Archive for November 2011
Full text of SBTC resolutions
IRVING—Messengers to the 14th session of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention annual meeting passed resolutions on the personhood of the unborn, Israel, biblical manhood and womanhood, financial stewardship, and appreciation for the outgoing president, Byron McWilliams of Odessa. The text of the resolutions, as approved, are listed below: Resolution #1 On The [...]
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Apologists call for confidence amid worldview struggle
EULESSChristian apologist J.P. Moreland described the secular cultures bleak outlook on historic Christianity: Not only is Christianity depicted as a religion for the ignorant, it is also viewed as a religion for the immoral. If you follow the religion of Jesus youre not only ignorant, youre immoral, because Christianity is now [...]
Continue ReadingBoard approves new Criswell agreement
IRVING—The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Executive Board entered into a three-year affiliation agreement with Criswell College as the school enters a new era under new bylaws and a newly constituted trustee board. Also during the SBTC board’s fall meeting on Nov. 16 in Irving, the board elected new officers and [...]
Continue ReadingLoud and clear
Junior high and high school kids say sexually inappropriate things to each other. No, really, I just read an article that described the problem as “pervasive.” In fact, it’s now being called sexual harassment. According to a nifty, free online legal dictionary I found, “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, [...]
Continue ReadingAt annual meeting, God showed his favor
Another convention has come to a close. Once again, God showed His favor. This annual meeting set a record for the most registered attendees at 1,776. This is remarkable when you consider the economic difficulties we face and the decline of interest in some denominational circles. I am thankful to God [...]
Continue ReadingAmid famine, life-and-death decisions grip Africa aid workers
NORTHEAST KENYA—“No, you can’t tell me that,” Don Sullivan* pleads softly into the phone. “We need that food. The people need that food.” The Christian aid worker’s shoulders slump as he hangs up, his plan disrupted for the next day’s food distribution. He was expecting three trucks—33 tons—of famine-relief food for [...]
Continue ReadingTexas churches answer call to embrace people groups
IRVINGMore than 125 leaders from Southern Baptist churches in Texas responded to the appeal to lead their members to embrace at least one unreached, unengaged global people group (UUPG) with the gospel. The response came during the closing session of the Nov. 14-15 Southern Baptists of Texas Convention annual meeting at [...]
Continue ReadingIMB unanimously passes Global Connect 2 pilot project
RICHMOND, Va.A new pilot project approved unanimously by International Mission Board trustees Nov. 15 will allow up to 25 churches to fully fund and send their own short-term missionaries. Through the project, called Great Commission Global Connect (GC2), sending churches will pay for deployment costs and ongoing salary for these GC2 [...]
Continue ReadingSBTC OKs $26.2 million budget as churches embrace unengaged
IRVINGThe ballots given to 901 messengers were never needed at the 14th session of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. With overwhelming unity on display, raised hands were sufficient for messengers to approve a $26.2 million budget, elect Mesquite pastor Terry Turner as president, and pass five resolutions on topics [...]
Continue ReadingStroope urges ministers to equip families to disciple children
IRVING--Because pastoral staff can’t “do it all,” Steve Stroope, pastor of Lake Pointe Church, encouraged ministers to delegate ministry needs by equipping families to disciple their own children and equipping church members to lead. Citing both Old Testament and New Testament precedent for the biblical principle of delegation, Stroope called attention [...]
Continue ReadingCriswell College hosts Crossover festival
DALLASThe squeals of childrens laughter and parents conversation mingled with upbeat melodies of Christian pop songs pumped through speakers scattered across the Criswell parking lot-turned festival ground at the colleges first annual block party Nov. 12. The event served as one of the Southern Baptists of Texas Conventions Crossover events designed [...]
Continue ReadingAnnual meeting session to sound call to reach unengaged people groups
IRVINGThe closing session of the SBTC annual meeting Nov. 14-15 at the Irving Convention Center will include a call for Texas churches to help engage the estimated 3,600 unengaged people groups worldwide. In August, the SBTCs Executive Board voted to give $1 million in surplus funds for international missions through the [...]
Continue ReadingEmbracing people groups regardless of the cost
CEDAR HILL—”I can’t think of anything that is going to fire up churches in Texas about giving to the Cooperative Program like what has happened here,” declared Southern Baptist Convention President Bryant Wright at the Embrace Equipping Conference in Cedar Hill on Oct. 27. The conference was one of three nationally [...]
Continue ReadingAustin pro-life groups file discrimination suit against city
AUSTIN—Several pregnancy resource centers and Catholic groups have filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Austin alleging that a local ordinance abridges the free speech rights of pro-life ministries. The ordinance, which took effect in April 2010, requires pregnancy resource centers to post signs in Spanish and English that say, [...]
Continue ReadingSBTC Empower Evangelism Conference Feb. 27-29 in Frisco
FRISCO—The 2012 SBTC Empower Evangelism Conference is planned Feb. 27-29 at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco. The theme, “I Am Not Ashamed,” is taken from Romans 1:14-17. “It is my conviction that the Empower Evangelism Conference allows us to step aside from our busy lifestyle and allow God to revive, [...]
Continue ReadingStill Baptist, after all these years
The first report of the committee appointed by SBC President Bryant Wright to consider a new name for the SBC indicates that they know their job is a hot potato. Chairman Jimmy Draper assured us that they are approaching the task prayerfully and deliberately. He also made clear that the [...]
Continue ReadingOutreach to TVCC football team fruitful
ATHENS—It was a normal Sunday morning at Sand Springs Baptist Church in Athens until a busload of football players lumbered into the auditorium, invited by offensive lineman Nate Richards of Keller. “Nate’s dad offered to provide lunch for the guys and some of our church leadership at his expense,” explained Erick [...]
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