I'm a Baptist. Baptist born and Baptist bred, and when I die I'll be Baptist dead! When I was saved at 17 years old, I worked at the local gas station – and my pastor began to teach me about tithing. I was just a high school guy - I think I was being paid about $2 dollars an hour. Pastor Parker told me that if God gave me two dollars, I should honor and worship Him by returning twenty cents. So as a high school student - before I became a pastor and preached sermons on tithing - I became a church member who practiced tithing.  

Tithing is a wonderful blessing and a magnificent act of worship. It is God’s ordained method of financing his church and his work in the world. Tithing shows due respect to the God who created us and who is the source of anything we have. You may say, “But I made that money myself!” Yes - and your heart beats because God wants it to beat. If we have anything, it is because God has allowed it. We are simply the managers; the stewards of our possessions. A person’s checkbook will say as much about his or her spirituality as any other area of life. 

Consider this a challenge – Let God be God, not only of your heart, but of your wallet!

 
 
I wonder how many unbelievers have stumbled because of the way we Christians have handled ourselves during times of trouble. Remember this! The world is watching - they want to see how disciples of Jesus Christ handle the adversities of life.
Are Christians any more noble?
Are they any kinder to one another?
Do they show any more patience, more love?
Does knowing God make any difference in their lives when tragedy strikes? 
I don’t know all the reasons why God allows suffering in the life of his children - but I can tell you that the Bible teaches we are often allowed to experience these things because there is someone watching who needs to see God’s grace lived out; someone who needs to see faith manifested. It is not just a cliché to say that we are the only Bible some will ever read; the only Jesus some will ever see. And they cannot see it when everything is going just fine and dandy. The only way the lost will know if the Christian faith really works, is when our life is as messy as theirs. 
 
 
In May I posted an article entitled "God's house is not a spiritual McDonalds" discussing the consumeristic attitude we often have toward church.  A reader sent me the following youtube clip entitled "Drive-through church" that aptly illustrates this point.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4QFKS4LzS4
 
 
Dear friends –  It has been a great blessing to receive so many expressions of support since the announcement was made that I will be taking on a new assignment at our beloved seminary (see copy of email below).  During the interim period this spring, I have had time to pray and consider – would I want this position if it were offered to me?  The eventual answer to that question was definitively, “Yes”!  I love this school and our students, and God has given me a passion for the ministry and mission here at Southeastern - to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.  It is an honor to have this opportunity to serve alongside the president and this great faculty, and I covet your prayers.   This I know – without Christ, we can do nothing! Please pray with me that all of us serving here at SEBTS will humbly seek God’s face and let His Word guard our hearts and guide our steps; that the ministry here at SEBTS will flourish and bring praise, honor and glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ.       

“I am delighted to announce after months of prayer, conversations and seeking the Lord that Dr. Ken Keathley has agreed to become Senior Vice President for Academic Administration and Dean of the Faculty.  Dr. Keathley has done a stellar job in the interim period and I am thrilled he has agreed to take on this responsibility permanently.  I have received enthusiastic support from trustees with whom I shared this decision.  I believe he will continue to serve this faculty and institution well in the days ahead in this new assignment.  Please extend to Ken your congratulations and also pledge to him your prayers.  It is a joy to see God working His will at this school as we seek to bring praise and glory to His Son the Lord Jesus.”
Daniel L. Akin
President
 
 
By: Danny Akin & Ken Keathley

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force report cites some disturbing statistics (p. 4 of the report). It observes that the average Southern Baptist gives only 2.5% of his income to his local church. In turn, that local church on average gives only 6% to the Cooperative Program. And then as the CP monies pass through the state conventions, the typical state convention keeps 63% of the amount received, and this does not include the $50 million sent back by NAMB to the state convention through the various cooperative agreements (one-third of NAMB's annual budget).  Only a tiny sliver of a typical Southern Baptist's income is used to send the Gospel beyond US borders.  To determine whether or not this reflects a passion for the Great Commission one merely needs to remember the words of our Savior: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21).

 Southern Baptists find themselves at a crossroads.  The IMB has more qualified candidates for the mission field than it can currently fund.  Scores of young Southern Baptist men and women have answered the call of God to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the nations.  Wehave the privilege, as seminary professors, of interacting with these future missionaries on an almost daily basis.  They are the cream of the crop; God has called the best and the brightest for this task.  In terms of access to the unreached portions of the world and laborers willing to work in the harvest, this is a time of unprecedented opportunity.  Southern Baptists must rise to the challenge of this situation by responding with a radical commitment to sacrificial giving and biblical stewardship. 

Component Six of the GCRTF Report calls upon the state conventions to take the leadership responsibility for promotion of the Cooperative Program and encouragement of stewardship in general.  The report affirms the continuing role of the Southern Baptist Convention in these tasks, and calls upon the Executive Committee to work closely in concert with the state conventions.  But the Task Force argues that the state conventions should be assigned the leading role.  The logic for this move is straightforward.  The state conventions are the entities that receive cooperative program funds from the local churches, and are strategically positioned to promote the CP.  

Roger Oldham wrote a white paper in response to Component Six.  (He wrote his response to the GCRTF's initial Feb 27 progress report.  In that report, Component Six was listed as Component Four).  Oldham argues that the SBC has always taken the primary role in promoting the CP, and that generally that role has been fulfilled by the Executive Committee.  His article provides a great deal of historical information concerning the development of the Cooperative Program and how it has been promoted through the years.  But the thesis of his paper misses the point being made by the Task Force: from the very beginning it was understood that the state conventions are in a unique position to promote the CP, and therefore they should take the lead role.  

In fact, the disagreement about which entity should take the lead in promoting the CP highlights once again that the Executive Committee is probably misnamed.  Perhaps it should have been called the Disbursement Committee, or something similar, because its primary function is to disperse the funds collected by the Cooperative Program.  It is certainly not the executive branch of the SBC, and its director should never have been viewed as a CEO.  It is unfortunate that this is currently the case.

Stewardship involves seeing one's life, dreams, and ambitions through the lens of the Great Commission.  It means understanding that everything about us belongs to Christ and that we are His possession.  He has entrusted us with certain gifts, abilities, resources, and opportunities in life which we are to utilize and exercise for the Gospel and God's glory.  Stewardship is about expressing our love and devotion to the Savior with a steady, consistent commitment to His Kingdom.  It means operating with the keen awareness that a day of reckoning is coming at which we will all give an account for how we managed that with which He entrusted us.

Southern Baptists have never hesitated to emphasize stewardship, and historically we are known for our commitment to honoring the Lord and advancing His Kingdom through the giving of our tithes and offerings.  But the statistics cited in the opening paragraph indicate that something has gone awry.  Component Six of the GCRTF calls for Southern Baptists to greater faithfulness in the area of stewardship.This is a call we are obligated to answer for the glory of King Jesus and the good of the nations. 
 
 
This year’s Southern Baptist Convention convening in Orlando promises to be one of the most significant meetings in Southern Baptist life. Messengers will vote on receiving a report presented by the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force.  The report can be found here, and it presents a blueprint for seeing to it that every person on earth has an opportunity to hear the Gospel.  Unfortunately, Morris Chapman has expressed concerns about the report and has come out in opposition.  Danny Akin and Nathan Finn have written an excellent response, which can be downloaded and read below.  I urge all Southern Baptists to support the GCRTF report with their prayers and their ballots next month in Orlando.
Funding Great Commission Faithfulness
File Size: 60 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
 
 
One must know about the good news of Jesus Christ in order to trust in him.  As Paul asks, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom 10:14).  In order for faith to be informed or have knowledge, it must have two things: content and an object.  The content of assenting faith is the gospel and the object of that faith is Jesus Christ.  Paul states that salvation comes through “belief in the truth” (2 Thess 2:18), so we must know the truth in order for it to set us free.  The Bible sometimes refers to this saving body of truth as “the faith” (e.g., Gal 1:23, Eph 4:5 and Jude 3).  

The fact that knowledge is an essential component of faith brings up an important question: how much knowledge is required for a biblical faith?  In other words, what is the minimum amount of knowledge necessary for a person to exercise saving faith?  This question takes on particular importance in matters such as the evangelization of children and the fate of unreached people groups.

A quick answer to the above question would be that, according to the apostle Paul, one must at least know about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in order to believe on him and what he has done (cf., 1 Cor 15:1–4).  But the gospel account is based on additional truths that seem to be equally essential for an informed faith.  Surely one also needs an adequate understanding of why Jesus came and who he is.  The sacrificial death of Christ makes sense only in the context of understanding the sinful state of humanity and the uniqueness of his person.

The book of Acts provides insights to this question, for it recounts a number of occasions in which the gospel is proclaimed to those who are hearing it for the very first time (e.g., Acts 8:26–37; 10:34–44; 13:16–41; 14:14–17; 17:22–31).  A survey of the messages preached reveals three recurring themes.  First, the apostles explain why the gospel is necessary: God exists, he is holy, and we are sinful (Acts 14:14–17).  Second, they proclaim Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ and unique Son of God who came to address the guilt of our sin (Acts 8:26–37).  And third, the apostles present the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the means by which he obtained our salvation (Acts 17:22–31).  The hearers are then called upon to respond to the message with repentance and faith.  The apostolic model indicates that the minimal information necessary for a saving faith is twofold: knowledge of the gospel and sufficient prerequisite information to understand its significance. 


(From Dr Keathley’s “Salvation: the Work of God,” in A Theology for the Church, pp. 735-36) 
 
 
People sometimes ask, “Can’t I be a Christian by myself? Just pray to God out on the lake or under a tree?” Yes, you can pray to God anywhere, anytime. But, NO, you cannot be a Christian “by yourself.” There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian! The Bible teaches that we need the community of faith. We need the house of God. We need to encourage one another, bless one another, and edify one another. We need the church to be blessed and to be a blessing. 

People sometimes say they do not go to church because they don’t get much from it. I would ask then, what are you giving to it? People who give greatly are the ones who also receive greatly. 

The house of God is not a spiritual McDonalds where we walk up to the counter and put in our order, “Lord, I'll take three blessings, two encouragements, and a frosty.”

Should we simply sit in church, get our spiritual food and then walk out?  The prevailing attitude seems to be, if the McChurch has something for me I’ll come back, otherwise I’m going down to Chick-Fil-A Church.  This is an unscriptural, consumerist attitude towards the church!

I challenge you to find the house of God, get in the house of God, and sacrifice for the house of God. Come back to the place of promise. That is what Abraham does in Genesis 13:1-4. “Then Abram went up…to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram worshiped the Lord there.” 

Our God is very gracious and patient.  When we stray from the walk of faith and disobey, we can come back to Bethel, back to the house of God, back to the place of blessing and God will restore. But that restoration will not cancel out the consequences of our sin.  We will still reap what we have sown. So let us serve God with a zeal that recognizes the consequences of our actions.

An excerpt from Dr. Keathley’s sermon series entitled: “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Lessons from the life of Abraham”
 
 
How does one know when he or she is no longer walking by faith?

1)       When we are guided by fear rather than by faith.
When a man truly fears God, he fears no one else. But when a man does not fear God, he fears everyone and everything else.
Psalm 27 “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is my strength and my life, in whom shall I be afraid?”
 

2)       When we are no longer operate with integrity.
Abraham urges Sarai, “Please say you are my sister…” (Gen 13:12).  Indeed, Sarai was Abraham’s half sister – but it was still a half-truth, because she was also his wife. If one tells just enough of the truth for the purpose of misleading and deceiving – then the half-truth is a whole lie.  
 

3)       When we are the center of our world.
Why does Abraham lie about Sarai?  Gen 13:12  in its entirety tells us. “Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” Abraham is looking out for number one. He is taking care of himself. Self-centeredness is the characteristic of many professing Christians. This is their universe and we're just living in it. Whenever you are the center of your world, God isn't; you are no longer walking by faith.  Remember this. When you take control of your life - when you grab the steering wheel from God’s hands - you are headed for a spiritual wreck.
 
Faith Unplugged 05/03/2010
 
Let's be honest - the Christian life is a bit tougher than most of us expected, isn’t it? True, the day I was saved was the most magnificent day of my life. The burden was lifted - there was joy in my heart - I knew Jesus - I was back in relationship with God and the world seemed brighter, my steps seemed lighter. I could hardly wait to live the Christian life because the first day was just so glorious! Oh that it were always that way! One of the first things one discovers about the Christian life is that it can be hard. It is much more difficult than I thought it was going to be and then to boot, it can be disappointing at times. In Genesis 12, Abraham arrives in the land and sets up his tent and, for awhile everything is fine. But then, a famine arrives. Abraham has obeyed God. He is in God’s will. He is in the Promised Land. He is worshipping. Yet, trouble still comes! It appears that God has let him down. Abraham is now struggling with disappointment.

Why is God allowing this famine immediately following Abraham’s obedience? Simply put, the famine is a test of Abraham’s faith. A faith that is untested is a faith that is untrusted. How does this world know if our faith is genuine? How do our lost friends know that we are not serving God just because for the comforts and blessings He provides? Until our faith is tested in times of trouble, it is unproven.  God allows trouble and disappointments for this very purpose; so that the lost world has a prima facie example of faith – unplugged and on display. 
1 Pet 1:7 “that the genuineness of your faith…though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

An excerpt from Dr. Keathley’s sermon series entitled “Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Lessons from the life of Abraham”.