Non-Southern Baptists have trouble understanding that the Southern Baptist Convention only exists once a year when messengers representing member churches gather for its annual meeting. Boards and various entities carry on the work of what more than 45,000 rather independent and autonomous churches do together cooperatively. Another annual meeting has come and gone, this year […]

We are on the road again after a delightful two weeks at home getting our yard and garden at a maintenance level before the extreme summer heat sets in. We are enjoying strolling the corridors at the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston, seeing friends and former colleagues without any platform responsibilities. Later in the week we […]

We rarely see our overseas grandkids on the mission field, but we anticipated retirement would bring frequent occasions to be with those stateside. However, as they have grown older and have lives filled with school, work and social commitments, occasions to be together have not been as often as we anticipated. Of course, our own […]

We are having a delightful spring of weekend travel mixed with beautiful spring days at home. Last weekend included a visit with friends in Memphis, dinner with my sister-in-law in Tupelo and a missions day in in Okolona, MS. The previous weeks included board meetings at CIU in Columbia, SC and William Carey University in […]

We have had no lack of ministry opportunities since retiring. We have no obligation to fill the calendar with engagements but find it difficult to decline an opportunity in which someone has felt led to invite us. I enjoy an occasional Sunday and being nurtured by someone else’s sermon, but given an opportunity to proclaim […]

“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:15-16 Classical Christian writers often focused on the matter of holiness and the Spirit-filled life, but we seldom dwell on the issues of a sanctified life. […]

A strange pattern seems to have developed in how we pray. The bulk of our praying is for ourselves and our needs. Corporate prayer is dominated by intercession for those sick and suffering. Perhaps self-centered praying has always been the default content of our supplications, but one seldom hears passionate pleading for the nations and […]

It was difficult for us to stay connected with friends and family over the years. Being overseas for 23 years made contacts infrequent occasions when we came home only every three or four years for furlough. Travel and administrative responsibilities in leading the IMB later diminished the opportunities to participate in family gatherings or schedule […]

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”  Ephesians 4:1 Everyday we should practice being aware of the question of whether or not the life we live is consistent with what we confess to believe. I grew up hearing […]

We are enjoying being down home in Mississippi, spending beautiful spring days working in the yard and driving to nearby weekend engagements. A Sunday missions emphasis in Aberdeen allowed us to visit my sister-in-law, Rosamond, in Tupelo and my nephew Randy and his family. Rather than indulging in proud pictures of my azaleas and cherry […]