Watts' Words

For the past year I have been diligently praying for the GCR Task Force. On this team of people are several whom I value as personal friends and I have a great deal of respect for those that I haven't had the privilege of knowing. Additionally, The concepts of 'great respect and admiration' pale in comparison of my feelings for our SBC President. He was a leader in Kingdom work long before he was elected to serve as SBC President. Additionally, Dr. Hunt continues to be a spiritual force for God and good in the world. These words begin this blog (which few people will actually read) because "I" happen to be one that 'clearly understands' that we need a refocus and recommitment to the Great Commission but, at the same time, am unsure and unconvinced that the way to accomplish this is by simply adopting the GCR report. Proponents will counter that they are proposing more than just 'adopting the report' and that adoption will only be the first s...

It has been many days since I have written a blog. Quite likely, it is because my writing get into so few hands that what I write (or think for that matter) makes little difference. However, as I continue to watch, read, and listen to the debate over the GCR in Southern Baptist life, it would seem to me that we are about to box ourselves in. Recently I read a message by the late Vance Havner and grinned at his words that sometimes we are like "an elephant with a blow torch in a room full of dynamite" and yet, it seems this is quickly becoming our position with the GCR. I, like 30,000 other Baptist pastors have listened to, downloaded, and printed out, the 'progress report' of the GCR task force given to the SBC Executive Committee. As I have digested the material, it seems to me that the focus on this report is to 'fixate' that which is not broken as oppose to 'fix' that which is in need of repair. My prayer is that TODAY (Monday, April 26, 2010),...

Today, one of my friends called me to tell me that something was going wrong on my blogger page. It seems that the link to my "Twitter" on this page was displaying all kinds of 'foul' language. Candidly, I went to my twitter account and checked out to block whoever was doing this. Come to find out, only the Twitter feed to my blog account was affected. So for now, I have deleted that feed to my blog page. I wish someone could give me the 'thought-processes' of someone who gets their kicks in life by making things difficult for other people. During this week of spending time with my family, many-many good people have been encouragers, providers, and even helpers for our family as we morn the passing of mom. Yet, it seems there is always one in every crowd who feels the needs to be mean-spirited to someone for no apparent reason. To whoever did this; I hope and pray that you will let your hack of my page be the last one. This was a distraction which I ...

The years 2008-2009, without a doubt, will go down in my life's history as the most confusing years of my existence (that is, unless I get Alzheimer's' – and I'm not making fun of this debilitating disease). But then again most people who know me accuse me of staying confused anyway. First, there was the presidential election of 2008. Gosh, where did the REAL candidates go? But who would have thought that the new President of these GREAT United States would dislike the United States and their concept of self-government so much. In six months we have seen a country which was admittedly in a mess—almost disintegrate before our very eyes. Now we are faced with the real prospect of the Government (Big-brother) taking over everything from Health-care to auto-makers to financial institutions and our President is not through. His thoughts are, "This Government isn't big enough." Year ago (long before he was a presidential candidate) I heard Mike Huckabee ...

Last Thursday (September 17 – Constitution Day) will live on as a day of surprises. The first surprise (covered in my previous blog) was that a High School Principal (Frank Lay) and Athletic Director (Robert Freeman) was in front of a judge on "Criminal Charges" of Contempt of Court for saying a "Blessing over food." Who would have thought that our system of juris prudence would actually hear such a ridiculous case as this in a country that boast of "religious freedom" and "tolerance." (to use a "well-used" word).. The next surprise is nothing shy of a divine act of God. After a one day trial, these two men were found NOT GUILTY!!! What a story!! Although Religious Freedom for Christians under persecution in America, this was a time when God, in His grace, reached down and took control of circumstances which seemed out of control. God's people rose up to the Challenge and He responded in support. To Him be the Glory!!

Thursday, September 17, 2009, is a day that will live in infamy. On this day, the landscape for religious freedom in this nation will be changed. Frank Lay (High School Principal) and Robert Freeman (High School Employee) will stand before a judge, facing criminal charges for "saying a blessing over the food at the dedication of the school's new field house." This scenario would be funny, if it were not so sad. With the real problems facing this culture and country, the ACLU has, once again, chosen to flex its legal muscle and eradicate Christianity from all public life. From unofficial reports the ACLU is setting up for a long, expensive battle which many observers believe will ultimately be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. As we all know, the charter of the ACLU speaks of protecting the "Bill of Rights" and yet, those 'rights' include the government NOT MAKING ANY LAW WHICH PROHIBITS THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELGION." They seem to selectively ch...

There are many things which are eating away at our culture, country, and churches. Recently, I have re-read the book "Why Churches Die?" by Dr. Mac Brunson and Dr. Ergun Caner and have been touched, once again, by their diagnoses of local congregations. On Wednesday evenings, I have offered to the congregation where I serve a series of devotional type of messages (from the Bible and this book) to point out some of these diseases. Some of the conditions related were "Myopia" (short or near-sightedness), "Atrophy" (lack of use), and Glossitis (use of the tongue) ; but to compare the modern day "cultural Christianity" to arteriosclerosis was also a stroke of genius. The words which follow only scratch the surface of what needs to be considered. His name was Bobby Dean. On the Saturday afternoon that He died, quite likely, he carried all the stubbornness into eternity that he lived with on earth. A couple of people have suggested that when he w...