Revival services begin Sunday morning and continue through Wednesday night.  Be sure to attend!

WHAT? Associational Workshop

WHERE? South Harriman Baptist Church

WHEN? April 17th (Supper at 6 p.m. Classes begin at 6:30 p.m.) PLEASE RSVP for the meal by April 13th by calling the association office 865.882.6446

WHY? To help us be better disciples and reach more people for Christ.

Specialists from the Tennessee Baptist Convention will lead the classes:

Pastors - “Jack of All Trades, Master of Some: The Pastor as Generalist” - Steve Holt
Deacons - “Nurturing the Spiritual Health of the Church” - Bill Choate
Music Ministers - “Leading Worship Music with Confidence” - Paul Clark
Youth Ministers - “Equipping Youth Leaders to stand Strong!” - Bruce Edwards
Children’s Ministry - “Equipping U for Teaching Your Best” - Vicki Hulsey
Treasurers - “Financial Issues Facing Churches and Ministers” - Richard Skidmore
Church Clerks/Secretaries - “Church Records 101″ - Lana Rose
Ministries for Women - “Involving Women in Missions and Ministry” - Denise Bronaugh
Ministries for Men - “Involving Men in Missions and Ministry” - Gene Williams

The latest commentary in the series is out now:

For a complete list of commentaries published and forthcoming download the publication flyer here.

Would YOUR wife be willing to counterbalance your tractor?

I’ve made mention a number of times the sad fact that Church discipline is disregarded in many places and congregations these days. So, I was glad to see in Baptist Press this story, which says, in part

Increasing numbers of Southern Baptists are claiming that church discipline is not merely a relic of the past. Some churches have instituted a process drawn from Scripture of correcting and, if need be, eventually dismissing unrepentant members for public sins. The ultimate goal of the discipline process is repentance and restoration of sinners, the churches say, citing Baptists of past centuries as examples of how church discipline can benefit individuals and churches.

Good! And the essay has it just right when it concludes

“Get people to understand that our goal is always restoration,” York said. “Our goal isn’t a clean church role. Our goal is restoration. Get them to buy into that concept. Then I think you can really bring them on board.”

I’m not too keen on the notion of getting folk to “buy into” something- because Church discipline isn’t something that needs to be “sold”. It simply needs to be practiced according to the model set forth in Matthew 18.

I sincerely hope that this trend continues, widens, spreads, and becomes all pervasive- not only in Southern Baptist Churches but in every Christian Church.

Upcoming Events 

April 1^st -4^th:  Revival!   Please join us in praying that God will open the windows of heaven and pour revival into our hearts and into our community.

Sunday, April 8^th:  is Easter Sunday.  Our sunrise service will be at 6:30.

May 3^rd- At 7 pm join us in the Sanctuary for the National Day of Prayer.  We will read a brief Scripture together and then spend time in prayer for our Community, County, State, Nation, and World.

May 13^th- Mother’s Day!

May 27^th- Homecoming!!!!

We (pastors) are responsible to act and speak against all those who sin.  — Huldrych Zwingli

The News and Observer, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has a grand essay about the separation of five Baptist schools from the State Convention of North Carolina. The amicable way the separation is taking place could teach Tennessee Baptists a thing or two about how Christians behave under somewhat trying circumstances.

The News and Observer reports, in part,

According to a plan approved by the convention’s executive committee, the colleges and universities would be allowed to start choosing their own trustees in 2009. Meanwhile, the state convention, which gives each school about $1.2 million a year, will begin phasing out its monetary contributions, eliminating them altogether by 2013.

And

“They’re working with us in a gracious way that seems to be effective,” said the Rev. Allan Blume, a Boone pastor and president of the convention’s executive committee. “They want to have a different kind of relationship. I think it can be very successful.” The executive committee unanimously agreed to the colleges’ proposal earlier this month.

It would be grand if the leadership of the Tennessee Baptist Convention could explain why this procedure hasn’t been followed here in Tennessee. Anyway, kudos to the good people of North Carolina for behaving as Baptists should behave.

Sometimes people imagine that how they raise their kids is no one’s business but their own.  And if you say anything to them about it they become quite offended, as though their children’s behavior has no impact on anyone else in the world.

But of course that is absurd.  If parents raise their children in an environment of drugs, then when those children grow up and become a burden on society (as welfare recipients or recipients of social security income because they aren’t able to work) it most certainly is everyone’s problem.

If parents raise their children to be disrespectful of others persons and property, then when those children commit crimes like vandalism then it most certainly affects others.

If parents raise their children without God, then that too most certainly impacts the wider community.  Godless parents raising Godless children, children without guidance, boundaries, discipline, or self respect, become, in the long run, detrimental to society as a whole, participating in evils which break down families and communities.

But when parents raise respectful, disciplined, faithful children, the whole of society benefits.

How you raise your children affects everyone.  If you don’t believe it, drive up to the prison.

An interesting question was posed me today: is it right to help people sin?  And if you do, does that make you sin too?

The short answer is, no to the first and yes to the second.  Is it right to help people sin?  No.  For example, if someone is going to steal something from the store, and you know about it before they do it, but you give them your car keys so they can get to the store, then you have helped them sin.  Similarly, if you provide them with gas or you help them in any way to do the evil they plan, then you have helped them sin.

So, naturally, if you help others sin, then you too have sinned.  Let’s say that your son or daughter is about to go egg a house at Halloween and you give them the money to buy eggs or the eggs themselves, then you are a partner in their sin and thereby become as sinful as they.

In other words, when you help someone to do something wrong, you’ve done wrong too.  If little Nancy is on her way to make life miserable for the town, and you fill her tank with gas, you have a part in terrorizing the town too.  And God will hold you as accountable as he does little Nancy.