By Bob Williford, former director of the Hope Migrant Mission Center at the Migrant Farm Labor Center near Hope, Arkansas (a ministry of the Arkansas Baptist Convention), and author of Fence Post Digest blog.

Colossians 2:7-15

⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³ When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, ¹⁴ having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

Two very important aspects of the believer’s relationship with the Christ are given here:

Paul reminds us of the importance of being instructed in the Word of God. Every believer will demonstrate a commitment to the Father and following the instruction of Christ.

The instruction sets the standard for the faith of developing and sustaining a faithful relationship with Jesus. The believer cannot sustain a healthy faith without the support that is found in Scripture.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Nothing has changed since the very beginning of the Christian faith. Enemies of the Cross and the believer are numerous. Paul lists them as being human philosophy, deceptions of every sort and traditions of culture. Each of these finds a commonality in the very basic principles of the world in which we live. Every excuse possible is made to satisfy our personal desires if we are not practicing the teaching of Christ and John clearly states this truth, “rather that according to Christ.” WE HAVE NO EXCUSE BEFORE GOD.

⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

Far too often we see the Baby Jesus wrapped in a blanket. We read and study about Him along the dusty Judean country side, busy villages and synagogues. Weeping is heard as we rehearse over and over again the horrible last week of His earthly journey. Standing in awe with the disciples as the risen Lord ascends into glory. But in all of this there remains an incredible gap of understanding that God the Creator lives in the Christ on earth in human flesh. If we could only realize that the Creator of life and universe lives in the heart of everyone who calls Him ‘LORD’……

^10a and in Him you have been made complete

All around us there is the hope for fulfillment in life, no matter the strata of circumstance. The poorest of poor want to own something, and they who can purchase any object they desire are searching for the purpose of their riches. To the amazement of all of God’s human creation He has provided the source of that eternal search in His Son. In Him alone is the abundance of completeness that we need. Note that John writes, You have been made complete in Him. All that is necessary is for every believer is to know the Truth and He will set you free!!!

^10b and He is the head over all rule and authority;

Most likely I am not any different than most who live in our nation who know that something must be done at the highest levels of government in order for our present economic and political turmoil to be corrected. But the reality is that everyone must listen to the Word of God which tells us that  “He is the head over all rule and authority.” With or without our approval God is in control and everything will work out according to His design.

¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

Circumcision is an outstanding promise that is mostly misunderstood by everyone. I am not certain that anyone has ever grasped the truth of this. Certainly we are able to read the text, but have we not missed the application? I tend to think so. Please note that by the circumcision of Christ the removal of the heart of flesh has been replaced by the heart of Christ. He is Lord of everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord for Salvation and follows Him.

¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Not enough is said about baptism. I tend to believe that baptism is much, much more than a simple symbol of following the Christ. Paul writes that we put on Christ in baptism…symbolism? Not as the Scripture says that we are raised with Him through our faith in the working of God in our hearts through the circumcision mentioned in the previous phrase. As Christ arose from the grave of death, the new believer also comes from the grave of eternal death to walk in newness of life with the risen Christ. How much better can life be???

¹³ When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

Christ has made the believer alive in Him because of the very fact of His act of forgiveness on the Cross. This cannot be made more clear and understandable.

¹⁴ having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

There is no doubt that the cross event is the most important moment in the history of mankind followed by His resurrection a few days later. These two moments are the most single significant event in the course of all human history, period. The condemnation of sin has been removed and the hope of eternal life is provided. But that hope can only be known for those who do choose follow Him.

¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Glory!!!! God has disarmed all authorities and principalities on the planet. Our doubts and fears rest only in our faith in who He is. But God disarmed these fears when we place our faith and trust in Him. Only trust Him and read in Luke 21:28, “…your redemption is drawing near.”

Jesus is Lord

by the Contributing Editors of SBC Today

This is a list of recent blog posts which we found interesting.  That we found them interesting doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or endorse the ideas presented in the posts, but that we found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking.  (They are listed in no particular order of interest). Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link to sbctoday@gmail.com.

About Theology

• “Piper’s ‘Masculine Christianity’ Actually Emasculates,” by Wade Burleson on his blog, criticizing Piper’s male view of God and a misogynist view of women.
• “Divorce, Remarriage, and Ministry: What Did Jesus Say?” by Dave Miller in the SBC Voices blog, the fourth in a series on this subject, which thoughtfully investigates Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament about divorce.
• “Begging the Question,” by Randy Everist in the Possible Worlds blog, explaining the logical fallacy of begging the question – a frequent error in many theological and philosophical arguments.
• “Hardshells and Justification,” by Stephen Garrett in the Old Baptist blog, citing moderate Calvinist theologian A. H. Strong against contemporary neo-Calvinists on the issue of faith preceding salvation/regeneration, “because faith . . . is the medium or instrument by which we receive Christ and are united to Him,” because Scripture does not say we are justified dia pistin = on account of faith, but only dia pisteos = through faith, or ek pisteos, = by faith.
• “Making Every Connection,” by Bob Loyd in the Bob’s Worldview blog, drawing an analogy between an experience in air travel with the security of the believer.

About the SBC

• “’The Calvinists Are Here,” A Guest Editorial by Gerald Harris,” in SBC Tomorrow, with a clarion call editorial by Georgia Christian Index editor Gerald Harris about Calvinism in the SBC.
• “Attitude and Arrogance – Ingredients that Keep the SBC Kettle Boiling,” by Tim Rogers in the Southern Baptist in North Carolina blog, defending Gerald Harris from some criticisms of his editorial in the Christian Index.
• “Is There a Reformed Conspiracy to Take Over the SBC?,” “Is There a Reformed Conspiracy to Take Over the SBC, A Final Thought,” and “The Future of this Old Ship, The Southern Baptist Convention,” by Bob Hadley in SBC Issues, with reflections on several current issues raging in the SBC.
• “Calvinism at LifeWay: New Curriculum Alert,” “LifeWay’s Calvinist Deception Gets Noticed,” and “Wax Waxes on about LifeWay’s Calvinist-Inspired Curriculum,” by Charles in the Calvinist Flyswatter blog, voicing concerns that the advisory committee for LifeWay’s “Gospel Project” is disproportionately loaded toward the Reformed perspective. (Some may also enjoy reading the “faux Tom Ascol” Twitter tweets on the right-hand side).
• “Conspiracy Theories and Wackadoodles in the SBC!” by Howell Scott in the From Law to Grace blog, calling for greater transparency, openness, and truth in the SBC, and less name-calling, obfuscation, and behind-the-scenes deals (and without being condescending and dismissive toward those who voice genuine concerns by marginalizing them as conspiracy theorists who are chasing “bogeymen”).
• “An Interview with William Thornton,” by William Thornton in SBC Plodder, with an interview of Rev. Thornton that evidences remarkable similarity to some interviews in SBC Today. It’s a good interview. You were on our list, William – really, you were!

About Ministry and Worship

• “Preaching: Conversational Stand-Up or Serious Gospel Exposition?” by Owen Strachan on his blog, citing Carl Trueman’s words about Martin Lloyd-Jones about serious gospel exposition. Be sure to follow the link in Strachan’s post to read Trueman’s entire article.
• “Are Some Commands in the Great Commission More Important than Others?” by Jason Duesing in the Theological Matters blog, citing a sermon by John A. Broadus on “The Duty of Baptists to Teach Their Distinctive Views,” that various aspects of ensuring church health are key components of fulfilling the Great Commission.
• “Cotton Candy Worship,” by Ed Steele in the Worship HeartCries blog, with a critique of shallow and ill-prepared worship leadership.

About the Personal Devotional Life

• “Devotional Thought: Mountaintop Memories and Valley Victories,” by Brad Whitt in his blog, with a devotional thought based in the account of Jesus and the inner circle of disciples in Mark 9:5.
• “Finding the Right Mate,” by Bryant Wright in the Pray4SBC blog, with six guidelines to consider if a potential mate is the right mate.
• “Buckets of Blessings,” by Waylon Bailey on his blog, with a reminder from Lamentations 3:22-23 of the faithfulness of God.

About Christians and Society

• “What Compromise? This Policy Leaves Religious Liberty in Peril and Planned Parenthood Smiling,” by Al Mohler on his blog, critiquing the Obama administration “compromising” its policy requiring birth control being included in all health insurance policies, including those of religious organizations, but still requiring the coverage but making the insurance company cover the cost (and thus reflecting a profound naivete about how insurance companies recoup their costs).
• “President Obama’s ‘Compromise’ Does Not Cover Southern Baptists, by Denny Burk on his blog, reciting Guidestone Financial Resources President O. S. Hawkins’ response about the Obama administration decision requiring religious groups to have birth control coverage.
• “The Media’s Biased Coverage of Abortion,” and “Mollie Hemingway on Media Bias in Favor of Abortion,” by Denny Burk on his blog, documenting the media bias on the abortion issue, particularly reflected in the Komen/Planned Parenthood issue.
• “Why I Am Not a Libertarian,” by Bart Barber on the PraiseGod Barebones blog, explaining his objection to the Libertarian philosophy of government.

By  Dan Crow, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Ellicott City, Maryland, a church that has taken up  the challenge of addressing the needs of the urban poor, homeless, and disadvantaged in their community

We all know of a Damian, even if we don’t really know a “Damian.” We see “Damians” in movies, read about them in books and magazines and see their stories on the news or TV dramas. And it is always the same: Damian has a dilemma. A real one.

A dilemma occurs when one is faced with making a choice that has no positive outcome. When facing a dilemma, there may be more than one choice, but none of the choices is desirable and each choice has a major downside. Such horrible choices are entwined in the lives of the Damian’s we all know. If you dare to continue thinking such uncomfortable thoughts you wind up asking, “Who is Damian?”

Damian is a young or younger male of darker pigmentation who has no father figure or positive male role model in his life. He is usually found in an urban poverty culture that is generations deep, neighborhoods wide and prison sentences long. Damian has some “relatives”—those who face similar problems of generational poverty—but with different causes and solutions in rural regions of our great land. But he faces a uniquely bleak horizon.

Damian does not face the daunting problems of episodic poverty that we see after hurricanes, tornados or flooding. Our hearts are more readily drawn to relieve such episodic poverty because the “there but for the grace of God, I could be” thought flits into our thinking and lodges comfortably. CONSIDER: We are aware of tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes because they are news events and are pushed into the forefront of world consciousness by media saturation. They hit us in the face via social media, internet news or TV.  And, presto, via TEXT we send a donation to help fix the problem and feel better. And those problems do get better . . . (unless you live in New Orleans.)

Damian’s Dilemma is deepened because there are never Telethons or benefits to address the issues of institutional dysfunction, poverty producing urban policies, systematic injustice and racist imagery that may be passive or very active. And tragically, while the church has often been at the forefront of offering volunteer help and financial relief to the episodic poverty catastrophes that wreak havoc in our world, the church slumbers in close proximity while the urban chaos worsens. It is not glamorous to address tough problems that are a short drive away. It is far more “sexy” to board a plane to far off lands to do relief. All the while, Damian is dying.

Damian faces the mountainous, seemingly insurmountable problems of generational and systemic poverty, mostly alone in quiet desperation. He gets little support from those closest to him. He hears, “Who do you think you are? You can’t get out. We’re stuck. The Man is against us.” This is likely the most important thing that we don’t understand about Damian and his world: His dilemma in the landscape of generational poverty is totally foreign to the thinking of most Americans because it is totally alien to our sphere of understanding. Outsiders look at Damian’s World and think, “I’d get out of there. I’d go to school, get a job and leave it behind. I’d do the American Dream.” The tragedy in such thinking is this: we don’t even know where “there” is; so we can’t imagine climbing out into the new world. Damian’s dilemma is not only difficult to understand and get our brains around; it is almost imperceptible to our vision because it is not a part of our world.

Damian not only faces generational poverty, he lives in a world where the justice system is definitely not just. Damian is not treated like my sons. And it’s not because he is not smart, for he is or very well may be, if we got to know him. It’s not because he didn’t have initiative or blew his opportunities. My kids have opportunities Damian has never seen because he faces Damian’s Dilemma of an unforgiving and cruel environment. He did not choose the place of his birth, his genealogical challenges or his economic disparity. The schools he will attend are not the ones that I’d let my boys attend. When my family lived in a dense, poorer urban neighborhood, my boys were privileged to have a mother and father who answered the challenge of substandard urban schools with our own challenge of doing home education. My five sons have parents who have college degrees and one has a post-graduate degree. Damian has heard of degrees but hopes that they don’t drop too low in the winter or too high in the summer. An educational degree is a concept that he can’t comprehend. But Damian does know that he lives 180 degrees from the world he would love to inhabit. It may as well be on the other side of the world.

That’s a dilemma, especially when Damian has no driver’s license or car. He doesn’t even have readily available public transportation. The best he can do is scrape up the money for cool shoes. (Oddly enough, this is the one thing that secure middle-America sees in Damian’s life: “How can he afford those shoes?” is the rationale that gives outsiders a cover from becoming engaged when glancing into the ongoing tragedy of urban American Poverty.) Yes, Damian’s Dilemma is reflected in his shoes. He will go all out for those shoes. They symbolize an identity, a success, for those locked into earthbound horizons with no hope of a way out.

This is a list of recent blog posts which we found interesting.  That we found them interesting doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or endorse the ideas presented in the posts, but that we found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking.  (They are listed in no particular order of interest). Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link to admin@sbctoday.com.

About Theology

“Why I’m a ‘Calminian,’” by Craig Blomberg on the Koinonia blog, with a defense of being in a mediating position between Calvinism and Arminianism, which he describes as “Calminian.” When the authors of Whosoever Will claimed that name two years ago, some Arminians and Calvinists said it was impossible; that there were only the two antithetical positions. Perhaps with a world-class scholar like Blomberg disagreeing, the idea of a mediating position will gain a new hearing.

“Books on Calvinism and Predestination,” by David Brumbelow on the Gulf Coast Pastor blog, with recommendations for books addressing these issues.

“Salvation: The Sovereign Work of God’s Grace,” by the Seeking Disciple (Roy Ingle) on the

“Christ’s Death: Designed for All, Designed for Some?, Part 1” and Part 2, by Peter Lumpkins at the SBC Tomorrow blog, with reflections on the historical and biblical problems with the doctrine of limited atonement.

About the SBC and Church Life

“Characteristic Excellence,” by Randy Stone in the Pursuing Ministry Excellence blog, with some suggestions about how excellence might be evaluated on a church ministry staff.

“Two Statements that Hinder Baptist Cooperation,” by Ed Goodman on the SBC Voices blog. The title is self-explanatory; the two statements are “Calvinism IS the gospel” and “Calvinism is heresy.”

“Megachurches in the Southern  Baptist Convention,” and “Midmegachurches in the Southern Baptist Convention,” by Thom Rainer on his blog, with a listing of the 177 megachurches (churches over 2,000 in weekly worship attendance) and the 357 “midmegachurches” in the SBC (churches with between 1,000 and 2,000 in weekly worship attendance). These churches are anomalies in the SBC, accounting for just 1.5 percent of all SBC churches  – 98.5 percent of all SBC churches average less than 1,000 in worship attendance.

“Four Hands of the Missionary,” by Tobey Pitman on the Church Breaking Out blog, with recommendations for four qualities of effective missionaries and ministers.

“The ESV or the NASB?” by Ron Ingle (the Seeking Disciple) at the Reformed Arminian blog, with comments on the strengths and weaknesses of these two Bible  translations.

“What to Do When You Really Mess Up,” by Ed Steele on the Worship HeartCries blog, with ideas about how to deal with your own mistakes.

About the Christian Life and Culture

“Fighting to Feel: The Importance of Prompt Repentance,” by Jesse Owens on the Helwys Society Forum, with a thoughtful reflection on the biblical and spiritual necessity of repentance, and the price of refusing to do so.

“Let Someone Else Praise You, and Not Your Own Mouth,” and More Thoughts on Proverbs 27:2 and Self-Promotion,” by Denny Burk on his blog, with reflections on the application of Proverbs 27:2 to self-promotion on blogs and social media, via Dane Ortlund.

“The Light of the Lord’s Life,” by Brad Whitt on his blog, with reflections on God as life and light in John 1:4.

“Modern Bible Translations Are Good, I Sayeth,” by Fletcher Law on the Fletcher Law and Grace blog, answering the question of the utility of modern Bible translations.

“Fighting the Right Battle with the Wrong Weapons,” by Dave Miller on the SBC Impact blog, with advice about how to fight the battles that confront us.

“You Can’t,” by Perry Noble on his blog, with a perceptive list of things you can’t do if you’re being obedient before the Lord.

This is a list of recent blog posts which we found interesting.  That we found them interesting doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or endorse the ideas presented in the posts, but that we found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking.  (They are listed in no particular order of interest). Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link to admin@sbctoday.com.

About the Church and the SBC

“Church Splits: Causes, Cures, and Calvinism,” by Dave Miller at the SBC Voices blog, with reflections on what causes the largest number of church splits.

“You Can’t Make This Stuff Up,” by William Thornton at the SBC Voices blog, with an account of a young Calvinist church planter who insists on elder rule for church governance – until the elders fired the young Calvinist pastor, who suddenly got “borned again” into congregational governance to dismiss the elders . . . .  as Thornton suggests, the irony is a bit too rich to miss.

“Accounting for Accountability,” by Phillip Morgan at the Helwys Society Forum blog, with an interesting discussion relating views of original sin, the age of accountability, and child evangelism, and its implications for the phenomenon of losing churched young adults.

“The Spiritual Condition of Infants: A Biblical-Historical Survey and a Systematic Proposal, by Adam Harwood:  A Brief Review,” by Peter Lumpkins at the SBC Tomorrow blog, with a book review on this new book by Truett-McConnell College professor Adam Harwood.

“The Beginning of the End of Multi-Site?” by Bart Barber at his PraiseGod Barebones blog, musing that the decision to describe each of the Mark Driscoll’s Mars Hill Church “campuses” would now be called “churches” might signal the end of the multi-site church fad.

“Bibles Used by Various Preachers,” by Roy Ingle (“the Seeking Disciple”) in the Reformed Arminian blog, with a list of the Bibles used by over 40 well-known preachers and conference speakers.

About Theology

“The Day the Arminian Pride Parade Came to Geneva,” by Randal Rauser on his blog, with a somewhat sarcastic response to the claim of Reformed theology that persons exerting faith in Christ is a good work and the basis of pride.

“Non-Calvinists,” by Martin Glynn on the Society of Evangelical Arminians blog, asserting that one’s own theology is more properly defined by a positive term than by the negation of another position.

“Free Will, Moral Responsibility, and Reformed Theology:  A Contemporary Introduction” by Paul Manata in the Fides, Ratio, et Mysterium blog, with a paper that frankly acknowledges from a Calvinist perspective that the Reformed doctrine of the degrees of God ultimately reduces to theological determinism.  Since many Reformed theologians deny this obvious logical entailment, it is refreshing to see a Calvinist to own it openly.

“Paige Patterson on Calvinism,” by David Brumbelow on the Gulf Coast Pastor blog, with a discussion of SWBTS President Paige Patterson on Calvinism.

“The Omniscience Problem,” by Randy Everist at the Possible Worlds blog, answering the objection that God’s foreknowledge imposes limits on human libertarian freedom.

“What Exactly Does It Take to Be a Molinist?” by Randy Everist at the Possible Worlds blog, with an explanation of the common denominators of Molinist thought.

About the Christian Life and Culture

“How to Pray for a Heart for the Lost,” by Roy Ingle (“the Seeking Disciple”) in the Reformed Arminian blog, with suggestions to increase compassion and passion for the lost.

“The Scandal of Singleness,” by Jackson Watts on the Helwys Society Forum, with a thoughtful discussion of the awkward position in which single persons sometimes find themselves in the church.

“Grace Saturated Community,” by Timmy Brister at the Provocations and Pantings blog, with ten suggested illustrations of what a grace-saturated community would look like.

“Fighting the Right Battle with the Wrong Weapons,” by Dave Miller at the SBC Impact blog, making the case that we must not only fight the right battles, but we must do so with the right weapons.

“The Curse of Indifference,” by Brad Whitt on his blog, with a discussion of the spiritual damage of indifference, as referenced in Amos 6:1.

“At Least He Prays,” by Hariette Peterson at the Selah V Today blog, with an affirmation of Texas Governor Rick Perry’s prayer meeting, and an expression of concern about ridicule faced by public officials who voice their faith.

By Dr. Lynn Jones, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Booneville, MS

I have noticed that with my steadily advancing age my hearing is not as acute as it once was, at least on certain frequency levels. I still hear very well in the mid and lower frequency levels, but in certain higher frequency levels I have difficulty. It is not all higher frequency levels that give me trouble, but it is one particular higher frequency level that is difficult for me to hear. It is trying to understand what a teenage girl is saying when she is waiting on our table in a restaurant. Since most of the waitresses in the places where we eat are teenage girls, it is a constant problem.

The problem is compounded by the fact that the waitress is not only speaking in a higher voice, but also there is generally background noise in the restaurant. To make matters even worse, the waitress is often speaking with a “valley girl” accent. Put all of these together, and I usually find myself looking in my wife Danielle’s direction to translate what has been said.

When you depend on your wife to be your translator, it leaves you vulnerable. I heard Bro. Huey Wood tell one time about a state trooper in Arkansas who stopped an old couple for speeding. The man was hard of hearing and his wife had to relay to him in a loud voice what the trooper was saying. The state trooper asked the old man, “Where are you going so fast?” His wife relayed the question. The old man said, “Home to Truman, Arkansas.” The trooper said, “I knew a man in Truman one time. He was the ugliest man I ever saw.” The old man looked to his wife and asked, “What did he say?” His wife said, “He said he thinks he knew you.”

I heard of a preacher who was preaching a revival in a small church. After one of the services, an old man came up to him and said, “I don’t hear so well, and all week I have been struggling to hear what you say.” The preacher tried to make light of the situation. He said, “Maybe you haven’t missed much.” The old man said, “That’s what they all tell me.”

Hearing is a very important sense. At all levels of hearing, we have to cultivate sensitivity to the sounds around us. One of Dr. Seuss’s classic stories is entitled Horton Hears a Who. It is the inspiring story of a big, lovable elephant named Horton who has an unusual ability to hear. Although none of the other animals can hear it, Horton is able to hear the residents of Whoville, a tiny place invisible to the naked eye. Because Horton hears the cries of the people of Whoville, he is able to save them.

In some far greater way, that is what God does. No one hears like God. He hears the faintest cry. We need to pray for a greater ability to hear the cries of those around us.

The only thing for me that is more difficult than hearing teenage girls in crowded restaurants is hearing them on squeaky speakers when I order at fast-food places. That is the ultimate challenge to my hearing!

This article by Dr. Jones was published earlier at his blog on the First Baptist Booneville blog, http://www.fbcbooneville.com/blog/2, and is reposted for SBC Today by permission of the author.

About the SBC and Homosexuality

“The President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Says His Denomination Needs to Repent of Homophobia,” “Associated Baptist Press: ‘Mohler Says Baptists Must Repent of Homophobia,’” “Al Mohler on the Southern Baptist Convention: Liars and Homophobes?” “Al Mohler and Homosexuality: Putting the Record Straight,” “Question Raised over Baptist Press Concerning Al Mohler’s Provocative Claim about Homosexuality and Southern Baptists,” “Brian McClaren Encourages Al Mohler: ‘Please Don’t Back Down,’” “Baptist Press Rectifies the Silence on Mohler’s Controversial Words – ‘Homosexuality Comments Reflect Scripture,’” by Peter Lumpkins at SBC Tomorrow, with his take on Dr. Mohler’s answer to his question at the SBC about his position on homosexuality.
http://peterlumpkins.typepad.com/peter_lumpkins

“The Church and the ‘Clobber Scriptures,’ – the Bible on Homosexuality” by Al Mohler at his blog, with comments on using “clobber Scriptures” against homosexuals, as raised by Jay Bakker.
http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/06/03/the-church-and-the-clobber-scriptures-the-bible-on-homosexuality

“Mohler:  Homosexuality Comments Reflect Scripture,” article in Baptist Press with an overview of Dr. Mohler’s comments about homosexuality.
http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35615

“Transcript and Commentary:  Al Mohler on Homosexuality at the SBC,” by Mark Lamprecht on the Here I Stand blog, with a precise transcript of Mohler’s words regarding homosexuality, plus Lamprecht’s own commentary.
http://hereiblog.com/transcript-commentary-al-mohler-on-homosexuality-sbc

“Empathy for Dr. Albert Mohler,” by Brian McClaren on his blog, with proferred empathy for his stance regarding homosexuals.
http://brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/a-quick-note-to-dr-albert-mohler.html

“Dr. Mohler Clarifies His ‘Liars’ and ‘Homophobes’ Statement,” by Les Puryear on the SBC View blog, with a letter of clarification from Dr. Mohler about his statement http://sbcview.blogspot.com/2011/06/dr-mohler-clarifies-his-liars-and.html

“Al Mohler: ‘Southern Baptists Have Lied’,” “In Defense of Dr. Al Mohler,”  “Where Is the Baptist Press Coverage?” and “Dr. Mohler Clarifies His Words – Baptist Press Weighs In,” by Tim Rogers on the Southern Baptist in North Carolina blog, with his commentary on Mohler’s comments on homosexuality.
http://rebekah1.wordpress.com

“Southern Baptists and the Homosexual Culture,” by Howell Scott in the From Law to Grace blog, with his take on the controversy over homosexuality in the SBC.
http://fromlaw2grace.com/2011/06/24/southern-baptists-the-homosexual-culture

“Let’s Be Honest, a Lot of Christians Are Guilty of Homophobia,” by Elijah Friedeman on the “Rightly Concerned” blog (representing the Millennial Perspective) of the American Family Association, with perspective on Dr. Mohler’s comments.
http://www.afa.net/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?id=2147508735

About the SBC

“The Nadir of the SBC?” by Bart Barber at the PraiseGod Barebones blog, with an evaluation of the explanations for the low attendance at the Phoenix SBC Convention.
http://praisegodbarebones.blogspot.com

About Theology

“Hermeneutics and Word Study: Helkuo in the Gospel of John,” by Deidre Richardson in the Center for Theological Studies blog, with an exposition of the meaning of “draw” in John 6, often connected to the notion of irresistible grace.
http://thecenterfortheologicalstudies.blogspot.com

“Elder Hosea Preslar on Means,” by Stephen Gadfly in the Baptist Gadfly blog, with a reference to this mid-19^th Century Hardshell Baptist about the use of means in evangelizing the lost.
http://baptistgadfly.blogspot.com

“Satellite Churches,” by Fletcher Law in the Fletcher Law and Grace blog, with comments about the ecclesiology of satellite churches.
http://fletcherlawandgrace.blogspot.com/2011/06/satellite-churches.html

“William Lane Craig on Universal Divine Determinism,” by Matthew Murphy at the Society of Evangelical Arminians blog, with a critique by William Lane Craig on theologies with deterministic views of God.
http://evangelicalarminians.org/Murphy.William-Lane-Craig-On-Universal-Divine-Causal-Determinism

“An Arminian Look at Moral Government Theology,” by the Seeking Disciple at the Arminian Today blog, with a critique of moral government theology from an Arminian perspective.
http://arminiantoday.blogspot.com/2011/06/arminian-look-at-moral-government.html

“Christian Myths 1, 2, and 3,” and “The Numbering of John’s Miracles,” by Randy Everist in the Possible Worlds blog, with an identification of myths promulgated about Christianity, and a useful way to enumerate the well-known “sign” miracles of Jesus recorded in the gospel of John.
http://www.randyeverist.com/

About the Christian Life

“Devotional Thought:  Sacrifice at Sunset,” by Brad Whitt on his blog, with a devotional comment on God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22:1.
http://bradwhitt.com/2011/06/devotional-thought-sacrifice-at-sunset

“’Consider One Another’ . . . in Hebrews 10:24-25,” by Alan Knox on the Saved through Faith blog, with a commentary on this Scripture that is often used to prescribe the need for church attendance.

http://savedthroughfaith.com/2011/06/25/replay-consider-one-another%e2%80%a6-in-hebrews-1024-25/

Dear SBC Leaders and Messengers: Let’s try a new approach!
A Critical Response to the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix, AZ by a lifelong Southern Baptist.

The reports and published resolutions from the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, which took place on June 14-15 in Phoenix, AZ, have reinvigorated my conviction that our denomination needs a serious overhaul in the public relations department.

My concerns are not with the meeting itself. Since I was not in attendance, I am not entitled to any opinions one way or another. In fact, I am confident that our denominational leaders and messengers engaged in authentic prayer, vibrant worship, and inspired decision-making at the Annual Meeting. Unfortunately, most people would never know such things took place based on what was published for public consumption during and after the events. Fewer people from our denomination attend these meetings, and fewer people outside of our denomination find our faith communities to be appealing.

But don’t take my word for it. Baptist Press reported that the 2011 meeting was the lowest- attended annual meeting in 67 years [since 1944].

In CBS news’ coverage of the events that took place during the meetings in Phoenix, they were quick to point out: “This year’s meeting comes following the release of internal figures showing SBC affiliates baptized fewer people in 2010 than any time since the 1950s and saw declines in overall membership and attendance . . . Total membership in 2010 also dropped 0.15 percent from 2009 to 16,136,044, the fourth straight year of decline.”

Just prior to the meetings in Phoenix, USA Today reported: “In 2010, Southern Baptists baptized 332,321 people, or 17,416 fewer than in 2009, according to a report released by Nashville-based LifeWay Research. This marks the eighth time in 10 years that baptisms have declined and the lowest number of baptisms since the 1950s.”

The media has noticed the turn down in our denominational effectiveness. Have we? Is it possible that the pattern of decline might be tied in some ways to the public persona we have created? If you ask an informed Southern Baptist church member why our denomination has seen such a downturn, you will likely here some reference to public infighting, frivolous boycotting, or simply being out of touch with the culture at large.

Sadly, many people will miss the fact that our leadership did some great things at the 2011 Annual Meeting. We reaffirmed our commitment to church planting and bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to unreached people groups. We demonstrated concern for the fair treatment of immigrants in the United States. We distanced ourselves from radical groups “who protest funerals, burn the Koran, and pray for the deaths of public officials.”

We also made a commitment as a part of the resolution “On Civil Public Discourse,” to “continue to speak biblically and authoritatively with conviction, kindness, and gentleness.” Nevertheless, in my opinion, many of the resolutions proposed and/or passed sounded both sanctimonious and condescending towards those who might hold what we consider to be opposing views. Too many of our pastors and leaders seem to be using resolution procedures and the media attention that comes along with them as a platform for their fifteen ideological minutes of fame. In doing so, our denomination is constantly telling those with whom we disagree that their opinions are not worthy of our consideration and respect. In many ways, we seem to treat “opponents” from within the ranks of Evangelicalism worst of all.

Take for example the resolution entitled, “On The Gender-Neutral 2011 New International Version.” This resolution censures the latest edition of the NIV because of “innacurate gender language.” Such convictions are odd for several reasons. First, the NIV has traditionally been classified as a “dynamic equivalent,” or thought-for-thought translation as opposed to a literal, word-for-word translation. Second, the majority of gender-neutral references could easily be warranted according to proper linguistic and grammatical usages. Third, the NIV has proven to be a highly effective evangelistic tool. Does our denomination really want to put its stamp of disapproval on a contemporary English version of the Bible that to date has been distributed to nearly 250 million people and is the default version for most online and mobile Bible applications? And all on account of human gender references?

I use the term “human” because Zondervan/Biblica has been very clear from the outset:

“Nowhere in the updated NIV® (nor in the TNIV®, nor in any of the committee discussions leading up to either version) is there even the remotest hint of any inclusive language for God. The revisions solely surround inclusive language for mankind.”
(see Translator’s Notes: http://www.biblica.com/niv/accuracy/#Language).

The most bothersome aspect, however, is the way the resolution presents its arguments. Instead of encouraging believers to use caution and educate themselves concerning Bible translation, our denomination publishes: “[We] express profound disappointment with Biblica and Zondervan Publishing House for this inaccurate translation of God’s inspired Scripture . . . we encourage pastors to make their congregations aware of the translation errors found in the 2011 NIV; and . . . we respectfully request that LifeWay not make this inaccurate translation available for sale in their bookstores; and . . . we cannot commend the 2011 NIV to Southern Baptists or the larger Christian community.”

This is where the public relations factor comes in. Did our resolution really need to slight the new NIV translation at least six times by repeating words like “errors,” and “inaccurate,” while expressing “profound disappointment.” No wonder the public is so quick to assume that this resolution comes not from a desire for proper Bible translation but rather from a continued pursuit to maintain the SBC foothold on male gender authority. In my opinion, it would have been better said, “The 2011 NIV is to be commended for their continued commitment to make the Bible user-friendly for contemporary English readers. In keeping with our commitment to the integrity of the Scriptures and the importance of accurate Bible translation, we as Southern Baptists encourage our people to make themselves cautiously aware of the differences between literal and dynamic translation practices.”

Take also for example this year’s resolution entitled “On The Reality Of Hell.” The resolution “affirm[s] our belief in the biblical teaching on eternal, conscious punishment of the unregenerate in Hell” while essentially denouncing an evangelical pastor (Rob Bell) by name. The conclusion of the resolution states our denomination’s “love for lost people and our deep desire that they not suffer eternally in Hell.” The majority of the resolution, however, reflects not a burden for the lost but rather a desire to make clear that we believe in a literal hell with conscious, eternal suffering. The truth is, not all Southern Baptists agree on this issue. Instead of encouraging a healthy dialogue on the volatile topic of eternal damnation, we essentially said, “be it RESOLVED that the Southern Baptist Convention wants everyone, and especially Rob Bell, to know that we still believe in a literal Hell in which people are fully aware of their terrible suffering.”

Again, if I were in charge of the public relations’ crafting of such a resolution, it would have read something like, “In light of recent discussions concerning the reality of Hell and eternal separation from God, Southern Baptists would like to emphasize our deep concern for the souls of those who do not know Christ. We are committed to being Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth because it is our desire that no person spend eternity separated from God, just as God Himself desires (2 Peter 3:9).”

Philip Jakob Spener, the “Father of German Pietism” who sought to reform the Lutheran church amidst theological, moral, social, and political corruption, proposed several ways that Christians ought to conduct themselves in the midst of religious controversies with believers, unbelievers, and “heretics.” From Pia Desideria (c. 1675):

1. We should pray for the “erring,” that God would bring them to a fuller knowledge of His truth and that they might know the truth of salvation “in order that they may be saved as a brand plucked from the fire.” This type of prayer was demonstrated by Jesus in the first three statements of the Model Prayer, “that God may hallow his name in them, bring his kingdom to them, and accomplish his gracious will in and for them.”
2. We ought to be a good example and do our best not to offend those with whom we dispute, “for this would give them a bad impression of our true teaching and hence would make their conversion more difficult.”
3. We should present our arguments firmly but with humility, modesty, and decency. We should be clear that our disputations “are done in such a way that those with whom we deal can see for themselves that everything is done out of heartfelt love toward them, without carnal and unseemly feelings, and that if we ever indulge in excessive vehemence this occurs out of pure zeal for the glory of God. Especially should we beware of invectives and personal insinuations, which at once tear down all the good we have in mind to build.”
4. We should practice “heartfelt love” toward those to whom we are opposed, and “we should demonstrate that we consider these people to be our neighbors (as the Samaritan was represented by Christ in Luke 10:29-37 as the Jew’s neighbor.” To use harsh words towards a person’s religious beliefs comes from pride of the flesh and will likely hinder the conversion of others. “A proper hatred of false religion should neither suspend nor weaken the love that is due the other person.”
5. We should, if we have any desire for unity among confessing Christians, believe that true unity that is blessed by God will not be achieved by intense arguments, but “’by true repentance and holiness of life’” (quoting Johann Ardnt).

Spener’s conclusion: “Not all disputation is useful and good . . . proper disputation is not the only means of maintaining the truth but requires other means alongside it.” In other words, if we want to earn the attention of those with whom we disagree, our arguments for the truth must be accompanied by clear evidences of respect for the position of others.

I am calling for a new approach in the way our denominational leadership so often chooses to phrase and present what Southern Baptists are purported to believe. I am convinced the world sees us at our best when we display faithfulness in missions and disaster relief. I am also convinced, in many ways, they see us at our worst when we publish the conclusions of our annual meetings. Many of our resolutions are well-intentioned and based on a sound interpretation of Scripture; and yet their presentation stinks. We are often guilty of regurgitating issues that have become “old news” in hopes that they will become news again. If history repeats itself, Rob Bell’s book Love Wins and the 2011 NIV Bible will see a boost in recorded sales as a result of the way we choose to present our resolutions to the world. Let us follow the wisdom of our forefathers such as Spener, who reminded the church that a “high view of Scripture” and belief in the “highest truths” ought to mean taking the high road in our disputations.

This article was originally posted by Eric Costanzo on his website (http://ericcostanzo.com), and he has given permission for SBC Today to include it among our collection of recent reflections by ministers about the SBC Phoenix.

In New Orleans we have medians on major boulevards which are traditionally called “neutral grounds.” These medians provided a boundary (somewhat of a demilitarized zone) between the various ethnic neighborhoods in New Orleans (French, Spanish, Irish, Italian, etc.).  The members of the other ethnic group were not welcome to cross those lines, but anyone could be in the “neutral grounds,” the middle ground between them.

There are middle grounds between various theological polarities as well, including plenty of middle ground between Calvinist and Arminian Theology.  In response to my recent post “Using Logic in Theology:  The Fallacy of False Alternatives,” it has become apparent that some dear Arminian and Calvinist brothers and sisters in Christ are really struggling with the logical fallacy of false alternatives.  In a parallel discussion on my Facebook page, one Baptist who “gets it” wrote a sarcastic parody of these responses which seem not to “get” this fallacy, and thus keep demanding an “either/or” Arminian or Calvinist identity:  “But you still didn’t tell us which of the two you are!!!!! Which ONE is it? Are you sitting on the fence? You know what God says about being neither hot nor cold. . . .“ Indeed.  It is rather amusing when the response to an account of the fallacy of false alternatives is to keep insisting that there are only two alternatives and demanding which of those alternatives you are.  That’s not “getting it.”

Some have asked (in this blog and in other places) at what points the authors of Whosoever Will if at all we differ from Arminius, or at what points we disagree with Arminianism. Frankly, it would be difficult to enumerate all the ways in a setting such as this.  To give a simple answer, since most of us serve at confessional Southern Baptist institutions which require affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a condition of employment, to say that we were Arminians would require that we immediately resign our positions for departing from our doctrinal confession at least at the point of eternal security.  Clearly, we have many more points of affinity with Arminianistic Baptists in the General Baptist or Free Will Baptist tradition than we do with pure Arminianism (because these Arminianistic Baptists have already denied some key elements of Arminianism proper, just as most Calvinistic Baptists have denied some key doctrines of Calvinist Presbyterianism proper).  But we disagree with General Baptist and Free Will Baptists at some points as well.

I can’t speak for all the contributors to Whosoever Will (some of whom range from 1 point Arminians/4 point Calvinists to 4 point Arminians/1 point Calvinists), but I’ll give a short list of the doctrinal points about which I think most people who affirm the BF&M 2000 would disagree with the doctrines of Arminianism.  Since our doctrine is enunciated in the BF&M 2000 (rather than a non-Baptist Arminian or Calvinistic document associated with the Synod of Dort), I’ll go by the order of the BF&M instead of imposing the structure of some Reformed document on our theology.

To those who deny that the BF&M expresses a valid and significant standpoint in this discussion, I’m struggling to avoid sticking my tongue out at you, but I’ll have to content myself with pointing out that the name “Southern Baptist” and our doctrinal confession really does represent a distinctive theology.  The BF&M is the official confession of America’s largest Protestant denomination.  It is not some unknown, hidden, or arcane theological perspective.  More people affirm the BF&M than most other non-Catholic denominational faith statements in the world.

So, for what it’s worth, enumerated here are a dozen major points of disagreement with various classical forms of Arminianism . . .

Article II (God) – “The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.”

Some Arminians in the Holiness/Pentecostal tradition do not hold to an orthodox view of the Trinity.  This was not true of Arminius or most Arminians, but it is true of the churches in this strand of the Arminian tradition.

Article II (God), continued — “God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures.”

Southern Baptists do not affirm Open Theism.  Neither Arminius nor many Reformed/Classical Arminians affirm Open Theism, but it is nonetheless a doctrine primarily associated with Arminianism. Not all Arminians are Open Theists, but most Open Theists are Arminians.  Southern Baptists would want to clearly separate themselves from any view of God which denied His exhaustive foreknowledge.

Article IIB (God the Son) –”He [Jesus] honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.”

Many Arminians in the Wesleyan tradition followed Arminian theologian John Goodwin (and earlier Arminian theologian Hugo Grotius) in moving away from the penal substitution view of the atonement toward the governmental view of atonement.  Again, this was not the view of Arminius himself nor is it held by contemporary Reformed/Classical Arminians, but it does represent a significant thread within Arminian theology.  Southern Baptists affirm the substitutionary atonement as a key element in our Christology and soteriology.

Article III (Man) — “Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation.”

Arminius and many Arminians continued to believe in original sin (as guilt) that was handed down through each generation, so each infant is born already guilty (and hence the need for infant baptism).  Southern Baptists believe that although persons inherit a sinful inclination, they are not guilty of sin until the age of accountability.

Article V (God’s Purpose of Grace) — “All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”

Arminius and the Remonstrants (and some Classical Arminians) make no definitive judgment about eternal security, noting that Scriptures could be interpreted either way.  However, most Arminians deny eternal security of the believer.  This is obviously a major point of difference with Southern Baptists, who affirm eternal security unambiguously.

Article VI (The Church)– “A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel;”

Many Arminian churches in the Wesleyan tradition function with an Episcopalian church polity rather than the local church autonomy of Southern Baptists.

Article VI (The Church), continued, further detailed in Article VII (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) –”observing the two ordinances of Christ,”

Arminius retained the view of Calvin with regard to the ordinances not affirmed by Southern Baptists, and Free Will Baptists practice a third ordinance not recognized by Southern Baptists.

Article VI (The Church) continued — “Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes.”

Again, most Arminian churches are organized in an Episcopalian church government, with bishops guiding the activity of local churches, rather than the democratic processes utilized in Baptist churches.

Article VI (The Church) continued — “Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons.”

Arminius and his immediate successors continued essentially the same Presbyterian church polity of Geneva.  Southern Baptists believe that there are two scriptural offices, not three.  “Elder” is another word for “pastor,” not an alternative to deacons.

Article VI (The Church) continued — “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

Many Wesleyan and Holiness Arminian (and Calvinist/Presbyterian) churches affirm women pastors, but not Southern Baptists.

Article VII (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) – “Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Arminius and many of his followers practiced infant baptism and do not baptize by immersion.  These practices are at variance with foundational Southern Baptist doctrines.

Article XVII (Religious Liberty) – “The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.”

Arminius continued the state church in Amsterdam modeled after the state church in Geneva and other cities dominated by Calvinism, as the name “Magisterial Reformation” suggests.  Freedom of religion and the First Amendment are distinctively associated with Baptists.

Having listed these dozen points at which Southern Baptists are at variance from various varieties of Arminianism, this will hopefully help those who cannot understand that there truly is a mediating position between Arminianism and Calvinism, and thus we majoritarian Southern Baptists are “Neither Calvinists Nor Arminians, But Baptists”!