Archive for February, 2006
IMB Trustees to Recommend Reversing Action on Burleson
February 15th, 2006 | Comments Off | Posted in » Baptist Issues
Baptist Press News reports that the Executive Committee of the IMB Trustees will recommend reversing their January 11th motion to ask the Southern Baptist Convention to dismiss Wade Burleson as a trustee of the IMB. According to the article, the committee has decided that it is best to handle the matter of trustee discipline internally.
The article asserts that Wade had refused “trustee requests to stop the practice [of blogging about IMB issues] out of concern that inaccurate or confidential information was being disseminated”.
A few things:
1. I’m glad the trustees are planning to recommend rescinding action to remove Wade. I can’t help but wonder the motives for this, though. Is this action simply to save face, or have they truly had a change of heart about their reaction to Wade’s actions? My skeptical side leads me to believe the former, but my hopeful side prays for the latter.
2. The article spends quite a few sentences dwelling on Wade’s promise to stop blogging if the trustees make it a policy, so I can’t help but wonder if this is the next step. What a sad day it will be if / when that happens… blogging is an awesome way for our trustees to keep their fellow Baptists informed about IMB happenings. If anything, we should have MORE trustees blogging!
3. The article indicates that this controversy has resulted in several blogs (I’m guessing it’s much more than several!) maintaining frequest discussion of the matter, and of many Baptists calling for a large turnout at the convention in support of Wade. Isn’t this a good thing? I’m ELATED that young Baptist leaders (who seem to make up much of the group reacting strongly to this) are interested in the direction of our convention.
4. Did anyone else get the impression that the article seems to take the trustees’ side in this? I certainly didn’t come away with a feeling that this was a balanced article on the situation.
Anyway… will be interesting to see Wade’s response in his blog.
Yes, I’m a Chaplain Now…
February 13th, 2006 | 1 Comment | Posted in » My Life / Family
As my good friend Micah reported late last week, Baseball Chapel has selected me to be the new chaplain for the St. Joseph Blacksnakes, an independent league professional baseball team here in St. Joseph. If you know me very well at all, you know how much I enjoy independent league baseball, so this would seem to be the perfect ministry opportunity.
The thought of this ministry is both exciting and overwhelming, all at the same time. I wish I knew precisely what God has in store (it’s always so much easier to step out and walk by faith when you fully know where God is leading), but I know that God has enabled this opportunity and that He will bless it if Nancy and I are faithful to follow Him.
Anyway… Given that we’re both new to this kind of ministry, Nancy and I would definitely appreciate it if you’d keep us in your prayers in the coming months!
One Ugly Mug…
February 13th, 2006 | 11 Comments | Posted in » My Life / Family, Site News...
I’m sure by now you noticed that rather goofy looking picture to the left. Yep… that’s me.
Not sure why I was ever really hesitant to post anything personal here… after all… this site is a reflection of who I am, so why not show the world who I am too?
Anyway, that’s my ugly mug… hope it doesn’t scare you away for good. As an enticement to come back, you can look forward to some pictures of my beautiful wife and cute kids later. Surely they’ll counterbalance my pic… 
I Can’t Believe I’m Doing This…
February 10th, 2006 | 6 Comments | Posted in » Just For Fun...
I can’t believe I’m doing this, but peer pressure is getting the best of me. Micah, this is for you.
Three names you go by:
1. John.
2. Nu (I still don’t get that one, ask Nancy how it started almost 11 years back).
3. Daddy.
Three things that scare you:
1. Failure.
2. The spiritual responsibility associated with being a husband and father (I’m terrified that my kids may inherit some of my stubbornness manifested as a rebellion against faith in Christ).
3. Aliens (yes, I know they’re not real, but those big eyes have freaked me out since I was 3 and first caught a glimpse of one in an HBO special).
Three of your everyday essentials:
1. Internet (just ask Nancy).
2. A hot shower.
3. Time with Nancy and our kids.
Three things you are wearing right now:
1. Plaid flannel pajama pants (and to think, plaid and flannel were two things I couldn’t stand as recently as a year ago…).
2. A half-zip pullover (again, flannel…).
3. My wedding ring.
Three of your favorite drinks:
1. Pepsi.
2. Milk.
3. Hot chocolate.
Three of your favorite songs — at the moment:
1. “Life of Praise” — Casting Crowns.
2. “Cry Out to Jesus” — Third Day.
3. “Blessed be Your Name” — Matt Redman.
Three things you want in a relationship (besides true love):
1. A best friend.
2. Complete trust.
3. Someone who respects and appreciates me.
Two truths and a lie (you guess which ones are which):
1. I’ve experienced premonitions.
2. I used to have a mullet.
3. I’ve spent time in a mental institution.
Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. Sports of any kind.
2. Internet
3. Playing with my kids.
Three things you really want to do badly right now:
1. Go to bed and hold my wife.
2. Sleep.
3. Get this survey over with!
Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. Hawaii.
2. Yellowstone.
3. Alaska.
Three things you want to do before you die:
1. See my kids accept Christ.
(yes, I know that’s just one, but if there’s one thing that matters to me, that’s it!)
Three ways that you are stereotypically a chick / guy:
1. I am overly competitive.
2. If it’s electronic, I love it.
3. I MUST be in control of the remote if the TV is on!
Three people you would like to see take this quiz:
1. My wife, Nancy. (I’ll see about getting her to post here.)
2. My friend from New Zealand, Judah (hey, can’t help but rope someone else into this…)
3. My kids (in about 13 or 14 years when they’re both teenagers and won’t tell me anything).
Theological Correctness vs. Unity
February 8th, 2006 | 5 Comments | Posted in » Baptist Issues
In light of ongoing turmoil in the Southern Baptist Convention, here’s a couple questions regarding theological correctness and unity (to spur a bit of discussion).
Is it absolutely necessary for Christians to be 100% theologically correct to be effective in their service to God? Why or why not, and how do you support your position Biblically?
At what point does theological correctness take a back seat to preserving unity amongst the body of Christ? Why do you answer as you do, and how do you support your position Biblically?
(If these are questions that, to you, seem of the “well, duh!” type… what questions do you find more appropriate to ask and discuss in regard to this topic?)
Fun While it Lasted….
February 3rd, 2006 | 1 Comment | Posted in » Polls, Site News...
Well… polling was fun while it lasted. There is apparently some sort of intermittent bug in the polling plugin, the source of which I am not smart enough to find. As such, I’ve disabled it for now. Hopefully, I’ll either figure out what’s wrong or replace it with a different polling plugin. But… for now, no more polls.
Oh well…
The “Emertional” Church
February 3rd, 2006 | Comments Off | Posted in » Church Stuff...
Rick Thompson has written a very interesting article on what he calls “the emertional church”.
Check it out… quite thought provoking stuff about how we should “do church”.