Saturday, February 4, 2012
A Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

Author Archive for Douglas Baker

Editor’s Journal: Of memory and meaning

Walk through Arlington National Cemetery at this time of year, and it is hard not to be completely overcome with the sheer beauty of the place. The sunsets are breathtaking. The wind coming off the Potomac River rustles through the leaves which have now erupted into lovely Fall colors. Get past the highly trafficked tourist

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Editor’s Journal: From good to God

Richard Weaver’s 1948 book, Ideas Have Consequences, helped entire generations to understand human culture by working to clearly examine the underlying reasons for each human action. Recognize and identify the philosophy in play, and you would be able to predict at least some of the consequences when the idea had fully worked its way through

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Editor’s Journal: A modern Reformation?

“I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me, Amen.” —Martin Luther, April 18, 1521,

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Editor’s Journal: Stay close to the Gospel

When the Oklahoma Outreach Foundation first announced the speaker for its annual banquet was Libby Cataldi, few Oklahomans knew of this professional educator who once served as head of the prestigious Calverton School in Maryland. Her leadership skills helped this college preparatory school located near the nation’s capitol to rise in reputation as one of

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Editor’s Journal: The school of suffering

A routine afternoon of rafting in July of 1967 turned tragic as Joni Eareckson Tada dove  into what she thought was deep water only to quickly hear her neck crack against a sandbar. She quickly found herself helplessly floating face down in the water unable to move. As she frantically held her breath, her sister

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Hymns Redeemed and Restored

As the son of Southern Baptist missionaries, Matthew Smith is no stranger to the basic ideas of Christianity. Since childhood, he heard Bible stories and teaching in ways that prepared him to understand and believe the basic tenants of the Christian faith. It was not until he entered college at Belmont University in Nashville, however,

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The State(s) of our Convention

Shortly before his death, Adrian Rogers was asked his opinion about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention. Without hesitation Rogers answered that he was greatly troubled about what lay ahead for the Convention. From a lifetime of investment in the SBC, he observed that Southern Baptists get along well “on the battlefield,” but sometimes

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Editor’s Journal: NAMB: A new era begins?

With the recent election of Kevin Ezell as president of the North America Mission Board (NAMB), a new era of change is certain to come for an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention that has seldom known calm waters. Since its formation at the founding of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845, the Home Mission

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Heaven’s Rain: Forgiveness finally comes

Oklahoma tragedy remembered in new film A knock at the door is nothing unusual for a pastor. People in need of everything from driving directions to daily food somehow find their way to a pastor’s home. When a knock came on the evening of Oct. 15, 1979 at the home of Oklahoma City, Putnam City’s

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Editor’s Journal: SMO 2010: A Mission of Hope

During the early years of Baptist life in Oklahoma, the entire idea of cooperative missions outreach teetered on the edge of collapse due to the convergence of three primary factors: personality conflicts which grew so fierce that various Southern Baptist leaders would not speak to each other; a doctrinal controversy that coalesced around theological ideas

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