Changes to NAMB
The first run of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force is complete and reports have been given. You can actually watch a video of the presentation given by Ronnie Floyd, or you can read this BP article which reviews the work thus far. Apparently, changes are in the air for NAMB and state conventions.
Pro Choice Support for Tebow
This article highlights the commentary from Sally Jenkins, a pro-choice sportswriter from the Washington Post. Her comments are certainly fair and demonstrate that there can still be civil disagreement in America. Though she does not agree completely with Tebow’s pro-life advocacy (she is pro-choice), she does understand how critical it is for him to have a voice. Even more, she seems to get the point that feminists miss: Tim Tebow has a very high regard for women and is not serially abusing them like many athletes tend to do. The outrage from groups such as NOW only betrays the lack of concern these groups actually have for women. Their goal is not to support women but to encourage abortion. Hats off to Sally Jenkins for her insight and courage in pointing out their duplicity.
So. Baptists Kidnapping?
I had heard that the churches involved in the Haiti incident with orphaned children were not Southern Baptist churches, but this BP article states that the 2 Idaho churches were Southern Baptist. The situation is not at all clear. Obviously, kidnapping was not the goal, but that has been one of the charges against the Christians who were seeking to rescue the kids.
Pro-Choice (except for Your choices)
If you read this article, you hear the complaints from so-called “Women’s” Groups decrying the Super Bowl ad from Tim Tebow and Focus on the Family. These abortion advocates are lobbying CBS to get the ad pulled. Ironically, they are upset with CBS because Focus on the Family is supposed to be “anti-choice” and homophobic and all the rest. But the tables are turned on these women’s groups. Does CBS not have the right to choose who gives them 2.5 million for an ad? Does Focus on the Family not have the right to choose to buy an ad for its organization? Does Tim Tebow not have the right to choose to speak up for what he believes? And, does Pam Tebow not have the right to choose to give birth to a little boy who would later become the best college football player ever? Pro-choice, it seems, only applies to abortion.
Tattoos
Chances are, you have had opportunities to consider whether tattoos are an acceptable option for Christians. The question is debated on the basis of Leviticus 19:28. It is worth considering. You may find this Q & A with Dr. Russ Moore helpful as he gives advice to a young man concerning whether he ought to get a tattoo.
Sin so small
Reading through Genesis 3 leaves the impression that sin is essentially explained in that chapter. The first sin of the race offers the framework by which all other sin can be assessed and understood.
For me, one of the most striking aspects of sin as pictured in Genesis 3 is just how limiting sin proves to be. Notice that the tempter had to take Eve’s mind away from the infinite blessings God had bestowed upon her. The tempter caused Eve to forget the infinite bounty that was before her just awaiting her exploration; instead, the tempter got Eve to focus on a single tree with a single fruit in view.
In essence, all sin works this way. It makes one very small piece of creation become more important to you than all of creation. The whole earth belonged to Eve and Adam, but that was not enough. They traded it all for a single fruit. Whether our “fruit” is a pill, a woman, a man, a bottle, a juicy bit of gossip, or an extra dollar worth lying for–our fruit is the same as Adam and Eve’s; it is one little tiny part of creation which we have made ourselves to believe is worth all of creation. We make very small things large in our own eyes.
This means our lust is fueled not by reality, but by our appetites. We want to believe in the bigness of the little fruit. We make it big by pursuing it with heavy panting and constant craving. God is not fooled, however, and still sees the little thing for what it is: very small indeed.
If we would but turn to God in Christ, we would see what a massively glorious creature He is. Then we would know BIG! Then we would pant and crave to capture his inexhaustible glory. Then we would be fulfilled because whatever bigness we ascribe to God would prove not to have been big enough. He will always exceed our expectations of Him.
Church Fires
Because the persecution of Christians is not a topic the mainstream media care much about, they have not been covering the church fires in Texas. So, I thought I might mention this article which reports that there have been 9 church fires in east Texas since New Year’s Day. Three of the nine churches have been Southern Baptist. I once pastored a church which was victimized by arson; it was back when there was a bit of an uproar to church burnings. At the time, the press was reporting on church burnings from the perspective of racial prejudice. Several black churches were burned; so, the news was covered from the angle of race. However, the situation was not prejudice against a race of people but prejudice against the religion of people, namely, prejudice against Christians. Many churches were burned then and have been burned since, not because of race but because of religion. Obviously, the fires of hatred against the church still burn.
Video UPdate
In case you haven’t seen it, I have linked here a video update from Haiti. The video gives a report of all that Southern Baptists are doing in Haiti.
A Better Response
Pat Robertson made reference today to the supposed voodoo pact that Haitians made with the devil more than a century ago. The insinuation was clear. Haiti deserved the judgment she got. This seems a wrongheaded response, particularly in such a tragic time.
A much better response is offered by Dr. Mohler, who asks whether God hates Haiti. Dr. Mohler answers the question by stating that God hates sin. Our response to tragedy is not to say that God must hate those who suffer; rather, our response should be (as Christ taught the disciples) “do you think they were more guilty than others” (Luke 13:4). No, there is a judgment for all men. There is condemnation for all men. Death will reach to all men.
The glory and goodness of God is on display in the reality that love will reach to Haiti. God’s people will spread God’s love to Haiti. The gospel will reach Haiti. God’s love is being poured out now on the people of Haiti. Making assertions that Haitians deserve God’s wrath is forgetting that we do, too.
