Jerry Vines Blog
Things were heating up in the SBC controversy by the 1979 Pastors’ Conference at Houston. Southern Baptist periodicals had come to realize that the Pastors’ Conference was a rallying place for conservatives. Baptist pastors and lay people always come where there is great gospel music and fiery preaching.
A book not widely read (but should be) “In The Name Of The Father: The Rhetoric of the New Southern Baptist Convention,” (Kell and Camp, University of...
In my last blog I recounted my astonishing election as president of the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference. I was to preside at the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium Arena in 1977.
Our budget was huge--$9,000. We were very innovative with our stage—a flower arrangement, a pulpit, a piano and organ.Admittedly the rental cost of auditoriums has escalated considerably since then. Contrary to what some think, no honorariums were paid to Southern Baptist speakers or singers....
Fast forward to 1976.
The 1976 Pastors’ Conference was held at the Scope Convention Center in Norfolk, Virginia. My new friend, Adrian Rogers, was the president. He had been present when I preached a message entitled “Our Ascended Lord” at the Alabama Evangelism Conference earlier that year. He asked me to preach the same message in Norfolk.
Talk about scared out of my wits.
Janet and I arrived in Norfolk. I was clearly shook. My heroes, R. G. Lee...
Janet and I arrived a day early for the 1969 SBC in New Orleans. Our minister of music, Fred Barr, and his wife, Marjorie were with us. We checked in to our hotel and immediately headed to the French Quarter for some fine dining. We were puttin’ on the dog. We found a place named “The Ritz” (name changed to protect the guilty).
Upon entrance we were quickly seated and our table was surrounded by a host of servers in formal attire. With great fanfare they brought...
Janet and I attended our first Southern Baptist Convention together in 1969. Held in New Orleans, W. A. Criswell presided as president. The highlight for me was the Pastors’ Conference.
I heard quite an array of speakers. Wayne Ward and Gray Allison, Seminary professors. Testimonies and addresses by Miss America Vonda Kay Van Dyke, Alabama Governor Albert Brewer and Bob Harrington, the Chaplain of Bourbon Street. Young up and coming Alabama pastors Charles Carter and John...
Last week I visited the grave and house of E. M. Bounds. Since I heard he was buried in Washington, Georgia, I have wanted to make that trip.
A few nights ago I was privileged to speak at the Georgia Baptist Evangelism Conference. I always enjoy such conferences. I got to hear some good preaching, godly heart music and fellowship with godly pastors, both new and old friends.
It brought back to my mind the first time I ever spoke at an Evangelism conference. I had just become the pastor of Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. I was 33-years old and didn’t have a clue what I was doing in a big church! I was...
I was elected president of the SBC in 1988. Some half-jokingly said I was the first independent Baptist in history elected president! Actually, all my roots are in Southern Baptist life. I was saved, called to preach, educated, and served in only Southern Baptist churches.
In the earlier years several of us were so concerned about liberalism in the SBC we thought we might indeed become independents. Adrian Rogers and I talked about it frequently. Of course, you know the...
We have just created a YouTube channel for current and future videos.
You can access the channel right here. The channel address is: http://www.youtube.com/JerryVinesMin
In the future we will be adding videos to this channel as well as this blog.
This first video is a recent discussion between Jerry Vines and Charles Stanley. They are...
A few days ago I listened to a message I preached in 1964 (yes, they did have tape recording in the dark ages!). I don’t advise it. Now I know why I developed major voice problems. Remember, I was only 26. And, I was preaching at a place where you had to take your coat off, sweat like a horse, unloose your tie, preach on about two inches of your shirttail and get so hoarse you could hardly talk before it was considered preaching.
I sounded like a machine gun with the...
