First Person

As I near the end of the current semester, it’s natural to reflect back on the previous few months. Truthfully, unless I looked at my calendar of appointments, it would be hard to recall what I did many days. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good day, but nothing stands out. There is one day, however, which stands out from this semester.

My journey to international missions began in the most ordinary of places – a middle school Bible study at Hoffmantown Baptist Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” I have read that verse of Philippians 1:6 countless times over the years. I’ve preached on it in Louisiana, prayed it over people in joy and sorrow, and leaned on its truth in difficult seasons of ministry. But never have I felt its power more tangibly than I did standing in the war-scarred cities of Ukraine.

My family and I went to serve with the International Mission Board in Portugal in 2017. Like many of my friends on the mission field, I felt the IMB knew me better than I did following a slew of medical exams, tests, labs and needed vaccinations.

Did you see the news today? If you did, you may have seen reports of data breaches, information hacks, cyber threats and holiday scams targeting the elderly.

Southern Baptists are at our best when we send – when local churches lock arms to plant evangelistic, Bible-anchored congregations and make disciples where Christ is not yet known. That conviction shapes everything we do in church planting. In a previous article I was able to focus on where we, as Southern Baptists and the North American Mission Board (NAMB), have been over the last 15 years.

When I was a young pastor, I thought about and preached Romans the way most of us were taught. In doctrinal categories: sin (chapters 1-2), justification (3-5), sanctification (6-8), Israel (9–11) and practical duties (12-16). It was true. People were helped. But something always felt slightly disjointed. There was more to see and say about Romans. 

The Church has been discussing topics like abortion, embryo adoption, in vitro fertilization and vaccines for many years. However, one area gaining more attention both within culture and the body of Christ is the morality, practice and legalization of physician-assisted suicide (PAS).

An angel accented the top of our family’s Christmas tree each year when I was growing up. This regal figure featured a golden gown, wings and a halo. Angels have become a common part of Christmas décor, but they are rarely portrayed accurately according to Scripture.

As Thanksgiving approaches most of us will have an opportunity to unplug, evaluate, and offer thanks to God for the numerous blessings in our lives without the typical interruptions which accompany our normal routines. Yet, this familiar season of gratitude also exposes the nagging, internal struggle that wreaks havoc in the typical American heart. Though we want to grow in thankfulness, enticements toward greed often overcome us.