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2020 SBC Pastors' Conference President responds to questions raised on social media about some platform personalities

Only hours after questions were raised on social media as Baptist Press released the list of platform personalities invited to the 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference held June 7-8 at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center, did David Uth, the pastors' conference president, respond back on Baptist Press. "Uth's remarks followed social media comments both opposing and supporting the selection of Wong in particular, although many posts also mentioned the non-Southern Baptist pastors." Accordingly, Uth and the staff will continue "monitoring social media to determine whether sentiments are voiced that would endanger... Read more →

Are leaders of 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference making a statement with the platform speakers in Orlando?

The SBC Pastors' Conference is an inspirational event traditionally held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Usually, the speakers are well-known in Christian circles and have national platforms as either pastors in mega-churches, stadium speakers, best-selling authors, podcasts, sports' stars, or perhaps a combination of the above. One kind of speaker that is particularly controversial, at least since 2016, is political figures. The 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference is scheduled for June 7-8 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fl. Its officers are David... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention: Part 2

In Part 1, I argued contrary to many internet sources, tweeter feeds, and what one might rightly dub "Patterson haters" that Paige Patterson was a key player in dealing with the sexual predator and church destroyer, Darrell Gilyard, in 1991, forcing, as it were, Gilyard to resign his church and leave the ministry. Mainly through Patterson's influence Gilyard left the ministry so far as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was concerned. However, eleven days after Gilyard resigned, he started another church unaffiliated with the SBC,1 a move Patterson had little... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention Part 1

The story of Darrell Gilyard easily arises to the category of legend in Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) life. As originally told, Gilyard was abandoned by his parents at a young age and wound up living under a bridge in Florida. Jerry Vines, pastor of Jacksonville First Baptist Church,1 discovered Gilyard, led him to Christ, and began mentoring him in the mid-1980s. Vines had connections to which he recommended the young, exciting, and vibrant young preacher--most notably Paige Patterson, (then) President of Criswell Bible College and Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas... Read more →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs: Part II

Finally, there remains an unexplored possibility to explain why there's so much internet outrage expressed over so-called "discernment blogs" coming from Southern Baptists. Jason Allen hinted at it but did not develop it in his rebuke of Capstone Report. After demanding that the "anonymous blog" retract and apologize for its false report about him, Allen acknowledged the retraction as "a small, qualified victory in a larger struggle the SBC seems to be losing" (Note: as anyone can observe, Capstone Report is not anonymous). Truth is, it may be that SBC... Read more →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs: Part I

Last week, The Capstone Report, a popular website that focuses on issues it perceives as troubling in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), released a story concerning the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jason Allen, claiming he was personally lobbying the Missouri governor to settle more refugees in the state. The story turned out to be false. Don Hinkle, longtime editor of The Pathway, Missouri Baptists' state denominational paper, wrote a brief but scathing rebuttal, accusing the author of "fake news": "I know fake news when I see it. This... Read more →

What is a Consensual Sexual Affair?

On October 7, 2019, Jennifer Lyell, a LifeWay employee, penned an open letter to Southern Baptists expressing her grief caused by what she alleges was an erroneous Baptist Press report released in March this year. The report has been subsequently taken down (an archived copy of Baptist Press' report follows below). I have physically deteriorated. I have felt as though I’m living in an Alfred Hitchcock movie because it is so unfathomable to understand how I could be spending hours upon hours dealing with this on my own in light... Read more →

New Orleans Baptist Association calls for censorship of Baptist state paper

On July 12, a group of eight Baptist leaders from the New Orleans Baptist Association (NOBA) who were apparently fed up with what they called "buzzard politics" from The Baptist Message, wrote, signed, and posted an open complaint on the NOBA website. Entitled "Which Way Forward: Unity or Division?" the eight men noted specifically, "We are troubled by the critical editorials in our state Baptist paper against SBC agency heads David Platt and Russell Moore." Making the complaints into a call for unity, the associational article indicated what appears to... Read more →

Must answers from the platform to questions from the floor of the Southern Baptist Convention be ostentatious?

pic source UPDATE: Arkansas Baptist News published a letter to the editor from John Wofford, pastor of Armorel Baptist Church in Blytheville, Arkansas, the messenger who questioned ERLC's president, Russell Moore, at the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention (video below). I appreciate my brother Arkansan's explanation and thank him for offering further context to his question. I also agree with Pastor Wofford that Dr. Moore failed to answer exactly the question he posed. Platform respondents are notorious for bloviating rather than speaking to direct questions. Indeed many times I've observed them... Read more →

Religious Liberty, Islamic Terrorism, and Balthasar Hubmaier

Gerald Harris, Editor of Georgia's Christian Index, recently published an editorial which proved to be quite provocative. Entitled "Do Muslims Really Qualify for Religious Liberty Benefits?" Harris questioned whether modern terrorist Islam is more a "geo-political movement" engaged in a violent aggressive goal to invade American borders and kill American infidels rather than a peaceful religion protected by first amendment rights. Harris was clear he was not questioning the historic Baptist notion of universal religious liberty—that is, religious liberty is not limited to Christian believers, but religious liberty is inclusive... Read more →

Southern Baptist Convention presidential candidate J.D. Greear refuses interview with Louisiana Baptist state paper

What's up with Southern Baptist Convention presidential hopeful, J.D. Greear, refusing an interview with Will Hall, Editor of Louisiana's Baptist Message? According to Hall Despite making an appointment for a phone interview and after a substantive conversation, J.D. Greear declined to participate in a live question and answer session with the Louisiana Baptist Message about his run for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention. James David "J.D." Greear is lead pastor of The Summit Church, a mega-church in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Greear also is Visiting Fletcher... Read more →

IMB president's open letter and his "limitless" number of missionaries

Today, David Platt released an open letter to Southern Baptists. In it he described the process which led him to his "painful decision" announced this week about balancing the budget and the dismal spending patterns of the International Mission Board. "This is certainly not an announcement that I, in any way, wanted to make. At the most recent meeting of the SBC in Columbus, I shared with messengers how IMB spent tens of millions more dollars than we received last year. In our budgeting process over the last couple of... Read more →

Former vice president for news services fills editor vacancy at The Baptist Message

Baptist Press released today that former Baptist Press chief editor,* Dr. Will Hall, was unanimously elected editor of the state paper of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, The Baptist Message. Reportedly, Hall indicated his excitement for the "opportunity to contribute to the strong legacy of journalism that defines the Baptist Message. I also look forward to working with our government officials to promote public policies that reflect the values and interests of Louisiana Baptists." Few understand Baptist history, theology, and polity more than Hall. Undoubtedly, he makes a great follow-up choice... Read more →

More verbal abuse and implications of "heresy" by Baptist Calvinists

UPDATE: one of James White's supporters, Micah Burke, put up a post in response to my piece below. Entitled "Peter Lumpkins doesn't know who he's responding to," Burke suggests my critical commentary below is misdirected toward James White. Instead he claims my criticism presumably should have been directed toward Al Mohler since "Nearly 99% of the quote [the quote below I transcribed from White's broadband broadcast] is actually Al Mohler's own words" (italics and link original). What a rip-roaring revelation! I'd never thought of that! Of course, Burke (he apparently... Read more →

Baptist Press reports on the 2013 John 3:16 Conference

Baptist Press posted a good summary article on The 2013 John 3:16 Conference held at North Metro First Baptist Church March 21-22. It rightly cast the differences between the earlier conference as a planned response to each of the five-points Calvinism (T.U.L.I.P.) and this year's conference: "This year's event focused on six key questions pointing to theological differences between the conference's speakers and those Southern Baptists who identify with Calvinism or the Reformed tradition. The sessions included both professorial and pastoral presentations by Baptist college and seminary leaders as well... Read more →

Louisiana's Message republishes "The Calvinists are here" by Georgia's Christian Index editor, Gerald Harris

The Baptist Message recently posted a series of articles on the purported issue over Calvinism at Louisiana College. I received permission from The Message editor to re-post the four articles in full on my site since many Southern Baptists outside Louisiana are watching with concerned interest the fiasco taking place on the Baptist campus. Yet since so few of us outside Louisiana subscribe to The Message, we were left completely in the dark as to the content of the articles. You may find the first and second articles linked after... Read more →

Adrian Rogers--"The Bible is a good sword but a poor club"

In his annual convention sermon of the 1980 Southern Baptist Convention held in Saint Louis, MO, the late and legendary Adrian Rogers thundered: "Don't talk to me about your orthodoxy or denominational loyalty if your heart is headquarters for hate. Whatever problems Southern Baptists have will be settled in a context of love or they will not be settled. The Bible is a good sword, but a poor club" Reported by Dan Martin, Baptist Press, 06/12,1980 Read more →

Was the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message Calvinistic enough? Mark Dever vs Tom Ascol and Tom Nettles

According to a 1996 Baptist Press article by James A. Smith, Sr., Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., urged the revision of the Southern Baptist Convention's 1963 statement of faith while speaking at the 14th annual meeting of the Founders Conference held on the campus of Samford University, Birmingham, Ala. Smith wrote >>> Speaking on the topic of "Irresistible Grace," one of the five points of Calvinism, Dever asserted the 1963 version of the Baptist Faith and Message leans more toward the Roman Catholic position of... Read more →

New Resource: articles from Baptist media sources concerning Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

I just put up a new resource--a page containing articles from Southern Baptist media sources concerning the subject of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. Sources will include Baptist Press and all available state papers. No commentary is offered. Nor is the resource intended as a polemical tool. If the article was published by a Southern Baptist news venue, it qualified for the resource. Check out the page (click here or look on the sidebar for a link there). It obviously is only a beginning. When it is finished, I... Read more →

Dr. Jerry Vines discusses his signing the recent statement of faith: "It's time to discuss the elephant in the room"

Dr. Jerry Vines, Pastor Emeritus of Jacksonville First Baptist Church and former two-time president of the Southern Baptist Convention, speaks out on his signing "A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation" >>> In a prepared statement on his blog, Dr. Vines writes: I was interested to read Dr. Mohler's response to "A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation," which statement I gladly signed. His response was thoughtful, kind and forthright. I consider Dr. Mohler a friend. It has... Read more →

Akin says media reports led to "misconceptions and misinterpretations" about weekend arrest of William "Billy" Birch by Peter Lumpkins

William "Billy" Birch According to Baptist Press (BP), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary's weekly chapel service focused on circumstances surrounding the tragic arrest of seminary student and Southern Baptist blogger, William "Billy" Birch. Before expulsion, Birch was an MDiv student at the Wake Forest campus but was arrested Saturday afternoon after allegations he performed unwanted sexual advances toward a 25 year old male undergraduate student, crimes he apparently confesses to have committed. President Danny Akin clarified what he suspects to be "misconceptions and misinterpretations" stemming from media reports about the weekend's... Read more →

Al Mohler vindicates Brad Whitt: "there is a creeping Presbyterianism amongst us" by Peter Lumpkins

Just about a year ago, Dr. Brad Whitt fired a shot heard in most sectors of the Southern Baptist Convention. Being a young South Carolina, Southern Baptist pastor, he just didn’t fit the mold of the young, restless, and reformed travelling around the country by the tens of thousands (literally) to hear all the cool, calm, Calvinist speakers at the latest Passion, T4G, TGC, SGM, YRR conferences >>> In his piece “Young, Southern Baptist and…Irrelevant? ” a piece picked up by several state convention papers as well as Baptist Press,... Read more →

Baptist Theologian explains "Radical Reformation Day" by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Malcolm Yarnell is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Director of the Oxford Study Program, Director of the Center for Theological Research, and Editor of the Southwestern Journal of Theology. Dr. Yarnell also authored, contributed to and/or edited several published works including his enlightening monograph on The Formation of Christian Doctrine . In a recent Baptist Press article entitled "Why we celebrate Radical Reformation Day" he explains its significance for Southern Baptists >>> On this day in 1525, after an extended period of intense Bible study in the original languages,... Read more →

Are Judgement House Ministries a Viable Means of Evangelism? A Response to Russell Moore by Norman Miller

An official at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Russ Moore reprised on Oct. 28, 2011 a 2008 Baptist Press editorial wherein he decries his perceived deficiencies of Judgement House ministries. Below is his editorial, and then my response to it. Norm Miller FIRST-PERSON: 7 reasons Halloween judgment houses often miss the mark Russell D. Moore Posted on Oct 28, 2011 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP -- 1. They're not scary enough. To speak of hell, Jesus used the imagery of a garbage dump overrun with worms, a place where babies were once scarified... Read more →

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

continued from part I >>> The second public response Mohler offered was in personal correspondence he allowed North Carolina pastor, Les Puryear, to post on his site. Mohler was responding to Puryear's personal question to him concerning his statement about "homophobia" and the reference to "we've lied…" In part Mohler wrote: "...I point out that I never said anything remotely like what you suggest in your message. As you must know, my original statement made no reference whatsoever to the Southern Baptist Convention nor to Southern Baptists, but was a... Read more →

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: >>> "I'm thankful for the question, my brother, and... Read more →

Baptist Press rectifies the silence on Al Mohler's controversial words--''homosexuality comments reflect Scripture"

Baptist Press just posted an explanation on the provocative words spoken concerning homosexuality at the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix, AZ by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president, Dr. Al Mohler. Michael Foust, staff writer for Baptist Press, writes: Seminary president R. Albert Mohler Jr. says comments he made about homosexuality at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting reflect biblical teaching, and his remarks are receiving support from two prominent evangelical leaders who minister to the homosexual community. Dr. Mohler received strong support from Alan Chambers, who serves as president... Read more →

Brian McLaren Encourages Al Mohler: "Please don't back down" by Peter Lumpkins

Emergent icon and well-known radical theologian, Brian McLaren, posted an encouraging note he wished someone to pass along to Dr. Mohler. Dr. McLaren desires to express his genuine thanks and appreciation to Mohler for his courage to "take a risk and say things that you believe need to be said" even when Mohler knew he would be "maligned for doing so">>> Of course, McLaren is referring to Dr. Mohler's controversial words at the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix when Mohler not only charged evangelicals and Southern Baptists with lying about... Read more →

Question Raised Over Baptist Press Silence Concerning Al Mohler's Provocative Claim about Homosexuality and Southern Baptists by Peter Lumpkins

North Carolina pastor, Tim Rogers, raises the question concerning Baptist Press' silence about Dr. Al Mohler's claim at the SBC in Phoenix that evangelicals broadly and Southern Baptists particularly "have lied about the nature of homosexuality" and practice "what can only be called a form of homophobia." During the Q/A time at the end of the seminary report at the SBC, Dr. Mohler affirmed the words were his and accurately quoted by cultural critic, Jonathan Merritt >>> In his article entitled, "Where is Baptist Press Coverage?" Rogers explains: "When one... Read more →

Associated Baptist Press: "Mohler says Baptists must repent of homophobia" by Peter Lumpkins

Bob Allen, ABP, interprets Al Mohler's concession that the words attributed to him by Jonathan Merritt indicate that Southern Baptists must repent of their "homophobia". Allen writes: >>> The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary said June 15 that Southern Baptists need to repent of a “form of homophobia” that keeps gays and lesbians out of their churches. Albert Mohler responded during his report to the Southern Baptist Convention to a question from Peter Lumpkins, a Southern Baptist blogger, about whether comments attributed to him in a March 24 Christian... Read more →

"The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says his denomination needs to repent for a "form of homophobia" by Peter Lumpkins

Baptist Press (BP) should note the headline below. For some reason, BP strangely failed to include in its seminary report from the SBC, Mohler's question asked to him from the convention floor, a question concerning his words spoken to Jonathan Merritt. Akin's question concerning a Calvinistic thrust on the SEBTS campus, on the other hand, was worthy of note. Did Baptist Press not think Mohler's public confession Southern Baptists have lied about the nature of homosexuality would not be newsworthy? Others are already catching on... >>> Seminary president: Baptists have... Read more →

Baptist Press on The Barna Group's Study of Calvinism by Peter Lumpkins

Baptist Press executive editor, Will Hall, published a worthy summary of The Barna Group's study on Calvinism's impact within American Protestantism. Hall's very title--Barna study shows apparent divide between SBC, other denominations on Calvinism--reflects what Ed Stetzer, author of the study of Calvinism within the SBC, apparently did not perceive--the gargantuan gulf between what's Calvinistically happening* in Protestantism overall (including the Southern Baptist Convention) and what Stetzer's research allegedly revealed is Calvinistically happening in the SBC exclusively. Indeed as Stetzer rehearsed The Barna Group's study findings, he seems strangely anxious... Read more →

Baptist Press Bias: Documented Reality or Disturbing Myth (part II) by Peter Lumpkins

I personally asked Dr. Gerald Harris, editor of The Christian Index (Ga), why he signed the letter Robert Simpson penned to the Executive Committee taking exception to the editorial written by editors James Smith (Fl), Marty King (IL), and Gary Ledbetter (Tx) . He responded: I am happy to respond to your question. There are several reasons why I signed the letter. First, I did not consider Baptist Press to be biased. I don't know that it was either for or against the GCR Task Force report. I didn't keep... Read more →

Baptist Press Bias: Documented Reality or Disturbing Myth? (part I) by Peter Lumpkins

Is Baptist Press (BP), the newswire service of the Southern Baptist Convention hopelessly biased? Some apparently think it is. In a stinging editorial composed by Baptist editors James Smith (Florida), Marty King (Illinois), and Gary Ledbetter (Texas) and published in the Florida Baptist Witness on June 12 of this year (just prior to the SBC), the trio left no doubt in the readers’ mind. They open the editorial citing “Concern about Baptist Press has arisen among some Southern Baptists” especially seen in recent months on coverage with the GCR. “BP... Read more →

Alcohol & The Church: A Three Part Series by Peter Lumpkins

I wanted to connect the readers at SBC Tomorrow to a mini-series I wrote, and Baptist Press picked up. And, since Baptist Press is the official news wire service of the Southern Baptist Convention, other news and editorial web communities select many of the articles and post them on their websites, making the potential readership in excess of 5 million.... My thanks belongs to the editorial staff at Baptist Press for publishing the much needed series. And, despite the new wave of moderation advocates among Southern Baptists who view consuming... Read more →

What’s in a Name? Changing the Name of the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

A considerable amount of attention continues concerning whether “Southern” in our official name as the “Southern Baptist Convention” should not finally experience a decent burial, presumably making sure it “dies with dignity,” so to speak. And, so far as I can tell, the voices to euthanize “southern” in “Southern Baptists” show no signs of going away. For example, last week GCRTF member, J.D. Greear, asked this question in his concluding remarks of a blog entitled “Do Denominations have a Future?”: “And how about the name of the SBC? Anybody besides... Read more →

Danny Akin, Myths, and the Great Commission Task Force: Final Part by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Akin finished his blog series on the "myths" concerning the GCRTF, nicely rounding out his total to eight. I'd anticipated doing a post on each "myth" but, well, you know how that goes. Life does require other duties. Apparently, the "myths" have the GCRTF concerned, at least concerned enough to offer an official press release to add to Akin's blog series about the alleged "myths" (//link). Obviously, Dr. Floyd did not address the myths as detailed as Dr. Akin. In addition, he only addressed six "myths" while Dr. Akin... Read more →

Timmy Brister at Boiling Point over Baptist Press by Peter Lumpkins

Timmy Brister, recently surpassed his boiling point over Baptist Press: “Fellow Southern Baptists, we cannot afford to have this type of gross mischaracterization printed from our denominational news wire… to have Baptist Press continue to exhibit unacceptable journalistic ethic to support an anti-Acts 29 agenda under the banner of Southern Baptist is simply inexcusable” (//link). This is certainly not the first time Brister expresses his disappointment with BP (//link, //link, //link, and //link, for starters). So what triggered Timmy’s temper tantrum this time? It seems Baptist Press published a blog... Read more →

Are Evangelicals Losing Influence in the Public Square? A Series on Baptist Press by Will Hall

My apologies* to the readers for belatedly placing a link to this final article in a four-part series by Will Hall, Executive Director, Baptist Press. In this essay, Hall considers whether the popular notion concerning younger evangelicals leaning left fits the numerical studies (//link). We are grateful to Mr. Hall for this timely series. With that, I am... Peter *internet woes in West Georgia... WILL HALL'S ENTIRE SERIES Article I: ANALYSIS: God is Not Dead and Neither is Christianity in America (//link) Article II: ANALYSIS: What do the Numbers Mean--is... Read more →

The SBC and Decline: by Will Hall at Baptist Press

Church-growth conferences with platforms featuring celebrity pollsters as experts on the ills of the SBC as well as prophetic authorities for the cure of the SBC have long voiced the mantra that Southern Baptists are a denominational dinosaur rapidly becoming extinct. We change or we die. Will Hall, Executive Director, Baptist Press published his third of a four-part series on the Southern Baptist Convention and decline entitled "ANALYSIS: What do the numbers mean--is the SBC in decline?" (//link). He has raised the bar as far as I am concerned. And,... Read more →

What Do Declining Numbers Mean for Southern Baptists? by Peter Lumpkins

Will Hall, Executive Director of Baptist Press, offers another perspective concerning whether the demographic studies support the popular, conference circuit mantra "The Southern Baptist Convention is a dying denomination." An interesting quote by Will Hall: In isolation, the ACP data might be interpreted to suggest the SBC is a denomination in decline. However, when ACP information is examined against research conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, it is evident that demographic changes in our country have been the major shaping force of our membership numbers, not outdated methodologies nor a... Read more →

Dr. Jerry Vines on Caveats and the Great Commission Resurgence

The Great Commission Resurgence (GCR) document has gathered more than 3,000 signatories, many of which are current or former Southern Baptist Convention leaders. Not all, however, were quick to sign their name on the dotted line. Drs. Paige Patterson and Jerry Vines, both of whom are past presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as key prophetic voices of the Conservative Resurgence, recently signed their names to the GCR. Yet their signatures uniquely bear a brand not found on other signatories—“with caveats.” The uninformed might immediately but crassly conclude... Read more →

Drawing Swords Over Mark Driscoll: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary vs. Baptist Press

In mid-January, I posted a provocative piece entitled, '"The Cussing Pastor" Continues Influence Among Southern Baptists' which drew many to this site defending Driscoll, including Tyler Jones, Lead Pastor, Vintage 21 Church, the host church for Plant & Thrive, an Acts29 boot camp. I have to say, some of the defense was enlightening. Yesterday, Baptist Press raised some of the same concerns as did I, employing some of the same sources as did I. "Driscoll's vulgarity draws media attention" is definitively worth your time. Founders Ministries advocate, Timmy Brister, has... Read more →