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Just in case you missed it by Peter Lumpkins

 

 

 Just in case you missed it, below are a few of the better posts this past week:

FHTM and Dr. James Merritt’s Confusing Ministry by Peter Lumpkins

North Carolina pastor, Tim Rogers expresses grief over a personal hero--James Merritt.  The good pastor's lament has nothing to do with some of the issues I've raised concerning Dr. Merritt's curious inaction toward a Cross Pointe teaching pastor's (his son, Jonathan) unchecked pro-gay crusade. Rather it seems Rogers' disappointment concerns Dr. Merritt's involvement with a notorious "ponzi scheme."  He writes >>>

Evangelism: A Biblical Response to Today’s Questions: A Brief Review by Peter Lumpkins

J. D. Payne serves as a National Missionary with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and an Associate Professor of Church Planting and Evangelism in the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Evangelism: A Biblical Response to Today's Questions ($17.99 Biblica Publishing, 2011) answers questions about evangelism from an admittedly Calvinistic perspective (47) >>> 

Prayer Concern for Adam Dooley and family

  Dr. Adam Dooley is Senior Pastor at Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. Just recently, Dr. Dooley and his wife, Heather, learned their 4 year old son, Carson, was diagnosed with leukemia >>>

Roy Hargrave & Riverbend Community Church: not all Southern Baptist Calvinists agree with Al Mohler’s confusing language on homosexuality by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Roy Hargrave is Senior Pastor of the Riverbend Community Church located in Ormond Beach, Florida. Those unfamiliar with Riverbend should know that Riverbend is arguably the largest cooperating congregation in the Southern Baptist Convention that unapologetically holds to the traditional "doctrines of grace"; that is, the Calvinistic T.U.L.I.P. The acrostic in Riverbend's name summarizes the church's focus  >>>

Reviewing Alcohol Today: What constitutes a helpful review?

Since my book, Alcohol Today: abstinence in an age of indulgence (AT) debuted in 2009, I've appreciated many of the reviews that's been posted, reviews both pro and con. I determined early on not to engage those who reviewed my book for the simple reason I did not want anyone who took the time to review my work, and subsequently posting their thoughts about my work, to wonder if the author was going to show up and give them "what for" in misunderstanding his "perfect" literary masterpiece. Truth be told, I've fairly-well kept my self-imposed restriction. And, while AT has not been a runaway "best-seller," I've been pleased with its modest success >>>

Al Mohler "chides" some evangelicals for holding homosexuality a choice that’s "relatively easy to change" by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: Dr. Mohler seems to have answered Gilgoff's inclusion of him as an example of "cooling" toward reparative therapy. I suspect more literary energies will be required in defending himself from those who perceived a shift in his thinking about homosexuality, a shift primarily stemming from his confusing words spoken at the SBC in Phoenix.

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According to  CNN.com Religion Editor, Dan Gilgoff, among those evangelicals who are "cooling" to conversion therapy for gays is...Dr. Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Citing Mohler's answer to a question at the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in June at Phoenix, Gilgoff writes >>>

Born gay? Then pray! Exodus International's president, Alan Chambers on ABC by Peter Lumpkins

Below is an ABC interview by Brian Ross with Alan Chambers, President, Exodus International, the largest evangelical "ex-gay" support group organization in the United States. According to Ross' first guest, Dr. Jack Drescher,* a leading authority on homosexual therapy, there is as much chance a gay person can change his or her "orientation" as a person can win the lottery jackpot. "Reparative" or "conversion" therapies like Exodus International embraces are doing nothing more for homosexuals than, for example, Benny Hinn does for treating people with cancer. Compare Drescher's view with the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) position.

Take a look at the video and begin a discussion if you wish.

With that, I am...

Peter

Reformed Effeminaphobia by Peter Lumpkins

The internet recently abuzzed over Mark Driscoll’s facebook query a week ago poking fun at “effeminate” males—particularly “effeminate” male worship leaders: “So, what stories do you have about the most effeminate anatomically male worship leaders you’ve ever personally witnessed? >>>

Taking a much needed break by Peter Lumpkins

I've stepped back to do a forest view survey of my writing. I've really pumped out a lot of words over the last three years. Hence, I needed to wipe the blur from my eyes. Wow! Only a few lessons to go, and I will have completed a project on the entire New Testament! 

Christianity Today records "surge in sexuality debates" by Peter Lumpkins

Christianity Today posts an interesting twist on the recent debates over same-sex marriage.  Of interest to Southern Baptists is its subtle display of disagreement between Al Mohler and Richard Land. Mohler is "Targeted for “Appearing to Pander to the Homosexual Lobby”". Satisfying clarity from Dr. Mohler on this issue is yet to appear.

With that, I am...

Peter

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Why Calvinists are so successful at making non-Calvinist friends by Peter Lumpkins

How do they do it? You know, Calvinists who are so good at making non-Calvinist friends. I think one of their secrets must be summarized by Dr. Steven Lawson, senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church, Mobile, AL. Yes, this is the same Steven Lawson who took the historic Dauphin Way Baptist Church in 1995 and, in just a few short years, grew the church down from virtually mega-church status* to a staggering  650. Dr. Lawson's secret? Focus on the five points of Calvinism and push evangelism by the wayside. Then, leave the church and gut it of all the leadership, taking them with you to start another church down the road.**

Well, that was in 2003 >>>

Al Mohler, homosexuality, and continued moral confusion (part II) by Peter Lumpkins

continued from part I  >>>

Al Mohler, homosexuality, and continued moral confusion (part I) by Peter Lumpkins

Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, made headlines at the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix when he openly affirmed quoted words by Jonathan Merritt: "We've lied about the nature of homosexuality and have practiced what can only be described as a form of homophobia…We've used the 'choice' language when it is clear that sexual orientation is a deep inner struggle and not merely a matter of choice" (//link). In response to whether those words were accurately quoted, Mohler said: >>>