Blogger who criticized Florida mega-church pastor investigated by police

Florida Times Union story (HT: David @ He Lives)

First Baptist Church Jacksonville site

The blog in question: ‘FBC Jax Watchdog‘

Obamas feel out Baptist, Episcopal churches in DC

FOX News (HT: Christian Headlines)

Christian singles shouldn’t be completely ‘transparent’ about their sexual past

Thomas Jeffries, Boundless

The Calvinists are coming

See this essay by Errol Hulse, “The Calvinistic Resurgence in America“, at Banner of Truth (HT: John Samson).

And see this post by Timmy Brister: “Hyper-Calvinism, Anti-Calvinism, and Founders Ministries“:

“When Calvinism in the SBC could not be defeated by truth, by pragmatism, by heavy-handedness, or rewriting history, the alternative agenda is (5) to change terminology and pursue “hyper-Calvinists” in the SBC …”

“SBC and Calvinism: Three events that widened the divide”

Tom Ascol posts at the Founders Ministries blog. In case you were wondering, the three events he lists are

1. Steve Lemke article
2. David Allen’s review
3. The John 3:16 Conference

“How Can a Person Grow Spiritually in the Next Year?”

That question is answered by five church leaders who are (respectively) Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Methodist – at Michael Spencer’s blog.

This is a first in a series of posts with contributions from this group, whom Spencer has drolly termed “The Liturgical Gangstas.”

“Denominational Marketing Campaigns”

At the Church Marketing [Stinks] blog, Joshua Cody discusses two new ad campaigns: one from the Southern Baptists (with which he’s not impressed), and another from the United Methodist Church:

“The plan: exude confidence and communicate, ‘Hey! We’re not so bad! Look at what we’re doing!’ Throw in some ugly font treatments and that commonly-used ‘We are’ advertising starter, and you’ve got all the makings for an ad campaign to reinforce the status quo. We Are Marshall was inspiring. We Are Southern Baptists? Not the same.”

Two letters

• One from Peter Wall to AT&T Wireless — Wall is unhappy with the free Wi-fi service they provide to iPhone users
• One from E. Scott Hart to all pastors of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention (HT: Mark at Sweet Tea & Theology):

“What is really so remarkable about the question of SBC decline is not the decline itself, but rather the simple answer that is so obvious no one will talk about with any seriousness openly in the SBC. The cause of the decline of the SBC is – YOU!”

Scottish Baptist church celebrates 200 years

Last week, the Unashamed Workman (Colin Adams) put up a series of posts celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Baptist Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland. The church was established in 1808 under the leadership of Christopher Anderson (1782-1852). Here’s a list of Colin’s posts:

• 200 Years of Faithful Preaching
• On Christopher Anderson, the church’s first pastor
• On Joseph Kemp (pastor of CBC during a revival that occurred in 1907)
• On Graham Scroggie
• Audio: Alistair Begg (a former assistant pastor at CBC) preaches for the 200th
• Some Choice Begg Quotes
• Weekend Pictures
• On Sidlow Baxter
• On Gerald Griffiths
• On Alan Redpath
• On Derek Prime

“Faculty, students and alumni want voice in selecting next Baylor president”

A story posted at the Baptist Standard:

“The Baylor Faculty Senate, the Baylor Alumni Association and Baylor Student Government each passed resolutions in recent weeks urging the schools’ board of regents to include faculty, staff, alumni, students and other constituencies as voting members of the presidential search committee.”

The value of a seminary education

By Kevin Bauder, Associate Professor and Chair of the Systematic and Historical Theology Departments at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis. Posted at Rod Decker’s New Testament Resources blog.

“You want people to listen to you? One of the best things that you can do is to finish school.”

Baylor University gives students incentives to re-take SAT

Terry Mattingly at GetReligion ponders the (officially Baptist) institution’s motives, and Baylor’s related self-identity crisis.

Free audiobook: Spurgeon’s All of Grace

From Christian Audio, during the month of October.

About the work:

“Charles Spurgeon is one of the great preachers in the history of Christianity. Spurgeon also communicates brilliantly through the written word, and his giftedness to proclaim the doctrine of grace shines in his little gem, All of Grace. Many Christians believe that this small book presents better than any other non-canonical work the gospel of salvation alone by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This short book is one of the bright jewels in post-apostolic writings on grace.”

(HT: Foolish Galatian)

Was Sarah Palin a pro-family pick?

Michael Spencer commends Voddie Baucham’s consistent complementarianism (Baucham opposes a Sarah Palin vice-presidency on the basis of his interpretation of Scripture):

“I appreciate the complementarians that have staked out a different position, but isn’t Baucham more consistent? And is there any doubt that his views will soon have a significant influence in the SBC and among the young, restless and reformed?”

Audio: lecture on Andrew Fuller (1754–1815) by David Prince

Click here for Prince’s message (HT: Pastor Steve Weaver).

And be sure to visit the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, overseen by Dr. Michael Haykin.

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