Around the Web–8/10/12
General News of Interest:
Why Obama’s support for same-sex marriage won’t hurt him among African Americans – This article from the Washington Post confirms what many suspected, despite the protests of some black preachers, the bulk of black voters are solidly behind Obama. This is very unlikely to change by election day.
Miss. church apologizes for barring wedding – How does a church apologize for a colossal and very public sin? First Baptist of Crystal Springs, MS, issues a public apology for refusing to hold the wedding of a black couple who attended their church.
U.S. gold medalist Gabby Douglas: ‘glory goes’ to God – Sport occupies an uneasy place in a believer’s consciousness. How much attention should we give to it? What value does it produce in our lives? Does it edify? Nevertheless, the smile of Gabby Douglas, accompanied by her words of testimony, give added enjoyment to Christian observers of her gymnastics.
On Fundamentalism:
Anemia in Fundamentalism by John Brock of Maranatha Baptist Bible College: “Fundamental Christian colleges are challenged with what seems to be an increasing trend in carnality and worldliness in the current generation.” Amen. Read and heed.
Blogs of Note:
The Fall of Jack Schaap – Our friend Matt Olson, with whom we sometimes strongly disagree, posts an appropriate response to this scandal. It is far better than the self-righteous pontificating we have seen almost everywhere else. Matt soberly reminds us, ‘This could be you.’
Call It What It Is: It’s Not Adultery. It’s Abuse. Southern Baptist Ed Stetzer launches a broadside against all Independent Fundamental Baptists over the Schaap scandal. As Dr. Vaughn noted yesterday, the scandal, and attacks like this, ought to first cause us to seek the Lord and ask him to revive us again.
Yet… Stetzer’s words sound awfully self-serving. In rebuttal we offer two items, a post by a professed “non-fundamentalist, non-evangelical” and a simple Google search.
- Independent Fundamental Baptists, Jack Schaap, Jack Hyles, and Self-Righteous Evangelicals and Former Fundies – You Need to Read This by Alex Guggenheim: “I call this selective outrage by you, Mr. Stetzer.”
- The Google Search – “Southern Baptist Convention” sex scandal – yields 49,100 hits. We don’t offer this as a defense of any of the wicked, shameful deeds brought to light in our independent Baptist circles. We offer this simply to remind bro. Stetzer about glass houses. His advice to us, to stand against abuse in our midst, is a word we need to hear. But truly it is a word Ed needs to hear as well.
Psalm 90:7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. 8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.