Article

Sports are never the problem. They are merely exposing the problem. Like all of God’s good gifts, sports can be easily corrupted.

We are called to fight against sin as good soldiers of Christ Jesus who proclaim the gospel no matter the cost. Sports expose character, and for those willing to be intentional about using that fact to biblically form character, it provides a great training ground.

I emphasize that godliness is the goal of the disciplines, and when we remember this, the spiritual disciplines become a delight instead of drudgery.

I still remember the first day I stepped into the textbook tunnel in the LifeWay at SBTS. There were so many incredible books, and all were organized according to the courses in which they would be used. “The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit,” “Hebrew Exegesis: Joshua,” “Jonathan Edwards,” and “New Testament Exegesis: Galatians” all sounded…

Have you ever met someone whose singular aim is to convince you they are called to ministry? Maybe they give away scores of Vista Print business cards asking you to invite them to your church; maybe they email you regularly to convince you why they should speak or sing or play at your next youth…

Every American has undoubtedly heard the phrase: “Be who you are.” … But despite such endearing sources, I’m fairly certain its origins are far more sinister than we might imagine.

Don’t leave the interiew before asking these ten (often-forgotten) questions.

Change occurs through people. People follow leaders, and leaders know the value of relationship.

Last year, I was having a conversation about our service with a member, and I realized the two of us were talking past each other. It began to dawn on me when the terms “singing service” and “preaching service” entered the discussion: the disconnect was an effect of twentieth century revivalism. Big tent revivals of the…

Charles II once asked one of the most learned scholars that he knew why any intelligent person should waste time listening to the sermons of an uneducated tinker and Baptist preacher by the name of John Bunyan. “Could I possess the tinker’s abilities for preaching, please your majesty,” replied the scholar, “I would gladly relinquish…

Even in the late stages of a brutal and physically exhausting disease, Robert Konemann was always there. At Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night services at his home church, Fisherville Baptist, at both Boyce and Southern Seminary graduations, in the lives of his wife and children. Konemann, who served as project manager at Southern Seminary starting in 2012, passed away…

EDITOR’S NOTE: In what follows, SBTS President R. Albert Mohler Jr. discusses the 2016-17 academic year with Towers editor S. Craig Sanders.   CS: Going into the 24th year of your presidency, what are you most thankful for? RAM: I’m most thankful that as we look across the landscape of theological education and even Christian…

Near Christmas 1857, John A. Broadus received a letter from a man inquiring about the nature of Christian salvation. Due to his travel schedule and bouts of ill health, Broadus was unable to respond to the letter until Jan. 26, 1858. His response was a thorough, heartfelt description of the biblical plan of salvation in…

EDITOR’S NOTE: Below, David E. Prince, assistant professor of Christian preaching and pastor of Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, discusses his book In the Arena with Towers editor S. Craig Sanders. CS: What about the book and its message is important to communicate? DP: The book is essentially about Jesus, the church, family, and sports. I…

In the Arena: The Promise of Sports for Christian Discipleship (B&H 2016, $16.99), David E. Prince My sports career flamed out in freshman year of high school, but playing football, basketball, and baseball as a teenager instilled a work ethic and discipline I may not have learned anywhere else. Playing sports also helped me deal with…

Biblical Church Revitalization:  Solutions For Dying & Divided Churches Brian Croft Review by Sean W. Corser With over 1,000 Southern Baptist churches closing their doors each year, many aspiring pastors will undoubtedly find themselves in some form of church revitalization. Louisville pastor Brian Croft, who is senior fellow of the SBTS Mathena Center on Church…

The awkward silence and uncomfortable feelings you have when trying to visit your folks in your church is not a justifiable reason to stop and neglect them.