by Bret Capranica | Mar 24, 2010 | Featured Articles, Southern Baptist Issues, The Gospel
I am preparing my mind and hopefully my heart as well for what God is doing in the Southern Baptist Convention through the Great Commission Resurgence. I am hopeful, but still wanting to know more. So, this post will be a parking lot for compiling what I think are significant resources across the web that address this subject. I’m interested in reading all the angles and sides on this issue, so my linking here does not mean my own endorsement of any particular persuasion. I am favorable to the GCR’s work and am trying to be diligent in digesting its implications and thinking (even discussing) through them. If you know of significant resources, please leave them in the comments or e-mail me. I’m happy to take a look. Background: Timmy Brister, “The Backstory to the Great Commission Resurgence“ Information: The Official Great Commission Resurgence Website Commentary: Baptist Messenger Video Interviews (some interesting GCR interviews you will find here) Baptist Press Articles on “Great Commission Task Force” Tom Ascol, “My Take on the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report“ Tom Ascol, “Why Southern Baptists Need a Great Commission Resurgence“ Bart Barber, “How to Resurge“ Todd Benkert,”Thoughts on GCR Component # 2 – NAMB Refocus“ David Dockery Podcast on GCR Nathan Finn, “The Spiritual and the Structural Coincide: Some Thoughts on the GCR.” Nathan Finn,...
by Bret Capranica | Nov 23, 2009 | Ecclesiology, Humor
Doing church on your Wii. You had to see this coming. This is too funny and tragic for those who find it seriously appealing in the back of their minds. [YouTube...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 26, 2009 | Featured Articles, Pastoral Ministry, Southern Baptist Issues
Much has been said and written about the recent Great Commission Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention. Some of the key leaders of our denomination have prayed for, planned for, spoken to, written about, advocated, and lobbied for this present movement. I respect and trust many of the men who have so far provided GCR leadership. I have no doubt in my mind that without some significant changes in approaches and emphasis, the SBC is in for some difficult days ahead; some suggest extinction. I am no influential voice within the SBC. I am an ordinary SBC pastor. My church is not significant and we have many weak areas of ministry. My thoughts are limited. Obviously, I have not been in any back room discussions or present for any significant open discussions about the details of where the GCR plans to take us. But, like any and every Southern Baptist, I have a few thoughts. For the sake of my own conscience, to stimulate my own thinking a bit more, and to conduct this discussion within my own circles, I offer the following thoughts. What Concerns Me About the Future of the SBC. Character. I met Adrian Rodgers once. He was gracious to conduct an informal question and answer session while at The Master’s Seminary in the late 90’s. I had an opportunity to ask a question of the one who was the first president of the Conservative Resurgence and the first SBC president I sat under (1988). I asked Dr. Rodgers, “What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the future of the SBC?” He didn’t even pause to consider it. He quickly...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 23, 2009 | Ecclesiology, Technology
Really? Can we really worship biblically with the church simply through our iPhone? How does this not deny the very meaning of “Church?” Fla. Megachurch Brings Worship to the iPhone |...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 7, 2009 | Prayer, Southern Baptist Issues
Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Chairman of GCR Task Force from Ronnie Floyd on Vimeo. This past June, the Southern Baptist Convention launched what some have touted to be one of the most historic of movements: the Great Commission Resurgence. Time will tell what the new GCR Task Force will recommend. As they do their work, the GCR team has put together a web-site calling people to pray for a/the Great Commission Resurgence. According to the site: Why We Need A Great Commission Resurgence: The churches of the Southern Baptist Convention are yearning for a new day of Great Commission awakening and commitment. They sense both a need and a rare opportunity to come together to reclaim the missional vision that brought us together from the first. A new generation of Southern Baptists is ready for deployment in the service of the Great Commission ““ and waiting to see if Southern Baptists are ready to send, support, and propel this generation out to the nations. Will we do what it takes to send those God is calling? Many of our churches ““- perhaps 70% “” are plateaued or declining. They need a Great Commission Resurgence starting right where they are. A Great Commission Resurgence has to start right at home. Southern Baptists have much work to do reaching America in a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual era. We need a Great Commission Resurgence that will make us do whatever it takes to reach America with the Gospel. Southern Baptists need a Great Commission Resurgence that will reorder our priorities, refocus our vision, reclaim our mission, and set our hearts on seeing the nations...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 2, 2009 | Church History, Ecclesiology, General Theology
Justin Taylor points us to a conversation on Baptist and their 400 years of existence (Landmark objections notwithstanding). Between Two Worlds: Baptist Identity at 400:...
