This conference is intended to deal with various areas of discussion between 5-point Calvinists and non-Calvinists. The purpose is to present what those who are not 5-point Calvinists believe about such matters as regeneration before faith, limited atonement, etc. Also, some current areas of discussion will be presented, such as the sinner's prayer. We have assembled a group of scholars to make presentations on these and other pertinent subjects.  Thursday night I will be preaching on the subject, "For Whose Sins Did Jesus Die?"  

The Conference is not intended to present the views of those who may be 5-point Calvinists. There are conferences galore with that purpose. Neither is it intended to be a debate between views. There will be a question and answer session Friday afternoon. 

Pastors, staff members, church members and students will profit greatly from this conference.

You can register here.

Pastors, register today for yourself, staff members, students and church members. I look forward to seeing you there!

It took me a few days to get my own copy. But, now I have it and must say I am pleased with the way it came out.

"All The Days: Daily Devotions for Busy Believers" is something I have been wanting to do for quite a while. This devotional book will enable you to read a daily devotional that is brief and to the point. It is not intended to be an in-depth Bible study.

A word about the format.

Each day's devotion is a half page. There is a chapter to read and then a key verse from that chapter. I provide a brief, alliterated outline for the day's reading (preachers will like this!). Then, there is a brief prayer for the day. Each month's devotions has a theme. For instance, January is "Beginnings," and the devotions are taken from Genesis. February is "Promises Made. Promises Kept," and the devotions are taken from Matthew.

We already have had pastors to order them as Christmas gifts for their staff and deacons. Others are ordering them in bulk to give as Christmas presents. They are moving rapidly so I encourage you to get them soon. You can order them here.

It is my prayer that this devotional book will get you into your Bible and on your knees "All The Days."

This past weekend Dr. Daniel Akin posted on “Between the Times” an article he had previously written entitled “Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility.” It is an excellent article, and should I be asked to do so I would gladly sign it, indicating general agreement and making no attempt to nuance its content. I would also encourage others to sign it. 

In an introductory paragraph to that article Dr. Akin referenced my article about discussing the Elephant in the Room. I consider Dr. Akin an adopted son in the ministry. I met him when he was a fellow student at Criswell College with a number of my sons in the ministry (Dr. David Allen among them). I love and appreciate Dr. Akin. He has a marvelous family (Though I give Charlotte most of the credit for those wonderful sons!).

Dr. Akin correctly points out a variety of discussions that have previously taken place concerning the issue of Calvinism. But that’s not all that is involved in this Elephant in the Room discussion we need to have. In the opening paragraph he made no reference to my concern about “the new kind of Calvinism among us.” He does mention certain concerns of his own relative to that in his article. But, there has been little formal discussion about this particular area of concern. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the room.

I gladly affirm the right of the New Calvinists to set forth their views, though I may not agree with them. Those who read Scripture differently should have the same right. When they do, it should not be suggested they might be semi-Pelagians or don’t have enough theological savvy to understand their own views. Personally, I am pretty tough skinned when it comes to some of the stronger comments directed toward me. I have been insulted by professionals!  Dr. Akin’s remarks in response to a question at the Founders’ Luncheon at the Louisville SBC relative to the John 3:16 Conference weren’t helpful. I take no offence, but it saddened me. Further, there must not be attacks, nor elitist and dismissive remarks toward those with whom we disagree. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

To deny the strong influence of New Calvinism at Southern or Southeastern is to try to hide the Elephant. I sent a number of young people to both seminaries. Some, not all, returned with unkind, critical attitudes toward their childhood pastor. I am not the only pastor who has experienced this. Even some pastors’ biological sons have caused them personal sorrow because of their conversion to New Calvinism. Perhaps some would have turned out that way regardless. But there is too much of this kind of thing going on to overlook it. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

The list of signatories of the Statement is impressive, far beyond its number. 4 of the 6 living so-called Conservative Resurgence SBC presidents signed it. Several committee members of the BF&M 2000 committee signed it. SBC state Executives, Seminary Presidents and Professors, etc. signed it. A large number of pastors and lay people signed it. Many more will follow. They all indicate New Calvinism has become a major problem in the SBC. Are they all mistaken? It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

State denominational ministers, DOMs and others know it to be a fact that New Calvinists have contributed to division in some of our churches in their respective areas. To be sure, those who are not New Calvinists have done the same. But, I have yet to see any group of signatories to a document of concern for that. Every week of my life, by email, letter, call or personal conversation, I hear about churches that are having problems due to New Calvinism. A previous church I served (not First Baptist, Jacksonville) was split right down the middle because of it. Were there other factors? Of course. There always are. But New Calvinism was the lynch pin issue. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

There seems to be a strong trend toward loading programs with New Calvinists. Recent SBC Pastors’ Conferences featured many notable New Calvinist speakers. Other conferences around our Convention do the same. Why is this? I personally think it is good to hear other voices than just our SBC speakers. But, it does seem to be out of balance. This year’s Pastors’ Conference indicates a return to some balance. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

Some, certainly not all, New Calvinists move toward moral antinomianism. Dr. Akin and I had a very forthright, yet respectful and loving, conversation concerning having New Calvinist Mark Driscoll speak at Southeastern’s Chapel. I understood some of Dr. Akin’s motivation for doing so. But, I find it hard to accept putting up as a role model for our young preachers someone who says he repented of the sin of total abstinence from alcohol and who puts forth some views on sex that can only be described as bizarre. So much so that my friend, Calvinist John MacArthur, has taken him to task quite firmly. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

I just don’t see that we have discussed all of the issues resulting from the New Calvinism in our midst. I had no part in the GCR Task Force. Perhaps they had many long discussions about the growing problem of New Calvinism. If so, it was not reflected in their report. Several areas of our work have been affected by New Calvinism. About all I have heard from leaders in those areas is denial that there is an Elephant. Such denial just lowers the level of trust on the part of rank and file Southern Baptists. It is time to discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

New Calvinism expresses itself in some very crucial ways. Just one example: There are now those who have eliminated public invitations and even deride the sinners’ prayer. Do any of us want manipulative invitations? No. Do any of us believe any sinner’s prayer will save him/her? Of course not. But the Bible says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13). Does “whosoever” mean sinners? I believe so. Does “call upon the name of the Lord” constitute prayer? Seems that way to me. It’s time to discuss ALL of the Elephant in the Room.

I am thankful Dr. Akin’s article gave me an opportunity to further tease out my convictions concerning the major problem of New Calvinism in the SBC. There is much, much more to be discussed about “the Elephant” (New Calvinism) in our “Room” (SBC). Some who read my words may think I am being unloving. Strong disagreement does not mean lack of love. If you think so, I hope you aren’t married! I pray daily the Lord will help me be irenic, loving and Christ-like in my statements as we discuss ALL the Elephant in the Room.

Let the discussion continue.

When I was sent the statement primarily authored by Dr. Eric Hankins, assisted by other notable Southern Baptist theologians, I was pleased with it. So much so, that I gladly added my name to it and emailed a number of my friends suggesting they might also like to be an original signatory. Indeed, many of them did sign. The growing list of signatories includes past SBC presidents, current SBC seminary presidents, denominational ministers, pastors and lay people. This is an impressive list and should not be taken lightly, as Dr. Mohler has not.

In that email I stated that I was in general agreement with the statement and would not attempt to nuance its content. As I view it, this statement is intended to start a much needed debate and, like the BF&M, is not intended to be the final word on all things soteriological. I strongly disagree with Dr. Mohler's assertion that "some of the statements appear to affirm semi-Pelagian understandings." I wonder if Dr. Mohler thinks some of us aren't theologically astute enough to recognize semi-Pelagianism when we see it! My response is not intended to engage this, however. I understand that the primary authors of the statement will submit a response to Dr. Mohler's blog. So, in a spirit of brotherhood and a humble search for truth, let the discussion begin.

I am concerned on another level. Through the years I have had wonderful fellowship with a number of men who are Calvinists. Many of them are my friends. I have had them preach for me: Dr. Mohler himself; Dr. John MacArthur; etc. And I have preached for them at Southern, The Shepherd's Conference, etc. There has never been any problem. But, there is now a new kind of Calvinism among us. As I stated at Southern Seminary, in the presence of Dr. Mohler, faculty and students, there are some, not all, new Calvinists who are hostile, militant and aggressive. This kind of Calvinism is troubling our churches, hindering evangelism and missions, and disrupting the fellowship of our Convention. I would hope that men of good will, whether Calvinist or not Calvinist, would repudiate that kind of Calvinism.

I have no desire that any Calvinist be unwelcome in the SBC. I do desire that we can live together as brothers, openly and lovingly affirming our theological positions without trying to force them upon others who take another view. And I pray we will be willing to join hearts and hands with those who may view theological matters somewhat differently than we do, within the framework of our BF&M.

It is now clear that this is not an issue that is going to go away. I have no stomach for a battle. I have been in enough battles for two lifetimes. I have no desire for a battle with friends I love. But, the time has come to admit we have a problem, seek God-honoring solutions and move forward to do our part as Southern Baptists to fulfill the Great Commission.

It is no longer possible to deny the elephant is in the room. Let's talk about it.

Prayerfully and hopefully,

Jerry Vines

I would not expect many to know about that these days. But, Guinell Freeman? If you haven't heard of her, you have missed out on knowing one of the finest, most elegant Christian ladies of our generation. She went home to be with her beloved Lord Jesus this week, at the age of 83.

Guinell Freeman was Educational Director of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida for forty years. God used her to build one of the largest Sunday Schools and Christian discipleship ministries in the nation. And, oh yes, she followed Flakes Formula.

Guinell never married. She literally gave her life to the Lord and His work at First Baptist, Jacksonville.  On many, many occasions when I would be returning at night from a preaching engagement, I would go by the church and find Guinell still there, working. 

Dr. Homer Lindsay, Sr., brought her to Jacksonville right out of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In those years she, and her fellow staff member, Fran Hawk, were required to make and give a written report on 50 visits per week. You read that right. Not per year. Not per month. Per week! 

It was a sight to behold to watch her work with her lady directors. I lovingly called them "Guinell's Guerillas." She led them into battle for the Lord. You'd best not get in their way!

Ms. Freeman was not only a dedicated servant, she was an elegant Christian lady. Always impeccably dressed, she epitomized what a Christian woman should be. She dearly loved Janet and me, and our children. We dearly loved her.

I believe Guinell Freeman will be listed as one of our Southern Baptist "greats" alongside Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, and a host of unnamed and unsung "Marthas and Marys" who have made the Southern Baptist Convention what it has been and I pray what it shall continue to be.

Goodbye for now, Guinell. We'll have a great time in Heaven, shouting on the hills of glory.

Flakes Formula? Probably won't see that in Heaven.

Guinell Freeman? Don't miss out on seeing her!

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 Tennessee Press) takes the position that the conservatives won the battle for the Bible because they had the strong preachers. I think the assessment is correct.

The 1979 Pastors’ Conference certainly had an array of preachers. Jim Henry, Bobby Welch, Bill Ricketts, Richard Jackson, Eddie Martin, Jimmy Jackson, James Robison, Charles Stanley, W. A. Criswell, James Robison, Adrian Rogers and yours truly were among the preachers. That’s enough preachers to beat down any opposition!

Baptist Press said “the previous year’s conference drew a rash of negative comments from readers of state Baptist newspapers who said pastors were unduly criticized by preachers at the sessions and not uplifted.” So president Homer Lindsay, Jr. said the conference would “encourage the pastor.”

After a day and a half of rousing preaching and God-honoring music W. A. Criswell electrified the audience Monday night when he said it was great to be in Houston, if for no other reason than to elect Adrian Rogers president of the SBC.

Most of you know the rest of the story.

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. And as you can see, precious little was available for the non-SBC personalities. What I learned about putting on a program that preachers and others would like served me well in the future years of our Pastors’ Conference at First Baptist, Jacksonville, Florida.

I had my pastor, John Tippett, Jr. and Homer Lindsay, Jr. on the program. Homer had graciously spoken only 10 minutes right before me the previous year, giving me a full amount of time. I also had evangelists Sam Cathy and Carliss Odom to speak. And, of course, I had R. G. Lee and W. A. Criswell. I had them out of respect and the pastors’ desire to hear Southern Baptists’ mightiest preachers.

R. O. Stone led the music, using his sons and several other outstanding musicians, including my wife, Janet. R.O. and I also sang. I always had wanted to sing at the SBC! It was a combination of Josh Groban, Rascal Flatts, Justin Bieber and Slim Whitman. I was offered several record contracts, but the call to preach was too strong!

The Conservative Resurgence was just beginning. Baptist Press and other convention outlets criticized me for using some non-Southern Baptist speakers. I had Stephen Olford, Clyde Narramore and Warren Wiersbe. If you’re going to take flack, that’s not a bad group for which to catch it.

Well, the pastors gave the $9,000 I needed to meet the budget. A minor miracle in itself. We had preaching and singing and shouting and weeping. And a glorious time was had by all. 

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 and W. A. Criswell were preaching. Walter Judd, U. S. Republican congressman and Anita Bryant were featured. Homer Lindsay, Jr. and Richard Jackson were preaching.  Also, Ron Dunn and Peter Lord were to speak.

Did I say I was shook? 

Well, the Lord helped me get through the message. Relieved, we headed for lunch.

Upon returning to the Conference, we found seats high up in the Center. Exhausted, I was settling in for the election of my good friend, Bailey Smith, as president of the Conference. He was nominated. I was getting ready to vote for him. Then, a pastor from Alabama stepped forward to nominate someone else. I thought to myself, “Whoever that guy is he’s really going to be embarrassed.” As his speech progressed, I whispered to Janet, “I think he is nominating me!” I bolted down to the platform to withdraw my name. 

To my utter astonishment, when I got there they were taking my picture. I had been elected president of the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference! And they say it was all cut and dried.

Thus started a remarkable journey into history.

Upon entrance we were quickly seated and our table was surrounded by a host of servers in formal attire. With great fanfare they brought cheese spread and crackers to our table. They didn’t serve that at the Green Front Café in my hometown! We helped ourselves.

Then came the menu. I looked at the prices and thought, “This is the big one, Elizabeth!” The prices were astronomical. But, we were too deep into the cheese spread to leave. So we ordered the cheapest items on the menu.

Then we started watching other preachers and their wives entering. Cheese spread. Crackers. Menu. It was a show almost worth the price of admission. SBCers can be really funny when they are puttin’ on the dog.

The next day I attended the NOBTS alumni luncheon. Seated next to me was a pastor’s wife who was sure enough puttin’ on the dog. She had been everywhere, seen everything, knew everybody. Then she turned to me, and in her best SBC voice said, “Could you recommend a fine dining place for our evening meal?”

“Why, yes I can,” I said, “It’s in the French Quarter. I think it’s called The Ritz.”

That’s been 42 years ago. I  would have spent the rest of my convention allowance to see her in the Ritz, puttin’ on the dog.

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 Bob Riddle. Black pastor Manuel Scott (I still remember his outline—we must EVANGELIZE the gospel, ETHICATIZE the gospel and ESCHATALOGIZE the gospel!!).

The preaching highlight for me was one of my heroes, R.G. Lee. He was an annual fixture in the Conference. Dressed in his white suit, he spoke for over an hour on the return of Christ. Talk about sitting in heavenly places! I resolved to attend every year he was preaching.

And the glorious music. Soloist Martha Branham and the First Baptist, Dallas, choir and orchestra. Talk about gospel music with a flare that lifted our souls heavenward! It was the first year of 40+ years of Southern Baptist Convention attendance.

Recently Dr. Roger Olson wrote a review of the volume. The contributors to "Whosoever Will" have written a response to Dr. Olson's review. You can find it here. I think it will be helpful to read this somewhat lengthy response.

Hope to see you at the Fall Bible Conference this Thursday and Friday at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia!

{{jerryvines_mediaPlayer divID="flash34" mp3="/downloads/audio/hill.vines.mp3"}}

Or you can click here to download the interview.

If you want to know more about this conference, please click here to find out information, to register, etc.

Contrary to some articles, I did not have any classes under Dr. Pinnock when I was at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Nor did Dr. Adrian Rogers. Dr. Rogers actually finished his Seminary education before Dr. Pinnock arrived at NOBTS. Rogers' reference to Dr. Pinnock as “my professor” at the Glorieta Conference on Inerrancy was probably an example of the gracious southern manner of Dr. Rogers or a reference to having read some of Dr. Pinnock’s published writings.

Dr. Paige Patterson was his student, taking two systematic theology courses and a Ph. D. seminar. Dr. Pinnock showed his young student (Patterson) the value of philosophy and logic and how to debate. Dr. Patterson used the skills he learned from his teacher to best him at the Ridgecrest conference on inerrancy.

Though I did not have any courses under Dr. Pinnock, I have some special memories of him the one year I was there when he was there. Dr. Pinnock’s arrival at NOBTS took the campus by storm. Liberal professors had intimidated conservative students, suggesting they were intellectually inferior because they believed the Bible to be without error. Dr. Pinnock provided the intellectual foundation the students needed to undergird their belief in an inerrant Bible. 

At that time he was indeed a strong conservative and believed in the inerrancy of Scripture. I remember well the week we had Dr. Carlyle Marney speaking in chapel.

After one of the chapel sessions a number of us were having coffee in the dining hall. Dr. Pinnock, tall and gangly, with coke bottle glasses because of vision problems, came striding through the dining hall with umbrella under arm. “What ya think of Dr. Marney’s message?” one student called out. “He’s a  liberal,” said Dr.Pinnock, without missing a step!

I attended his prayer meetings at night in the prayer room of the Chapel. I can hear him now as he fervently prayed for the Seminary: “Lord, bless part of it and judge part of it.” He was referring to some of the liberalism that was taught at the Seminary at that time. His messages at the Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference and State evangelism conferences helped fuel the concerns many Baptist college and seminary trained pastors had about growing liberalism in our schools. It was a crucial component of the intellectual credibility necessary in the battle for the Bible now called the Conservative Resurgence.

That was the extent of my personal involvement with this brilliant young theologian. I was blessed by his first book on the inerrancy of Scripture. I was saddened by his second one. Through the years I watched with sorrow as he went further away from his earlier conservative convictions. Dr. Patterson has told me that Pinnock’s doctrinal departure started after he became involved in the Charismatic movement.

He had an impact on many of us who later became involved in the Conservative resurgence. There were many of us who knew liberalism was creeping into the Southern Baptist Convention. We had sat in Baptist college and seminary classrooms where we heard it loud and clear. I am thankful for the encouragement and reinforcement Dr. Pinnock provided me in those early years. Southern Baptists owe him a debt of gratitude for his contribution to our return to our conservative roots. I expect to thank him when I greet him in Heaven.

Anthony George, pastor of Aloma Baptist Church, Orlando, and a product of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, will be preaching Thursday night. Brother George is one of our finest young preachers. He is a frequent, favorite preacher at FBC, Atlanta. You will be blessed to hear him.

Mark Gaither, with Logos Bible Software, will be offering training sessions on Logos Thursday morning and Thursday afternoon. For the price of registration you can take advantage of an expert with Logos, in addition to all the other features of the Conference. Such training usually costs several hundred dollars.

Registration is increasing and excitement is building! Friday night will feature a 700-hundred-voice choir. Dr. Stanley will be present for all the sessions. It will give you an opportunity to meet him personally. Some of America’s most popular preachers will be preaching.

Friday night I will be preaching my new message, “Who’s Going To The Marriage Supper?” It will be a glory, hallelujah time!

And, in case you're wondering about the menu for those who choose to sign up for the conference with the steak dinner on Thursday night featuring The Old Paths in concert, click here for a preliminary sneak peek. No dessert is listed just yet, but my preference would be something chocolate.

While we're on the subject of good food, Dreamland BBQ will be on site Friday afternoon to provide very affordable lunches to those in attendance who prefer to stay on the First Baptist campus between sessions.

Click here to learn more about the conference and how you can register today.

{{jerryvines_mediaPlayer divID="flash29" mp3="/downloads/audio/dooley.vines.mp3"}}

Or you can click here to download the interview.

If you want to know more about this conference, please click here to find out information, to register, etc.

It’s rather disappointing to me. Just when I was getting out my old high school blue jeans, tennis shoes, and getting my hair(both of them) spiked and colored, one red and the other green! 

I have had grave reservations for sometime now as I have watched the trends toward “coolness.” I have tried to be as understanding and as tolerant as possible. But, more and more voices of concern are being raised  about the hip, edgy approach to doing church.

McCracken says, “But are these gimmicks really going to bring young people back to church? Is this what people really come to church for? Maybe sex sermons and indie-rock worship music do help in getting people in the door, and maybe even in winning new converts. But what sort of Christianity are they being converted to?” 

Frankly, some of the current models have the smell  of the world. Historically, the church has had the most impact upon the world when it was least like the world. And, these “cool” methods are too young to fail. It takes a period of time to see if a method is really successful, in the biblical sense of success.

Dean Inge once said, “He who marries the spirit of the age will find himself a widower in the next.”

Could it be a generation of widowers is just ahead?

And, I have been nearly drowning in technology. I started having a number of problems with my computer. So, I made the decision to switch to a Mac. Best decision I ever made. But, it was really something making the change. Then, I got a new iPhone 4. Fortunately, I haven’t had the problems with it some have had. On top of all that, I purchased the new iPad. Talk about a miracle machine! I can do about everything but brush my teeth with that contraption! I switched from the Kindle to the iPad for a lot of my secular reading. The screen is bright and clear. I can adjust the font to help me read even better. 

Now my Mac, iPhone 4 and iPad are all synched! In an instant all my emails, contacts, music, books and whatever are scattered abroad! This technology stuff makes life move at an almost instant pace. 

But, technology can’t do some things. It can’t make me the person I ought to be. It can’t make me like Christ. It doesn’t contribute to my holiness. It takes time to do that.

So, the words of an old hymn come singing their way into my heart: “Take time to be holy, Speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word; Take time to be holy, The world rushes on; Spend much time in secret With Jesus alone; By looking to Jesus Like Him thou shalt be; Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.”

And, oh yes. $100 to the first Minister of Music who leads that hymn in a service where I am preaching!

Anthony George, the young pastor, is one of my sons in the ministry. Anthony was reached for Christ by a youth Sunday School teacher in our First Baptist Church in Jacksonville. 

He is doing a fabulous job as pastor at Aloma. 

Dr. John Sullivan will be speaking at the 8:15 am service. Dr. Paige Patterson will be speaking at the 9:45 am service. I will be speaking at the 11:15 am service.

I hope to see you there!

This phase begins with I Corinthians and goes chapter-by-chapter through Colossians. There are also special lessons for Easter, Mothers’ Day and Christmas.

God willing, the last year and a half of the curriculum will be available by the end of 2010.

We are so pleased at the churches taking advantage of this chapter-by-chapter Sunday School study through the New Testament. Our renewal rate is virtually one hundred percent. The feedback we are getting is most encouraging.

I know of no better way to study the Bible than chapter-by-chapter. These leader guides will enable Sunday School teachers to give their students a clear, easy-to-understand study of these Bible chapters.

You can learn more about Vines By the Book by going here.

We are at a momentous moment in Southern Baptist life. “For such a time as this” we need a servant-leader statesman as our next president.

Let me paint a picture of the kind of president we need.

We need a president who is godly and humble. He is neither interested in celebrity nor popularity. He preaches the Bible and is a faithful shepherd to his people. He recognizes the Convention isn’t perfect, but he is committed to its core doctrines, values and ministries.

He understands how the Convention works. He has experience at every level of Southern Baptist life, from the national to the state to the associational to the local church level.

He doesn’t polarize people, but unites them. He is courageous enough to take unpopular stands. But, he does it with love and acceptance for those who have another opinion.

He will have to lead Southern Baptists in what I believe will be its most difficult, challenging years.

So, the ballot is before you. Punch the name of ____________, a servant-leader Statesman. “For such a time as this.”

God uses preachers of all ages to speak His Word to our hearts. It would be a mistake for us to think only those of a certain age have a message of God for us. Some of the great preachers who are older have really blessed and challenged me. I have been thrilled and helped immensely by young preachers.

The effectiveness of a preacher is not dependent upon his age. Rather, it is dependent upon his faithfulness to the Word of God, his surrender to the anointing of the Holy Spirit and his life and character which are consistent with the message he preaches.

I hope I am a better preacher now than ever before. Experience, growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and His Word should make us better. But, I experienced the power of God’s Spirit upon my preaching when I was a much younger preacher.

Make your plans to come to the 2010 Fall Bible Conference and hear the Word from the generations of preachers on the program!

There is a tendency for us all to get out of balance. And the younger we are, the more we tend to extremes. I know that was true for me. At times my passion outran my understanding. I was sincere, but hadn’t lived long enough to have a more complete picture. I don’t claim to have the complete picture now. But, I have come to believe that balance is important.

Blessed are the balanced in preaching. You can get so caught up in one theme of Scripture that you exclude other themes.

I heard about a preacher who got hung up on the account of the woman at the well. He was speaking on Numbers 22:21, “Balaam…saddled his donkey.” He said, “First, I want to speak  about the usefulness of donkeys. Second, I want to speak about the details of ancient saddles. Then I will close with a few words about the woman at the well.”

Preaching through Bible books helps the preacher to stay balanced in his preaching.

Blessed are the balanced in preaching.

Blessed are the balanced in doctrine.

There is a beautiful tension between many Bible doctrines. In Scripture our finite mind encounters the infinite mind of God. We surely understand we can’t have complete comprehension.

Take Divine sovereignty and human responsibility, for instance. Both are taught in Scripture. Systematic theologies leaning too far in one direction to the detriment of the other get biblical truth out of balance. Neither extreme Calvinism nor extreme Arminianism represents biblical theology.

Blessed are the balanced. 

Blessed are the balanced in church ministry.

The New Testament makes it clear that churches aren’t to focus on either local or global ministry to the exclusion of the other. The New Testament pattern isn’t either/or but both/and.

As a lifetime Southern Baptist I think we are in desperate need of some balance these days.

I believe strongly in the autonomy of the local church. No central authority over a church dictates to it. No convention can tell a church how to conduct its ministry, to develop its programs, or how to give its money. Each church congregation makes those decisions under the Lordship of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit. But, I do believe it is important for churches to cooperate with one another in carrying out our Lord’s command to witness to the whole world, from our local “Jerusalem” to the global “ends of the earth.”

Blessed are the balanced.  

There must be some balance in how we use our funds. Obviously we can’t carry on our local work without using much of our tithes and offerings there.

The local church should constantly evaluate the need for and necessity of some of its buildings, staff and programs. We must also be mindful of the opportunity to share with other churches of like faith and order in local, state, national and worldwide causes. If you are going to be part of a convention of churches, you should have some kind of financial commitment to it.

If you want to be independent and do everything as a local church, fine and God bless you. But, if you are part of the Southern Baptist Convention, there should be some kind of financial involvement there.

If you want to be a part of the leadership, setting the course of the SBC, you should lead in financial commitment. A man in your local church probably won’t get placed on the finance committee if he designates $50,000 a year to the music ministry (maybe led by his son!), but only gives $500 annually to the church’s unified budget. He’s free to give his money that way. But, I doubt you would give him the opportunity to make decisions affecting how the bulk of the church’s money is used.

Blessed are the balanced.

During the years of the Conservative Resurgence I was criticized for my church’s low percentage of giving to the SBC’s cooperative program. I just took the criticism and didn’t get mad about it. The issue of liberalism was the primary impediment.

Many of us said, “We don’t want to support the liberalism.” As we began to resolve that issue, the record will show my church steadily increased its gifts. I feel you have to put your money where your mouth is.

Now we hear the criticism, “We don’t want to support the bloated bureaucracy.” Well, I’m sure there is enough bloat in our Convention, entities, and yes, our churches, to go around.

Examine? Sure.

Eliminate all the bloat we can? Yes!

But, blast and blame? No.

It just boils down to this: If you intend to be a Southern Baptist, work through the system to bring about the change you desire. It won’t happen over night.

The SBC boat is a big one and doesn’t change course quickly. It took ten years for us to utilize our trustee system to address the problem of liberalism. If you aren’t willing to take the time and the SBC doesn’t fit your idea of what a convention of churches should be, then seek another. And God bless you as you go.

Blessed are the balanced.

This is the first Bible Conference at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. Our Pastor, Dr. Charles Stanley, expressed to me some time ago his desire to have such a conference. 

We have put together a program of Bible preaching and superior gospel, evangelist music.

If you register before August 1st, you will save $10.00/person off of the registration fee. Also, only the first 700 who register will be able to reserve a place for the Thursday night steak dinner.

Take advantage of these savings, and register now. Pastors, sign up your staff and laypeople. They will benefit greatly from this Conference.

He was exactly correct, of course.

What the brother failed to understand is that God sometimes re-assigns his servants.

Dr. Charles Swindoll spoke at the Thomas Road Baptist Church “Refuel” conference last week. Swindoll is said to be the second most influential living preacher, after Billy Graham, in a recent LifeWay Research survey. The 75-year-old preacher said some interesting things (for a more complete article on his message, check out Friday’s Vines Lines membership section).

Among them, he said he had no plans to retire. He challenged pastors against pursuing the American dream of retirement.

Swindoll said, “I don’t want to hear a one of you say ‘I’m living for the day I’m going to retire.’ A pastor doesn’t retire.”

Speaking from the Bible picture of a pastor as a under rower, he said, “We got to keep that oar in the water. When they think of you let them remember you kept your oar in the water.” (The Christian Post, 5.20)

Of course, Swindoll himself has been re-assigned on a few occasions. From his church in California to the presidency of Dallas Theological Seminary and now again to a pastorate.

I resigned as pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville. Does that mean I have resigned from the ministry? No.

Have I retired from being a preacher? Nope. It just means I have been re-assigned.

I have “re-tired” and I’m still rolling for Jesus!