Attention Word Slingers readers: Beginning December 11, 2019, all posts will be available at BaptistMessenger.com. Thank you for reading Word Slingers!

Greetings!

Thank you for reading Doyle’s Half Dozen. I’m always encouraged when I hear from readers.

Let’s get to this week’s edition of six timely topics!

  1. Why the cheering?

If you have been to any of the Falls Creek youth weeks for the last 10-plus years, you may have heard some cheering during the evening service whenever the weekly speaker asks the audience to open their Bibles to the passage he will be using for his sermon that night. Do you know why there’s cheering? I always smile when I see many speakers and preachers get confused when the cheering happens after they say “Open your Bibles to…”

Ed Newton is the influencer of this trend. He is the speaker for Week 8, the final week of Falls Creek summer camp, which is concluding tonight, Friday, July 27. I’m heading down to talk to him briefly, but to also get a wrap-up from Andy Harrison, Falls Creek program director, about the camp this summer.

If you have never heard Ed Newton speak, you have missed a blessing. His energy, compassion and preaching style greatly connects with students and young adults, but God has used him to reach people of all ages. In his first sermon at Falls Creek this week, he gives an explanation of the cheering trend he started. I asked Walter Johnson to capture the segment where Newton explains this tradition (Thanks Walter!) Watch Newton’s explanation:

 

  1. Carter on Abortifacients and ‘next phase’ on pro-life

Joe Carter always does an excellent job in explaining legal aspect of social issues that involve moral aspects. In his recent article about clergy possibly handing out abortifacients in church, Carter helps pro-life advocates consider possible ramifications if Roe v. Wade is ever overturned.

Ending Roe, as Carter explained, will be a great result for those who value the sanctity of life, clamping down on the massive practice of abortion clinics, such as those supported by Planned Parenthood. However, Carter also believes the pro-life community is not ready for “the next phase of the battle.”

“We’ve convinced ourselves,” Carter wrote, “of the misleading half-truth that many, if not most, Americans are beginning to share our pro-life convictions about the value of unborn children.

“The harsh reality is that most Americans—including many Christians—are only pro-life when the unborn looks like a newborn baby. That’s why they value unborn life more at later stages of pregnancy, during the stages when the child looks like a baby.”

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court is appearing to become favorable for future rulings that would make the pro-life community rejoice, as Carter stated, pro-life believers need to pray for God to prepare us for what comes next.

  1. SBC to implement sex abuse study group

New Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear announced this week of the formation of a study group that will take on the growing concerns relating to sexual abuse as it relates to SBC churches and institutions.

“The group’s purpose,” according to a release from Greear’s office, “will be to consider how Southern Baptists at every level can take discernible action to respond swiftly and compassionately to incidents of abuse, as well as to foster safe environments within churches and institutions. This group will study both how Southern Baptists are currently engaging these issues and develop recommendations in consultation with relevant SBC entities on strategies and resources for ministering to victims and protecting people and churches from predators.”

Baptist Press also published a report about this announcement.

This is an important decision. Society has become alarmed in the past year. Celebrities, popular personalities and well-known leaders have been accused and penalized, some even arrested and charged, for sexual abuse.

There is much to learn and steps to take, but this action under Greear’s leadership is a step in the right direction for the SBC.

  1. Brunson no longer behind bars

American pastor Andrew Brunson is no longer in a Turkish prison, but he is under house arrest. I recommend reading the report from Baptist Press.

Brunson was in prison for about a year and a half under what appears to be false accusations of the pastor being involved with a coup to overthrow Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

This is an improvement, but pray for Brunson and his family at this time, that he will be fully released.

  1. Mind blown

I don’t know if you have seen this video from the show “Genius Junior” (by the way, I didn’t even know such a show existed), but I was blown away watching this young man answer the questions from Doogie Howser (fitting that he’s the host).

After watching him identify the words and THEN quickly spell the words backwards… I mean, who does that? Is that even taught?

I especially enjoyed hearing him say “hootenanny.” Watch and be amazed:

https://www.facebook.com/NBCGeniusJunior/videos/2138505732833015/

 

  1. No DHD next week

I will be out of the country Aug. 1-6, so no DHD will be published. I’ll blog about my trip the following week.