Southern Seminary--Again Engaging Culture

When so many have for too long found ways to live biblically without engaging the rest of the culture, it is great to see such a strong stance on continuing to engage the culture on multiple fronts. Dr. Mohler, President of Southern Seminary, has long fought to personally confront the culture of America on various issues, whether on tv as he has done on Larry King's show and others, or on the radio in his daily show, or in other public events he is a part of. Now this same passion he shares regularly with the world in bringing biblical truth to bear on the current situations that arise can be passed on to others in a greater way than ever before. Recently the Center for Theology and Science was established to allow for the education of more seminary students to understand the intersection of theology and science and how this applied to life. Now, in the most recent Trustee meeting they have established the Center for Theology and the Arts, and the Center for Theology and Law.

When the School of Social Work at Southern was closed many argued it was a bad idea for many reasons, one of them being the removal of "Christian" education in an area that needs as much help as it can get. If there are any areas that are similar, and in trut much more in need, it is the areas of science, law and the arts. Veggietales and the Passion are great, but for a long-lasting, far-reaching impact in the arts, more is needed. And just the same, if the practice of law is left only to the lost, there is no voice for reasoned, Christian responses to legal issues. There are many lawyers who are Christians, but just as Southern has shifted the focus of the counseling program to provide biblical training to increase the prevalence of true biblical counseling, this new change will, Lord willing, lead to an increase in the prevalence of true biblical legal aid.

Perhaps now this passion for engaging culture will continue to spread to new areas and the practice of theology will move beyond the pulpit, and begin spreading to the pew in all new ways. Perhaps this spells the end of the days of reserving "pastoral" training only for pastors. While a Master of Divinity is not perhaps for every person, hopefully, it will become more common for Christian professionals to seek out advanced theological training themselves for the benefit of their own lives and professions, as well as the kingdom. Perhaps, above all, this will lead to greater changes and growth in our congregations as a whole, returning to a greater committment to growth and learning beyond Sunday School and filling out sermon outlines, a committment to study the Scriptures for ourselves, pastor and member.

A Changing of the Guard--For Better or Worse

Well, a new day has dawned in home-missions today. Bob Reccord has anounced his resignation from the North American Mission Board of the SBC today. Interestingly enough, while the article in BP said it was merely what Reccord chose to do for the good of the organization, it seems rather odd that it occurs so closely after a rather difficult controversy concerning his leadership. Either way, hopefully any changes in leadership will move us as a group toward seeing work in this country as a true cross-cultural activity on a bigger scale. It seems this idea is not recognized enough, but this culture is not conducive to evanglism in the same way it has been done for so many years. When the greatest growth of the Church universal is outside this country, it signals a need for greater awareness for how our situation in this country is different now. We have made many amazing transitions in our outlook and methodology overseas, maybe it is time to begin thinking more like this here at home.

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Time to Get Down and Dirty!!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a conversation I overheard about a year ago.  I was at a major Sunday School convention here in Kentucky in line for lunch, and overheard two youth pastors behind me discussing their youth groups and meeting with them at school for lunch or other activities.  About half-way through the conversation one pastor said to the other something along the lines of “well, the school won’t let me on campus to meet with my own students, but that is okay with me, because if I can’t come on campus, then neither can the Satanist or any other crazy group”.  Now, for clarification, this was not just any pastor, but a Baptist pastor.  And this wasn’t just any Baptist, but a Southern Baptist.  And if anyone has learned anything in the last 20 years about confronting problems, it’s the Southern Baptists.  We learned in the 1980’s the true cost of turning a blind eye to problems when we worked to overcome the liberals who had run the denomination for too long.  We shouldn’t be making the same mistake in allowing the liberals in society to erode our freedoms just because we don’t want to fight.  I say its time to bring it to them.

Since when did Baptists stop believing in the freedom of religion?  You see, if we cannot get into schools, like the Supreme Court has affirmed we have the right to as ministers to our youth, then no one associated with anything religious can, and that my friends is exactly the reason Baptists for so long have fought for freedom of religion.  Do I care if a Satanist comes onto the campus of any local high school?  NO WAY!!!  Why?  Because I believe in the freedom of religion, and because of the freedom of thought in the marketplace of ideas, I can rest assured that the best idea, the best system, always wins.  It’s the capitalist way.  Capitalism requires that the best system wins, and it does so without any external force or manipulation.  I don’t have to try to force out anyone except Baptists from the schools.  More than that, I can comfortably rely on the Truth of the Gospel to win out over the lies of Satan.  Since when did we start getting scared of Satan?  Let me tell you, he may have power over this world, but its time Christians start living the way they should.  We must stop living like Satan has beat us, and start living like we beat him, because Christ has won the victory.  We have to stop running around like frightened, victimized losers and start acting like bold, courageous winners.  WE HAVE ALREADY WON THE WAR!!!! There’s no good reason to fear the free exchange of ideas unless we are limited by the fear of failure.  But if your success comes from the Spirit, then it doesn’t matter who is standing against you, because He is on your side.  

So the next time you are told you can’t be somewhere, you can’t go somewhere, remember that its time to stop laying down and taking it.  It’s time to stand up tall and take on the liberals and beat them at their own game, because we’ve already won the war, they just keep trying to ignore our victory.  You have the right to be in the schools, kids have the right to be Christians even at school, and for the love of everything people, we have the right to stand up for what we believe and tell other people.  So get out there and do it!!!