Stop the Shouting

Anyone else tired of the shouting matches and name-calling? This healthcare debate has created a flea market for misinformation that has attracted hot-tempered patrons in record numbers. It is a debate that must be had, but it is nearly impossible to have it in the current environment.

Someone needs to call timeout and get back to an intelligent, rational, respectful discussion. My recent article, Incivility Muzzles Interactive Debate, published in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution asks us to do just that. Take a look and let me know where you stand. Fed up with the insults or madder than Sean Hannity?

Flourish: The Connector for the Creation Care Movement?

This week, Cross Pointe Church hosted the first annual Flourish Conference. As a small part of the Flourish staff, I can tell you that the conference exceeded our expectations in many ways. First, our speaker list was amazing: Joel Hunter, Margaret Feinberg, Gabe Lyons, Matthew Sleeth, and Andy Crouch to name a few. Second, the community being built was unprecedented. People were connecting with others to share ideas and partner on projects. Individuals who have felt alone on these issues were comforted that there are others like them out there. Finally, the coverage of the event was great. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Associated Baptist Press, and others had great things to say. My favorite post was from Christianity Today who called Flourish "Creation Care Without the Baggage." I couldn't agree more.

Flourish seems to be becoming what Malcolm Gladwell calls a "connector." This movement is in desperate need of a connector--an organization that can bring together like-minded people from various social, cultural, professional, and economic circles who might not otherwise meet. This facilitates conversations and partnerships that might not otherwise occur and can push a movement into the mainstream. Our hope is that we can do this for the creation care community. Our goal is not to promote Flourish, but to promote great people and organizations who are living out creation care principles all across the country.

We had several organizations at Flourish that we showcased during the conference. This week, I will be profiling one each day. Look for the first post tomorrow.

Pastor Sees Care of Earth as Duty

An interesting article in today's AJC: "Pastor Sees Care of Earth as Duty"

At the end of it, I mention Flourish Conference 2009 by saying "I think [this conference] is going to be the primary touch point for the church to get involved in the 21st century."

Check out the article and the conference.

Update: ABP Article on Flourish

The Shifting Abortion Debate

Today, I wrote a guest column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution entitled "Reducing abortions: priority promise should not be broken." One of the most divisive and polarizing issues in the United States is abortion, but in the last year or so the debate has taken on a new angle with the inclusion of abortion reduction as a common ground platform. In my article, I basically state that while Obama has made promises to reduce the number of abortions actually occurring, his record doesn't seem promising to that end. In the end, I call on Obama to keep his word and "add another mark on the checklist under 'unprecedented and historical.'"

Running opposite my column is another guest column entitled, "Reducing abortions: The time is right to break old stalemate," written by the Executive Director of Catholics in Alliance, Alexia Kelly. Her article seems to be more optimistic about the possibility of Obama making good on his promise to champion abortion reduction. "President-elect Barack Obama is well positioned to help push this effort as a leader focused on pragmatic solutions and finding common ground," she writes. 

Whether you like it or not, the abortion debate will shift during the next four or more years, and abortion reduction is going to be the primary catalyst. While those of us who are pro-life must never sacrifice our commitment to the sanctity of human life and the belief that life begins at conception, we can still work with others to achieve a moral victory through reducing the number of abortions presently occurring. The ocean of partisanship must stop at the shore of the common good.

Check out both articles to gain an understanding of the nuances, and then let me know your thoughts.

Reason #47 that the Southern Baptist Convention Is Shrinking

Earlier this year, I was somewhat dismayed by the decision of LifeWay Christian Resources to pull Gospel Today from the shelves of their stores nationwide because its cover story featured five women pastors. Today, the AJC ran a story entitled "Georgia Baptists take aim at women-led churches" that had a similar theme but a much more ridiculous storyline. 

Apparently, the Georgia Baptist Convention (GBC)--the state convention of the SBC in Georgia--approved a policy this week, which gives them the ability to refuse funds from Georgia Baptist churches who have women for pastors. While the policy is broadly written, it is clearly aimed at the one and only church which falls under its guidelines--First Baptist Decatur, a church that has given the GBC millions of dollars since 1862. 

"I kept waiting for someone from the Georgia Baptist Convention to call us or come visit with me and other leaders of our church to inform us that these matter were being discussed," said FBD's pastor, Julie Pennington-Russell, who was not present when the policy was been discussed. "I assumed that a 146-year relationship was worth, at very least, a personal conversation."

I haven't totally made up my mind on women in ministry, and I know many sound theologians on both sides of the issue. But regardless of whether women should be pastors or not, this is disturbing. When the Southern Baptist Convention was formed in 1845, the founders issued the following statement: "We have constructed for our basis no new creed; acting in this manner upon a Baptist aversion for all creeds, but the Bible." In other words, what historically binds Southern Baptists is not specifically-outlined doctrines, but rather a commitment to the word of God. 

Presbyterians, Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics--they are all, to varying degrees, bound by theological doctrine. But Baptists have never been. That is what makes being a Baptist so great, in my opinion. Unfortunately, the bureaucratic echelons in our denomination seem to swell daily and the list of requirements to actively participate seems to get longer and longer. The message we send is, "either step in line or get out!" When Southern Baptists make non-essentials a prerequisite for participation, we promote unnecessary division and actually cease to be Baptist. 

If anyone is taking a count, chalk this one up as reason #47 that the SBC is shrinking: Making non-essentials a prerequisite for denominational participation.

Dare I ask ... Anyone disagree with me on this?

Polls Confirms Young Evangelical Shift

A new exit poll reveals that support for Barack Obama among younger evangelicals doubled when compared to John Kerry in 2004. Among the findings was this staggering fact: only 49% of young evangelicals now identify as "conservative" and over half favor either same sex marriage (24%) or civil unions (28%).

After reading the Faith in Public Life press release containing this information, I immediately thought back to an article I published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution back in April of this year titled "WWJD? Vote for Obama, More and More Young Evangelicals Say." I remember the emails I got telling me that I was crazy. People couldn't believe it, and more than one commented that even though young evangelicals said they would vote for Obama, many would change their minds when they actually stepped up to cast their ballots.

Undoubtedly, this should translate into a wake-up call for Republicans and blood in the water for Democrats. If the President-elect delivers on his promises "such as seeking real solutions on abortions, abolishing nuclear weapons, ending torture, caring for the poor, and stewardship of creation then the myth that Christians are a reliable partisan base will vanish in our generation," commented Tyler Wigg-Stevenson of the Two Futures Project in today's press release.

Perhaps Wigg-Stevenson is right. Perhaps Obama will deliver on his promises. Perhaps the young evangelical shift will continue. Either way, we can all agree on this: things are about to get interesting.

Developing...

I commented on this new data in Chris Quinn's article, "Obama Shifted Some Church Voters," in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Check out the article and let me know your thoughts. 

Do you feel there is some general relief even among solid Republicans that we can put the Bush era behind us? 

The grip that the Republican party has on evangelical Christians is loosening as younger evangelicals are coming onto the scene. In addition to traditional values, younger evangelicals believe their faith calls them to support a wide range of issues like human rights, poverty, AIDS in Africa and the environment. Unfortunately for the GOP, Democrats have conquered the high ground on many of these issues.

This is the topic of my recent column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WWJD? Vote for Obama, more and more young evangelicals say.

It was unheard of for a Christian to vote Democrat in latter part of the 20th century--or at least not spoken about in public. But if you are like me, many of your conservative Christians friends are considering switching sides or simply not voting for the first time in their lives. In my column, I site a Relevant Magazine poll that illustrates this is actually a sweeping trend. When asked "Who would Jesus vote for?," the number one reponse from thousands of avowed "conservative" Christians was Barack Obama.

What do you think about this trend and who are you personally supporting in this election?

AJC Update

*Update: Apparently, I am not the only one at the AJC writing about my initiative. Check out the blog on Luke Boggs column, Baptist eco-activists are blowing hot air.*

**Interesting fact: Luke Boggs is the head of americansforwalmart.com**

In my most recent column in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Baptist plea churns up a tempest, I addressed some of the correspondence I have received.

"The environmental problems we are facing are real, and Americans —- especially Christians —- are morally obligated to address them," I conclude. "If the opponents to this declaration and environmental stewardship would check their facts and begin personally investing in their communities, many rises in blood pressure would be averted and my e-mail box wouldn't fill up so quickly."

Check out the full story by clicking the link above, and feel free to leave your comments below.