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Shepherding Thoughts
by Pastor Ben Francis
Welcome to Shepherding Thoughts: An inside look at a Southern Baptist Pastor's comments on navigating popular topics in Christianity and Religion.
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The 2024 Southern Baptist Convention in Review…
For those of you interested in a recap of the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention, here is a broad, and hopefully fair overview of the main...
Ben Francis
Jun 13, 202413 min read
730 views
0 comments
Is the Southern Baptist Convention Overstepping its Authority?
A discussion of Creeds, Authority, and Autonomy There is a growing discussion in some corners of the SBC that the Convention is preparing...
Ben Francis
Apr 5, 202411 min read
573 views
2 comments
Why I'm Starting a PhD…
Well, now you know. I’m starting a PhD. I noted toward the end of last year that I was working on a large project that would take up some...
Ben Francis
Sep 7, 20239 min read
440 views
0 comments
The 2023 Southern Baptist Convention: In Review
The 2023 Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana June 13-14, has now come and gone. My first comment is: New...
Ben Francis
Jun 19, 202312 min read
443 views
0 comments
2023 Southern Baptist Convention: A Preview
In just a few weeks, the Southern Baptist Convention will gavel itself into session in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a reminder, the...
Ben Francis
May 25, 20235 min read
144 views
0 comments
Was Disfellowshipping the Right Move? Yes.
On Wednesday, February 22, 2023 the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention reported out that it had voted to Disfellowship...
Ben Francis
Feb 23, 20235 min read
218 views
1 comment
The State of the SBC: A Mid-Year look…
This post will be lengthy, but I hope to provide an accurate summation and overview of SBC happenings at present… Things Going Well… 1 -...
Ben Francis
Dec 2, 20228 min read
79 views
0 comments
Has Big Eva Made Too Much of her Human Leaders?
“Big Eva” …Big Evangelicalism. The structures and Institutions that make up American Evangelicalism with all of its power, prestige, and...
Ben Francis
Sep 1, 202211 min read
102 views
0 comments
SBC Under Investigation: The U.S. DOJ Investigates the SBC
The U.S. Department of Justice Investigates the SBC According to Baptist Press and the Baptist Standard, “The Southern Baptist Convention...
Ben Francis
Aug 12, 20223 min read
208 views
0 comments
Why the Southern Baptist Convention Needs R. Albert Mohler in 2022
The Southern Baptist Convention has entered a period of instability. The cracks have been showing for some time, but the last year has...
Ben Francis
Jun 7, 20224 min read
225 views
0 comments
Can the Southern Baptist Convention Change?
Organizations and Power: A Question for the Southern Baptist Convention. Do Grassroots Movements Work? Can an organization truly be a...
Ben Francis
Nov 1, 20215 min read
114 views
0 comments
Should Mike Stone sue Russell Moore?
Some thoughts… On Wednesday, October 20, 2021 Baptist Press broke the story that Pastor Mike Stone is suing former ERLC President Russell...
Ben Francis
Oct 26, 20214 min read
223 views
0 comments
The Cover-Up Continues as the Rabbit Hole Gets Deeper
Today, September 21, 2021, a letter was posted from Jennifer Lyell to the SBC Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, who...
Ben Francis
Sep 21, 20211 min read
503 views
3 comments
Elitism and Power in the Southern Baptist Convention
Some follow-up thoughts... Is there a power problem in the Southern Baptist Convention? Is there a culture of elites? When someone...
Ben Francis
Aug 11, 202112 min read
239 views
1 comment
SBC 2021 in Review: Part 6 The Forest and the Trees...A Path Forward?
As we bring this series to a close, it will be helpful in this final post to think of each of the specific issues in the first 5 posts as...
Ben Francis
Aug 9, 20218 min read
91 views
0 comments
Sexual Abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention
SBC 2021 in Review: Part 5 Sexual Abuse in the SBC The Story Breaks... In 2019, The Houston Chronicle Newspaper ran a series of stories...
Ben Francis
Jul 11, 20217 min read
193 views
0 comments
Critical Race Theory and Race Relations
SBC 2021 in Review: Part 4 Critical Race Theory and Race Relations Race continues to plague the SBC just as it does the wider culture....
Ben Francis
Jul 5, 20214 min read
310 views
0 comments
Southern Baptist Convention: Presidential Uncertainty and Factionalism
SBC 2021 in Review: Part 3 Presidential Uncertainty and Factionalism One of the reasons why this year’s meeting was so well attended was...
Ben Francis
Jul 1, 20213 min read
177 views
0 comments
What is the Southern Baptist Convention?
SBC 2021 in Review: Part 2 What is the Southern Baptist Convention? In one sense, the Southern Baptist Convention consists of churches...
Ben Francis
Jun 27, 20215 min read
215 views
0 comments
The 2021 Southern Baptist Convention In Review…
Many things were swirling as messengers from thousands of Southern Baptist Churches made their way to Nashville, Tennessee for the 2021...
Ben Francis
Jun 26, 20211 min read
246 views
0 comments
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