Jeff Iorg

If we are a force for good, what about our sins and shortcomings? They are obvious and we admit them openly.

On a typical Sunday, more than 4 million people (4,050,668) gather in Southern Baptist churches for worship. Most of them also had a Sunday School with almost every class taught by a Southern Baptist volunteer.

The spirit of cooperation is under attack these days – both from external critics and internal detractors. Our cultural proclivity for tribalism and sectarianism – rooted in the sins of selfishness and self-promotion – are flooding over us.

The prevalence of technology buttressed by expressive individualism (America’s dominant worldview right now) enhances and intensifies social isolation. These two forces working together are a deadly combination.

The Southern Baptist Convention will soon consider final action on an amendment to the SBC Constitution stating that a cooperating Southern Baptist church “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” This is a significant decision which raises important issues related to Baptist theology, polity and practice and has the potential to profoundly impact not just the Southern Baptist Convention, but the entire Southern Baptist denomination.

Southern Baptists are transforming lives, healing communities, responding to disasters, caring for hurting people, and funding countless ministries – all at record levels.  This may be surprising news since Southern Baptists are often decried for their shortcomings.  Because of our desire for transparency – meeting every summer for two days in an open meeting to publicly discuss our problems – there is no shortage of negative stories to support the false narrative we are corrupt and declining.

Gateway Seminary is experiencing significant transition. We are preparing for a new president, implementing a hand-off model of leadership change, and saying goodbye to a long-time leader. My unexpected candidacy to be the president of the SBC Executive Committee has further complicated the process.

Many years ago, when I stepped out of pastoral ministry into executive leadership, I was overwhelmed and knew I would not survive without spiritual support. I decided to write a column in the Northwest Baptist Witness asking for people who were already praying for me to form a prayer team. Note the careful qualifier – people who were already praying for me.

The music at Christmas is special for several reasons. First, the familiarity of frequently repeated hymns and songs means dozens of them can be sung from memory. Second, the biblical content is strong – particularly focused on themes like faith, hope and love.

ONTARIO, Calif. (BP) – Massacre. Atrocities. Carnage. Those were some of the words used to describe the results of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians. Infants were mutilated. Women were raped. Senior adults were beaten. People were murdered, indiscriminately slaughtered in their homes, at work and at public events. Pure evil – on stark display on terrorist-produced social media sites broadcast around the world.