Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Problem of disunity isn’t new but needs to be addressed, Rice says

  • June 19, 2021
  • Grace Thornton
  • Featured, Instagram, Latest News, National News, SBC, SBC 2021
Willy Rice, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Florida, gives the SBC convention sermon on June 16. The church has many problems, but “woe be it to that person” who works to destroy it, Rice said.
(Photo by Sam Evans)

Problem of disunity isn’t new but needs to be addressed, Rice says

The problem of disunity is not a new challenge for contemporary Christ followers, Willy Rice said during the convention sermon at the Southern Baptist Convention on June 16.

“Even the disciples of our Lord were known to argue among themselves,” said Rice, senior pastor of Calvary Church, Clearwater, Florida.

Preaching from 1 Corinthians 3, Rice said the passage shows a church divided by doctrinal confusion. They were divided into different tribes, professing allegiance to different leaders. The Apostle Paul addressed the reality of their dissention, the reasons for it and what they should do about it, Rice said.

The SBC needs to consider the same things, he said, noting that “our very future may depend on it.” He suggested three places to start based on the passage.

  1. Be clear about our identity.

The Corinthian church needed a reminder about where their allegiance should really lie, Rice said. They dealt with an unhealthy fixation on personalities.

“There was an emergence of a kind of celebrity culture, and Paul quickly condemned it,” he said, noting that one of the factors of tribalism is an unhealthy exaltation of human leaders.

Work of God

Southern Baptists don’t need celebrities, they need to remember “we do not own the field, and we do not own the house,” Rice said. “It is God who does the work.”

And the real work doesn’t happen on the convention floor, he said — “it’s out there.”

  1. Be careful about our ministry.

Some ministry is built with gold, silver and jewels — things that last, Rice said. Other ministry is built with straw, hay and wood — temporary things that will burn up in the life to come.

“Today as in every day, in this generation as in every generation, the issue of truth must be confronted,” Rice said.

It’s important for Southern Baptists to guard their theology, he said. “We know where the road to theological liberalism leads — to death. … Theological compromise is just a halfway house on the road to unbelief.”

But motives matter too, Rice said. “In the account of the woman caught in adultery, the angry mob was not motivated by righteousness. They knew the sin, they knew the Scriptures, but they didn’t know the Savior. I don’t want to be known as angry old men with rocks in our hands.”

Southern Baptists need to be careful about the aroma given off to a watching world, he said, asking if messengers thought anyone listening this week would conclude that the convention was made up of people of love.

“If you do not mirror the character of Christ, your words and your work are nothing but wood, hay and straw,” Rice said.

  1. Be certain about eternity.

Rice said Southern Baptists know eternity is coming, and with it a day of both reward and ruin.

“The humblest among us, the least known among us, may with gold, silver and jewels do the work of the Lord,” he said.

“He who labors faithfully will receive a reward.”

The church has many problems, but “woe be it to that person” who works to destroy it, Rice said.

“Be careful before you take a careless sledgehammer to the house of God just to build a name for yourself,” he said. “Eternity is coming, and God is watching.”

Southern Baptists have embarrassed themselves in the way they’ve treated each other before a watching world, Rice said.

Our foundation

He noted that he wants to think “we’re better than this, but then again, maybe we’re not.”

“Maybe this is who we are, and that’s what makes this so hard,” Rice said. “But you know what? Jesus is better than this.”

Because that foundation will hold, followers of Christ will continue to work, he said. “Let us gather up the gold of the gospel … the silver of the Scriptures and the jewels of Jesus. Let us be done with the wood, hay and straw of posturing. Let us labor for the Master. There’s work to be done — work that lasts.”

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.
    Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far
    Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: Refocusing on the main thing
    First person: Refocusing on the main thing
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.

If you’re looking to brush up on your business and financial reports knowledge ahead of this year’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Dallas (June 10–11), the SBC has released its 2025 Book of Reports online.

Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far

A second nominee has been announced for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, making it the first contested race for an SBC post so far this year. Craig Carlisle, current Alabama convention president, will be nominated.

First person: Refocusing on the main thing

New Coke was a colossal failure. In 1985, after decades as a premier global brand producing the world’s most popular soft drink, the Coca-Cola Company’s

Faith, funerals and foxhounds: How one bivocational pastor ministers in times of grief

Those who know Rusty Walton best might say that this bivocational pastor, who also helps run a funeral home, is “dead serious” about ministry.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel