Woman “Sacked” From Sunday School Position! Booyah!

by | Aug 21, 2006 | Culture, Ecclesiology, Pastoral Ministry

Preacher defends belief women can’t teach men – Yahoo! News http://www.nnyinfo.com/firstbaptist An American Baptist Church in New York relieved an 81 year old woman from her Sunday School teaching position – and it has garnered a national response.  Scripture versus culture once again. If there is any wonder where most north eastern American Baptist churches stand, an executive of the ABC said not many would affirm the pastor’s position but rather are more aggressive in putting women into greater leadership roles. I highly recommend reading the pastor’s statement – as always there is a bit more to the story than the Reuters reporter reports.  The woman seems to have been a member of a troublemaking group that has already been a thorn in the side of the church.  She wasn’t purged purely for 2 Timothy 2:11-15 reasons.  Or perhaps she was.  Perhaps 2 Tim 2 has more wisdom than Reuters and the rest of the world want to admit. What is even more interesting to read is the statement from the diaconate.  According to the statement, 55% of the deacon board is comprised of women.  87% of the Sunday School teachers in the church are women.  This is no “fun-DAM-mental-ist” church. “Sacked” is the term Reuters used to describe the woman’s dismissal, as if she was a paid Sunday School teacher.  Maybe she was, but that seems unlikely.  “Booyah!”  is the term I use for a church willing to take an unpleasant stand to uphold what the Bible...

Why Churches Should Not Sell Their Property to Bars

by | Aug 11, 2006 | Culture, Ecclesiology

Church in unholy row with strip club – Yahoo! News Oops!  An Australian church sold some property to a bar and shockingly, the bar now wants to add a strip show to their business portfolio. Even more amazing is the statement of church dean Reverend Lindsay Stoddart who said that the bar was about to violate the “moral covenants” in the lease agreement.  How so?  The church, in the agreement, says that the bar is prevented from using the building for any “immoral purpose.” I suppose helping being become drunk does not violate the church’s agreement. The moral of the story.   When the church is going to sell their property or lease it to a bar, make sure the only immoral acts the bar intends to engage in are the ones our church members are church members are presently engaged.  Don’t let them go beyond the acceptable...

I Married Late – Glad I Waited

by | Aug 7, 2006 | Culture, Marriage and Family

Men Marrying Late — Or Not At All Actually, I was 31 when I was married – five years ago this coming September. I suppose that is not late according to th NY Times article quoted by Dr. Mohler. In fact, I give credit to Dr. Mohler for my proposing to my wife when I did. Dr. Mohler was the commencement speaker when I graduated with my MDiv. from The Master’s Seminary (2001). He graciously agreed to speak to a group of Southern Baptist pastors the next morning and take a few questions. I don’t remember how it got started, but Dr. Mohler began to bag on “single pastors” – of which I was one and had been for about fourteen years at that point. He began his tirade about how a man could not be an effective shepherd as a single man. I didn’t take it so well. He even tried to quote Scripture in indicating that an overseer should be “the husband of one wife.” He did stop a little short in that conversation in demanding that pastors have children in order to be qualified. Yet, what was a single, presumably ineffective pastor, fresh with his MDiv. to do? Well, it was easy for me. That night, with fresh motivation (who can or should buck the wisdom of a man like Mohler), I proposed to the woman who is now my wife. Three months later we were married. Five years later – I’m still glad I waited until I was old. I suppose I should say that I was already planning to propose to Kelly that evening....