What I Like About the SBC
This is part of a series that I want to do, both on what I like and what I dislike about the SBC (The Southern Baptist Convention). I am writing these because:
- There was an annual SBC meeting recently, and I feel that is my responsibility as a Southern Baptist to speak my mind about certain things that will arose at the meeting.
- I want people to understand my opinion when it comes to the SBC.
- I feel that, as someone who has been a Southern Baptist for my whole life (saved in a Southern Baptist church), it's important for me to discuss the health of the SBC from my perspective.
What I Like About the SBC
I have spent my first 21 years of my life in different Southern Baptist Church's, including FBC of Cary (NC) and FBC of Jacksonville (FL), Hickory Grove Baptist Church (Charlotte, NC), and Bay Leaf Baptist Church (Raleigh, NC). Over the years, I've noticed things that I like about the SBC and the churches in general.
-I like that, for one, there are devoted families that I have seen firsthand who serve with great love and commitment.
-I like that the SBC has 6 Southern Baptist seminaries that teach good, sound doctrine.
-I like that, as a whole, we give if not the most (don't quote me) but a TON of money financially to aid overseas missions, through certain offerings and organizations.
-I like the fact that we as a Southern Baptist Convention have a long line of devoted, committed Christian's who were faithful, and that we follow in the footsteps of men and women of great faith.
-I like that there is emphasis on memorizing scripture through Awana, or the understanding of christian teamwork through R.A. and Upward Basketball.
-I like that there is a passion among a rising number of churches in the SBC that are willing and committed to seeing the nations come to Christ.
-I like that there is solid leadership in the SBC, men like Albert Mohler, Danny Akin, and Johnny Hunt.
-I like that men who are older and more experienced in the SBC understand the need for young leaders to rise up and take the baton.
-I like that there is an obvious uprise in the younger generation who are deeply concerned with and willing to make an impact in and through the SBC for Jesus.
We still have a long way to go in regards to reaching people with the Gospel, but progress is on the horizon. And that, my friend, is why I'm a Southern Baptist.
What I Dislike About the SBC
This is part of a series that I want to do, both on what I like and what I dislike about the SBC (The Southern Baptist Convention). I am writing these because:
- There was an annual SBC meeting recently, and I feel that is my responsibility as a Southern Baptist to speak my mind about certain things that will arose at the meeting.
- I want people to understand my opinion when it comes to the SBC.
- I feel that, as someone who has been a Southern Baptist for my whole life (saved in a Southern Baptist church), it's important for me to discuss the health of the SBC from my perspective.
What I Dislike About the SBC
-I dislike the fact that a lot of traditional churches in the SBC are too disconnected from the culture to make an effect.
-I dislike the fact that many churches in the SBC treat Church as a place to escape from the world, and not a place where church members are not encouraged to reach out to the lost outside of the church walls.
-I dislike the fact that there are traces of legalism in SBC churches, among pastors, members, and deacons alike.
-I dislike the fact that many churches in the SBC function like country clubs.
-I dislike the fact that some churches in the SBC are more concerned with debating and pushing right-wing politics and legalism on unbelievers and believers rather than reaching non-christians with the gospel.
-I dislike the fact that some people in the churches of the SBC are more worried about meaningless issues rather than more important ones.
-I dislike the fact that there are people in a few churches I've been at who feel that Christianity is simply a list of do's and don'ts, and their are probably more people in other churches in the SBC who are like this.
-I dislike the fact that many churches in the SBC, especially traditional FBC churches, are turned off to new ideas because they are stuck in their simple, naive way of doing things.
-I dislike the fact that this post was easier to write than my post about what I like about the SBC.
I hope I'm not coming off as someone who is just critical for the sake of being critical, but I am saying things that aren't only true with my experiences in the churches of the SBC. Look for my blog post on What I like about the SBC to see why I am a part of the SBC.
My Manic Monday
I got:
-A new job working here! Thank you Dylan, you're the man. I'm stoked, pretty excited to see what new things will come of this.
-Check out Freedom 4-24, a cause that lets you pay to give 24 hours of freedom to a prostitute in Thailand. It's awesome what they do, check it out.
-So I move into a new house in a week, and I'm wondering if I need to buy anything that I haven't bought before for a house. I lived in an apartment and got by well, do I need anything specifically for a house?
-I've been wearing out some Christmas music. Nothing like Christmas in the summer. Seriously. Listen to some Christmas music and try to NOT be in a good mood after you listen to it.
-I'll put up the blog posts about the SBC in the next few days. I'm actually interested to see what people think about it.
-Ok, so let me get this straight, first Ed McMahon dies, then Farrah Fawcet, then Michael Jackson, and then Billy Mays? Celebrity death week for sure. Really makes me sit back and realize that people really cared a whole lot about celebrities than I thought.
-And finally, iPhone MMS fail.
My Manic Monday
Manic Monday:
-I'm coming down with a cold today. That sucks. Who get's a cold when it's hot outside? Something I'll never understand.
-So this past weekend, the iPhone 3GS came out. I didn't get, but others did. Who got it?
-I wrote a blog post last week on reality, check it. And let me know what you think.
-I'm also working on a blog series titled "Why I like/dislike the SBC" in light of this week's Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, KY.
-I updated the design of my blog post. What do you think? Do you like it?
-If you want to follow the conflict in Iran, you can follow real time updates from Twitter using Twitter Search or Tweettabs and typing #iranelection. Very helpful, as Twitter seems to be the only means of communication in Iran.
-My final interview is tomorrow at 2:00. Once I get it, I'll let you know what I'll be doing. I think it will be a nice change from what I've been doing.
-This is, I think, my first summer since 9th grade that I haven't gone with a youth group to Summer Camp. Everyone who is going on a Summer Camp or Trip, have fun!
-And finally, for those of you who haven't check out IamSecond, do it. Video's of average joe's and celebrities telling their testimonies of how they came to put themselves second and Jesus first.