so many professing believers in our churches are today. It all comes back to the authority of scripture. Once that is lost, everything else goes pretty quickly.

Think about it.

Life’s Seasons

I shared this devotion with our staff team today and decided to share it in this space. My favorite season of year just started: FOOTBALL SEASON!! Seriously, we all know that there are four seasons of the year that all of us walk through. We all have our favorite and least favorite seasons. For me, fall is my favorite followed closely by summer. Count me OUT for the cold winter! However, even in the coldest winter we have hope becasue we know that spring is coming! It’s interesting that the Bible takes the common seasons of the year and compares them to seasons of life…

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, ESV)

The Bible compares the different times we experience in life to the seasons of the year. Let’s take a few moments and think about life’s seasons…

We must RECOGNIZE the seasons.

Some seasons of life come with time and life. Our kids move from diapers to drivers license. We move from a full house to an empty nest. We move into retirement years. Other seasons come because of change or circumstances. We get offered a job in another city and we accept – necessitating a move and a new season. A loved one suddenly passes away. Natural disasters come. Sometimes seasons change suddenly and irreversibly. Sometimes we get so busy that we don’t even realize the seasons change. The reality is that every single one of us is in a season. Some of us are in a great season. Some of us are in a hard season. Some of us are beginning a new season. Every single one of us is in a season.

We must ENTRUST the seasons.

The Lord controls the seasons. We are not in control. Seasons come and seasons go according to His will. If we keep reading in Ecclesiastes 3, this truth is made clear…

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESV)

“I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:14, ESV)

The seasons of our lives are in HIS hands. If we are in a hard, painful season it’s important to come back to this truth again and again. During one of the most difficult seasons of my own life I was agonizing with the Lord in prayer. He spoke two words to my spirit that night: “TRUST ME.” The Lord is in control of the seasons of our lives. THAT fact is why we can trust Him.

If you are in a hard season, remember the flip side of this truth. Seasons are not permanent. Seasons come, but seasons go. Cold winter gives way to life giving spring. You may not be able to see it. It may be hard to for you to believe it is there, but there is an end to this hard season and the beginning of the a new season. We don’t control the length of our life seasons. We just have to ENTRUST them to the ONE who is faithful and true.

We must EMBRACE the seasons.

“Be where your feet are!” I honestly don’t remember where I heard that expression, but I have never forgotten it. Be present. Be all in, wherever you are in life. This lesson also applies to seasons of life. All of us have favorite seasons of life – times of blessings, joy, and happiness. All of us have hard seasons of life – times of tears, pain, discouragement, etc. The problem comes when we are in a hard season, but our heart is stuck in the good season. We remember when it was better. We remember when it was easier. We remember when it was like we wanted it to be. We remember the good seasons. Praise God for them! It’s good to remember and rejoice. The problem comes when we get stuck in anger, depression, despair and more due to the hard season we are presently in. In a very real sense, we must EMBRACE the season we are in even if it is a season we would have never chosen. “Be where your feet are. Embrace it!”

Some time ago, the Lord used a member of our church to very clearly challenge me about this issue. It happened in a most unexpected place. His wife of over six decades was in her last days. I walked into the hospice unit, and he was sitting at her bedside holding her hand. As usual, I talked with them and prayed with them. As I finished my prayer, he began praying. Here is how he finished his prayer….“Lord, you have been faithful to us. Thank you for bringing us to this place where we can be faithful to you in this moment.”

Have you ever had something hit you a few moments AFTER the moment? Such was my experience that day. As I walked to my car, the reality of his prayer hit me. Here was a man in what was likely the hardest season of his long life, yet he thanked the Lord for it and praised God for the opportunity to be faithful in it. If I ever witnessed anyone who entrusted and embraced a hard season, it was that man in that moment.

Honestly, I was a bit shaken. I was in the middle of a difficult and painful season myself. Increasingly, my thoughts had turned wistfully to better, easier, happier seasons. After witnessing that prayer, I sat in my car for a few minutes to pray. Through my tears I thanked the Lord for His faithfulness to me through every season of my life. I thanked Him for the hard season that I was walking through, and I thanked Him for the opportunity to be faithful to Him in it. I had long ago RECOGNIZED the seasons. It was on that afternoon that I truly learned to ENTRUST and EMBRACE a hard season.

What about YOU? Maybe you are reading this post and you are in the middle of a hard season. Maybe your prayer needs to be similar this one…

“Lord, you have been faithful to me. Thank you for bringing me to this place where I can be faithful to you in this moment.”

My thoughts on the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention

Because I know that this post might have greater interest than usual, I decided to provide a brief recap at the beginning (for those who want a quick bottom line) and then take a more detailed dive into some issues in the rest of this post for those who are interested.

MY SUMMARY OF THE CONVENTION…

Several church members and friends have reached out to me inquiring “How did the convention go?” The short answer is that it went very well, in my opinion. I honestly did not see how it was reported by news outlets, but I can assure you there was a high degree of unity in the room among 8000 gathered messengers from all 50 states. There was a determination to deal straightforwardly with the issues identified in the well-publicized Sexual Abuse Task Force report. The messengers took needed and necessary first steps with no real opposition to the recommendations. My good friend, Craig Carlisle, summarized the highlights of the convention this way…

  1. We commissioned 52 new missionaries.
  2. We affirmed and approved the Sexual Abuse Task Force recommendations.
  3. We elected conservative leadership to every position.
  4. We bolstered our position on pro-life.

I agree with Craig’s highlights. Were their differences of opinion? Sure. You get 10,000 Baptists in the room and there will be some different opinions! However, someone said that Southern Baptists look much better in person than we do on social media. The convention agreed near-unanimously on all but a handful of matters.

The bottom line for me is that I came away from the convention cautiously encouraged that we had found a pathway forward from some of the serious issues we have been dealing with.

A MORE DETAILED LOOK AT KEY ISSUES….

WHAT DID THE CONVENTION DO ABOUT THE ABUSE CRISIS? The Sexual Abuse Task Force (commissioned at the 2021 SBC) and the report they released covered three basic areas: allegations of abuse, the responses to reports of abuse, and treatment of victims. The investigation included all employees of the SBC Executive Committee and all those who served on the Executive Committee itself going back to the year 2000. It was not an investigation of the whole convention; the scope was pretty narrow. Still, the findings of the investigation were horrendous and the messengers at the 2022 SBC were determined to address them head-on and take steps to ensure the SBC responds better to these issues.

Specifically, the messengers near unanimously approved two recommendations that come from the Sexual Abuse Task Force. First, messengers approved the formation of an Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force. Members of this task force will be appointed by the new SBC president. This task force will deliberately and prayerfully bring further recommendations to the convention over the coming years. Second, messengers approved the establishment of a “Ministry Check” website that will contain names of SBC pastors, staff members, denominational workers, and volunteers who have at any time been credibly accused of sexual abuse. The goal is to prevent people from moving from church to church and state to state and repeating the same vile acts. The approval of these two recommendations represents important, vital, tangible initial steps. The SBC certainly is far from finished addressing this issue, but we got off to a decent start with these actions.

DID THE SBC ELECT A “LIBERAL” PRESIDENT? Absolutely not. There were four men nominated for the office of SBC President. In my estimation, all four of them were good, faithful, godly men who were all conservative theologically. Ultimately, Bart Barber, the pastor of FBC Farmersville, Texas was elected president in a run-off. Do I agree with Bart Barber on every issue? No. However, that doesn’t mean he is a liberal. Bart is not a “mega-church pastor” like most who have served as SBC president in my lifetime. He has my prayers and support. By the way, the SBC President is an UNPAID position. Yes, Bart will still serve as pastor of FBC Farmersville and have the stress of being SBC President on top of the normal (considerable) stress of being the pastor of a local church. I am optimistic that Bart will serve us well.

I HEARD THE SBC IS “GOING LIBERAL” ON ABORTION & WOMEN PREACHERS. IS THAT TRUE? I do not believe that is accurate at all. Yes, some did not like how the interim ERLC president answered a question about abortion and pro-life advocacy. Yes, there was debate on the floor of the convention regarding the Credentials Committee recommendation regarding Saddleback Church in California. However, NOT ONE PERSON argued that abortion was not the taking of a life and that Roe V. Wade should not be overturned. NOT ONE PERSON argued in favor of the SBC approving female pastors. I was in the room. In fact, the prevailing atmosphere of the messengers in the room was decidedly toward a conservative, complementarian view of female pastors and the role of women in the church.

CAUTIOUSLY ENCOURAGED. As I stated earlier, I came away from this year’s SBC meeting cautiously encouraged. I hope the worst of the mess at the Executive Committee is behind us. I am very grateful for the interim leadership there and that recent EC committee meetings have been without conflict. I am hopeful that people will tear down one another on social media less in the coming months. I am hopeful that 2022 was the beginning of our denomination finding its way forward in a way that all but a handful of our churches and pastors will support.

I STILL BELIEVE IN THE WORK OF OUR CONVENTION. What is that work you ask? Collectively, those 47,000 SBC churches from all fifty states cooperate to send over 3500 missionaries internationally and over 5000 missionaries in North America. Our International Mission Board and North American Mission Board continue to do much outstanding work. Our six seminaries are all led by solid, Biblically conservative Presidents and train thousands of future pastors, church staff, and missionaries. Southern Baptists are the second largest disaster relief organization in the world – second only to The Red Cross. These efforts alone represent 95% of the money spent by the national SBC. In addition, there is great work being done by many state conventions and local associations across the country. Personally, by the nature of being involved in both, I can attest to the wonderful Kingdom work being done by our Alabama Baptist State Convention and the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association.

The Southern Baptist Convention has been my home since 1990. I have served at six SBC churches. I have preached in countless others. I personally have degrees from two of our seminaries, and my own ministry efforts are the fruit of Southern Baptist’s investment in me. I have seen our mission efforts up close and personal. I know the impact that is being made for Christ literally all over the world by Southern Baptists. I have countless friends serving as pastors, staff members, deacons, volunteers, and faithful members of SBC churches all over America. For these reasons (and many more) I refuse to walk away or lead my church to walk away from the SBC at this point. Am I deeply concerned about several trends I see? Absolutely. Have mistakes (and worse) been made? Yes. However, I am not ready to throw in the towel. Count me as one who chooses to be hopeful that our convention can not only survive, but thrive in the future.

WE MUST ALWAYS BE VIGILANT. Some more perceptive readers noticed the phrase “at this point” in the previous paragraph. Why do I say it that way? We must always be vigilant and watchful. First and foremost we must be vigilant and watchful of ourselves and the local churches in which we serve. We must always be vigilant and watchful of the institutions that we support, no matter how much we love them. We must always stand rock solidly on the inerrant Word of God and proclaim the clear Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must always be watchful that our churches and the institutions they support faithfully fulfill the Great Commission and “contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.”

We can NEVER just assume or take doctrinal fidelity for granted in our churches or institutions. We must always be watchful – particularly in the post-modern 21st-century culture we find ourselves in. Our first loyalty is always and forever to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. Our commitment to our Baptist institutions is only appropriate IF those institutions exist for the glory of Christ and the fulfillment of His commission. No association, state convention, or any SBC entity is “owed” anything by any local church. Those who lead our Baptist institutions and entities must constantly earn the support of our churches by their unapologetic faithfulness to Christ, His glory, His Word, and His commission. THAT reality is the only thing that will actually keep the SBC “rope of sand” together long into the coming decades.

Appreciating My Pastors

“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17, NASB95)

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Like many pastors, I have been blessed with a number of personal cards and words of appreciation during this month. In recent days, I have been thinking about the pastors in my life who influenced me. I thought about writing them a card of appreciation, but some are already with the Lord in glory. I decided to write a blog post of appreciation and share it with anyone who reads this blog.

VERNON MCKINNEY, the first pastor I can remember in my childhood. I never got to know him well because he moved to another church when I was a young boy. I do distinctly remember preaching at a church years later where he was present in the service. He gave me kind words of affirmation that day.

DOYCE WHITE, the pastor who baptized me and let me preach for the first time. “Brother White” as we called him was a butcher in a grocery store and served as the pastor of our small country church for a number of years. He baptized me on a Sunday afternoon in a creek just off highway 117 near Ider. I pass by that place every time I go back to Ider to visit family, and each time I remember the day I was baptized. When I was 17 years old, I went over to his house and told him that I felt God had called me to preach. “Well, you can preach this coming Sunday!” he said to me through tears. I will always be grateful for his affirmation and giving me the opportunity to preach at such a young age. Since that day, I have been in a pulpit somewhere almost every Sunday.

ROGER WATKINS, the pastor who ordained me. In August 1991, New Home Baptist Church in Rosalie had asked me to be their interim pastor. “Brother Roger” felt it was time for me to be ordained before I went to do that. I still remember his prayer over me on that day. Later, I was called back to that church and served on staff as Youth Minister and Associate Pastor under Roger. He ordained me and gave me my first opportunity to serve on staff at a church, and I will always be grateful for him. Roger is struggling with declining health now, and I prayed for him as I typed these words.

BOB PRUITT & MELVIN SLATTON, the pastors who performed our wedding. Bob returned to Rainsville First Baptist as pastor and I served with him for a brief period of time. Even though Bob “inherited” me as an existing staff member when he came, he was always encouraging and affirming of me. He was a first class pastor and gentleman whom I always had great respect for. I still have the letter Melvin wrote to me when I graduated from high school. He was the first pastor who encouraged me to go to seminary. Both of these men are with the Lord now, and I am grateful for their investment in my life.

BILL LETT, my first Director of Missions. When I was called to pastor my first church – Pisgah Baptist Church – Bill was the Director of Missions for that association, a former pastor, and member of the church. Bill and I quickly grew close. His door, his phone, and his home were always open to me. His love, listening ear, and advice meant WAY more to me than I ever knew at the time. More than once he talked his brash young pastor off a cliff or out of a ditch! As a Director of Missions, Bill was a pastor to pastors – par excellence. Over the years we talked regularly and he was a great encourager before going to be with the Lord in 2019. I still miss my phone calls with Bill Lett and his friendship. Bill taught me by example to love people – even the ones who disagree with you.

TOMMY TURNER, a key influence at pivotal times. When I became the 23 year old pastor of Pisgah Baptist Church, Tommy was pastor at First Baptist Boaz. I was pastor of his home church and his parents’ pastor. From time to time, I would drive to Boaz and Tommy would buy us barbecue for lunch and encourage me. There were two distinct occasions when Tommy spoke truth to me and influenced me in making key decisions that have greatly shaped my life and ministry. Tommy’s wisdom helped me say “YES” on one occasion and “NO” on another occasion. As I look back, I am grateful for both occasions and I believe my life and ministry would not have been as blessed had I made different decisions. It’s been a joy to renew my friendship with Tommy in recent years.

TED TRAYLOR, a friend and mentor for the last 27 years. The first church I served as pastor was Ted’s home church. His parents attended there faithfully, so Ted was in town often and was always gracious to give this young pastor his time. In the years since I left that ministry, Ted has continued to graciously give this young (and now middle-aged) pastor his friendship and time. Ted has helped me in immeasurable ways. I have learned much from Ted, but two lessons stand out in particular. First, Ted demonstrates the power of faithful, consistent, expository preaching of the Word of God. The first priority of Ted’s ministry is the pulpit, and I have tried to follow that example. Second, Ted has been faithful at the same church through thick and thin. His favorite piece of advice to me and many others: PERSIST.

JIMMY JACKSON, still my pastor. He was literally my pastor during the years I served with him as Associate Pastor at Whitesburg Baptist Church. Those were very good days in the life of the Corbin family. After working closely with Jimmy for several years, I had more respect for him the day I left than when I arrived. He was/is the “real deal.” For 40 years, he faithfully preached the Word and shepherded the Whitesburg flock. He is probably the wisest man I have ever known, but I know for sure he is the godliest man I have ever known. To this day, hardly a day goes by that I don’t think of him and something he said or how I saw him handle a situation. I am a better man, a better husband, a better father, and a better pastor because of Jimmy Jackson’s influence on my life. To this day, I still call him “my pastor” because he truly is.