We are excited to have Dr. Danny Akin participating in the b21 panel at the 2010 SBC. Register for the panel. Dr. Akin has been one of the leading voices calling for a Great Commission Resurgence in the SBC (below check out the video of the original GCR Axioms message that Dr. Akin delivered last year). He is also a member of the GCR Task Force. It will be helpful to have his insight as the panel discusses the future of the SBC.
Dr. Daniel L. Akin, better known as “Danny” …

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force has released a statement recommending that the term “Great Commission Giving” be used in reference to the monetary gifts from our Southern Baptist Churches to the Cooperative Program and designations to the causes of the Southern Baptist Convention, state conventions and associations. A subtle change in verbiage may seem insignificant for those who have a firm grasp of what is being spoken of, but intentional (non-vague) wording can mean the difference between a non/new SBCer lending their ear or concluding that what is being …

In the month of February it is a common practice to pause and take the measure of historical figures in the struggle for civil rights in America.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a figure that stands heads and shoulders above those fighting for justice, equality and brotherhood in the mid twentieth century.  At times accusations of infidelity and a failure to uphold academic integrity in his doctoral dissertation have placed an ominous shadow over the legacy of a man who has been an essential part of sculpting the American …

This blog is an article that I wrote for my church newsletter that may be helpful for others to read who are looking to plant churches and send missionaries around the world. I hope it is a blessing to you:
One of many signs of health is reproduction, I have been thinking about this a lot recently, especially because I am officially “Uncle Walt” as of January 4, 2010! (shameless, I know). In the same way that reproduction is a sign of health in humans and animals, it …

Developing a Middle Ground: The Church
Disclaimer:
Many of us (even myself at times), cringe when it comes to talking about the issue of diversity in the church. In this blog it is not my goal to use the guilt of the past as a bludgeon to move believers into action, but to begin a conversation that assumes that we are the generation that is capable of more than agreeing that change needs to happen. So let’s go to work for the Kingdom.
I often daydream about a scene of an unchurched …

Each day after kindergarten my mother would ask me what I learned in school that day as I ate my afternoon snack, and without fail the five year old Walter would respond, “nothing.” After giving my customary answer, I would always add, “but at story time we learned…” It didn’t matter if the story was fact or fiction, I would be swept into the depths of my imagination until the story came to an end.
It is with stories that we recount the events and of the past, and …

Jazz is known for its timeless standards, and even more so for excellent musicians who are able to capture the attention and emotions of their audience with expressive improvisation that is expressed with great freedom and ease. Excellent improvisation is the result of the soloist combining a keen understanding of his venue, his audience, the mood of the room, while simultaneously integrating personal expression as an important element.
From the outside looking in, an improvised solo seems to be an act of sheer genius, because of the way the free-form …

Every time I watch Braveheart, I cannot wait until the speech that William Wallace gives to the Sons of Scotland persuading them to fight the English army for their freedom. Wallace’s speech is so persuasive, the first time I heard it I felt like getting my sword from under my bed and joining the fight for freedom. Then one night I read Martin Luther’s “On Christian Liberty” and William Wallace’s speech was never the same.
Luther and Wallace were both champions of freedom, but it became obvious …