Nothing to Prove, Nothing to Lose

Gators-Noles Tops (part 3)

2008-11-26T11:49:00.007-06:00

Top 5 Most Painful Memories:

1. 2003 - The Swindle in the Swamp. Florida is cheated out of a victory by Jack Childress and his ACC crew. This is a pretty fitting description of what happened and the Gator Nation's lingering bitterness: http://www.orangeandbluehue.com/2007/11/19/fsu-hate-week-remember-the-swindle/ (you may have to cut and paste...links are fickle).

2. 1993 - Charlie Ward to Warrick Dunn. Swamp crowd goes from bedlam to silence in an instant. I watched this game immobilized, 5 days after tearing my ACL.

3. 2001 - Even though the Gators pummelled the Noles, scumbag Darnell Dockett's intentional injury of Earnest Graham resonated in the following game, a loss to Tennessee and the loss of the SEC East crown.

4. 2002 - Not so much for the game itself, which was bad, but because I watched the majority of it in the emergency room with my extremely ill 8-month-old son.

5. 1996 - I felt real, physical pain watching Danny Wuerffel get drilled late, time after time, by the cheatin' Noles. Missed field goals hurt, too. So did INTs. Thankfully, the pain was eased a month later with the crushing in the Sugar Bowl.

Gators-Noles Tops (part 2)

2008-11-25T08:59:00.005-06:00

Top 10 Most Loved Gators:

1. Danny Wuerffel - a fine, upstanding man with a love for Christ. Humble and polite, he was also tough enough to withstand the constant scrutiny of the consumate perfectionist (Coach Spurrier) and the cheap shots levelled by the Noles. Upon finishing his college career, he held the records for highest single-season passer rating and highest career passer rating in NCAA D1 history.

2. Tim Tebow - super-caffeinated Wuerffel. Loves God and running over defenders. Has a tremendous loyalty and sense of responsibility to Gator Nation. Like Wuerffel, though, his greatest qualities are demonstrated off the field.

3. Steve Spurrier - while I wasn't born when he played, I had a chance to watch him coach. He gets the credit for putting the Gators on the national map. Led us to our first National Championship as well as 6 SEC titles.

4. Emmitt Smith - watched him all 3 years at UF. Tremendous vision and more speed than he gets credit for. My favorite memory is watching him shred Alabama for over 200 yards as a freshman. Generally regarded as the greatest Gator in the NFL.

5. Rex Grossman - definitely a risk-taker and a gun-slinger, Rex had one of the greatest statistical years ever by a UF QB. In 2001, he threw for 300 yards in every game but 1 and should have won the Heisman.

6. Percy Harvin - an unbelievable athlete at both tailback and receiver. Has a lightning fast first step and the uncanny ability to make people miss. Every time he touches the ball he could score.

7. Reggie Nelson - known for laying the wood on opposing receivers. He wasn't very big, but extremely intimidating. Also had an infectious smile and great personality. Cool dreds, too.

8. Fred Taylor - Maybe the second-best RB to come out of Florida. Greatest memory was watching him run all over FSU's top-rated defense in 1997.

9. Earl Everett - he makes the list if only for his helmetless tackle of Troy Smith in the 2006 BCS Title Game.

10. Jimmy Fisher - a Gator QB in the 70s, he makes the list because he's a personal friend and he gets me tickets to one UF away game every year.

Top 5 Most Hated Noles:

1. Darnell Dockett - Battle of Twisted Knee in 2001. Classless. Enough said.

2. Bobby Bowden - a tremendous coach in his day, but created an environment of institutional thuggery and covered it up with a good ol' boy, aw shucks demeanor that the media lapped up like puppies.

3. Mickey Andrews - the one who trains his hired guns to hit late and cheap.

4. Deion Sanders - just as much respect on this one as hate. Speedy, flashy, and mouthy.

5. Peter Warrick - one of the two geniuses behind the Dillards scandal. When interviewed, couldn't understand the uproar, claiming, "It wasn't like I shot the president." Score.

Gators-Noles Tops (part 1)

2008-11-24T15:00:00.004-06:00

This Saturday the good guys from the University of Florida will travel to Tallahassee to take on the hated Florida State Seminoles. In honor of the heated rivalry, I thought I'd weigh in with some of my favorites.

Top 10 Favorite games (in order):

January 2, 1997 - Florida embarrasses the top-ranked, undefeated Seminoles 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl for their first National Championship. Danny Wuerffel avenges the late hits dealt by the Noles during the last regular season game, won by the Noles.

November 22, 1997 - Doug Johnson hits Quezzie Green for a HUGE gain in the game-winning drive. Two Fred Taylor carries later, the Gators were in the endzone and the undefeated Noles were sent packing, 32-29. This was the first of four Spurrier-devised alternating QB games.

November 24, 2007 - After listening to threats and trash-talk from the Noles for the week leading up to the game, Tim Tebow accounts for 5 touchdowns (3 passing, 2 running) as the Gators rout the hapless Noles, 45-12.

November 20, 2004 - In Ron Zook's last game as Gator coach, the Gators go into Tallahassee and ruin the dedication of Bobby Bowden Field by stunning the Noles, 20-13.

November 17, 2001 - Led by Rex Grossman, the Gators frustrate the Noles, 37-13 (also, the last game I attended at the Swamp).

November 26, 2005 - In Urban Meyer's first taste of the rivalry, special teams, offense, and defense all play lights out in the 34-7 Gators victory.

November 30, 1991 - The Gators prevail 14-9 with a gutsy last minute defensive stand. As the last-gasp FSU pass fell helplessly to the ground in the endzone, Gator Nation rejoiced.

November 25, 1995 - Florida caps its first perfect regular season with a win over the Noles in unseasonably chilly Gainesville, 35-24.

November 25, 2006 - After going up 14-0 in the first half, the Gators give up two TDs in the second. With the score tied, Chris Leak hits Dallas Baker for the game-winning score to finish up the regular season with a 21-14 victory and send the Gators on to the SEC Chmpionship and BCS National Title.

Disclaimer: These are not necessarily the best games of the rivalry, but they are all games I have watched and revelled in.

A New Perspective

2008-11-01T10:42:00.003-05:00

Like everyone else, I have been depressed (no pun intended) about the current state of the economy, and especially its effect on my 401k. As I have watched my retirement account dwindle, I have been tempted to despair. Will I be able to retire when I want to?

But I am a firm believer that God is sovereign over all things, so I began to wonder how God's purpose in the failing economy might be for my good and His glory. Here's the thought that gripped me yesterday: what if I am unable to retire when I want so that I would be forced to preach to live in my declining years. Not that I don't love preaching, but I can see myself falling to temptation at age 65 or 70 and just sitting back and getting lazy. If that were to happen, there would be one less gospel preacher fulfilling his passion and call. Sometimes I need a kick in the seat, and, just maybe, a depleted bank account will be the factor that keeps me proclaiming the gospel for the name and renown of God.

BTW, here's the video that got me thinking about this:

Blessed

2008-10-31T10:02:00.002-05:00

I serve a wonderful body of people at the First Baptist Church of Nocona, TX. Are they a perfect church? No. Am I a perfect pastor? Not by a long shot. Do they make mistakes and do things they shouldn't and often stumble and fall in their walk of faith? They do...just like their pastor does. But just as God loves and accepts me in Christ and in spite of my repeated failings, and just like our church does the same for me and for one another, I love them, too.

I have spoken with other pastors who are often frustrated when church members act mean or hateful or jealous or rude or controlling or greedy or selfish. And while I, too, am tempted to let those things really bother me, God has been so gracious to remind me in those instances that the church is a collection of broken people who haven't reached the end of the journey yet. I'm one of them. And despite my sin and my selfishness, God has not given up on me. Scripture affirms that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it until the Day of Christ Jesus. I am a work in progress and so is every member of our church. And so when I am forced to deal with the imperfections of real people, I am reminded of God's grace...toward me and toward all those who have been redeemed.

As Pastor Appreciation Month draws to a close, I want to say thank you to my church for the words, notes, cards, and gifts of appreciation. Thank you for your affirmation and encouragement. Thank you for your love and care toward me and my family. And thank you for being a constant reminder of God's goodness and grace extended to those who have not deserved it.

When you don't quite measure up

2008-10-25T00:00:00.006-05:00

As a pastor it's hard to know how to measure success. Even biblically it's a difficult thing. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Apostles...they all met with mixed results, even when they were doing EXACTLY what they were supposed to do. So how do I gauge my effectiveness in ministry? I do my best to study fervently. I aspire to preach the gospel passionately. I strive to teach skillfully. I attempt to love our people deeply. As it is, I manage/administrate adequately (my major weakness, in my opinion). And yet I look at what has happened in our church over the last 4 years that I have been pastor, and it's a pretty mixed bag.

Encouraging things: We are engaged in more Bible study opportunities now with some real discipleship happening as well as our women's Bible study. We are pretty healthy financially. We are willing to take steps to prepare for an unknown future (clearing land, renovating facilities). There is little visible strife. Our student ministry is booming and reaching untold numbers of kids and parents. We have families desiring to join our church.

Things that depress me if I let them: Sunday School numbers continue to plunge (one class of young adults has vanished). There is an overall sense of contentment/apathy in our community that has crept into our membership. Sports is an idol that keeps people away from the fellowship of the body. Very few people are willing to serve. We have well over half of our church roll who do not attend worship, even semi-regularly. AWANA is on life support. VBS and WAM week (our summer children's events) are dead, and have been for 2 years now. I don't know if we, as a church body, really love people like we say we do.

And all of this is hard for me to admit. While individuals certainly bear some responsibility for our failings as a church, I am the undershepherd. I'm ultimately accountable. I'm supposed to have a handle on all this, right? Isn't the church's failing to some degree the pastor's failing? And so I'm tempted to evaluate my success as a pastor on outward, visible, measurable things - attendance, programs, leadership, people's faithfulness. If that's the standard, I am a failure and I should just go ahead and pack up and let someone else take over. But if the standard of effectiveness is rooted in something else altogether, maybe there's hope for me. Maybe I'm still usable. Maybe if I continue to study and preach God's Word, continue to love and care for God's people, continue to pray, and continue to surround myself with people who are strong where I'm weak, maybe I'll make it. That's the plan, anyway.

Dave

The Best Medicine

2008-10-23T11:43:00.006-05:00

A little insight into the life of Dave: I love to laugh. I like jokes. I like comedy. I like gags. I like humorous t-shirts. But the thing that makes me laugh out loud more than anything else is watching people fall down. I know it hurts. I know it's painful. But I can't seem to help myself. When we watch America's Funniest Home Videos (my kids' favorite show...because they like to watch people falling down, too) and something strikes me as funny, I will watch it over and over and over again (much to the chagrin of my wife...who doesn't like to watch people falling down as much as I do). Ultimately, I will collapse in a giggling, quaking, crying, snorting mass. For your viewing pleasure, I have included some of my favorites. Be sure to check out 0:33 of the pinata video (the wild flailing is genius), 0:23 of the trampoline video (at what point does he realize he's not going to make it?), and of course, the third video, which proves that I am not the only one who goes into a cackling fit when people fall down. Please to enjoy...

Dust to Dust

2008-10-22T13:53:00.004-05:00

Right before I moved to Nocona, First Baptist Church bought a little 3-bedroom, 1-bath house adjacent to the church building for possible future expansion. In the subsequent years, we've purchased every other lot/home on the block with the exception of one. The only problem was that 2 houses, a garage, and an apartment building occupied these lots. Our goal was never to use these buildings for anything, so the understanding seemed to be that, at some point, we would tear these buildings down or give them to whoever was willing to move them (no one wanted to do that, BTW). And while we have no immediate plans to build or expand, instead of continuing to put it off (and risk being taxed on the property), the church voted in June to go ahead and send in the wrecking ball.

This past weekend the garage was torn down, and Monday they started on the quaint little yellow brick house. I watched as the excavator leveled it, scooped up the remains, loaded them up, and hauled them off. While I was ready for these buildings to be gone, I got a little sentimental about a house I had very little history with. Someone had to build it and be the first to move in. Surely kids were raised there. I could imagine marks on the door jambs indicating how tall they were getting. Meals were eaten there. Arguments took place. Tender moments were shared. Someone may have even taken their last breath in that house. And now it's gone.

It got me to thinking about the transient nature of our existence. Truth be known, all our endeavors to preserve and restore and protect are all ultimately going to be in vain. Every house will come crashing down. Schools and church buildings and stadiums will fall. Shopping malls and Wal-Marts will crumble. And one day each of us will draw our last breath, be put in the ground, and turn to dust. None of this is going to last.

And so our hope is not in tangible things, but in the renewal and redemption that we will experience as children of God. Romans 8 speaks of how the whole of creation groans to be set free from its corruption and futility. And likewise, we who have been justified groan for the redemption of our bodies. One day this earth will be set right...like it was created to be before the Fall. And one day we will be remade with holy, sinless bodies. Our hope is not found in the frail, passing things of this world. Our hope is in Christ who makes all things new.

All these thoughts inspired me to write:

Dust to Dust

The year was 1926; they built a home on Texas soil
They made it strong with wood and brick, and hope and sweat and pain and toil
It held their hopes, it kept their dreams; it grew their love as years went by
They lived and loved within those walls; there they grew old, and there they died

It’s only time till it’s all gone
None of it was meant to last
Ash to ash, and dust to dust
The frail and broken things will pass away

Was on a Wednesday I was born; they welcomed me with love and fear
Three decades now have come and gone, and Providence has brought me here
I know I’ve got a ways to go until I lay this body down
But I’m closer now that yesterday, and one day they’ll put me in the ground

It was made and then it fell
Broken flesh and broken ground
Its broken voice began to groan, even now
Redemption’s just around the bend
How we long to have a home
Our bodies and creation, too…even now…even now

I watched them as they tore it down – machines and trucks and shattered glass
The little house was turned to dust; those dreams replaced by wind and grass

One Issue

2008-10-16T11:11:00.002-05:00

It's funny to me that during this election season, anyone who uses a poltician's stance on abortion as a criterion for voting is labeled a "one-issue voter." While it is true that abortion is one issue among many, I think there is a difference between being a "one-issue voter" and letting a serious issue automatically disqualify a candidate, no matter what other views they have.

Let me give you an example. When I was single, I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for in a wife. A few things on my "list" were non-negotiables. Many others were simply preferences. I wasn't basing my search on one issue, but there certainly were single issues that would have disqualified a young woman immediately. If she were a drug addict...out. If she were a stripper...gone. If she used to be a man...nyet. If she were an FSU grad...seeya. And I think everyone feels that way to an extent. There would be certain things that would disqualify a person from being your date or your spouse, regardless of what else they had going for them. Yet, we don't ever hear people being defined as a "one-issue dater."

To bring it back into the political arena, suppose you found the perfect candidate. He lined up with you across the board...economically, socially, morally, defense, healthcare. Everything is great, except that this candidate supports the selling of nuclear secrets to terrorists. Would that disqualify him? What if he supported the reinstitution of slavery? Would that disqualify him? What if he wanted to legalize pedophelia? Disqualified? I would think so.

To me, the label "single-issue voter" is a pejorative term intended to paint the accused as unthinking or simple-minded. I don't consider myself either of those, and yet, because of his stance on abortion, I cannot vote for Barrack Obama. In my mind, he is disqualified. Would I agree with him on other issues? Maybe, but he doesn't meet one of my non-negotiables. And please understand, the fact that I'm not voting for Obama doesn't mean I am voting for John McCain. I have serious concerns there as well. Who knows...I may cast a third party vote for someone like Chuck Baldwin. But I will not compromise. And I will not sit by and let myself be pigeonholed. It doesn't matter how much you get right if you get certain things wrong.

Dave

Lay off...I've been busy for the last year

2008-10-15T15:46:00.003-05:00

Well, here's to 15 months off from blogging. I was going to jump right in with some more current topics, but I really want to finish up with an amazing story from Brazil.

On Wednesday morning we went to visit the town witch...yeah, that's right...town witch. She's a middle-aged woman in town who carries a lot of influence. She is courted by politicians to gain her support and endorsement. The reason she holds such sway over these people is that they believe she has supernatural powers. They will come to her if they need a job or have a sick child or want someone to like them. They pay her to make a sacrifice (usually a chicken) to the spirits. Actually, what happens is that she gets drunk on rum, talks in a deep voice, falls down and rolls on the ground, and then beheads the aforementioned poultry. But they buy it.

When we went to visit her, she was busy and claimed to not have time for us. So we thanked her for her time and left. After we had gone just a few steps outside of her house, I felt impressed to pray that God would break her and make her desperate for the salvation only He can give. So I gathered up our team (me, my interpreter Elmo, the pastor's wife, and a church member) and began to pray. And as I'm praying, I start to hear music blaring from a house nearby. It doesn't take long to recognize that the song is "Agnus Dei" by Michael W. Smith. Here we are praying for God to show this woman that her idols and spirits are weak and powerless and false, and this music is proclaiming through the streets and corridors and alleys "Holy, holy are You, Lord God Almighty, worthy is the Lamb...for our Lord God Almighty reigns." I began to weep for her and because of the goodness God has shown to save any of us. What a testimony to His sovereignty that there in an obscure Brazilian neighborhood, in a back alley beside a witch's house that THAT song would be playing at that moment for us to hear. Goosebumps. Still.

The rest of the trip consisted of more home visits and evangelism opportunities, some fun and shopping, and an uncomfortable trip back to the U.S. (due to a severe migraine). I could go on and on about what a great, lifechanging trip this was, but those of you who have been on a mission trip already know what I'm talking about, and those that haven't probably wouldn't understand fully anyway.

Thanks for reading about my unforgettable trip to an unforgettable place. May God continue to water and shine light on the seeds that were sown in June of 2007. I'll be back tomorrow with something a little more current.

Dave

Brazil 2007 (#3)

2007-07-03T13:18:00.000-05:00

Monday morning we were up early and eating by about 6:45. The sun comes up in Sao Luis at some point before 6, because that was the earliest I ever got out of bed and it was already light every time I got up. We met with Michael and the guys and divided up Bibles and tracts. We left the hotel by 8:30 for Sacavem. Once there, we split into teams. Each team had one American, one translator, and one or two church members from Sacavem who had helped set the appointments and knew where to take us. My team was me, Elmo, and a woman named Rosana (which in Portuguese is pronounced "Hosana" which I thought was cool).

Our first visit was with a young mother. Her husband was a at work but she was gracious to invite us into her home. She had been attending a Bible study and was in the process of learning about Christ and salvation. As I shared my testimony and then the gospel she was very attentive. She seemed to have a cognitive grasp of the things I was telling her. She understood that she was a sinner and that her sin separated her from God. And she understood that the only option for the removal of God's righteous anger toward her sin was to trust Jesus. But she was unwilling to do this. She said she needed to think about it some more. I praise God that she didn't just say what she thought we wanted to hear when there was no change in her heart. She said that she wanted her belief to be genuine and heartfelt, which I appreciated. I pressed her a little about the urgency of salvation, but ultimately left her in God's hands for Him to do His work. I truly believe that Malena will come to believe soon, and I pray that God will continue to draw her to Himself.

Our second visit was with another young mother named Anna. She was 18 years old and pregnant with her second child. Like Malena she listened intently and seemed to understand what we had told her. After my testimony and proclamation of the gospel, she indicated that she believed. I know it is sometimes difficult to determine the legitimacy of conversions like this, but I pray that she was genuinely born again and that I will see her in heaven one day.

Our third visit was with an older Catholic woman and her grandson. She seemed a little impatient and bothered that we were there. We kept hitting a brick wall with her as she kept insisting that she was a good person and was not separated from God by her sin. We must have established that truth from Scripture about 3 or 4 times when God interrupted our visit through the vehicle of my digestive system.

I don't know if it was the watermelon the night before or the sweltering heat, but I had to flee the house and find some indoor plumbing. 20 minutes later (or who knows, it may have been an hour later) I was back at the church letting a fan blow hot air on my face. I was done for the day. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the hotel drinking water and sleeping.

By dinner I was feeling well enough to join the group for dinner at a Brazilian restaurant. We ate some GREAT food - fruit juices, fried meat pastries, fried bananas, steak marinated in butter, chicken, fish - it was wonderful. After dinner I emailed home and then got to bed.

It was so satisfying to see people respond to the gospel and believe in Christ for salvation. It has been too long since I've seen this kind of hunger for the good news. Today was a remarkable day.

Brazil 2007 (Part B)

2007-07-02T14:35:00.000-05:00

After a good night's sleep in a moderately cool hotel room, we got up and ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant. I had bread with some strange jelly type substance, a slice of cheese, warm milk, and watery pineapple juice. It was tolerable. For the rest of the week I just ended up eating trail mix for breakfast. Mmm...nuts, raisins, M&Ms...can't beat it.

After breakfast we headed across the street to the Fore's home. They live in a 10th floor apartment owned by the IMB. It was very nice, but no air conditioning. It was shocking how much we have and take for granted here at home. Each of us shared about our expectations for the trip. I'm always hesitant to specify my expectations. I don't know if it's because I'm afraid I'll fall short or because I've often seen God do exactly the opposite of what I anticipate, but either way I told them that my expectations were simply that we would be faithful to proclaim the gospel and clear in our understanding and presentation of it. I fully acknowledge that salvation is God's work in the hearts of men. It is not a decision or a resolution or behavior modification or sin management. It is a supernatural transformation. I can't change anyone or talk them into being born again. I am simply called to tell and invite. The rest is for God. I also wanted for this trip to renew my own passion for personal evangelism.

We ate a great lunch prepared by Cynthia Fore and then came back to the hotel for a quick rest. Energized and rested up, we set out to meet our translators. Cyrus is a young guy who would be translating for me that night as I preached and for Steve during the home visits. He learned English from playing video games and listening to American radio. The first two words he learned in English were "crash" and "burn." My interpreter for home visits was a pastor and English teacher named Elmo. I am fairly tall. Elmo is not. On several occasions I wanted to ask Elmo to sit on my lap so I could put my hand on his back and act like I was a ventriloquist. Yeah, I'm glad I didn't ask him that. When we stood next to each other he said that we were like "Twins" - you know, the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito (except Arnold is fabulously muscular and I am muscle-less-ly flabular). Anyway, the two of us side by side were quite a pair.

After getting to know one another and brushing up on our presentations, we headed for Sacavem. Sacavem is a poor neighborhood in Sao Luis where we worked for most of the week. We ate in a small restaurant owned by some church members. It was buffet style and consisted of rice and beans, chicken, beef, and fruit. It tasted great and the owners were so gracious. After dinner it was off to the church. The church building is pretty small, maybe 25'x50'. Again, there is no AC. During services they open the doors and metal shutters and run electric fans. They love volume! They have some pretty good sized speakers and they crank them. Drums, guitar, keys, and vocals make up their praise band. The musicians are very talented and the singing was energetic. They were so passionate and unashamed. Everyone - young, old, male, female - were all shouting and clapping and raising their hands. I told them later that I wanted to take some of their enthusiasm back to our church. It made me feel ashamed at every time I had sung praise to God half-heartedly. They sang for a solid hour.

I ended up preaching about Jesus' healing of the man born blind in John 9. It was a little awkward at first preaching through a translator. I had to go in bite-sized chunks for the most part. But other times I had to give a whole sentence because Brazilian sentence structure would be backwards from English at times. But we settled in and Cyrus did great. The congregation was very attentive and affirming. They chimed in with "Amens" pretty frequently. I preached for about an hour (actually only 30 minutes, but the translated version was another 30 minutes). Afterwards the team members and the Brazilian church members were all very encouraging. They are extremely affectionate and love to hug. So I was warmly greeted with hugs as the service closed. All in all it was an amazing experience.

After the service we headed back to the hotel. I got to call Catherine and the kids and finally got in bed around 11. What a day.

Sweet Fancy Moses

2007-06-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

For those who are "Seinfeld-ignorant" it's an expression of shock and amazement. Some are tempted to think it violates some biblical command not to take the names of the Patriarchs in vain, but I can't find that one in there. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

Anyway, the reason for my shock and amazement? Mrs. Suprdaviss just discovered that we are expecting our 3rd child. Yee. Haw. We're looking at a late February/early March delivery. Let's get ready to rumble.

Brazil 2007 (Part the First)

2007-06-27T17:47:00.000-05:00

On Monday, June 25 I arrived home from a full week of ministry in Sao Luis, Maranao, Brazil. To both of you who read my blog (thanks, mom), I want to take the next few days and share some of the details of our trip. It was beautiful, exciting, scary, emboldening, and heartbreaking. It caused me to weep over the lostness of men and rejoice in the goodness of God who extends His grace to undeserving sinners. You are probably not going to read things here that are deep and profound, but I pray that as you read my words that you would be encouraged to draw near to the heart of God and challenged to let your light shine before men.

I set out from Nocona, TX on Friday afternoon, June 15 with two of our senior adult women, Travis and Rosita. We arrived at the DFW airport where we met our other two team members, Steve and Lynn. Steve is a frequent flyer and a member of the Admiral's Club, so he was able to get us into a more comfortable place to wait for our flight.

We boarded the flight and I ended up on the very back row next to a Brazilian woman. Being 6'4", airplane seats are never confortable for me, but on an overnight flight next to a perfect stranger they are almost unbearable. I managed to doze for a few minutes at a time throughout the night. Sunrise on the flight came early, but when it did it was spectacular. It was so bright that it blasted orange beams of light through the windows and onto the other side of the plane. As it continued to rise we could see the lush green valleys filled with the early morning mist and fog. From the very beginning we were treated to glimpses of God's glory in creation. We got into Sao Paulo at about 8am.

We had to go through customs, but thankfully no one got stopped or searched. We then had to maneuver through the Sao Paulo airport to recheck our bags and find our next flight. Thankfully we had a long layover to get this accomplished. I did get to use my first Portuguese to tell a woman, "Eu nao falo Portugues (I do not speak Portuguese)." For the first time in my life I really felt like a foreigner. All the signs were in Portuguese. Everyone was speaking Portuguese. Airline officials were shouting directions in Portuguese. Maybe it's because I'm a self-centered American, but it was tempting to expect everyone to understand me. It was good for me to be forced to adapt to everyone else.

Our next three flights were short, to Recife, Fortaleza, and then into Sao Luis. Thankfully all our bags arrived! The Fore family (Michael, Cynthia, Chris, Joseph, Carilee, and Jenny) met us at the airport and greeted us like family. I could tell that they missed "home folks." We met our bus driver for the week, Orlando, loaded up and headed for the hotel. We got checked in and headed to bed. Sunday would be a full day.

As I lay in bed and reflected on the first days of our trip a couple of things struck me. First, with all the things that could have gone wrong, very little actually did. Rosita did get stopped at every security check, but none of us were stopped at customs. All of our flights were smooth. There were no flight delays. We made all of our connections. We arrived with all of our luggage. I know that this was no accident. It may be a small thing, but I'm thankful that God is sovereign even over the details.

Second, during the 45-minute drive from the airport to the hotel God began to plant in my heart a burden for the people of Sao Luis. Even though I only watched through a bus window for a few minutes, I saw street children, thugs, partiers. I saw people without Christ and without hope who are destined for hell unless God saves them. I prayed that the love of Christ would compel me to be bold in sharing the gospel.

Third, I knew that I was going to preach Sunday night at the church service in Sacavem (a neighborhood within Sao Luis). I wanted to be sure that I preached a simple gospel message that would be a call to the lost and a challenge to the saints. I prayed that I would have a clear idea what I should preach.

Also, I really started to miss Catherine and the kids. More to come...

Making disciples of all nations...

2007-06-13T12:53:00.000-05:00

This Friday night I will fly from Dallas to Sao Luis, Brazil for a week of evangelism, preaching, and church planting. Four of my church members will be going with me. We will be partnering with a couple of IMB missionaries who were formerly on staff here at our church.

If you read this blog, please pray. Pray that our presentation of the gospel would be accurate and clear. Pray that we would be both bold and compassionate. Pray that God would draw sinners to Himself. Pray that we would be obedient to the command of Scripture and the prompting of the Spirit. Pray for our families as we are away. Pray that the name of Jesus would be exalted and glorified.

I'll post an update when I return.

Integrity, Enforcement, and Double Standards

2007-06-13T09:32:00.000-05:00

Wade Burleson has consistently held that he affirms and supports the BFM2K, but with a couple of caveats. One of these is in reference to the condemnation of infants before they actually sin themselves. Wade has stated his belief that Scripture teaches all men are condemned from birth because of Adam's sin. He believes that this understanding conflicts with the statement in the BFM2K. Others have argued that the BFM doesn't contradict the affirmation (held, for instance, by the Abstract of Principles) that all men are condemned from birth. They say that these two documents complement each other. I believe it was Dr. Greg Welty that explained that these two documents speak of two distinct condemnations. But my post isn't about these two documents and whether they conflict. Wade Burleson believes that they do conflict, and so in the interest of integrity and full disclosure he stated his agreement with the AoP and disagreement with the BFM. Others believe that they don't conflict, and if that is the case, why should Wade's statement on this particular issue matter? He has stated what he believes, yet most of those who would call for his dismissal say that his disagreement is really no disagreement at all. So for the sake of this argument, let's set the issue of infant condemnation aside.

The issue that remains, then, is the issue of closed communion. The BFM states that baptism is prerequisite to the Lord's Supper. Some define this as "closed" communion. I have heard others refer to this as "close" communion. Wade seems to indicate that his church invites all born again believers to participate in the Lord's Supper. Because of this conviction, again in the interest of integrity and full disclosure, he has stated his disagreement with the BFM on this issue. Because of this, many have called for his removal as an IMB trustee.

So my question is this: how many current SBC agency trustees have affirmed the BFM2K without reservation or written caveats, yet practice the very same kind of communion practiced by Wade Burleson's church? In other words, is there any way to determine how many affirm BFM in print and deny it in practice? Does it show a lack of integrity? Is there a way to enforce it? What about those who make a statement about being baptized before partaking of the Lord's Supper and then do nothing to ensure that this actually happens? Do they actually practice closed or close communion as outlined in the BFM? Or are they in violation of it? And if it is found out that some who have affirmed the BFM2K (including apparently every SBTC church) practice open communion, will there be the same call to remove them from boards and castigate them for their lack of consistency? Will this be a double standard?

Keeping up with the Joneses

2007-05-24T20:32:00.000-05:00

So now my wife and my brother-in-law have blogs and here my poor neglected blog lies, gasping for breath, eyes rolling back in its little blog skull. I should be arrested and charged with blog endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a blog. Man, I'm out of practice. So I guess I have to start blogging again. Thanks Catherine. Thanks Gary. I hate you all. More to come. And brace yourselves for the profundity suckas.

Dave

Should it matter to me?

2006-11-09T09:48:00.000-06:00

When I was in college I was supremely involved and concerned with all things political. I listened to Rush Limbaugh religiously. I proclaimed the evils of liberalism. I handed out leaflets and flyers for Republican-backed causes. When Bill Clinton won the '92 election I wore black the next day as a form of protest. I genuinely believed that Democrats were in league with Satan and that their aim was to destroy our great country.

Then things began to change.

At some point I came to the realization that patriotism had reached "idol status" for me. Likewise, I realized my political approach had fostered anger and hatred and bitterness in my heart toward anyone who disagreed with me. I had become very antagonistic. It was important to me that I was "right" and anyone who had different leanings was "wrong."

This transformation continued from 1995 to the present and I find myself a very different person than I used to be. I still vote and encourage others to do the same. I still feel very strongly about certain issues. I believe that Christians should take a biblical stand on issues. But I'm not angry anymore. It no longer sends me into a tailspin to know that the "dreaded Democrats" will control Congress and may well control the White House in '08.

Will the political change affect the particulars of my life? Perhaps. Will it affect the culture I live in? Maybe. But it will not affect my faith. It will not affect the gospel. It will not affect the way I shepherd my flock. It will not affect what I teach my children. Our sovereign God has brought to power those men and women who, in His eternal counsel, He has foreordained to rule. He has given them their authority, whether they be Republicans of Democrats or Independents.

My challenge is not to let my peace and assurance in God's providence turn into apathy. I must work to guard my mind and heart, lest "God is in control" turn into "Nothing really matters." I must continue to stand for what is right and remember to pray for our leaders. I must continue to vote my conscience. But I have to admit, sometimes I'm tempted not to care. Must...not...get...lazy.

Anyone else struggle with this stuff?

Dave

Be careful what you wish for...

2006-10-24T14:38:00.000-05:00

or I guess to be more grammatically correct, "be careful for what you wish. "

From the time I first sensed a call to full time ministry, I always had one of these idealistic, dreamy visions of what pastoring would be like. I would watch old movies and television shows in which every little town had its own "preacher" who everyone knew and loved. The little old ladies would bring pies to his house and the local barber would offer him free hair cuts (which of course he would refuse...AND he'd give a good tip). When the townspeople had a problem, they would come to the preacher for counsel and advice. He would do all the weddings and all the funerals. He was the "community pastor." I've always wanted to be that guy.

The problem, until recently, was that I had lived in places like Tampa and Ft. Worth. Big cities like these aren't real conducive to the "community pastor."

All that changed 5 years ago when I moved the family to Nocona, TX, population 3,000 to serve as youth and music minister in a small church. I quickly became entrenched in small-town life. I became a regular at the Dairy Queen every morning for coffee. I joined the Rotary Club. I became a volunteer firefighter. I refereed "Little Dribblers" basketball games. I announced the Jr. High and JV football games on Thursday nights. I would substitute teach one day a month.

When our pastor resigned suddenly 2 years ago and the church called me to shepherd them, it seemed as though my dreams had been fulfilled. I had become the very thing I had always wanted. I was the community pastor.

And that's great. But on weeks like this week, where I've had to do 3 funerals in 4 days for people who did not even attend our church, I begin to wonder. Were my dreams too idealistic? Did I think ministry like that would be all sunshine and butterflies? Didn't I realize the amount of work that would go into serving an entire community?

I guess I didn't. But to tell you the truth, seeing the smiles on the tear-stained faced and hearing the words of gratitude coming from trembling lips, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am proud to call Nocona my home. I am proud to call these people my people. And I am honored and humbled that God would allow me the privilege and place upon me the responsibility of being Christ to these wonderful folks. Even when I am beat down and worn out, it is a joy to love and care for the people of our town. It humbles me, and at the same time it buoys my spirits. May I walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which I have been called.

Dave

Is there a place for lousy joiners?

2006-10-04T12:04:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite songwriters is Rich Mullins. Several years back a video was released that gave a lot of insight about his life, death, and ministry. It was full of concert video and interviews with friends, family, and fellow artists. At one point, Phil Madeira made a comment to the effect that "creative types are typically lousy joiners." He went on to say that Rich was unique in that different people from different traditions and denominations all claimed him. In a culture of "lousy joiners" everyone wanted Rich to join them. His words were really meant to show how special Rich was, but his statement on creative types resonated with me.

I suppose I am a "creative type." I've always been kind of artsy. I draw. I write a little. I am a musician. And true to form I've always been a "lousy joiner." My "popularity peak" occured in 5th grade, at which point something went terribly wrong. My self-image, along with my social life, took a hard left turn. I went into a tailspin of nerdity and geekdom which didn't slow down until my senior year of HS (those who really know me would debate that, insisting that I am still a card carrying member of the Dork Patrol). All of those years confirmed to me that I am not one of those people who is naturally charismatic. I don't have that natural "attractiveness" to me. I have very few close friends. Even in seminary, which was "networking central" I only made one real friend. I've always found it difficult to fit in...which brings me to the point of my post.

I entered the blogosphere hoping to fit in a little and throw my $.02 into an ongoing discussion about faith and the state of the SBC. I found a lot of likeminded people who said some of the same things I was thinking. It was kind of fun feeling like I fit in. But in recent days, it seems that lines have been drawn which have made me question where I really fit, and if I even fit at all. It seems that factions have arisen (whether they intended to and whether they even see themselves as factions) that have very distinctive marks (or have had those marks thrust upon them). There is the Joshua Convergence crew and the Memphis Declaration group. There are traditional conservatives and neo-conservatives. There are the abstainers and the winebibbers. There are the Founders and the "Caner Baptists." There are tent-wideners and gate-guardians. There are apparently those who blog and those who evangelize (you can't do both, you know). There are the cessationists and the continuationists/continualists. There are the Landmarkers and the...whatever the opposite of them is. And while I understand the value of labels as identifiers, I find myself confused and lost as to which label fits me.

I am an inerrantist. I don't drink. I don't think Scripture prohibits the moderate consumption of beverage alcohol. I am a lifelong Southern Baptist. I am a 5-point Calvinist. I have never spoken in a tongue unknown to me. I can't find any convincing support that miraculous gifts have ceased. I am not supportive of the new IMB policies. I value and see the need for doctrinal accountability via a confession of faith. I respect and honor those who have defended biblical Christianity and fought for the authority of Scripture. I have never met Paige Patterson. I have met Wade Burleson once. I am for the accurate reporting of church membership numbers and the regular practice of church discipline. I am intrigued by the writings and spirituality of the mystics. I am sympathetic toward pacifism. I have walked a labyrinth. I own several Brian McLaren books. I have been inspired by the writing of men as diverse as Brennan Manning, Mike Yaconelli, RC Sproul, John Piper, Bob George, Steve McVey, Charles Spurgeon, and John Owen. I don't know where I fit in terms of eschatology, except to say that I am not a dispensationalist. I'm not sure if I align more with Covenant Theology or New Covenant Theology. I am more complimentarian than egalitarian. I support women deacons (if deacons are servants and not a ruling board). I support plural elder leadership. And add to these doctrinal issues the fact that I am sometimes lazy, sometimes undisciplined, sometimes selfish, sometimes defensive, sometimes insensitive, sometimes critical, sometimes obsessive, sometimes perfectionistic, sometimes demanding, sometimes angry, sometimes distracted, sometimes anxious, sometimes cowardly, and often wrong.

So all that to say, do I fit as a Southern Baptist? Am I qualified to serve in any capacity? Would I even want to? Would anyone want me to? Maybe I ask too many questions. And maybe I've said too much.

Dave

Fear Factor

2006-07-06T16:20:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of talk recently (even on this very blog) about the SBC resolution on alcohol use. While I certainly have my opinion, I try to remain open enough to listen to the arguments on the other side. I am willing to be convinced if I can be convinced biblically.

One of the chief complaints I have heard on blogs and in articles from the supporting side is that those on the dissenting side have a very loose idea of "freedom in Christ." It's a phrase that used in an almost disparaging, mocking, or sarcastic tone. Many who use this line of reasoning seem to insinuate that "freedom in Christ" is simply a made up term used to excuse sin. They seem to criticize the use of "freedom in Christ" but offer no convincing alternative as to what real "freedom in Christ" is.

I have heard teachers and preachers growing up proclaim that the freedom we have in Christ is the freedom to do what we should. Now I may be way off base, but that doesn't sound like freedom. It sounds like bondage. It sounds like a legalist could affirm that definition of freedom. And I guess I understand what they're getting at. It's true and biblical that until we are set free by Christ all of our actions are ultimately sinful because anything that does not come from faith is sin. Only when we are set free from sin are we set free to righteousness.

But when it's fleshed out in real life, it's so easy for that "freedom to righteousness" to be twisted into a new law. You are free from sin and free from the law, so now do what I tell you to do. It's as though we are frightened to tell people that the freedom that is theirs in Christ is really freedom. We are content to tell people that they are justified by grace through faith, but then we want to put them back under a list of demands and a yoke of bondage and define for them what holiness is and is not apart from the explicit teaching of Scripture. We are afraid to tell them that they are also sanctified by grace through faith, not by works of the law. We have become modern-day Judaizers who measure holiness by external adherance to an extra-biblical code.

But why this fear of freedom? Is it justified? Should we temper our proclamation of the gospel of grace? Should we tone it down? What can we do to address the fact that some may misunderstand the gospel of grace and freedom to be a license to sin? Should that frighten us? Listen to these words from D. Maryn Lloyd-Jones:

. . . If it is true that where sin abounded grace has much more abounded, well then, ‘shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound yet further?’

First of all, let me make a comment, to me a very important and vital comment. The true preaching of the gospel of salvation by grace alone always leads to the possibility of this charge being brought against it. There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do; you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. If my preaching and presentation of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel. Let me show you what I mean.

If a man preaches justification by works, no one would ever raise this question. If a man’s preaching is, ‘If you want to be Christians, and if you want to go to heaven, you must stop committing sins, you must take up good works, and if you do so regularly and constantly, and do not fail to keep on at it, you will make yourselves Christians, you will reconcile yourselves to God and you will go to heaven’. Obviously a man who preaches in that strain would never be liable to this misunderstanding. Nobody would say to such a man, ‘Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?’, because the man’s whole emphasis is just this, that if you go on sinning you are certain to be damned, and only if you stop sinning can you save yourselves. So that misunderstanding could never arise . . . . . .

Nobody has ever brought this charge against the Church of Rome, but it was brought frequently against Martin Luther; indeed that was precisely what the Church of Rome said about the preaching of Martin Luther. They said, ‘This man who was a priest has changed the doctrine in order to justify his own marriage and his own lust’, and so on. ‘This man’, they said, ‘is an antinomian; and that is heresy.’ That is the very charge they brought against him. It was also brought George Whitfield two hundred years ago. It is the charge that formal dead Christianity – if there is such a thing – has always brought against this startling, staggering message, that God ‘justifies the ungodly’ . . .

Grace is indeed risky. It is scary. It gives freedom...real freedom. It does not simply change the prison cell you are in. I am willing to be misunderstood and taken advantage of if it means preaching the real, liberating gospel of grace. I am willing to be called "antinomian" and "heretic" and "liberal" for the sake of the gospel. I know I am none of those things, but go ahead and call names if you want. I know who I am. And I am not afraid.

Dave

Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz...

2006-06-26T12:30:00.000-05:00

...it's the most remarkable word I've ever seen. It's amazing that this alphabet contains just 26 letters, but they can be put together in ways that can make people respond with such emotion. Here are some of the most powerful arrangements of letters that I've seen, especially over the past few months:

b-a-p-t-i-s-m

a-l-c-o-h-o-l

C-a-l-v-i-n-i-s-m

W-a-d-e B-u-r-l-e-s-o-n

e-m-e-r-g-e-n-t

P-a-i-g-e P-a-t-t-e-r-s-o-n

b-l-o-g-g-e-r-s

r-e-s-u-r-g-e-n-c-e

Spell each of these words on a computer screen or in a state baptist paper and a lot of people immediately react with anger, even bordering on rage. Should these words make us angry? Are there any words that should make us angry? Or have we failed to exercise the spiritual gift of self-control and let ourselves instead be controlled by fickle emotions. The SBC seemed very concerned that we "...be not drunk with wine...but be filled with the Spirit." But it seems that the greater danger is not that we are controlled by alcohol, but that we are controlled by anger. To paraphrase James, "Behold how great a mind is enraged by such a few letters."

Dave

A world without mirrors

2006-06-22T15:37:00.000-05:00

It has always been sad to me (not surprising, but sad nonetheless) to see how eager we are to preach violently against the things we are not guilty of. Or we hear a convicting sermon and immediately think of all the other people who need to hear it. And it's not as though we don't have enough faults to occupy our time. We could spend from now until the Lord returns examining ourselves and asking God to expose our sinful habits, actions, motives, thoughts, attitudes, etc. and we'd never finish. Scripture is full of admonitions to examine ourselves and yet we are much more content to seek out and publicly expose the failings of others. We pass a resolution condemning the secular alcohol industry and reject one calling us as a convention to account for unregenerate membership and inflated rolls. It's like we live in a world where we can see everyone else but have no means of looking at ourselves. Why is this?

Maybe it's just easier to expose the faults of others. If we look at ourselves we are the ones then responsible to deal with those things. It takes time and work. When we point out others' failings, our job is done. They are the ones who bear the task of having to work on them and we can go on our way.

Maybe it helps to distract and deflect attention from our blame. When we know we are guilty and certainly worthy of criticism, we can avoid that by pointing at someone whose sin is either more public or more socially reprehensible or culturally demonized. And then maybe people will forget about the sin we've committed.

Maybe it makes us think we've actually done something. We can vote, for instance, to prohibit alcohol consumption and feel that we have improved our churches and our communities and strangthened the moral fiber of our land. And in fact, we may have done nothing at all...or less than nothing.

Maybe self-examination doesn't make for good reading. I'll admit that I'm guilty. I go searching the blogs and my morbid curiosity hopes for a new exposee or accusation. When I see a blogger's personal confessions and admissions, there aren't quite as many comments. Self-examination just isn't exciting and attractive.

I've seen a lot of this type of behavior in my life and especially over the past few months. And I'm not saying that we can't respond to people or that we can't bring to light things that honestly need to be exposed. It just seems that so many times I am much more eager to sit in the chair of the judge than I am to sit in the chair of the defendant. May God help us all to not just confess, but REMOVE our beams before we deal with the specks of others.

Dave

Call me curious...

2006-06-21T11:14:00.000-05:00

Why is it generally acceptable for non-Calvinists to publicly impugn, misrepresent, and malign Calvinists without anyone calling them to account in the same forum?

Why are any number of self-professed non-Calvinists free to write what THEY understand Calvinists to believe in state Baptist papers or to caricature Calvinists from the platform of the Annual Meeting without any rebuttal or counterpoint?

Why are Calvinists not given the opporunity through SBC channels to clearly state what they actually believe without having to be in a "balanced" context like the Patterson/Mohler discussion?

Why isn't a capable, recognizable 5-point Calvinist approached by BP or ABP to articulate the doctrines of grace from one who actually holds to them?

Why are Calvinists the ones who are characterized as militant, aggresive, and angry?

There seems to be a double standard among Southern Baptists.

One final thought, many non-Calvinists are seemingly upset at being labeled "Arminian." But following the logic of some, anyone who holds to the 5 points is a "Hyper-Calvinist." That means that to be simply a "Calvinist" you would have to hold to only 3 or 4 of the points (I'm not sure who gets to define which points those might be). Following that same logic, you would not have to hold to all 5 points of the Remonstrance to be considered an Arminian. Claiming all 5 would make you a "Hyper-Arminian." So if a person claims to agree only with the "P" of the TULIP (and therefore affirm the other 4 points of the Remonstrance), why would he object to being called an Arminian? Hmm.

Dave

" I have a lot of problems with you people..."

2006-06-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

For those who may not recognize the above quote, it was spoken by Frank Costanza on the television show Seinfeld. Forced by rampant consumerism to boycott Christmas, Mr. Costanza creates a new holiday, Festivus. Key elements of Festivus are the Festivus Pole (a simple metal pole to replace the gaudy Christmas tree with all its tinsel), feats of strength (in which family members may challenge one another to various displays of brawn) and the airing of grievances (in which family members are free to "get it all out").

Well I don't know if he has dragged the pole out of the crawl space or not, but for Florida Baptist Witness editor, James A. Smith, Sr., Festivus has come early. Upon reading his latest editorial, Three Cheers for the Alcohol Resolution, Smith seems to have a lot of problems with some people and it has come the time for the airing of grievances . He is harsh towards Wiley Drake, saying,

"it was sad that the Convention elected a man more known for his microphone-hogging, self-indulgent and almost always out-of-order motions than for his serious support for the work of the Convention through the Cooperative Program. But, we laughed, and that’s what seemed to be the most important qualification for this office."

He seems to have a bone to pick with bloggers (and the secular media). He says,

"I could write about the often overstated role of the so-called “bloggers,” the Internet diarists/activists/politicians who indeed impacted this year’s meeting — especially the introduction of motions, the Resolutions Committee debate and less clearly the presidential election. The bloggers are eagerly pointing to The New York Times and TIME Magazine stories crediting the movement with the new president’s election, even though the secular media — as in this occasion — are almost always wrong in their evaluations of SBC annual meetings."

He seems to paint bloggers as self-congratulatory and delusional as to their actual influence, and yet he spends an entire paragraph touting the "front and center" leadership of Florida Baptists, saying that they are the SBC'c "best and brightest." Triumphalism is certainly within his rights, I suppose, but not immediately after criticizing the inflated self-worth of others.

But he saves his most expansive criticism for those who spoke against Resolution #5, or the Resolution Against Alcohol, especially Pastor Ben Cole. While he says he sympathizes with those who opposed the resolution, he says he finds the debate "bewildering" and can't seem to fathom how anyone could argue against such a "wise, thoughtful resolution." In an effort to help Mr. Smith understand, the way one argues against an (at best) un-biblical or (at worst) anti-biblical resolution is by turning to God's inerrant, sufficient Word. I think Daniel Whitfield does a fine job of that here:
Alcohol and the Bible.

To his credit, Mr. Smith recognizes that Scripture does not prohibit alcohol use, only alcohol abuse. And yet he still feels compelled to defend the mandate for total abstinence. He borrows the oft used defenses or prohibition, including the "weaker brother" argument and the assumption that alcohol, like polygamy and slavery, is somehow inherently immoral, dangerous, and destructive. He even quotes a pamphlet from the SBERLC which states, "Additionally, the Bible encourages Christians, as salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16), to deliver society from alcohol’s devastating personal and social effects.” Really? REALLY?! Who knew?

He takes a final parting shot at Ben Cole, Wade Burleson, and all the others who both oppose this resolution and oppose the overly-restrictive new IMB policies when he rails,

So, this is the kind of Christian liberty that is desired of missionaries and other leaders in Southern Baptists life — the right to drink booze, speak in tongues and hold as valid baptisms at churches believing in baptismal regeneration? I cannot imagine that the vast majority of grassroots Southern Baptists agree with this notion of Christian liberty.

Dishonest. Mischaracterization. Straw man. Pick one.

I guess I may be simple minded, but I fail to see how we can label unwise what the Bible does not. It seems so clear, biblically, that the ABUSE of alcohol is what Scripture warns of. And please save the "weaker brother" argument. In 1 Corinthians, the possibility of causing a weaker brother to stumble does not result in a blanket prohibition of meat. They were encouraged to act in love toward the weaker brother and then the matter was left TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S CONSCIENCE.

To be honest, there is more biblical warrant to issue a resolution on speeding than on alcohol use. Speeding is dangerous. Speeding causes accidents. Speeding kills people. And speeding is against the law. And why don't we have a resolution prohibiting the watching of television for entertainment? One could argue that it's not wise and leads to sloth, as well as exposing us to various evils. Why don't we pass a resolution against busyness? God calls us to sabbath. Overworking tears families apart. Why alcohol and not these resolutions? Because this is a resolution that makes us feel like we are making a difference, and most of us won't have to change a thing.

In closing, I am a little curious as to the final words in the quote by Dr. Paige Patterson. He says, "Positively, the resolution was adopted by 90 percent of the messengers, a critically important resolution in light of some pastors who now openly boast of imbibing alcohol.” I am interested if he knows these pastors or if he's only been told of this phenomenon. I bet I know where they are. They're probably out boozing it up with the hyper-calvinists and half of the 16 million SBCers. Someone let me know if you find them.

Dave

Testing, testing...is this thing on? Can everyone hear me?

2006-06-19T11:57:00.000-05:00

Well here goes. I have tried to deny my inner blogger for several months now, but I am weary and can't fight any more. So let's rumble. I have to admit, the main reason I've hesitated entering the blogosphere is pride and selfishness. I've been a lurker on countless blogs and have seen the ways the comments are often used to attack both the blogger and other commenters. Since my earliest memories, my greatest fear has been the criticism and unfavorable opinions of others. When I know people don't like me or don't approve of me it eats at my insides and keeps me up at night. So I suppose this exercise will be partly thereapeutic in exposing me to that which I fear the most. It's kind of like taking an agoraphobic to a shopping mall or taking a Florida State Seminole to a Policeman's Ball. So really, the title of my blog, "Nothing to Prove, Nothing to Lose" is less a reflection of my current disposition than it is a longing...an attitude I hope to cultivate. Feel free to stop by often. Leave your comments. Be honest. Be gentle. I can't promise that you'll find anything groundbreaking or mindblowing. But hopefully you'll hear the ramblings, humor, and thoughts of a guy who lives by the immortal words of a legendary animated presidential candidate, "We most move forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom."

Dave