The Top Blog Posts of the Week

by the Contributing Editors of SBC Today

This is a list of recent blog posts which we found interesting.  That we found them interesting doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or endorse the ideas presented in the posts, but that we found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking.  (They are listed in no particular order of interest). Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link to [email protected].

About Theology

• “Learning Humility through Church History,” “Lesson 1: Rejecting Self-Reliance,” “Lesson 2: Confessing Ignorance,”  “Lesson 3: A Proper Perspective on One’s Place,” “Lesson 4: A Proper Perspective on One’s Trials,” “Lesson 5: Eliminating Naiveté,” by Jason Duesing in a nine-part series in the new SWBTS Theological Matters blog, with lessons in humility learned from Church History.
• “My Thoughts on Theistic Evolution, continued,” by Ken Keathley in the Theology for the Church blog, continuing his critique of theistic evolution begun in Part 1.
• “John Brine on Means,” by Stephen Garrett in the Old Baptist blog, with evidence that early high Calvinistic Baptists like John Brine and John Gill disagreed with Hyper-Calvinists and Hardshell Baptists by affirming the use of means and affirming the necessity of faith for salvation.
• “Christianity 101 – The Apostle’s Creed: “We Believe in the Maker of Heaven and Earth,” by Fletcher Law at the Fletcher Law and Grace Ministries blog, providing biblical support for this line in the Apostle’s Creed.

About Issues in the SBC

• “Did the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association Get a Fair Hearing?” and “SBC Voices on Dr. Steve Lemke: The Sad Decline in Reasonable Interaction by Calvinist Critics,” by Peter Lumpkins in the SBC Tomorrow blog, with commentary on the reaction to the decision of Daviess-McLean Baptist Association in Kentucky not to accept the application of Pleasant Valley Community Church for membership.
• “A Grassroots Southern Baptist ‘Gets It’ on the Undeniable Calvinist Agenda in the Southern Baptist Convention,” by Peter Lumpkins in the SBC Tomorrow blog, with an account from a grassroots SBC laywoman who proposes a scenario in which the roles are reversed between Calvinists and non-Calvinists in the SBC.
• “Is It Easy to Hug an Arminian?” by Mike Leake in the SBC Voices blog, with questions about whether the faith that unites us as evangelical Christians in stronger than the doctrine which divides Calvinists and Arminians (and, presumably, other Baptists).
  
• “Why the Missional Movement Will Fail,” by Mark Breen on the Verge blog, with a thoughtful commentary on why missional focus without a strong focus on discipleship will inevitably falter.

About the Church and Christian Ministry

• “Another Church Discipline Question,” by Fletcher Law in the Fletcher Law and Grace Ministries blog, addressing the question about what a church should do if a couple who are church members are living together outside of marriage.
• “His Yoke Is Easy . . . But What about Ministry?” by Ed Steele at the Worship HeartCries blog, addressing struggles in the ministry.
• “Discipleship and Worship,” by Ed Steele at the Worship HeartCries blog, suggesting how worship can also be a vehicle for discipleship.

About the Personal Devotional Life and Society

• “A Small Investment with Great Possibility,” by Gary Myers in the Geaux Therefore blog, with an account of how a small financial investment paid significant spiritual benefits.
• “Why You Can Have Joy in Trials,” by Stuart Dean in the Resurgence blog, with reflections from James and experience about dealing with trials redemptively.
• “Penn State and the Lost Notion of Personal Responsibility,” by Evan Lenow on the Theological Matters blog, explaining why Penn State violated all three of Robert George’s three pillars of a healthy society in permitting the abuse of children to continue unabated.
• “Protecting Your Children from Predators,” by Brad Whitt on his blog, providing five principles to help protect children from child abusers.
  
• “Sitting on the Information,” by Joe McKeever on his blog, applying the unfortunate silence at Penn State and its tragic consequences with the silence of Christians to provide the life-transforming gospel to those who are dying in their sins.
• “The Pursuit of Excellence,” by Phillip Morgan in the Helwys Society Forum blog, applying principles from natural and special revelation to the pursuit of excellence in daily life.

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