Video - Southern Baptist Girl Converts To Islam

Here is a CNN report about one Southern Baptist girl who recently converted to Islam.



Quote from the YouTube description:

Allison Poole was Raised as a Southern Baptist Christian. She became Muslim this Ramadan... Since becoming Muslim, she feels more at peace and finds Islam has made he life much better as she has the right belief in God. Her family is completely behind her decision, but she finds fellow Americans still misunderstand Islam and say bad things.

They also profile a Catholic woman who converted to find a personal relationship with God. Quote:

Barbara Cartabuke is also an American who has found Islam post 911. She was a Catholic who always felt praying to Jesus and reading Hail Mary's was wrong. When she found Islam, it was a breath of fresh air and answered all her questions regarding the reality of her existance and of true belief in God.

What do you make of all this?

Southern Baptists and regenerate church membership

Tom Ascol continues the conversation about regenerate church membership in the Southern Baptist convention. You can read his whole article here.

Integrity in Church Membership--the conversation continues ... Since the San Antonio convention I have heard from dozens of people who are frustrated, dismayed, puzzled or in some other way disappointed that my resolution on integrity in church membership did not make it out of committee for the second year in a row. My basic attitude and response is that the Lord is firmly in control of this process and will use it to bring about much good for His people.

SBC should do more to protect children

Here is a no-brainier for our friends in Nashville. Do something. Make it something bold. You guys are very smart - don't let us down. Get over the "our churches are independent" excuse. If we can wage war on theological moderates then we can at least join the battle to keep kids safe.

Full Disclosure: I am a Southern Baptist. I am employed by a Southern Baptist Church as a Children's Minister. I am the father of three children who spend too time at our church.

Few things would be as harmful to our Gospel mission than a Roman Catholic style scandal in Baptist churches. This issue is coming. Pray that our leaders and churches will be on the right side. I'm afraid that the 'appearance of evil' too often proved to be the real thing.

CNN: Sex abuse victims' advocates go after Southern Baptists

Baptist Press: EC general counsel disputes group's child sex abuse claims in AP story

Baptists Asked to Crack Down on Sex Abusers

SNAP Letter to Southern Baptist Convention

Voice to Stop Baptist Predators

Do Southern Baptists Need a Sexual Abuse Data Base?

Scripture and Christian Counseling

"On The Sufficiency of Scripture in a Therapeutic Culture"
A Resolution Adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention
St. Louis, Missouri
June 2002
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists are committed to the authority, sufficiency, and relevance of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:15-17); and
WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that human beings are created in the image of God—made by Him, like Him, and for Him (Genesis 1:27-28)—and that because of sinful rebellion against the Creator, our entire being suffers from sin's corruption (Genesis 3:6-19; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Romans 1-3); and
WHEREAS, All aspects of our lives—including our spiritual, moral, and psychological conditions—are to be informed and governed by the application of and obedience to Holy Scripture (1 Corinthians 10:31); and
WHEREAS, In this therapeutic culture, physicians and counselors often ignore human sin and its effects, neglect our most fundamental human and spiritual needs, and therefore, misunderstand our condition, mistreat our problems, and sometimes unintentionally do more harm than good; and
WHEREAS, An uncritical acceptance of the therapeutic culture too often has infected our pulpits, ministries, and counseling (Colossians 2:8); and
WHEREAS, Our churches often have neglected our God-ordained responsibility for the care and cure of souls, becoming practically ineffective, both marginalizing ourselves from the culture and being marginalized by the mental health establishment; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, June 11-12, 2002, affirm Christian counseling that relies upon the Word of God rather than theories that are rooted in a defective understanding of human nature (John 17:17); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm that any method worthy of the name "Christian counseling" must address the root of our problems and reveal the crux of God's solution—the redemptive work of Christ and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, by which the depths of sin and the fullness of grace are made known (Hebrews 4:12-16); and be it further
RESOLVED, That, while we affirm that there are real conditions that warrant legitimate medical treatment, we reject the assumptions of the therapeutic culture that offer a pharmacological solution for every human problem; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we call on all Southern Baptists and our churches to reclaim practical biblical wisdom, Christ-centered counseling, and the restorative ministry of the care and cure of souls.

Frank Page and Strange Quotes from the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana

Tonight, I was able to hear Dr. Page address our Indiana Baptist Convention in Seymour, Indiana. He was gracious, prophetic and humorous. It was the high point of the event. I also picked up a reprint of his Trouble With Tulip. This was my first State Baptist Convention and it was definitely an eye-opener for me. Here are some highlights from Day One of the convention.

1. Dr. Frank Page spoke for unity and cooperation among Baptists against the "giants" that hinder our mission. This was an uplifting call to depend on God rather than the “resources” of the SBC to advance God’s Kingdom. Good.

2. The crowd cried, "Amen" when a different speaker (not Page) declared, "Jesus died for all people - not just the elect." A moment before this same speaker had mentioned substitutionary atonement, which is usually associated with a more "definite" or "particular" view of the cross. Not so good.

3. Dr. Steve Davis made reference made reference barked and said that it should be “Who let the Baptists out?” rather than “Who let the dogs out?” This definitely fit the mood of the meeting but didn’t make sense when I relayed it to people who were not there.

4. One presiding minister praised a sermon by saying, “If that don’t bless your heart, your blesser is broken. " Believe it or not, this was said to a crowd of 400+ messengers and was received with applause.

5. Dr. Frank Page was instructing us Northerners about proper Southern speaking when he said, “The first phrase a Northerner has to learn when they move south is ‘Big Ol.’ Like that is a ‘Big Ol’ truck or that is a Big Ol’ woman.” He retracted the second statement with the all-purpose Southern un-do statement, “Well, bless her heart.” Instant classic.

Moses rebukes Joshua (and his convergence)!

And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, "My lord Moses, stop them." But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:27-29 ESV)

Notice that Moses did not have a problem with sharing leadership. It was young Joshua who was jealous for the honor of Moses. But Moses wants to see God raise up more leaders. Remember that Moses was “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3)

To be fair God rebukes Aaron & Miriam only a few verses down.

And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. And he said, "Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed. When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. (Numbers 12:5-10 ESV)

Slandering God's prophet was a bad idea. But before you Joshua guys get excited you need to see the point: They were rebuked for trying to establish themselves on level with Moses. And they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it. (Numbers 12:2) I don’t think any we want to put our Conservative Heroes in that position.

Yes, gratitude and respect are fitting for all Christians. But there needs to be a balance when reverencing our Saints. Our Heroes don’t want all this fuss. Remember, humility – not chest thumping, is the only way to show the character of Moses.

Can legalism stop indulgence?

Modern SBC approved forms of legalism are touted as helpful in stopping us sinners nature from running wild. But Paul doesn't seam to agree. In his blog to the Colossians he argues that promoting self-made religion has no value against the flesh.

"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things that all perish as they are used)--according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. (Colossians 2:21-23 ESV)

Will The Next Generation Treasure Christ? is a dialog on reforming children'’s ministry and equipping parents - for the glory of Christ and the joy of our children.