I work with accountants. I like accountants; God likes accountants; you should like accountants. They are full of tenacity, many of whom are the finest examples of Christian kindness you will ever find. However, accountants will require you to “code” every transaction. Expenses must be “charged back” or correctly identified based on the transaction’s already determined exact account number. Getting close does not count; for instance, writing account number 482628402974 is not the same as … [Read more...]
MBCH ministers to developmentally delayed adults
The crowd waited in hushed anticipation as the player dug in at the batter’s box. Then came a powerful swing of the bat sending the ball speeding toward the field. To the fans’ joy and amazement, the batter then began to giggle as she ran around the bases with a gleeful and repeated, “Wheeee! Wheeee!” overflowing from her happy heart. As you may have guessed, the above scene was not played out on any college or pro-baseball field. Instead, it was a scene of delight shared at the Miracle … [Read more...]
Sounding the alarm
I’m all kinds of thankful that alarm clocks have come a long way. And by “come a long way,” I mean we hardly use them anymore. We now have phones to awaken us with our favorite song. Or a verse, a mantra, a cheer. Or with church bells. Or with hot coffee. Well probably not that last one. Yet. Waiting for an app for that. I’m hoping it’ll have a bacon feature. Waking up to those alarm clocks of yester-year was the equivalent of waking up to a tornado siren. If your alarm didn’t send you … [Read more...]
Thank you, Southern Baptists
For 25 years, Team Yeats (Sharon and I) sat at the Recording Secretary’s desk to record the proceedings of the Southern Baptist Annual Meeting. We both agree, it’s been an honor to serve and to work with some of Southern Baptists’ finest servants. One thing the Recording Secretary does is relate to those people at the executive committee who do the behind-the-scenes work of publication preparation, logistical support, communications, and graphic design. As a matter of fact, both SBC … [Read more...]
On Roe: ‘The wrong shall fail, the right prevail’
If there was ever an argument urging Southern Baptists not to engage in public policy matters, it has been left in tatters following the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision overturning Roe v. Wade. For too long we heard liberal voices howl that we should not be involved in politics. I guess Moses, Daniel and the Apostles Peter and Paul did not get the message. Every one of them appealed to the governmental authorities of their time, just as Christian leaders have done through the … [Read more...]
Connecting the dots of cooperation
A major hallmark of Baptist life is cooperation. In the three years since Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries was restored as an entity of the Missouri Baptist Convention, cooperation has been a basis of untold blessings to this ministry. In Numbers 17:1-5, the question of “Whom will we follow” was raised by the tribes of Israel. God responded by instructing Israel, “For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting … [Read more...]
MBC’s Yeats: ‘An historic day for the sanctity of life’
A message from Dr. John Yeats, Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention Today is the day that pro-lifers have anticipated for 50 years and I have worked for my entire adult life! Finally, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has restored justice and overturned the egregious decision of Roe v. Wade with its Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. We have long known the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; … [Read more...]
We are all interim
I have the fantastic privilege of currently serving as an interim pastor. The word “interim” comes from the Latin, meaning “time intervening.” Or, in other words, “the time in between” two points or events. As pastors, we use the “interim” title to describe the person between the two “permanent” pastors. But, if you think about it, there is no such thing as a “permanent” pastor. If there were, there would never be the need for an interim. The truth is, all pastors are interim. I serve … [Read more...]
A Missouri Baptist treasure
EDITOR’S NOTE: Gary Ledbetter served for 21 years as editor of The Southern Baptist TEXAN, the official newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. He currently serves as senior editor of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s High Street Press. The Missouri Baptist Pathway is like the paper I edited for 21 years, The Southern Baptist TEXAN, in that both papers were born out of the SBC Conservative Resurgence. And both our papers were necessitated by regrettable controversy. The … [Read more...]
A grateful editor reflects on 20 years of service
There have been days that were, well, a nightmare. Angry readers calling to cancel their subscriptions and tyrants demanding I be terminated. There were nights I went home, laid my head on my late wife’s shoulder and cried like a baby. Sound familiar, pastors? In its wisdom, the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Executive Board determined that The Pathway would remain under its influence because they represented the churches. After all, the churches established The Pathway, so it belongs … [Read more...]
The faith of our fathers
Consider this prayer for Father’s Day: Heavenly Father, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; The whole earth is full of Your glory. Thank you, Father, for the examples of my dad and other men who invested themselves in my life for Your purposes. Although they were human and susceptible to sin, they stayed true, faithful, and godly. In this culture of mayhem, may the lives of these godly men be seen again as “normal” for all who love Christ and seek His will. May their faithfulness be … [Read more...]
PERSPECTIVE: Messengers should consider approving a Ministry Check list
WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) – Last week, the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force made several formal recommendations to the messengers for their consideration at the upcoming 2022 SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim. Among them was a recommendation that an Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (ARITF), in coordination with the SBC Executive Committee (EC), create a “process” for maintaining a Ministry Check list of pastors, denominational workers, and volunteers who are “credibly accused” of sexual abuse. … [Read more...]
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