Tuesday, March 15, 2005

My Daughter Becomes a Blogger

She says that I was her inspiration? Maybe that was a little "tongue in cheek" just to make the old man feel good! ¿quiĆ©n sabe? I am going to have to ask her how to creat links so that I can add her and her boyfriend Wes to my page. You can see their blog links on the right side of my page.


Annette and her precious Maya

More on Dr. John Merritt's Book

I cannot say it too often. This is an important book and it about to enter into it's second printing! There is an excellent review to be found here. The second will have a new cover and a new title: The Betrayal the hostile takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention and a missionary's fight for Freedom in Christ It will be marketed by Smyth and Helwys.

Saturday, March 05, 2005

What's wrong with some churches

"I'd much rather deal with teenagers and the problems associated with their acquisition and application of basic academic skills, and the social problems that result from their forced association with a community called "school" every day than attempt to accomplish some form of Christian ministry in the face of oppositional deacons, self-appointed monarchs and power brokers in the church. "
So says Sandy a poster at Baptist Life

Now it sounds to me like Sandy may have started life out as a Pastor and got burned badly? I don't know. His point is well taken in my opinion. There are just some churches around that ought to shut down their operation. They may be harmless in their existence but as far as the Kingdom is concerned they are useless. These churches have all the accoutrements of a real church and go through the motions Sunday, Wednesday, Sunday week by week. These churches may baptize a few people, probably for the most part their own children, and there may be a little transfer membership but for the most part they are dead in water. These churches tend to become the play houses for the people Sandy talks about in the quote above.

Church Growth the human way versus the Biblical way.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Mainstream Baptist Convocation 2005 II


John Merritt and me at the Mainstream Baptist Convocation in Atlanta.
Posted by Hello

The highlight of my time in Atlanta was being able to enjoy fellowship with John Merritt. We have known each other for over thirty years having worked together in the European Baptist convention now known as the International Baptist Convention . John is the author of a very important book The Betrayal of Southern Baptist Missionaries by Southern Baptist Leaders. In my opinion this book should be read by every Southern Baptist layperson and pastor. It is a real eye-opener. It should be used as an extra reading book in every school or seminary that teaches missions. The orginal print run has almost sold out but, I understand that, a second print run is due out shortly. It will have a title change. The new title will be: The Betrayal the hostile takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention and a missionary's fight for Freedom in Christ

The second highlight was to also spend time with my eldest daughter who drove over from Samford University to attend the Convocation. The third delight was to visit with Al and Becky Shauf who were members of in Faith Baptist Church Kaiserslautern while I was pastor. They also served at Immanuel Baptist Church in Wiesbaden and were fellow church members with Elizabeth and John Merritt.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Mainstream Baptist Convocation 2005


Bob Ferguson and David Flick at the Mainstream Baptist Convocation 2/25/05
Posted by Hello

The Mainstream Baptist convocation was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed every minute and the fellowship with like minded Baptist was great. One of the last things I heard as I was leaving was that the next Convocation with be held in New Orleans. Great .. Can't wait.

I really enjoyed meeting participants at Baptist Life: Bruce Grouley, Alan Roper, Ed and Trudy Pettibone and of course David Flick. This will make my participation on the forum more meaningful.

Reading some of the stuff at Baptist Life I am very saddened by some of the remarks made by people who didn't even attend the Convocation. They seem to have all the answers but none of the questions. I left Atlanta with the sense that those in attendance were ready to leave the past and press on to the mark of God in Christ Jesus?