A 288-page report on any subject is daunting, but as a Southern Baptist, pastor, and president of IBSA, I felt a responsibility to keep the report open all last week and slowly read through it. I made notes and wrote down personal thoughts, and as I reviewed them afterwards, I was surprised to discover a […]
Building the cheerful giver
You know God’s in the middle of something when your church experiences both its lowest year of attendance and highest year of giving at the same time. This was our experience in 2020, and the realization caused me to take stock of how he brought us here. Truly, I believe God is the great provider […]
IBSA President urges prayer and hope ahead of SBC
IBSA President Heath Tibbetts’ statement offers encouragement and hope to Baptists discouraged by the ongoing discussion of controversies leading up to the June 15-16 Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville. A video version of the message is available on Tibbett’s Facebook page. As President of IBSA, I’m encouraged by weekly conversations with church leaders around our […]
Sweat hour of prayer
Your pastor is sweating a lot, and I don’t just mean during that sermon or business meeting. He’s sweating out the moments you can’t see. Your pastor is sweating in prayer for you. He’s also sweating out whether it’s perceived in this time of low-contact church life. When I accepted the role of IBSA Vice […]
Responsible Christian citizenship: Responding to Coronavirus
Christians should be the best citizens. We should vote, pay our taxes, and do all we can to live lawfully. Countries that do not oppress their citizenry should find the Christians among them to be the very best examples of compliance and involvement. So how should churches respond as some government officials have called upon […]