A bishop has to meet stringent personal qualifications, the broadest of which is that he must be “blameless” (1 Tim. 3:2). Of course, blameless does not mean sinless, but it does require at minimum that no credible charge of scandal can be lodged against him. In other words, a minister’s reputation is one of his… Continue Reading
Jeff Straub Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us that there is a “time to weep.” If ever there was a time for weeping in our independent Baptist world, it is now. Last week, a 280-page report was published on the serial sins of a trusted Baptist missionary doctor and the apparent malfeasance of his mission which, despite… Continue Reading
Central Seminary has just finished its 2013 Fall Conference. The title was “Gospel Restoration: The Church’s Response to Abuse.” Several speakers provided help for church leaders who are trying to learn how to minister to victims of sexual abuse. Of course, this conference was far from the last word on the subject. It could have… Continue Reading
For years I have wondered how certain fundamentalist churchmen could remain so powerful in spite of their shallow, manipulative, arrogant, abusive, and even immoral behavior. In some cases, these men are able to retain a significant following even after being exposed publicly. Often, they are connected with the version of fundamentalism that Jack Hyles once… Continue Reading