Where Two Creeds Meet: A Biblical Evaluation of Calvanism and Arminianism

There was a lot of pushback on GP from non Cal pastors that shocked me. After that, the Trevin Wax types claimed they would put in some non Cal quotes. I am blown away at the use of OPM in this blatant manner. He was a huge disciple of GP and any pushback on voices and you were labeled as a hater. Seriously, just one example…. Write an article that congregational polity is from Satan. The man is responsible for Harvests elephant debt see the site and is known for his high stakes gambling. From Driscoll, Mahaney, MacDonald…. They are deceivers who use people. I feel as if I need a shower after reading anything from them.

Trust me, Trevin had no problem leaving church work for a media saturated 6 figure position at LifeWay. He is a little boy who was groomed to carry their water. You went to the dark side a few years ago. Now your job seems to be to visit blogs that discuss this stuff and say; nothing to see here. I am surprised you did not say the Deebs should have called Setzer or Wax first.

That is usually your mantra on other blogs. And it is the party line. Note the focus on the BFM. There is a clever reason for that. Mohler was instrumental on some clever and deceptive footwork on that committee from A few were on to him but they are long gone. Had there been a booming social media, his deception might not have worked as well as the one they pulled on church discipline as cleaning up Church rolls.

You just repeat whatever the Ezell boys tell you. Then you repeat on blogs and say, call him yourself. The more I read TWW the closer I personally come to the catholic theological positions on almost everything. I frankly had no idea that some of the opinions expressed by some commenters even were out there in SBC land. Having spent more than half a century as a non-calvinist baptist and then having left that tradition some time ago I had no idea about some of the aspects of neo-calvinism that you all talk about.

The free will issue is more complicated that what religion wants to talk about. If one reads some of what is being said by some of the psych and neuroscience people there is the possibility probability that there is no such thing as free will; we may be deceived by our own mental processes in this area. And some of them think that they have some images of brain function to back up that thinking. If that is true, then the theology of will, free or otherwise, should be interesting to watch develop. You know where all the bodies are buried. Keep up the good work.

Interesting post you did last week on the candidates for SBC president. Why such a short commentary on your obvious choice for the presidency — J. This election doesn't need to be about Calvinism…and I hope it isn't. Sounds like you have changed your position on Calvinism since you wrote this back in — Why I'm a bit wary of Calvinists. Same reason we have to find new ways of teaching all sorts of subjects. Why capitalize my name? I have never understood that. From what I have read over the years, Debbie is in agreement with most of what comes from SBCvoices and that movement.

Are we talking about the same Debbie? Could this mean normal functioning adults cannot make choices and be responsible for them? These developments could be more of a disaster for our justice system. This is how you indoctrinate people. Children are highly susceptible. Our former church used children's sunday school material from Piper's church. I don't think they ever heard that God loved them without hearing about what sinners they were, and this before they even knew what sin was.

Is it good for a young child to be told that their sin is what nailed Jesus to cross? I think of some of the songs we sang in worship as well. Children's brains are not ready for the "theology" that these men think should be taught to them. It seems that all Lifeway does these days is sow the seeds of Calvinism in everything one way or another. My Methodist church had a lady who decided to teach Seamless and it sounded to me that there was a slight, subtle bent toward Calvinism if you knew what to listen for. Reminds me of the approach drug dealers use to hook teenagers on the street corner after school.

I have attended Sunday School for 3 or 4 sessions where the Gospel Project was used. We change Sunday Schools 3 times a year, and they are topically based. I have not been in the class using the Gospel Project for the last 2 sessions. The renewed emphasis in some aspects of reformed soteriology is a broader movement than the personalities in the SBC.

And I note that Thom Rainer is not a 5 point Calvinist, and certainly does not believe in limited atonement. Of course, I do not object at all to churches not using the Gospel project. As I said, we are using it in 1 of our 3 Sunday School classes. While TGP content may not be a blatant delivery of reformed theology, it certainly introduces those who read the materials to a host of Calvinist contributors who indeed will take you down the road to Calvinism if you tune directly into them. I wonder what else Carson, Chandler, Greear, et al.

I certainly wrote them a letter about it. Having an editorial board that is exclusively of one mind set is questionable, if not conspiratorial. While TGP content may not be a blatant delivery of reformed theology, it certainly introduces those whose read the materials to a host of Calvinist contributors. As a case in point, the Summer lesson book includes two quotations from Jonathan "Keys of the Kingdom" Leeman. It has all sorts of implications and potential applications, if of course it turns out to be true. Some time we need to discuss it on the OP.

From what I have seen so far, Mahaney has not been quoted. However, I have seen quotes from the following familiar names: I stopped seeing as many marginal references of this sort compared to issues produced in and perhaps earlier … so I let it go. Or you might consider just leading students through books of the Bible and praying that the Holy Spirit would teach them!

There were several blogs that blew up back then. Of course people like William Thornton and those at SBC Voices dismissed those with concerns as being tin foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists. If New Calvinists want concerned Southern Baptists to drop their conspiracy theories, they need to stop giving us so much evidence! They were helplessly dependent on others to tell them what it said. And those others very often used that helplessness to set themselves in authority over them, use them and keep them in bondage.

It was through great sacrifice, including the shedding of blood, that the Bible was made accessible to the common man. It was received as a treasure, to be read, searched and discovered. Electronic Bibles offer the ability to search, copy, highlight and cross-reference beyond anything in the past, every translation available to compare and contrast. We also live in a time where most people have been freed from a lot of the mundane chores of life. And yet, so many believers are not really interested in reading the Bible.

So many do not really care what exactly it says. They would rather someone else read it and just fill them in on the gist of it. And whole churches are unable to figure out what to do with their time unless they have a predigested fill-in-the-blanks program to follow. Why are all these churches, of all different denominations, so anxious to take part in the gospelly gospelized gospel project? Are there none competent to teach from the Bible themselves in these churches? Christ provided spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching, for the edification of the church.

Where is this gift in the local churches? And yet, in practice, in the churches I have been a part of, I have not seen evidence of this. It is a rare elder, these days, who is capable of teaching.

What Non-Calvinists Should Know about The Gospel Project®

Without some kind of little paperback book with blanks to fill in, we are apparently lost. I never saw the original materials. I have seen Volumes of the current release. I used to be a very loyal LifeWay customer until , when the Neo-Cals came onto my radar screen. Haven't made any purchases there in the last eight years. Any idea where I could get some of the old TGP materials? I would enjoy comparing the first edition with the current.

You will pass away, but they will remain Mine. There was a resolution passed at one of the conventions. As Calvinism has risen in the SBC baptism have declined. The church we were at at that time looked at the material and sent it back. Has Lifeway pulled all the first editions? I wonder if one of the stores would still have some copies? Complementarianism is an essential doctrine with this crowd. This video from the T4G gathering explains their position. No, no, no, no and that would be no. The BFM is not quite scripture as there is still wriggle room for nonCals to accept it. I would predict that within the next five years or so there will be a call to revise the BFM and move it in a more Calvinistic slant.

Reminds me of Amway. All recruits believe they have what it takes to be the next big leader. Of course, most crash and burn. That's why Mohler has been getting his ducks err lieutenants in a row… He has been quite successful in placing the right people in positions of power in the SBC. It's just a matter of time until things are set in stone, as you have surmised. The pewpeons have no idea who these people are or what the issues are.

I agree with Max that the ignorance and apathy of the average pewpeon is a huge part of the problem we have with the YRR.

Dissecting Christian Trends

They are willfully blind or complicit. Do you all follow SBC Today? Also there was the whole IMB debacle where they just cut all the older which means probably not Calvinist missionaries and forced them to sign gag orders before they could receive severance. Power is being concentrated into the hands a very select few. I have been missing that discussion. Guess I need to catch up and write a blog post about it. While that may be the case with some people it has not been the case for me my people.

I practiced medicine full time and also kept house and raised children; it took all day and parts of the night and was anything but mundane. Of the two adult females in the next generation down from me one teaches high school and raises children and the other teaches business law at a local college and raises children; again it takes all day and into the night for them and is nowhere near mundane. My mother lived in the day before some of the modern conveniences and both lived on and helped with an urban farm situation and also raised children.

And yes, we value good curricula, especially the professional teachers on that list. Just in case anybody wondered, of course. Teaching is not just a spiritual gift, it is also a learned skill utilizing learned content. IMO, if the church cannot offer me and mine, including the grandchildren, something comparable at least with what they get at school and at home, then the church has to step back and rethink whether it really understands the world we live in.

Fortunately, my current church is full of people like us and the church goes for quality and content in its teaching functions. It is not possibly that we are the only church on the planet that does this. I am thinking that one of the attractions of neo-cal teaching is that it appears to be content rich and unless one already had a fair grasp of the issues it would be easy to miss the error embedded in the content. Asking question is now divisive and hateful. And the various bible studies and commentaries we have now?

If in fact the pewpeons did wake up and read the bible as we all should be doing, what need is there for the man in front facing us waving his arms, dripping sweat and spittle on us? There goes the well-off six-figure salary, trips to only God knows where, private lessons for the three kids, the nice cars, the McMansion, the advanced degrees, etc. Basically, these men and their cronies have made merchandise of the God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Gospel, and the Bible, as well as people.

It will no be pretty for these guys when Jesus gets the last word. I do not wich that on anyone, but rather would see them become like Zachaeus and turn from their ways and make restitution. My last few sunday school teachers are college professors who specialize in biblical history. Do you mean charismatic? I read some of her earlier work and she was definately not Calvinist nor is her church down in Houston. And therein lies the root of all of this. I know some reading this blog wonder what is the big deal is. Unless by subtle you meant THEY are being subtle bringing this in, in which case I agree except I would label it deceitful rather than subtle.

I got this from a Methodist publication a couple of years ago. Anyway, a minister was writing on Beth Moore and noted that his church started to closely look at her writings when one woman came to him distraught at what she thought was Moore saying that God caused evil for his glory. This woman had had a traumatic experience and was upset that God might have deliberately caused the event. I myself remeber her saying how much she liked Desiring God. Anyway, the article said that this particular church and others were not going to use her materials anymore.

Lydia, out of a whole church there are none who have time to become competent teachers on their own? As long as people look to someone else to do the thinking for them, there will be those with ulterior motives who are glad to do it. Stark if you know the Bible. Subtle to those unfamiliar with what the Bible really says and fall for the deceitful language the noe-cons use. Yep, no need to come in the back door by stealth and deception any longer. Plus, I bet if we delved into those people, we would find a bunch of things on which they disagree. It would take years to undo the Calvinization of the SBC.

They think it just naturally happened. One of these blogs had letters between him and Patterson where he was complaining about the lack of emphasis on Calvinism in the CR. On my last visit to the local LifeWay store a few years ago, I was greeted by a display of Piper, Keller, and Driscoll books just inside the front door. The Stalinization of the SBC is complete. He has control of the entities and even Paige Patterson is getting on the gravy train as did others. It is about celebrity, legacy and money. They believe the determinist God is rewarding them.

After all, God is in control of all the deception, celebrity and appointed them into their current positions. Well Lifeway promotes her because she brings in the money. Pulpit and Pen is one and another blog is Michellelesleybooks. So it would make sense that people who are going to write denominational material agree with the doctrinal statements that the denomination has adopted. And they are destroying the denomination as hundreds of thousands of devoted Christians flee the Southern Baptist insanity every year. I ran into a member of my former church a few weeks ago who queried me about my long absence.

I gave her some honest reasons with sincerity and professionalism. She pulled out her iPad and made a list. She asked me what and who to Google. Autonomy is a critical doctrine that says much about who Baptists are as a people and the Priesthood of the Believer. That is a bad precedent. I hope it is addressed. You quoted me and then addressed Lydia apparently on a different but related topic. I am not sure what is going on there. The problem is too much apathy in the pews. Calvinism is seen as an ivory tower discussion to a lot of people which is where it was traditionally going back 30 years or so.

I expect a mass exodus from the SBC over the next many years as the abuse increases. Since Calvinism is the gospel to them, rather than the Gospel, these young pastors are not reaching the lost with their message. Are we dating ourselves if we remember going to The Baptist Bookstore?

I think we should rename Driscoll Wackadoodle. Yes, I was young and now am old. The theory is that some people are Calvinist enough to cooperate with for the time being. Al Mohler would tell you that you cannot accept the U in Tulip and reject any of the other four points and still be consistent. But to reject the U completely is to be seen as a semi Pelegian heretic and semi Pelegianism leads to liberalism.

The SBC is funding this. Sure there are questions and debates about roles which are man-made in my opinion , but not about the meaning. Or, if anyone does ask, just say that what it means to be a man or woman is to reflect the image of God. And Russ Moore is a 4 pointer and Kevin Ezell, it seems was a 3 pointer back when transitioning Highview to stealth Calvinism and elder rule and then he was a 4 pointer. But in the end, it is Points with Mohler that got them in the club. So not sure why points have any bearing on the situation. And he is one of the highest paid entity presidents.

Some were saying almost half million a year. We have Setzer, the LifeWay church planting expert, double dipping with all his church plant fails…over and over. Oh, and Barnabas Piper hired at LifeWay despite being Presbyterian and paid 6 figures as strategic content manager or something like that. When he was hired I was reading an article on his website of him promoting infant baptism. I have not checked back to see if it was still there and I believe he joined a Baptist Church after getting his six figures appointment. I could go on all day with examples of the celebrity Christian High Life.

Just like Jesus, right? They just got my former church…which is debt free. They tried for years. It has happened all over Louisville. I visited one of the local Calvinist churches for a few weeks. If he just presented an old fashioned plan of salvation someone might think they were being wooed by the Holy Spirit when actually it was just their own ego or something or other. It is a very works based idea. To really be saved you have to show the Pastor all kinds of works before he will declare you saved and ready for Baptism.

In our anglo-catholic episcopal parish there are quite a few former evangelicals including baptists, and the director of formation is a former evangelical and a graduate of an evangelical seminary who is going through the educational and discernment process to become an episcopal priest. In our confirmation class almost everybody was a former evangelical of some description.

We also have a fair sized group of former Roman Catholics. Please note the difference in capital letters. It is not that I am particularly careless about capitals on purpose. It gets complicated but I keep trying. It was very offputting. Stealth Calvinism that took over churches was never blatant. They were very careful. Who disagrees with grace? I have something I have to tell you guys. I have been wanting to talk it over with Dee on the phone.

I noticed something when I was researching Redeemer Arlington for my post that I did last week. Redeemer partners with SendDC. Over the last few years Send DC has been involved in planting roughly 20 churches in the Washington, D. What I would like to do in the near future is do a profile of all 20 churches, research who is sponsoring them and how.

Then I would like to contact and ask questions. The New Calvinists know this and use it to their advantage. I talked to a lady at the Presbyterian church and she said she thought maybe half the church was former Baptists.. But my experience is that most Calvinist are mean. To me, Baptist churchs should at a bare minimum have things like congregational votes and non-infant baptisms…so it blows my mind to read above about a proponent of infant baptism joining the Baptist church.

Oops, sorry about that, correction noted. The old eyes get boggled at times. I wish there was a way to edit. I can certainly believe that. Someone did that at Peter Lumpkins blog for St. Louis a few years ago. Look at the church plants in DC and cross reference if you can to Acts 29, 9Marks, and Founders list of churches. The NAMB will not give out any information. Even the churches themselves are not specific anymore about their doctrine.

But good luck trying. I sure hope that will not be a default position. There are various tribes of Calvinists. Priscilla Shirer is another popular speaker among the YRR women in my area. I would really like that info about Stetzer, if you can find it. If you do, send it to Dee or Deb. I am told by Calvinists all the time that I am not a Calvinist, which is fine by me.

Why would Baptists wanting to flee Calvinism become Presbyterians? I do not know. Tell me about it! Another thing- the older churches they take over are where they send SBTS grads to pastor. Some have familiar last names. Usually Seminary students are directed to attend. Burk and Moore have done this.

As have Ware, Schriener and others. Not doing your homework for you when I am aware of your deceptive brain gaming here and being protected. In the first place there are presbyterians and then there are presbyterians-complicated just like everything else. The neo-cals are not liberal, do not baptize infants and do not seem to have the same ideas about covenant theology as the presbyterians.

At least that is what it looks like from the outside. We have one presbyterian church in this county which has become a go to place for a number of lesbian couples, so that would be different from SBC mega here. So, Calvin this or that is not the whole story it seems. For those who join us, well we are a whole different cup of tea both in faith and practice. Not everybody wants to make such a radical change.

Well, if you accept Reformed theology, then the most consistent thing to do is to join a real Reformed church that teaches covenantal baptism. That makes some sense if the overriding concern is the 5 points and not so much the entire Covenantal framework. Just an off-topic quick update about long-time poster here Jeannette Altes. She lost her job, has been treated for a tumor, and is very low on finances. She will have other monthly bills coming due next week.

Please keep her in prayer. Any other discussions will be on the right side of the screen under the Open Discussion tab. That used to be considered a form of genuine hyper-Calvinism. I hope I am wrong because Baptists have already done the hyper-Calvinist thing. Memorize bible verses, have bible drills how fast can you find the verse and training in public speaking and material presentation to the group.

Or maybe that was on a different planet. Regardless of that history, it is my opinion that for a project of this scope they even have a Twitter account the Advisory Board should be more representative of the denomination as a whole. Your Ravenously Affectionate Uncle, Screwtape. The Right People TM? And we all know how that works in authoritarian churches. I might have missed a few. Oh wait, I have heard that one must baptize infants to be a Calvinist.

Teaching is not just a spiritual gift, it is also a learned skill utilizing learned conten. This is so true. I heard NT Wright say that each generation must study the historical Jesus. The more I thought about that and church history, the more convinced I am this is crucial. That whole baptism thing is a huge issue, if people are actually looking at the theology behind the differing opinions. It is not just about age. The issue of whether baptism is necessary for salvation is a big issue also.

But most important of all is the question of how much water does it take to baptize somebody. And now somebody wanted to add the issue of what did the person doing the baptizing actually believe in the way of doctrine. Wembley is full and you can still hear the players shouting to each other. Though England have just made two substitutions. Can you give us some links on this baptism controversy…. I have heard it is occurring, but have not read anything in detail concerning it….. It is never right to do wrong. Traditionalists are now finding themselves on the receiving end of that sort of behavior as the Calvinist Resurgence continues.

Regarding Greear, you wrote: I think you will find that once you wrap your head around this, a lot of other otherwise inexplicable phenomena will start to make sense…. It would have been a much easier row to hoe for all concerned without any weeping and gnashing of teeth. I think it was the Louisville convention where Greear flew home on a donor friends private jet after doing his humility shtick on stage. Check out these two link relating to The Gospel Project: I searched the archives on Calvinism are there are quite a lot of recent articles speaking against it.

You might like Peter Lumpkins site also. The Cause is so Righteous as to justify any evil to bring it about. I got that, was just replying to it on your comment, not to you in particular. Sorry for the confusion! You can read the comments on the RSS feed linked at the bottom. One of the most strident YRR pastors on the thread is now a strident athiest.

That was a shocker. He had been a very outspoken and loyal water carrier for quite a while. He called it leaning toward semi Pelagian. The Neo Cals were furious over this statement. I could not figure out why. The own the SBC. They need not worry. Maybe I am missing something here, but what is the point of this indoctrination? What is the end game here? Why go to all the trouble of devising these schemes, when our Lord set the foundation and put out the plan for the Church in the first place?

According to the one video I watched, even the leaders are told not to trust themselves — follow the material. Sowing of self doubt is one of the key indicators of cultic behaviour. Not trusting oneself is a biggie in Neo Cal circles. You would not need them anymore. I always think of 1st John when this comes up. We already have the best Teacher. And He is saying listen to your gut and walk away! She has fallen on hard times, has had a tumor that is being treated, lost her job and is looking for work.

Gofundme takes out some small fees. Oh here is the GoFundMe account: I did not think of that. That sounds about right. I have to confess that there were times when I was in that frame of mind as well. To restore truth that the church has lost. Only reformed theology is truth. Orthodoxy demands that Calvinism be the default belief and practice for all of Christendom. Hook in the graduate students from the elite Stanford University, and the undergraduates too, who have the potential to earn the big bucks. Have them bring their friends.

While we pewpons had perfectly fun times eating together, I know see it for the manipulation that it was by the leaders. They likely, in securing their salaries, will come on board the neo-Cal boat; or maybe there are some who will take the better way of seeking integrity in a setting that offers them respect FOR that integrity. The lure of security and a pay check to feed the family must weigh heavily on the shoulders of such men.

Sorry your experience has been dreadful in that regard. I remember the soup suppers of my childhood in Lutheranism with fondness. Quite a panoply of soups to choose from. Things were much simpler and less confused back then. I think I read somewhere awhile back that infant baptism was a big thing in olden-olden times because of the infant mortality rate. As far as I know it is, Gram. That is very raw and very low. If they have left money to any churches, I hope they change their estate plans as well and leave out these churches. Many of the church leaders doing the indoctrinating are low and raw.

Abuses all over, all kinds. Damaged Christians and lives. More, sadly, to come in the years to come. I thought perhaps it was my ADD coming out and you had to get my attention. And thanks go to you as well. I go back far enough to remember when Lutheran pastors still wore the Cassock on high holy days. I really am glad to be out of that NeoCalvinist mess. So petty and small-minded. There, I know she is a voice for good. She is often criticized by David Miller, the administrator.

Oops, missed this earlier. On one hand, the Neo Cals have been in your face bold with some horrible things and gotten by with it. So nothing surprises me. They literally laugh at a joke by Mohler aimed at victims of child molestation who dare tell their stories online. On the other hand, Patterson is speaking at some TGC conference.

If anything really changes at this point, it will be because autonomous churches withhold funds. And I think apathy works against that happening. Although the big names were not giving much anyway. Like Platt and others. Yet they reap power and position. That equation is untenable. When Ezell was pastir of Highview, CP giving was very low. I would look at rural churches under members who gave x more than the cosmopolitan Highview! Yet Highview had the biggies. Ezell, Mohler, Russ Moore, and some local celebs and politicians. That just says it all to me. Platt church was even worse. But they are spreading like cancer, including in NeoCalvinism.

And they are wicked and evil men. Debbie was a Calvinista before anyone coined that phrase. She goes insane against anyone who criticizes Calvinism. She probably agrees with more at SBC Voices than she agrees with what goes on here. Every time Rick Patrick posts over there they go insane.

But the Moonies are different, and a lot more dangerous — Moon has been after political power from the beginning. Fundamentalist Christians want someone to tell them what to do, take them back to a golden age that never was. Gays back in the closet, women back in the kitchen, everyone back in their racial stereotypes. Here is how I remember it and maybe you can find the information.

It had to do with the appointment of missionaries by the IMB. Apparently some of the appointees had originally been baptized by some other denom than SBC-some by immersion and some not. So the question is who needs to be re-baptized. They were requiring immersion for those who had not been immersed, and the question arose well what about those who were duly dunked but in some church that thought baptism was perhaps necessary for salvation or else thought some other idea that was not SBC idea.

So the emphasis was on doctrine, not just procedure, and the emphasis was on the denom, not the guy doing the baptism. Then IIRC the issue was what if the actual person doing the baptism had some unapproved ideas at the time, regardless of what denom the baptizing church was with. And somebody said how would anybody know what somebody else thought at the time of the baptism, especially some little kid getting baptized who was perhaps supposed to furnish that information???

Of those who spoke to the issue I do not know how many were actually making decisions for the IMB vs how many were just pontificating about the issue. Good luck with the hunt. Please post the link s if you find something. Thanks for sharing that link! Been doing this for 10 years at ground zero so know the games. Here is how it works: Individual says they are not a Calvinist. But individual is not a Calvinist because that started to be a problem. The brain gaming gets old. The entire resurgence is built on deceit and conning people. My thinking on this is that there are a lot of shared convictions on certain issues that draw people together, even though there may be disagreement on some theological points in a particular system — Calvinism or some other system.

I like them as people and share some common commitments with them, but not their Calvinistic system. SBC has apparently received a church that explicitly does not agree with autonomy. You mean like Presbyterian non-autonomy? I believe this will eventually come to a head. Just how and when, I cannot say. Sovereign Grace Churches has a website that explains how a church becomes a member of SGC, and it includes commitment to a Presbyterian form of government, not autonomy. Maybe this will help. Wade Burleson wrote a post on some of this in What about James MacDonald.

He actually wrote that congregational polity is from Satan. He also was asked to preach at SBC pastors conference. Why are these charlatans fleeing to the protection of Mohlers SBC? SBC has a great dental plan. The best part of the article, in my opinion, is the rejection of the idea of relations within the Trinity setting the pattern for human relations. I see no warrant for that. I heard a statistic the other day, that half of all church leaders serving today came to Christ between the years of and Which means those were pivotal years. But it also means that a lot of these guys are approaching retirement age.

That could explain a few things. So what difference does doctrinal minutia make when it is really about power and authority…. Then be a man since such men are actually listened to in the SBC and speak up. That is my experience. He is the only non Cal who disagrees they will allow to comment, it seems. I keep hearing about others who are banned. Of course, I was banned long ago. But first, I recieved a very creepy email from Miller trying to convince me of something JD Hall was pushing a few years earlier that was totally bonkers about Peter Lumpkins.

My guess is they are used to thinking women are stupid and that sort of rumor works for them in their bubble. It really is creepy that grown men in ministry circles behave this way. I just say thanks for the info. I want nothing to do with them anymore. These are not the sort of people you reconcile with. Their normal is deception and who can trust that? Hey, thanks for this! I like the visual it creates! The ESS is a mess! They used a bungee cord! Aimee is trying real hard but scared to death her arguments will promote mutuality so her comp Doctrine becomes the default theme, sadly.

Perhaps she needs to study more about mutual submission and stop ignoring Eph 5: He takes on Ware with a scholarly approach. Oops, how did that happen? That response was to lowlander. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this! I have not check MOS this week yet. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices— mint, dill and cumin.

But you have neglected the more important matters of the law— justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

And he felt the need to claim complementarianismistism while acknowledging that the current version of it is going insane. Miller has never allowed a woman to disagree with him or any of the fanbois at Voices. He really comes off as someone on the verge of mental collapse.

The ease of entry of both MacDonald and Mahaney into SBC without a challenge are clear signs that a once-great non-Calvinist denomination has surrendered to the reformed movement. I was having hard time deciphering what was written by whom. There is a reason for that and why it fails. Comps fear nothing more than looking like they are affirming mutuality. That is even a bigger sin than tampering with the Trinity. Giles goes through it all in both his books. I was blessed to find them. ESS just blew my mind. I could not believe such a thing was taught in a Baptist Seminary. It truly is sad the way women are treated in the SBC.

I am not even sure the current administration would allow someone like Lottie Moon to be a missionary. Or Plausible Deniability for his Milords. I feel like my religion is being hijacked by the kind of cultish people who should be living in a compound. Why are women putting up with this? It was the early Councils of the Catholic Church that defined and defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity against a lot of heresy, in fact.

And there are plenty of charlatans and cultists quite willing to oblige. This is one reason I harp on personal responsibility, free will and independent thinking. People are selling off their most prized possession: Not like today where these kids come out of seminary and believe themselves to be qualified to boss around people old enough to be their grandparents. I could go on a rant about how things used to be. Do you really think Jesus would be worried about such things?

Such nonsense to me. God gave us the 10 Commandments to show us that He values Himself and us! I have said before that women in bondage to New Calvinism may very well prove to be the Achilles heel that brings the movement to a halt. It will take some strong girls to make that stand, to challenge the patriarchy of New Calvinism and be willing to experience shunning and excommunication. But Jesus will come looking for them.

Honestly I think that the lust for power is behind all of this, and Calvinism is a more hospitable framework for that right now among Baptists, so that is their messaging. Founders are true believers, but the others I think are more pragmatic. Where there is unity, there is no dissimilarity, whereas between greater and less there is a distinction. The teaching, therefore, of the instance from Scripture before us, with regard to the Father and the Son, is that neither is the Father greater, nor hath the Son any that is above Him, inasmuch as in Father and Son there is no difference of Godhead parting them, but one majesty.

Ambrose of Milan, 4th Century A. He wants someone who is equipped to teach and who is a man, as to not cause confusion. Since when do buildings have spiritual and gender significance? Is there sacred furniture, too?

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It seems they are trying to distance themselves from the YRR stream if Calvinism but it would help if Trueman just came clean and admitted his part in exonerating Mahaney as fit for ministry. That was a huge deal at the time that just piled on the survivors of that cult. It did not help Todd came here and accused some of slander. Frankly, they are not that different in behavior than the typical YRR I am surrounded by.

It really does sound very superstitious when you get past the Whaaaaattt??? They have constructed a rule-based doctrine where God is offended by the presence of a woman in the holy spaces. So the next best option is to keep defining and re-defining what is OK for women to do until they become ridiculous. I wonder what the magic boundary is. I laugh at the disconnect some of these women have. How is that different than what Moore is doing? Tozer observed of these classics, Publishers dutifully reprint their books and in due time these appear on the shelves of our studies.

But the whole trouble lies right there: Perhaps a good start at correcting this problem would be to follow some counsel from C. Lewis in his introduction to reading Athanasius. It is a good rule, he advised, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. However, the more I read, the more I was caught up, and before I knew it I had turned the last page and was disappointed to have arrived at the end.

Written by Douglas Sweeney, a church history professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Jonathan Edwards and the Ministry of the Word IVP, is a concise and captivating summary of the life and ministry of one of the most influential Protestant theologians to appear in America. But few have written books on Edwards aimed at fellow Christians, people looking for a state-of-the-art discussion of his life in order to use him as a model of Christian faith, thought and ministry.

This is such a book. I found the introduction to be uncommonly interesting and of great help in understanding both Edwards and his ministry context. Its inhabitants owned no televisions, went without the Internet, and had no access to cell phones or video games. Their skies were dark at night, pitch-black on cloudy nights. They had no light bulbs, gas lights or even the means to power them.

Most would spend their evenings reading or socializing by candlelight, or huddling round the fire, ruminating about the things that mattered most. Moreover, even during the day, while working hard to make ends meet, Puritans thought about the Bible and the challenges of faith. While his sermons may seem obtuse to our modern ear or eye , they were vibrant, engaging, and relevant messages that powerfully impacted his hearers. He presents multiple facets of those awakenings in a wonderfully concise manner while managing to provide the reader with the information necessary for properly evaluating them.

The Life and Times of Jonathan Edwards by this chapter. Edwards probably never met an evangelical Arminian. His own neck of the wood, though, was dominated by Calvinists. New Englanders associated Arminianism with liberalism—broad-minded, moralistic, rationalistic liberalism. In a day when some are questioning the gospel fervor of those who are more Calvinistic then they, this chapter stands as a strong testimony that both Calvinists and Arminians have been greatly used to advance the gospel in spite of their theological differences. He also serves as senior pastor of Brookside Baptist Church in Brookfield.

The Lord quoted two Old Testament passages, one from Deuteronomy 6: Jesus is not claiming that love and law are mutually exclusive. Quite the contrary, He shows that love and law are inseparable in His kingdom. The command to love does not negate all other laws but rather explains and provides the reason to keep them. The command to love is the most basic feature of all the commandments in the Bible. A basic law expresses the paramount concern behind more specific laws.

In California, like other states, we have traffic laws that are very specific regarding moving vehicles. There are specific rules for stopping, right of way, speed limits, etc. Many of these laws are posted on signs, and all are found in the motor vehicle code book. There is, however, the basic traffic law that trumps all other laws. For example, driving the posted speed limit in a dense fog or with children playing on the streets could result in a disaster. Though the specific law allowed you to go a certain speed, it would be foolish to insist on doing so.

Should an accident occur, you could not claim innocence just because you were keeping the posted speed limit. The basic traffic law is always in force, and it was violated. There is more to govern the velocity of the vehicle you drive than just the speed limit on street signs. Everything gives way to the basic traffic law. Laying Down the Law of Love Mark It is here we see what an unloving church or Christian for that matter really looks like. While one might expect a loveless church to be preoccupied with external rules, that is not the case here.

Their lack of love was characterized by laxity rather than strictness. Among other problems in the church Paul spends two chapters dealing with friction caused by eating food offered to idols 1 Cor. While Paul acknowledges there is a lack of specific revelation regarding this matter, he steers them back to the basic commandments to love God 1 Cor.

Their problem was not a lack of knowledge 1 Cor. Love manifests itself with a willingness to deny ourselves for the sakes of others 1 Cor. The basic commandments to love God and your neighbor apply to every situation. The actions and decisions of a Christian who refuses to consider the basic law of love become very self-centered. The refusal to obey the basic law to love God and love others is often the root of the problem. Without obedience to the basic commandment, Christianity is not only unattractive, it is detrimental to the cause of Christ.

In those areas where we may lack specific commandments, we still have the opportunity to obey the Lord by keeping the basic commandment to love. Rather than trying to excuse ourselves in the name of Christian liberty, it may be best to deny ourselves in the name of Christian love. There are times when the only way to resolve a matter is to lay down the law of love. However, the Scripture clearly states that glorifying God is the purpose for which all things are created Rom.

In a culture steeped in narcissism the ultimate purpose is to glorify self. Throughout history godly men and women who have properly discerned their ultimate purpose in life discovered ultimate rest in glorifying God, even in the face of trying circumstances. I want to remind them that people are lost without purpose. Even worse than the nauseating odor of stewing sludge was the realization that they were fueling the Nazi war machine. Then one day Allied aircraft blasted the area and destroyed the hated factory.

The next morning several hundred inmates were herded to one end of its charred remains. Expecting orders to begin rebuilding, they were startled when the Nazi officer commanded them to shovel sand into carts and drag it to the other end of the plant. The next day the process was repeated in reverse; they were ordered to move the huge pile of sand back to the other end of the compound.

A mistake has been made, they thought. Day after day they hauled the same pile of sand from one end of the camp to the other. One old man began crying uncontrollably; the guards hauled him away. Another screamed until he was beaten into silence. Life without Purpose Is Meaningless the group.

In the days that followed, dozens of prisoners went Charles Spurgeon mad and ran from their work, only to be shot by the guards or electrocuted by the fence. Men will cling to life with dogged resolve while working meaningfully, even if that work supports their hated captors. But purposeless labor soon snaps the mind. Daily activity apart from any apparent meaning proves to be maddening.

A life lived apart from God and His glory is a life void of hope. His plan was to construct two dams along the Kennebec River and one along the Dead River near the town of Flagstaff, Maine. As a result of the Dead River dam the town of Flagstaff would be flooded. The people of Flagstaff eventually came to realize that the loss of their property was inevitable.

In the months before it was to be flooded, the once quaint, rural Maine town became dilapidated and overgrown. What was the purpose of maintaining a property that would be covered with water in less than six months? Why repair anything when the whole village was to be wiped out?

In the absence of purpose, maintenance was hopeless www. People without God at the center of their lives face hopelessness and despair because they soon realize their endeavors are purposeless. In spite of success in this world people are searching for purpose. The accumulation of material possessions or the acquisition of worldwide fame is no substitute for a life lived for the glory of God. I wish I knew. I love playing football and I love being quarterback for this team. A sad testimony of a soul that has lived for the glory of self. The men and women of Hebrews 11 model what it means to live life with purpose.

Their actions, decisions, and aspirations reflect a life lived to the glory of God. They are people living for a different purpose and a different place. What is he missing? All the fame and fortune in the world cannot fill the God-shaped void in every human heart. People are made to glorify God and serve Him. Heritage Baptist Church was planted in With the attempt to remove God from life people often look for purpose within themselves.

Actress Shirley MacLaine has said, The most pleasurable journey you take is through yourself. The only thing you have is working to the consummation of your own identity. Over 60, diehard University of Wisconsin fans were watching their beloved football team take a beating by Michigan State. What seemed odd was that as the score became more and more lopsided bursts of cheers and applause kept being heard in the stands. It was only natural that some people began to wonder who these strange people were who were cheering while their team was being pummeled.

As it turns out seventy miles away from Badger stadium the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the World Series. Many of the Badger fans in the stands were listening to portable radios and responding to something else besides what was happening right in front of their eyes. There is something to be said for being tuned in to another time and another place. This is what happened to the men and women of Hebrews Their purpose in life was distinct from those who surrounded them, and their actions at times appeared ludicrous.

Their different lifestyles reflected a different purpose for living. When we are living for the glory of God and not the glory of self our lives will be distinct from the rest of the world around us. When travelling to visit family we often cross the Hudson River in upstate New York. The massive waterway moves along at a steady pace carrying everything along in its current. All of history is like a steady current headed in one direction. The ultimate end of all things is the glory of God.

As a human being all of your safety and security lie in going with the current. Heaven, but that does not mean He steadfastly maintained we that they will stay there. Likewise, the No time for sports. Our curiAbraham the land of his sojournosity often gives rise to speculaing as an eternal possession, and we should expect Abraham to tion: The apostle Peter by Heaven. Old Testament expectation of a physical, earthly kingdom Many Christians have read right over this passage without of the Messiah. Amos ties the rule of the Davidic Messiah to the be a material interpretation of the heavenly state, but it is abundant fruitfulness of the earth Amos 9: Joel probable that it was no more intended to be taken literally also emphasizes the abundance of the earth, and he conthan Revelation The any materialistic conceptions of heaven.

Isaiah envisions dismisses the literal interpretation of end-time passages Zion as the location where Yahweh will rule the world in without sufficient warrant. He also assumes that Scripture justice Isa. He also conequates eternal life with Heaven. The texts do The New Testament presents the same hope found in not say that humans will be resurrected to Heaven.

The future hope of an earthly kingdom ruled by Many Christians, however, make the same assumption. It is easy to see why. It is a new heaven and a new earth: Jesus will first earth were passed away. When our bodies are redeemed, the the eternal destination of believers. The Christian hope and creation will itself be set free from its corruption. Less directly, we have the promise that the meek will inherit the earth Matt. First Corinthians 15 discusses the role of the Second Adam in the context of the resurrection of the body.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they died in their inner man. Eventually they would also die in their body. The reverse is true in salvation. At the resurrection the outer man will be renewed also 2 Cor. The Bible does not draw a line between the spiritual which is worthy of being saved and the physical which is unimportant. Paul says if Christians do not have the hope of the resurrected body they are of all men most miserable. Romans 8 connects the resurrection of our bodies with the restoration of the world. The Fall affected every aspect of creation, and God intends for redemption to reverse the effects of the fall on every area that it affected.

Eternity will surely be a place of tremendous worship and praise of God in speech and song. Though it precedes eternity, Revelation 4 and 5 probably give some glimpse of eternal worship. But Christians also have the hope of serving God forever in His marvelous unfallen new earth for all eternity in glorified bodies free from the effects of the fall Rev. And as we go about our service on the new earth, we will no doubt praise God for His marvelous re-creation.

In the present fallen world, we revel in the beauty of clear mountain streams, we savor the taste of fresh fruit, and we marvel the complexity of ecosystems. How much more will we rejoice at the beauty of the river that flows from the throne of God and savor the twelve kinds of fruit that will grow each month on the tree of life and marvel at the wisdom of God in all His creation.

In eternity the world will no longer groan with the burden of the Fall, and we will be glorified in body and spirit to see what God has done so that we rightly give Him glory for all that we see. This is not to claim that the ideas presented here are novel. Perhaps the best analogy is the resurrection body. Resurrection bodies are clearly different than the bodies Christians now have, and there is no indication that God is going to re-create these bodies using the same molecules. Nevertheless, there is a clear continuity between the dead person and the resurrected person.

Likewise with the new earth: Old Testament passages that describe the future messianic kingdom are often seen as millennial. Some passages such as Zechariah 14 which speak of the Messiah ruling from Zion are clearly millennial since they include elements that cannot be the case in the eternal state. Isaiah 65—66, however, contains a mixture of elements, some of which only fit the eternal state and others which only fit the Millennium.

Prophetic books mix time periods in this manner. Other prophetic passages that refer to future blessing on earth centered on the Davidic Messiah ruling from Zion could well refer to both the Millennium and the New Heavens and Earth. The point of comparison is Genesis 1: Pastor, you may submit an online application to list your church. Binge drinking may be fatal. All modern alcoholic drinks are forbidden by this prohibition! Therefore, Christians ought not to drink wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages for they are actually strong drink forbidden in Scripture. Even ancient pagans did not drink what some Christians drink today.

Even the more civilized pagans of Bible times would have considered the drinking of modern wines to be barbaric and irresponsible. Alcohol is very addictive. Studies continue to indicate that for every ten people who drink, one will become addicted. In 1 Corinthians 6: For one in ten, one drink will lead to a lifetime of enslavement. Alcohol harms the body, which, for the believer, is the temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. When surrounded by a corrupt culture, believers should choose abstinence as a testimony to their dedication to God.

These Old Testament men of spiritual conviction living in corrupt cultures are models of abstinence for New Testament believers living in the corrupt culture of the last days 1 Thess. Believers are to guard their actions so that they do not cause others to stumble. October 26, , one of the top five reasons teenagers drink is [that] their parents drink. Are you aware that the Bible says kings and priests are not to drink?

The Bible consistently paints a very unflattering picture of the effects of drinking. Though the world speaks of gusto and good times brought about by alcohol, the Bible says that alcohol removes inhibitions, leading even the godliest of souls to debauchery, immorality, and shame. Alcohol is a sedative that dulls the mind Isa. Convicting Conclusions It is unfortunate that many Biblically literate Christians are becoming vulnerable to the satanic dangers and deceptions of alcohol.

The wine of the ancients typically did not contain as much alcohol as modern beer. The ancients could not imagine or even produce the alcoholic content of modern table wines. Though some Bible wine was not free from alcohol, that fact does not compel us to drink alcohol today. The Bible includes laws that address slaves and slave masters, but we do not argue for the enslavement of fellow citizens.

The nation of Israel was instructed to aggressively occupy the homelands of the Canaanites, but we do not argue for aggression against our civil neighbors. Just because it was culturally and Biblically acceptable for the disciples to mix a moderate amount of wine into the water drawn from the family well or cistern, we cannot assume that God will look favorably on a New Testament king-priest who chooses to lift a glass of wine for an occasional toast. In fact, the believer is not to join the toast of the world.

Alcohol is perhaps the most widely recognized symbol of worldly conformity known to modern men. God will not look favorably upon Modern believers think that they are giving up something by not drinking when in fact they are actually giving up more when they drink. Believers who imbibe must be warned that they are putting themselves, their testimony, and others at risk.

May Christians drink—even in moderation? A Little Wine for the Soul? The Case for Total Abstinence London: The Wakeman Trust, What different views might the writer have in mind? I could come up with two views I have heard of in the past. One surmises that Joseph was the father and that the infant was conceived prior to his marriage to Mary. The other guesses that someone else may have impregnated Mary—perhaps even raping her.

Both of these views are clearly wrong according to information in the Scripture. There are recorded direct declarations from God that Mary was to give birth to a child conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was divinely told of the origin of the child: In His public ministry Jesus repeatedly spoke of coming into this world, of God as His Father, of returning to that glory whence He had come.

For a Christian there is but one explanation of the parentage of Jesus. Who today might question the parentage of Jesus? Many of them call themselves Christians. They sometimes call themselves liberals or modernists. The label is immaterial, although it is convenient. Because labels are at times misleading, we need to concentrate more on what they believe, preach, and teach than on seeking to classify them.

Just one statement or remark may or may not be significant. Muslims, of course, strongly deny the deity and virgin birth of the Son of God. Why would some want to be known as Christians if they doubt or deny two of the basic characteristics of Christianity? The answer may be social or economic reasons. The reason may be their persuasion of the finality of nature, the certainty of science, or the weight of personal experience. If they reject the testimony of the New Testament, are they not turning to another religion? Perhaps some hold to the historic teaching of Christianity, but they think it is insignificant that others might have slightly different views of a few things.

In their mind the unique miracle of the virgin birth is not that important. That raises some important questions. If Jesus was, as they suggest, illegitimate and only His teaching and ideals were important, then there is no worship of Jesus, but only worship patterns and conduct consistent with His ideas.

That would be nothing more than is presented by other religions of the world: Some might consider His proposed way of life preferable but would not acknowledge it as divine. So why should the Christmas season be of special importance to one who limits what he accepts of the Bible to that which is scientifically normal? Jesus is worthy of honor because He is God come in the flesh. His birth was as the fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah, the Christ.

Honoring a human named Jesus makes no more sense than honoring a human named Teddy Roosevelt. Presidents Day is not a day of worship. Christmas is more than a day for celebration and merrymaking. Many predictions prepared for His coming. That which has happened since has demonstrated a new life for believers, based on the renewal of physical life when He came forth from the grave.

Neither Christmas nor Easter has any special meaning if the supernatural events which they honor did not actually occur historically. The meaning of Easter now omits the physical resurrection of Jesus and His further forty days of walking among men. Instead, the world honors the birth of chicks or the return of spring. What can we do? Stress the truth is one answer. Live so that others see the new life we have received. Our supernaturalistic belief is radically different from other religious experiences throughout the world.

We need to live the new life, stress its divine source, defend the revelation that God gave us to understand what He does in our lives. Two fundamental doctrines are involved: To question the parentage of Jesus is to doubt the accuracy and authority of the Holy Book. To think of the Savior as any less than God-come-in-the-flesh is also to call Him a liar. He now resides in Michigan. You may contact him at cbsvan sbcglobal.

I have watched a married man avert his eyes when a young lady passed him in church in a dress that was provocatively cut.

Where Two Creeds Meet A Biblical Evaluation of Calvinism and Arminianism

I overheard a Christian mother and her daughter discuss in a positive way how sexy the daughter looked. I have viewed pictures from weddings a Fundamentalist pastor officiating with dresses on brides and bridesmaids that several years ago were sold in stores as sleepwear. There are many differing opinions among Christians about what is acceptable. The purpose of this article is not to set a standard, but to make us stop and think about what kind of example we are setting. I must confess that as a young woman I never gave the issue of modesty much thought. I had a mother who made sure I was modest.

To my shame, I can remember times when I fought her about it, but she stood firm. Now I am grateful for the instruction she gave me in this area. I remember a time shortly after my marriage when my husband asked me kindly not to wear a certain blouse any more. I remember inwardly wrestling with whether or not I would do what he asked. Now that I am older and hopefully a little wiser, I realize that a man knows how other men think, and I need to listen when my husband speaks about this important area. There are many people not just in our Fundamentalist camp who are trying to fight this issue of immodesty.

I watched a news clip recently on the local channel about a fashion group that was started by an unsaved mother who was concerned about the immodest apparel available for her teenage daughter to purchase. The fashion show demonstrated how to buy and layer fashionable clothing that covers appropriately. Over the years I have heard good teaching in this area and have read many books on the subject. Perhaps the thing that has helped me the most was teaching I received by the former assistant pastor of my home church, Gordon Dickson.

Sometimes I feel that modesty is a lost cause. It is becoming increasingly difficult to buy modest clothing. Everything is getting lower, tighter, shorter, and more provocative. What are we to do? Sewing is becoming a lost art, but for those who do sew, this is a great solution. You can hire a seamstress to sew for you or to alter existing clothing to make it modest. I did a Google search for modest clothing and came up with a number of sites offering fashionable clothing.

God will lead you in this area if you allow Him to do so! Set an example for others around you. They have three children: Jonathan, Rachel, and Benjamin. Nothing God has yet done for us can compare with all that is written in the sure word of prophecy. And nothing He has done or may yet do for us can compare with what He is and will be to us. Tozer In our present delight in God we have the earnest of our endless joy in Him. Spurgeon Friends, God hath provided an eternal heaven for us in His own Lamb.

The curtain may be rung down at any moment. This seems to some people intolerably frustrating. We do not know the play. Neander The two Syriac words Maran — atha the Lord is about to come became the watchword of the Christians among themselves; the short, animated expression, which they passed from one to another to encourage themselves in their hoping. God never does anything hysterical, and He never produces hysterics. Tozer The most weighty proofs of Jesus are the prophecies. It is for them that God made most provision, for the event which fulfilled them is a miracle, continuing from the birth of the Church to the end.

Lutzer We must love someone very much to stay awake and long for his coming, and that may explain the absence of power in the advent hope even among those who still believe in it. Tozer The early Christians were looking not for a cleft in the ground called a grave but for a cleavage in the sky called Glory. Sproul, President n Dr. Dave Sproul, General Director. IBM is currently supporting 28 missionaries in 9 countries with an extended ministry of churches in 11 countries. For a period of about two years we would face obstacle after obstacle that slowed the issuing of a building permit.

It is not that the Lord was not blessing during this time. He sent a man who made a very generous offer on the existing property, and then he allowed us to stay in the building for one year. When our year had expired, we were able to find another church that was willing to allow us to use their property for a minimum amount of money. Through all of this time the Lord was preparing His people to take a step of faith that few today want to take.

The new building would be built without borrowing any money. With the funds available and the generous giving of His people, the building would be built. But it could not be accomplished without a plan. First, plans had to be approved by the city. A local company was contracted, but they saw no urgency in getting the work finished. After many rejections from the city, it seemed that a set of plans would never materialize. Then, out of the blue, the city planners determined that the property was in a flood zone.

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With all of this it seemed as if the property that the Lord had given to us for a very good price could never be built upon. It was determined that we needed to place all of these problems into the hands of a problem-solving God, for only He can move mountains. For over one year people met to pray for the Lord to remove the obstacles and allow the church to be built debt free. Finally, the builder, a local contractor, called and said that the city was going to issue the permit.

Not only did he go to bat for us with the city, but he went back to all the subcontractors and had them rebid, saving us thousands of dollars. Even the contractor would see the Lord do the impossible. All the individuals involved could not believe what was being accomplished through the Lord.

When the last check was written, there was still money in the building fund. God had accomplished what was humanly impossible for us to do. Seeking His face continually had moved the hearts of individuals that allowed for a place for His people to worship Him. He has continued to send into the fellowship individuals who have been a blessing and asset to the fellowship of believers. People who watched the construction now attend regularly. The property that the Lord provided is located on I that runs from Texas to Everyone in the area knows where Scripture Baptist Church is located.

We acknowledge Him as the builder of His church, whether it be the spiritual church or the physical church. We could not do it in our own strength, but with the Lord in control, He accomplished what others deemed impossible. What others tried to block, God moved out of the way. Because we honored Him, He has honored us with a growing fellowship.

In the future there is enough property approximately five acres for further expansion. The property that the city deemed to be in a flood area, because of a housing development going in, is no longer considered to be in a flood area, opening the door to building without any restriction. God is even making plans for the future that as of yet we know nothing about.

We, as believers, must continually seek His face, for we do not know when He will call upon us again to take a step of faith. Power in the Pulpit Conference After four days of Christ-exalting preaching and practical workshops at the Power in the Pulpit Conference, I wrote the following summary in my journal: Jim Schettler reminded us that our prize in ministry is not property or people but a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Submitted by Dale Cunningham. He is responding to individual inquiries as time allows.

Several FBFI men attended and were greatly encouraged by the outstanding music, exemplary hospitality, and the refreshingly sweet spirit of fellowship. Those who identify themselves as independent, Fundamental, Bible-believing separated Baptists came together for a week of fellowship. And she said, Drink, my lord: And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. Perhaps someone reading this article is praying for the Lord to send the right person into his life.

When she was a student at Bob Jones University, she desired to marry a man who was going into the ministry. She wanted to spend her life with someone who was called to preach. She related how she dated several men. She would always find out in conversation what their majors were. When she discovered that they had no desire for the ministry, she would stop dating them and tell them why. Well, George took an interest in Carol and began to invite her to events on campus. Carol really liked him, but when she found out that his major was in music, she was disappointed.

She decided after one morning chapel service to tell George that she would have to stop seeing him and explain the reason. This morning when Dr. They married and have been serving the Lord together for many years. Carol prayed specifically, and the Lord gave her the desire of her heart. When the Lord called me to be an evangelist, I prayed specifically that the Lord would give me a wife who could sing and play the piano. I wanted a wife who would have part in my ministry so we could be a team for the glory of God.

My wife, Sharon, was a music education major at BJU and plays the piano! The servant of Abraham rejoiced in seeing the Lord answer such a specific request in verse In the Old Testament, Abraham desired for his son Isaac to have a wife. His desire was pure and right. Abraham said to his servant in Genesis But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. Then this servant prayed a specific prayer to find the right wife for Isaac in Genesis And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: When this servant had barely finished praying, a beautiful young lady named Rebekah appeared.

The servant of Abraham said to her in Genesis A brief overview will help map out the intersections and overpasses between these three unique letters. Major ingredients of authentic apostolic orthodoxy include the full removal of our sin with its guilt and penalty through faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus whose self-sacrifice is propitious and efficacious precisely because He is God come in flesh—full deity and full humanity.

The central features of authentic apostolic orthopraxy outlined by John include a habitual walk in fellowship with God that leads one out of darkness and into light, apart from sin and into obedience to His commands, away from love of the world and toward greater love of the brethren. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy are the two sides of authentic apostolic Christianity; either without the other signals misunderstanding, disobedience, hypocrisy, or a counterfeit.

One must take care: But if ignorance or immaturity is not a factor, orthodoxy without orthopraxy makes one a liar 1: But they are also specifically intended for assessing others who profess to be in the church but say or exhibit something other than authentic apostolic Christian faith and experience. Both 2 and 3 John are miniature case studies of 1 John— specific, personalized applications of principles that John enunciates in his first epistle.

Both address and apply these principles in the context of hospitality. Second John—a qualification of hospitality—reiterates the warning of 1 John regarding the important issue of orthodoxy especially those who deny the incarnation of God in the person of Christ and the call to orthopraxy both loving the brethren and walking in truth.

The Epistles of John: Farrar, that it functioned as the ancient equivalent of the generic John Doe. We know nothing of this individual apart from what we can glean from this epistle about his excellent testimony and selfless service to the saints. John had sent out messengers of the gospel to the surrounding territory and had commended them to the churches for hospitality and support. Gaius actively befriended these missionaries; upon their return to the church where John resided, they reported their experiences before the church.

In response, John wrote to Gaius, expressing his warm appreciation for his friendly reception of the missionaries and announcing his intention of a personal visit to deal with the trouble Hiebert, Epistles of John. Third John is particularly intriguing for the window it provides into concrete personalities and issues in the earliest era of the Christian church. John immediately contrasts Diotrophes with the example of Demetrius v. Truth and testimony must be not merely spoken but lived.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Why did anyone listen to him?

Calvinism on Trial -- Phil Johnson

Why does anyone listen to Diotropheses today? Was it a failure to apply Biblical standards for Christian faith and practice ignorance? Or was it an unwillingness to do so, out of a blind or idolatrous loyalty to a personality? Or perhaps he was skillful at creating in others a sense of indebtedness to him. Perhaps he possessed the only suitable home in the community for hosting the local church. Perhaps he had secured the loyalty of a core of believers by past faithful service, so that their confidence was gained and later abuses of his authority were rationalized.

Of the causes we can only speculate, but the character issues are clear and timeless. Such scenarios continue to play themselves out in churches today. The Church is never short on its supply of such people, and many still listen to these modern Diotropheses rather than the voice of the apostles in the New Testament. Unlike the first two Johannine epistles, 3 John makes no specific mention of heretical beliefs or practice.

It is important to note that John never attacks Diotrophes as one of the false teachers he warns against. John gives no indication that the problem with Diotrophes is an issue of faith or doctrine. Nevertheless, to his censure of Diotrophes John immediately appends an exhortation and an ominous hint v. The modern church has its share of both—those who devalue apostolic standards and those who define the line of separation so narrowly around their own views that they would exclude the apostles themselves from their fellowship.

John promised to expose and rebuke such abuses when he came, and so should we. Interestingly, 2 John and 3 John counterweight each other at key points. Whereas 2 John 10 warns not to welcome false teachers, 3 John 10 rebukes the failure to welcome true teachers.

But it accomplishes this emphasis through both positive and negative emphases. John furnishes an effective contrast by sandwiching the negative behavior of Diotrophes vv. One can imagine how much twisted pleasure a Diotrophes would derive from being the dominant emphasis in an apostolic epistle; preeminence-loving people typically enjoy notoriety among their adversaries as much as they enjoy fame among their followers, as long as they are the focal point of extended discussion.

John denies him this pleasure by giving the vast majority of space and attention to Gaius as well as the faithful missionaries in vv. The path we follow is a commentary on our spiritual condition v. According to John, orthopraxy and orthodoxy go hand in hand. Baptist Home Missions P. This translates into more than 65 million adults! The Mississippi secretary of state has declared that the signature drive that was required in order to get a motion placed on the November ballot exceeded its needed signatures by more than 40, This article can be referenced at http: Knapp now joins Ray Boltz and Tonex in openly acknowledging and justifying their depravity.

Yet Biblical marriage proponents have some reasons to rejoice in the Keystone State. However, Massachusetts subsequently declined to grant them a divorce because the couple did not meet their residency requirement they had the right to marry, but not divorce. So Kern and Taney sought dissolution in their own state of residency.

Since according to Pennsylvania law the couple was not married, it could not grant them a divorce. Bruce Waltke made his resignation from Reformed Theological. Seminary public on April 6 of this year. Tensions were rising between Waltke and Reformed over his public support for theistic evolution. Such a study is helpful for Fundamental Baptists as they seek to converse on doctrinal issues.

The article carries many more stats of interest. But of more significance are some of the observations made based on the data collected. For millions of the young Nothing could be really lost on earth saved what one would be ashamed to take to Heaven. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on Him made possible the unique display of His power and grace.

He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources. The Mosaic generation [those born between and ] in particular is removed from many of the long-standing debates about the validity of spiritual gifts, the role of expressive forms of worship, and about the need for receiving personal direction from the Holy Spirit.

As a consequence, the next generation of charismatic and Pentecostal Christians spends less time defending their views to others, but also seems much less certain what they believe or how to put their faith into action. In featuring the victory, the news also highlighted the deaths of twelve soldiers from Camp Lejeune. These soldiers died bravely in the midst of the struggle. The story features what the Chaplain faces as well as the ministry he provides on the field. We praise God for the faithful work of our Chaplains. This article can be referenced and the video feed viewed at http: Newsworthy is presented to inform believers.

The people or sources mentioned do not necessarily carry the endorsement of the FBFI. We all long for the day when Christ will rapture His Church and save us from this sin-cursed world. They should be prepared to meet the Lord. In each moment the Lord does not return, Peter reminds us God is exercising His longsuffering. There will come a day, an hour, a moment when He will justly call the world to account.

Until then, there remains the opportunity for anyone living within the sound of the gospel to repent of sin and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. To many, the longsuffering of the Lord will give them opportunities for salvation. Too often, we believers watch and wait, while we should be working and witnessing while we wait. Five people die every minute. Three hundred people every hour, every day, , every month. This means that every year in the United States alone, 2,, people pass into eternity.

We wait to see them again someday. While the percentage of Evangelicals is greater among the older generation, we still are sobered by the statistics. It is probable that well over two million people from our country passed into a Christless eternity in , given a generous outlook on the statistics. We should also consider the opportunity. From a more positive perspective, God continues to give us more people to reach with the gospel in the United States while He delays His coming.

The US gains one person by birth every eight seconds. We gain one international migrant that we know about every thirty-six seconds. Factor in the deaths, and we have a net gain of one person in the US every thirteen seconds! While the Lord delays His coming, our mission field here in the US continues to expand by more than 2. Organize a church plant from your church that will reach a new group of people. If we plant five churches per state next year, certainly an attainable goal for Fundamental Baptist churches, we can have a new church for every 10, new residents of the US!

Distribute gospel literature to new immigrants. Reach out to the children in your community. Be working and witnessing. The longsuffering of God may be salvation to someone right around the corner! You can e-mail him with questions or comments at pjohnson intercity. After two weeks of intense fighting in Afghanistan, an Afghan flag now flies over Marjah, a former Taliban stronghold. The cost of securing Marjah has already been high.

Camp Lejeune Marines died in the offensive. In times of tragedy, chaplains like Navy Lt. Robert Johnson step in. He says Marines tend to worry more about their comrades than themselves. He remembers being in the hospital when a Marine who lost both legs regained consciousness. That loyalty makes it especially difficult when Marines lose one of their own.

Chaplains stay with a unit before, during, and after a deployment and provide spiritual and emotional support. They also look for signs a Marine should be referred to military psychologists. This article is copyright by: You may also access a video clip of this interview by going to http: While Shariah deems jihad to be the personal obligation of every faithful Muslim capable of performing it—man or woman, young or old—they can forgo the violent form when it is deemed impracticable.

In such circumstances, the struggle can be pursued through means that are, at least temporarily, nonviolent. Examples of stealth jihadism abound in Western societies, notably Europe and increasingly in the United States. He says there are many other support systems for Marines once they return from Afghanistan. Johnson says when a Marine or sailor dies, the unit conducts a memorial service in the field.

If stealth jihad seems less threatening than terrorism, the objective is exactly the same as that of violent jihad: It follows that those who seek ostensibly to impose Shariah through nonviolent techniques—notably in the West, the organization known as the Muslim Brotherhood—are our enemies every bit as The Seduction of the West Many Western elites, including the Obama administration, have been seduced by the seemingly benign quality of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Discreet and secret establishment of elite leadership Phase II: Gradual appearance on the public scene, and exercising and utilizing various public activities Phase III: Escalation, prior to conflict and confrontation with the rulers, through the mass media Phase IV: Open public confrontation with the government through the exercise of political pressure Phase V: The Muslim Brothers know that by masking their ideological agenda as a religious program, they can use Western civil liberties and tolerance as weapons in their stealthy jihad.

For this strategy to succeed, however, they must suppress any discussion or understanding of the true nature of Shariah. Adherents to Shariah insist that their law prohibits any slander against Islam or Muhammad. Under such a catch-all restriction, virtually any kind of conversation about—or critique of—Islam can be considered impermissible if Muslims find it offensive. Particularly in Europe, the ever-present prospect of violence, like that which followed the September publication of Danish cartoons poking fun at Muhammad, is generally sufficient to induce self-censorship.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration last year cosponsored with Egypt a relevant and deeply problematic resolution in the UN Human Rights Council, promoted for years by the Organization of the Islamic Conference OIC , a group of fifty-seven Muslim-majority nations that stridently embraces Shariah and seeks to legitimate and promote its advance around the world.

The resolution calls on members of the United Nations to prohibit statements that offend Islam. It also calls for criminal penalties to be applied to those who make such statements. The US implementation of such a resolution would It is a safe bet that any formal effort to supplant the First Amendment in this way would meet with great resistance. To a stunning degree, US leaders have been effectively conforming to Shariah slander laws for some time now. For instance, presidents George W.

Ignored, or at least earnestly obscured, are two unhappy realities: One of the most egregious examples of this practice of unilateral disarmament in the battle of ideas is the January report of the independent review of the Fort Hood massacre, cochaired by former Army Secretary Togo West and former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vernon Clark. Now, reportedly, six of them have been designated as the scapegoats for what is manifestly an institutional failure.

Three Choices Indeed, Shariah offers nonbelievers only three choices: Historically, dhimmitude was imposed through successful Muslim conquests. In more recent years tolerant Western nations have increasingly succumbed to stealthy jihadism, backed by more or less direct threats of violence. That trend, worrying as it is, may be giving way in this country to a new campaign: The past year saw a fourfold increase in the number of actual or attempted terrorist attacks in the United States. Sadly, that statistic will likely be surpassed in the year ahead. Worse yet, a blue-ribbon commission has calculated that the probability of the use of weapons of mass destruction somewhere in the world by is now over fifty percent.

Is this dramatic upsurge in violent jihad directed at the United States unrelated to our behavior? Or does it reflect a growing calculation on the part of our Shariah-adherent enemies that violence against the United States is now, once again, practicable? Either way, the time has clearly come to make a far more serious effort to defeat both the violent and stealthy forms of jihad being waged against this country.