There’s news today that a Texas Planned Parenthood director quit after seeing an ultrasound. One of the efforts Oklahoma Baptists have made is to make sure all our crisis pregnancy centers are equipped with ultrasound capabilities so that young women (and young fathers) can see that there is indeed life within. Satan is a deceiver at his core, and so long as he can convince the world that an embryo or fetus is not a living human, he has the battle won. When we shine the light of truth by showing young women that they have life within their wombs, nearly 90% choose life. When the fathers will look at the ultrasound, it’s 99%. Thankfully, when they can see clearly, people make the right choice, and I am thrilled that we also help provide a means for the young moms to have healthy, happy babies, while gaining an education and having the security of a home. We Baptists do some things wrong; this is not one of them. Carry on, my brothers and sisters.

As a bivocational pastor, I split my time between my secular job and my pastorate. I wish I could spend all week at camp with my kids, but it’s just not possible. I’m very thankful for the church members who all help out. I usually stay the night in the cabin, get everyone up, showered, and headed to breakfast. Then I attend the sponsors’ meeting to get any special instructions for the day, then return to the cabin to make sure the kids do their morning quiet times. When they head for morning worship, I head back to the house to do the day’s work (and maybe get a nap if I am lucky). After supper and whatever else I need to do, I head back to camp and get there right about bed time.

When I arrived back at camp tonight, I was met with fantastic news. All the unsaved boys we brought came to Christ today. Several girls made decisions, too, and others are asking questions. This is why we do camp, and I am thrilled to death. We don’t usually have this many kids at camp, but a couple weeks ago I challenged the church to bring every kid they could. They were listening and took it seriously! So praise God for His continued work here at Green Country Camp. And any of you wealthy benefactors, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better investment of the money God has entrusted to you. We need to make some improvements to the camp property, and we’d love to have your help (even if you’re not loaded).

In other news, we have exciting news from the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Louisville. The Great Commission Resurgance motion passed overwhelmingly today. That’s not to say that some weird motions weren’t also made. We have a segment of the convention that always wants us to make a point by banning something, boycotting some company, or condeming some leader–and it’s usually over non-essentials. They make us look foolish, and the convention rightly refuses to accede to their whims. And while we’re on the topic, I’ll say it this way: Goofy as some motions are, I am 100% in favor fo the way we do business. Everyone should be heard and they are. Thank God the vast majority of Southern Baptists have the good sense to choose rightly with their votes. The overall result of today’s group decision is that we Baptists are committed to being defined by our cooperation in spreading the Gospel, not dividing over trifles. Count me in.

Over the past couple years, I have developed a friendly acquaintanceship with Wade Burleson, first through email and then as a fellow member of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Board of Directors. I have followed his blog for some time, and I have admired his courage and strength of character. He is a man who intentionally chose to disobey a newly adopted International Mission Board policy because it would require him to violate his conscience and be a liar. He did so knowing it would lead to his public censure. It takes real moxie to stand up under such great pressure. But he did.

The IMB is better because Wade Burleson has served as a trustee. The IMB is worse off now that Wade had tendered his resignation. He relates his last interaction with the IMB Board of Trustees here. He concludes it thus:

It became crystal clear to me tonight that it would be impossible for me to continue as a trustee of the International Mission Board. The appropriate forum for my continued service to the Southern Baptist Convention is now outside the IMB Board of Trustees. I deem it better to be censured by man than to be condemned by conscience. It is my decision to resign, effective immediately, from service as a trustee of the International Mission Board. I will continue to work to effect change within the Southern Baptist Convention and will post later this week my plans for the immediate future.

I will also be leading our church to increase her involvement in our cooperative missions work. I hope you do so at your church as well.

As a relatively young pastor at a small rural church, I say publicly what I have said privately to Wade before: I appreciate what he has done, and I will never forget it. Thanks, Wade, for showing us what true, godly, gracious, bold leadership is.

Part of our convention needs fixed.