If I may ask a deeply personal question, what is your biggest failure or regret as a Christian? Was it a private sin that still causes you hidden shame? Or a public stumble that embarrasses you in front of others? Maybe it was a single act that haunts you daily? Or a pattern of disobedience that hounds you even now? All regrets in life are painful, but failing the Lord has a much deeper sting.

This was my 18th year working at the Georgia Capitol and my 12th year with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board on legislation dealing with social and moral issues. I'll have to confess this was one of our most successful years at the State Capitol. This year, we were able to see a “clean” Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) passed without unfriendly amendments and signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp.

“Numbers do not tell the whole story about a church or Christian ministry, but they do tell a story.” I have heard those words vocalized for years by one of our well-known Kentucky Baptist leaders, and I agree with him.  

When he was 70, the legendary major league baseball player Ty Cobb was asked by a reporter, “What do you think you would hit if you were playing in this era?” The Royston, Georgia native, who had a career average of .367, told the reporter, “About .290, maybe .300.”

The concept of self-leadership has taken on a life of its own. A quick Google search reveals long lists of tips, books, seminars, courses, coaching opportunities, and more on the subject. Self-leadership is exactly what it sounds like — leading yourself.   

Where should I go to college? Who should I marry? Should I take the promotion? How do I choose the right church? All of these questions are a variation of the most common question I’ve gotten over the years as a pastor. “How can I know God’s will for my life?” 

I was delighted to hear from Mike Griffin, Public Affairs Representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) is gaining momentum.

I ran into a neighbor in the grocery store (I do some of my best pastoral visitation in grocery stores) and we enjoyed a big greeting and spontaneous reunion. I often saw this gentleman taking a walk while I was jogging, and we’d sometimes visit briefly. I had not seen him for some time.

According to Dr. W. Oscar Thompson (Concentric Circles of Concern), Matthew 28:19-20 seems to emphasize the word, “Go,” but that is not the way to translate it in Greek. The emphasis should be on, “make disciples.” Dr. Thompson suggests that this passage should correctly be translated, “As you are going, make disciples of all the nations…”

The year was 1949. CIA operative Douglas Mackiernan fled for the border of Tibet as Mao Tse-Sung’s communist army swept through China. Though the national boundary was a treacherous 1200 miles away, getting there was the only hope for survival. For seven months, he endured the elements.

Pastors and ministry leaders pay close attention to several numbers in their ministry leadership context. Two of those — worship attendance and financial giving — can serve as early warning signs of the health of a church or Christian ministry.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention has initiated a strategic effort to leverage the current Republican majorities in Congress and the executive branch to defund Planned Parenthood by eliminating the organization’s federal funding.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Roy Orbison burst on the scene in the early 1960s with his hit “Only the Lonely,” which he wrote along with Joe Melson.

“Once saved, always saved.” This statement is a basic tenet of Southern Baptist faith. It is true and well supported by Scripture. But it is also one of the most controversial of all our traditions.

The name Abe Anglin probably means nothing to you, but from the fourth grade on, I knew he just had to be my sixth-grade teacher. He wasn’t much over 6 feet tall, but to me, he was a peculiar, giant of a man because he had a bald head with a large scar on the side due to brain surgery. Little did I know that I would not only be a student in his class, but I would also learn lessons from this man that still shape who I am today.

We are not saved by our work, but we are saved to do good work. Paul makes both points crystal clear in Ephesians 2:8-10.  And God honors our work. Proverbs 12:11 reminds us, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” 

​The soloist faced an awkward situation one recent Sunday at Jet Blue Park in Ft. Myers, where the Boston Red Sox hosted the Atlanta Braves in a Spring training game. About halfway through the national anthem, she went blank, paused, and started over.

In 1 Timothy 5:1, the Apostle Paul advises us, “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers.” Growing up, I was taught to always respect my elders. This good advice was based on the Bible’s admonition and the simple reasoning that suggests that anyone older than I has lived longer and has had more opportunity to learn than I have.

As citizens, Christians have a responsibility to participate in government. Part of that participation includes protecting our God-given rights.

It has been estimated that out of the approximately 3,550 Southern Baptist Churches in Georgia, almost ten percent could be without pastors at any given time. That leaves many facing the question, "How should a church go about seeking a new pastor?"

Though Dwight Eisenhower grew up to command an army and become President of the United States, he had an explosive temper as a child. On one occasion, when his parents would not let him participate in an activity with his older brothers, he flew into a rage. Running outside, he began pounding his fists into an apple tree. It wasn’t long before his father came along, administered corporal punishment, and sent him to his room without supper. 

When we are willing, God is willing and able to teach us many things. I have learned, sometimes through hard experience, to listen to what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me. Recently, He impressed on me a mistake I have been making most of my life.

Churches across the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond are having weekend gatherings for their students called Disciple Now or “DNow” retreats. These retreats provide the students with a unique environment for worship, Bible study, fellowship, evangelism, and, in some cases, service projects.

Mention the word “fast” today and the conversation might turn to the speed of light, the stride of a cheetah, or someone’s internet connection. Refusing to eat, however, is usually the furthest thing from our minds.

Before Tom Peters introduced the term “MBWA” (Management by Wandering Around) in 1982, Ben Cates had been honing the practice for decades.