From Law to Grace » Archive
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song; This cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My comforter, my all in all— Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe! This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied; For ev’ry sin on Him was laid— Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain; Then bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip … Read entire article »
Filed under: Christianity, Religion, Uncategorized
“Why is Monday on a Thursday?”
As I was coming of age in a Southern Baptist church in the late 70′s/early 80′s, the question that one of our own students recently asked our Student Pastor, “Why is Monday on a Thursday?” never really came up. I think I would have been confused as well. Turns out, our church is not observing Monday on a Thursday, but rather observing what is known as Maundy Thursday. Like our students (and many of our adults prior to my arrival as Senior Pastor four years ago), I had never heard of Maundy Thursday until I came to First Baptist Church of Poinciana, FL as Associate Pastor following graduation from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in December 1997. During my first Holy Week at Poinciana in 1998, I was introduced to Maundy Thursday. What was Maundy Thursday anyway? I knew it had … Read entire article »
Filed under: Christianity, Religion
New Mexico Baptists, the new NAMB & the Future
I love New Mexico and I love New Mexico Baptists! The BCNM, made up of approximately 350 cooperating Southern Baptist churches (although levels of cooperation vary) in the Land of Enchantment, has been assisting churches in cooperative missions and ministry for almost 100 years. Whether at the beginning of last century or in the second decade of this century, New Mexico Baptists have a fertile mission field. With a population of around 2 million, New Mexico — the fifth largest state geographically — boasts a diverse population. In addition to the Anglo and Hispanic (Mexican and Spanish) community, NM is also home to a large Native American population (Navajo and Apache) on two Reservations and 19 Pueblos. As part of our total mission field, the BCNM estimates that upwards of 90% of New Mexicans — regardless of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Baptist Convention of New Mexico, Cooperative Program, Religion, Southern Baptist Convention
SBC Calvinism & Patriotic Worship: A Final Word
Since my initial posts on the SBC’s New Calvinism & Patriotic Worship (Part 1 and Part 2), I have gotten many responses — both positive and negative — both here at From Law to Grace and at SBCVoices. Based upon this admittedly limited response, I would conclude that one of the SBC fault lines – “majority Baptist theology” vs. “Reformed Baptist theology” – that Dr. Steve Lemke described in his recent post, “The Shot Heard ‘Round the SBC (Part B),” has great potential for growing wider. I did not grow up in a military family. My maternal grandfather served in the U.S. Army-Air Corps at the end of WWII (even spending some time at the now closed Roswell Army-Air Field in New Mexico, although prior to any alleged alien sightings), but that’s about as … Read entire article »
Filed under: Calvinism, Freedoms, Religion, Southern Baptist Convention
Donald Trump: Evangelicals’ Intriguing Savior?
Who knew? Donald Trump is a Christian. In all of his public life to date, I have never once been tempted to think of Trump as a follower of Jesus Christ. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ll try not to question the Donald’s self-professed faith anymore than I do the self-professed faith of the current occupant of the Oval Office. But, self-professed faith — no matter who is making the profession — is not evidence of true faith. In the New Testament book of James, Jesus’ brother (technically half-brother) wrote these inspired words: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by … Read entire article »
Filed under: Christianity, Politics, Religion