Not that long ago I read Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. It was completely fascinating. This TED talk is just a taste of the book. I promise it is worth your time
Predictably Irrational
This topic has been written about before by people with actual readership, but I want to make my voice known because I have had this conversation with a few pastors, and we are basically all in agreement.
To the Great Commission Resurgence task force –
First of all, I realize that you are not charged with making the entire SBC become more great commission oriented. In fact due to the structure of our denomination, churches are not subject to anything that you actually declare. I also know that if there is to be a great commission resurgence in our denomination, it must be brought about by individuals in individual churches.
Next, I am praying for you. and Dr. Hunt. I hope that God directs your committee to truly affect the kingdom with your decisions. I hope that the convention in Orlando is as amenable toward your work as the Louisville convention was toward your appointment.
As I understand it, you are charged with evaluating our convention structure with the goal of determining whether or not we are optimally organized to carry out the great commission. I am on board with whatever you may choose to do. If you explain your position I would be willing to hear reasons for combining our mission organizations (although I believe it’s not a particularly good idea), or for renaming our convention, or for any number of other suggestions I just haven’t thought of yet. I truly hope that state conventions, local associations and churches are agreeable with whatever recommendations that the annual convention in Orlando passes.
There is one exception to my previous paragraph. I will never be able to consider currently non-cooperative program missions giving as cooperative program giving. Planting a church, co-sponsoring a church plant, sending an individual missionary, or digging a well in Bihar India are all great things and need to be done, but those things should never be considered cooperative program dollars because they are not cooperative. I cannot even think of another way to say that. The SBC is, by and large, a convention of small churches. The cooperative program is the only way that our small churches can have the sending power that we have. If we allow other giving to count as CP giving then we take the “cooperative” (and the strength) out of the cooperative program. In that case we might as well be independent Baptists.
Also, designated money is not cooperative program money. If money is given with the purpose of doing an end-around of the executive committee or leaving out a seminary or one of our agencies, then it is not cooperative program money. The reason for the efficiency of the IMB and NAMB is the coordination of all our agencies, Lifeway and Guidestone included. Maybe you will determine that the sending organizations are not efficient. Imagine how much worse it would be if everyone designated their offerings.
For simplicity, let me summarize my position. I support the work of the GCR task force and will prayerfully consider any recommendation you make. However, I will not be able to support considering independent mission giving to be cooperative program giving.
I welcome any comments. However, I am currently at M-fuge so it may take me a few days to get them moderated.
Happy Independence Day
It’s the 4th of July. Take some time to
See some fireworks
Read the Declaration of Independence
It is an amazing document. Read it. Then write a letter to your Congressperson or representative
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

Also, there’s this
Best Web Junk (July 3)
This story would be much better if we could see the picture. I think I speak for us all when I say, “Show it.”
I’m glad this lady is not in my family
Whatever you do, local news guy, don’t take yourself too seriously
Enjoy
Some Odds and Ends
This post is just a stray thought and a bit of news about what is coming.
I’ll start here. Last week in a conversation with my step-mom I made the following comment. The problem in church is not that we use the word “sanctified” but that we are not sanctified. I thought it sounded terribly clever and erudite when I said it, so in my arrogance I’m sharing it with you. Then I read this really great article today which contains the word sanctified. I thought I’d recommend it to you. So go read it now.
Next week I will be at youth camp, but there will be a Tuesday post on this blog. There may also be a Thursday post, but it hasn’t been written yet. There will probably not be a “best web junk” for next week though, since I won’t be surfing the web.
There will also be a rare Satruday post here for the 4th of July
This is my (usually) monthly list of interesting searches that brought people to my blog. It’s a short list this month because you people have become boring. The vast majority of searches are something SBC or Bell’s palsy related. These are just cut and pasted with no corrections so they appear exactly as they were searched for. (the stuff in parentheses is my own commentary)
“log into or log in to” (seriously – which is it?)
cirtificate
warehouse fun
jimmy fallon-zach morris (wonder who Jimmy Fallon-Zach is?)
Best Web Junk (June 26)
I almost forgot to do a best web junk this week. Since this was the week of the SBC I’ll recommend this blog post which is related to the convention and this post which is a recap
And I’ll recommend this video which is Jeff Crook’s theme interpretation sermon from Wednesday night
This is a brief recap of Tuesday June 23 at the Southern Baptist Convention. I’m pretty sure that every person has a different experience there, and some things are more emphasized depending on the crowd around you, but some things are hard to ignore.
Where I was, there was one major subject of conversation and controversy. The Great Commission Resurgence right? Nope. Then maybe it was the IMB report and the news of what to do about the economics that have caused us to close down certain missionary efforts. Nope.
In fact, the number one topic by a mile was Mark Driscoll. There was a paper published by the Missouri Baptist laymen’s association, and distributed by Truett-McConnell college that was a polemic against Mark Driscoll and the Acts 29 Church Planting network. It indicted Southeastern Seminary and Ed Stetzer and generally caused an uproar. There were dozens of people around me reading this paper, and when time for introduction of new motions came, there were at least 5 motions taking aim at Mark Driscoll (not a Southern Baptist), Lifeway for selling his books, SEBTS, Ed Stetzer, and Alvin Reid. I was a bit saddened by this vitriol but more than that I was surprised. I definitely did not see this coming. Before you judge me too harshly, I’m not saying I endorse Mark Driscoll. In fact I have steered people away from him in the past because I know his style turns off so many. I also am bothered by his attitude toward alcohol and I believe that overly crude language detracts from the message he is delivering about a holy God. He is, however, orthodox, and to say Lifeway can’t sell his books because he drinks alcohol I just can’t understand.
There were some other interesting motions brought forth. There was one wanting to rid the convention of the HCSB. One or two aimed against president Obama on his view of abortion. Another suggesting that Lifeway be certain that all VBS materials are made in the USA. I found this particularly interesting in light of a question previously addressed to Thom Rainer during the Lifeway report that VBS stuff needs to be cheaper and supported for more than one year.
The Great Commission Task force was, not surprisingly, the second most significant issue of the day. It was passed, but not before someone attempted to change it to have the NAMB and IMB do self-studies. That amendment failed and the task-force passed overwhelmingly. In fact I only saw 3 votes against it.
The vote to declare Broadway Baptist Church in Ft. Worth not in friendly cooperation passed virtually unanimously and without discussion.
Johnny Hunt was reelected as president by acclimation. He will lead the GCR task force
Attendance was better than last year, no surprise. At the time of the election of Hunt there were 8.587 messengers registered.
I also want to say something about Wade Burleson and Bart Barber, but I won’t.
Finally, it wouldn’t be the SBC without protestors. There were a few demonstrators from PETA outside the gates. They were dressed as animals and wearing sign that say “God loves me too.” I think that’s what they said anyway. It was hard to read.
Feel free to destroy me in the comments because I don’t want to tar & feather Driscoll.
SBC Pastor’s Conference day 2
Tonight another brief report from the SBC Pastor’s Conference because it’s late again and I’m tired. The convention starts tomorrow so the only news of the day was in this article on Baptist Press. Though I learned about it from Al Mohler.
Also we learned that Mike Huckabee has changed parties. He recently switched from PC to Mac.
I was at the conference for 5 preachers. Here are the day’s best quotes.
Tom Elliff
“If you cannot forgive, you cannot claim to be a man or woman of faith”
Michael Catt
“Our preferences have overridden our principles”
“Carnal people will never care about lost people” –in reference to our need to be spirit-filled
Fred Luter
Seriously, who in their right mind would try to quote Fred Luter properly? I just felt bad for whoever was doing the captioning.
Mike Huckabee
“It’s not that the job is too big but that it is too small. They thought they would be leading a battleship but it turned out to be the love boat and making sure everyone is happy” –in reference to why so many leave the ministry
Alvin Reid
“100 years from now nobody will remember Oprah”




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