tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post7919911037666957702..comments2023-10-24T07:03:42.942-05:00Comments on vtmbottomline: SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARYPaul Burlesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17021178307705707423noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-7302487397949734542012-04-16T08:08:21.479-05:002012-04-16T08:08:21.479-05:00NRC,
I'd be interested in what constitutes yo...NRC,<br /><br />I'd be interested in what constitutes your definition Of "everything." <br /><br />If you're including the good, the bad and the ugly as the early church did in their prayer as recorded in Acts 4:24 when Peter had reported the death threats of the religious leaders and yet they prayed that God was the God of "everyhing that in them [heaven and earth] is." By this they were admitting that God is the God of even life threatening circumstances.<br /><br />In THIS context I can say.."Amen" to your statement. <br /><br />This means that God is God when Peter is delivered from jail and God is God when James is NOT delivered from jail but is beheaded. So real faith does remain when ALL things follow whether the good, the bad or the ugly. <br /><br />Real faith trusts the God of ALL circumstances because of who He is in His character and purposes. Real faith isn't the guarantee of only comfortable things happening.<br /><br />I'm thinking you would say "Amen" to this too.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by and commenting.Paul Burlesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17021178307705707423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-5479350565136295452012-04-16T07:49:59.913-05:002012-04-16T07:49:59.913-05:00Have a strong faith, and everything will follow.Have a strong faith, and everything will follow.nevada retirement communityhttp://nevadaretirementcommunity.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-83863268662835859402012-04-15T23:49:05.788-05:002012-04-15T23:49:05.788-05:00Rodney,
I’m thinking when you said, “…and some ti...Rodney,<br /><br />I’m thinking when you said, “…and some times even funny!!!” you might have been thinking of the ‘conspiracy of women theory' why a woman was in ‘third place’ of being selected as a deacon. <br /><br />After two of us ‘confessed’ of being guilty, I’m glad you corrected the theory.<br /><br />On the serious side.<br /><br />To have QUALITY means excellence and free of defects.<br /><br />To meet QUALIFICATIONS means a person is eligible.<br /><br />So when you said, “…a person with the qualities (not qualifications) that make a good deacon”, I’m wondering what you meant.<br /><br /><br />I mean if the man is not eligible, and we’re selecting two deacons, that means the woman would be next in line for ‘examination’ or whatever that’s called.<br /><br />Back to being funny.<br /><br />Governor Perry could only name two of there things, but you named three and said they were two. (…“deacons and divorce and women in ministry are two I remember.”)<br /><br />Yeah, sometimes you make my day. :)<br /><br />But then you saw my mistake yesterday when I nearly got myself killed on trash pick-up day. I don’t think I’d blame that on God.Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-1593093396530260022012-04-14T15:26:02.789-05:002012-04-14T15:26:02.789-05:00Paul,
How good it is to read Rodney's words.
...Paul,<br /><br />How good it is to read Rodney's words.<br /><br />Rodney! How blessed you are to be learning some of what you are expressing, now, rather than at the time of life when the curtain is being drawn.<br /><br />No doubt Paul's writing is instrumental in that, and you find him a blessing as I do.<br /><br />I liked reading your "the qualities (not qualifications) that make a good deacon". So spot on!Aussie Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16199918171163666399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-59394015799316555682012-04-14T06:15:37.045-05:002012-04-14T06:15:37.045-05:00Steve,
I will also be grateful for those years an...Steve,<br /><br />I will also be grateful for those years and it's people like you that make me so. Thanks again for your life AND ministry.Paul Burlesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17021178307705707423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-70763872168547220422012-04-13T18:23:45.403-05:002012-04-13T18:23:45.403-05:00Paul,
As you and Mary are aware my wife and I had...Paul,<br /><br />As you and Mary are aware my wife and I had the privilege of having you as our pastor during the Southcliff and Southwestern years. You know heart on this matter because we have talked at length on this subject. I would just remind you what you shared with me upon graduation and going back to fly in the military. You shared the importance of not seeking a ministry but seeking Life with Jesus and the ministry will take care of itself. It was true then and is true now. I also believe your current walk is reflective of that truth. I will always be grateful for the Southcliff years; they were life changing. Thank you my friend.Steve Millernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-19981480668449888652012-04-13T09:53:39.395-05:002012-04-13T09:53:39.395-05:00Paul,
For those that don’t know the size of our c...Paul,<br /><br />For those that don’t know the size of our church, my ‘numbers’ may be misleading. It’s sort of like my widowed grandmother trying to get their church to raise money for a building, and she said, “I’ll pledge half my herd.”<br /><br />A reply said, “But Mrs. Ray, everyone knows you only have two cows.”Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-16690162129384894292012-04-13T09:08:18.076-05:002012-04-13T09:08:18.076-05:00Rodney,
GREAT comment.
You could have been talk...Rodney,<br /><br />GREAT comment. <br /><br />You could have been talking about me, I know you were not since I wasn't pastor the church you grew up in, when you described your "fundamentalist" pastor. Thank goodness we CAN grow.<br /><br />Also, I have a feeling we're all going to be surprised at how the "assessment" of the sharpness of the tools that God uses in His Kingdom work is going to play out. It's generally those who think about themselves one way that He gives a differing opinion of them entirely. That's sure true in the biblical materials.<br /><br />Maybe that's cause for hope for SOME and it MIGHT be a cause for alarm for SOME OTHERS.<br /><br />As I said..great stuff.Paul Burlesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17021178307705707423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-57018991047084608642012-04-13T08:39:55.406-05:002012-04-13T08:39:55.406-05:00I had a wonderful conversation with a man from our...I had a wonderful conversation with a man from our congregation who has been recognized as a person with the qualities (not qualifications) that make a good deacon. <br /><br />He was concerned about some convictions he had about heaven/hell, judgment/reward, life/death that he felt were thoroughly Biblical but not neccessarily beliefs widely held in Baptist theological circles...he was concerned they would make him unfit to be a deacon in our congregation. <br /><br />I am reminded of a few things:<br /><br />The courage of my "fundamentalist" pastor/mentor in the church I grew up in who changed his convictions concerning several things; deacons and divorce and woman in ministry are two I remember <br /><br />The fear and hunger I often struggled over the years for honest open respectful dialogue about different scriptural interpretation...which directly conflicted with my people pleasing tendencies <br /><br />The freedom and anxiety I began taste when others started extending such opportunities to me.<br /><br />The arrogance (which usually resulted from fear and insecurity) that led me to challenge and squash other perspectives that I believed to be "wrong" <br /><br />The "tough grace" that God employed through some intrumental people in my life who would not let me get away with such a battle mentality!!!<br /><br />The joy and freedom I am beginning to feel in so many relationships that are havens of grace for people (like myself) on a journey of discovery anchored in the finished work of Christ and the on going work of the Holy Spirit<br /><br />Over the past several months a dialogue among various individuals and groups in our congregation has been brewing over several "issues" one being the role of women in ministry. <br /><br />With only a few exceptions they are respectful,thougtful, and some times even funny!!! I am loving it and I hope it continues.<br /><br />I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I have a hunch that if such things occur, God is up to something and I am grateful to see it happen.Rodney Sprayberryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00354264158831825334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-82050985985611342232012-04-13T06:56:03.764-05:002012-04-13T06:56:03.764-05:00Aussie J,
Thank YOU for reading and commenting.
...Aussie J,<br /><br />Thank YOU for reading and commenting.<br /><br /><br /><br />Rex, <br /><br />I'm delighted to hear of you and your pastor being able and willing on the biblical side of what deacons are all about. Being a man or a woman is NOT what it's about at all. Good for you guys.Paul Burlesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17021178307705707423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-50642384725628648402012-04-13T04:12:12.188-05:002012-04-13T04:12:12.188-05:00Paul,
In 1957, I may have set a record of being t...Paul,<br /><br />In 1957, I may have set a record of being the fastest ‘dropout’ SWBTS ever had. (They gave all my money back.) I went there to find if the Lord had called me to preach, and his answer was pretty quick.<br /><br />I wonder if I went back today if I’d set a record of being ‘kicked out’. :)<br /><br />I just wanted to say I believe that through you and your son’s writings on “Women in Ministry” the ‘readers’ of our church may have led to an interesting deacons meeting this week. <br /><br />We were counting the votes from the congregation on selecting new deacons and a woman was in third place.<br /><br />SCANDALOUS!!! (There’s not a woman deacon in our association.) <br /><br />The question of a ‘conspiracy of women’ was quickly erased when nearly half the votes were ‘confessed’ from deacons.<br /><br />I won the struggle not to laugh out loud.<br /><br />I’m glad our pastor led the discussion against “NOT BIBICAL!”Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28605099.post-80997922295988160582012-04-13T02:12:50.090-05:002012-04-13T02:12:50.090-05:00Paul,
I think my wife is tired of hearing words s...Paul,<br /><br />I think my wife is tired of hearing words so similar to yours, about how I would love to speak to the many precious folk who sat and listened to my traditional exposition of Scripture, many of whom would now raise their eyebrows,as some of my peers who know me disapprovingly do:).<br /><br />Your words beginning with "The changes that have come across the years....", or ones similar, bounce around my mind constantly.<br /><br />I am often saddened that some place negative conotations on what has been great personal blessings.<br /><br />Thank you for expressing it so well!Aussie Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16199918171163666399noreply@blogger.com