April 2006 Issue

Revving Up a Rundown Romance • Drawing from the example of Samson's loss of strength in Judges 16, Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch warned against squandering the opportunities God has given the Convention. "There is great consequence in the traumatic tragedy of unfulfilled potential," Welch told Executive Committee members in Nashville, Tennessee, February 20. ~ by Erin Curry Roach

Increased Education and Promotion of CP • A committee charged with studying a range of financial solutions within the Southern Baptist Convention is recommending that entities promote the Cooperative Program by continually referencing and promoting it in publications and printed materials. ~ by Michael Foust

Historic Times Ahead • Southern Baptist pastors and church members may be entering historic times in their stewardship and global outreach. "Today ... we have the privilege of looking to a historic step forward as Southern Baptists in the work of the Cooperative Program," Anthony Jordan, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, told the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee February 21. Jordan's statements were made during his presentation of the final report of the Ad Hoc Cooperative Program Committee, of which he serves as chairman. ~ by Art Toalston

Thank You, Southern Baptists • Last September, the Executive Committee, acting ad interim on behalf of the Southern Baptist Convention, voted unanimously to use beyond-the-budget Cooperative Program contributions received for the fiscal year ending September 30 in three areas of great need among Southern Baptists.

Fred Luter: The Circuit-Driving Preacher • The upheaval of Hurricane Katrina has turned Fred Luter into a circuit-driving preacher, journeying more than nine thousand miles in a Jeep Cherokee he started driving last fall. When Katrina struck last fall, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans had more than seven thousand members, having grown from sixty-five members in 1986 when Luter was called as pastor. ~ by Shannon Baker

A Biblical Model for Kingdom Parenting • It is not insignificant that the Empowering Kingdom Growth task force led Southern Baptists to look first at the Kingdom Family. Tom Elliff provided us with wonderful biblical material to look at the seven pillars of a Kingdom family. That material continues to be of great value to our local churches. We cannot lose sight of the truth that we will not be able to develop Kingdom churches until we first establish Kingdom priorities in the home. ~ by by Kenneth S. Hemphill

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility • Few issues are more likely to ignite a lively debate than a discussion of the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in this subject in Southern Baptist life, to the delight of some and chagrin of others. The Conservative Resurgence which began in 1979 was about the authority of the Bible. Those who believe the Bible to be the inerrant and infallible Word of God will take its doctrines seriously. Issues like predestination and election, freewill and human responsibility will naturally require our careful study. ~ by Daniel L. Akin, Ph.D.

The TULIP of Calvinism • The following is a summary of the "TULIP" of classic Calvinism, set against the backdrop of its origins and compared to the Baptist Faith and Message, with the full recognition that Scripture is the final authority on all beliefs and doctrinal systems. ~ by Malcolm B. Yarnell III, Ph.D.

Thom Rainer Installed as LifeWay's New President • Family, friends, Southern Baptist leaders, and employees of LifeWay Christian Resources celebrated the installation of Thom S. Rainer on February 6 during his inauguration ceremony as the SBC entity's ninth president. ~ by Kelly Davis

From Despair to Hope: An Interview with Tony Nolan • Tony Nolan is an evangelist from Florida and the co-founder, along with his wife Tammy, of TNT Ministries. God has used him to reach thousands of teenagers and adults for Christ. We spoke with Tony recently to discuss his life along with his methods and motivation for ministry. We are pleased to share a portion of that conversation.

The Cross of Christ and Evangelism • What a glorious season we celebrate and call Easter. All of Christendom hangs on what happened in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. If we truly believe that He died, was buried, and rose again to pay the price for our sins, save our souls, and give us eternal life, then we will get up out of our comfortable pews and go more for Jesus, witness more, tell more our testimony, pray more for souls to be saved, and never let up or give up! ~ by Bobby H. Welch

Sacred Cows • One of our neighbor's kids learned how to ride the bike at an early age and that was great, but the only problem was he didn't know how to stop. He was always in a panic looking for a bush to crash into so he could stop. Life is difficult when you can't stop. The end result is usually a wreck, and you and many others could be injured severely. To be successful in life it is just as crucial to be able to stop as well as start. When is the last time you stopped doing something? ~ by Charles Lowery

Mosaic • One of Our Own Proclaiming the Name of Jesus on American Idol

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SBC LIFE (ISSN 1081-8189), Volume 14, Number 6, ©2006 Southern Baptist Convention, Executive Committee