More Trouble for the SBC
I just received the following statements from a Landmark Southern Baptist email group to which I belong. I think it shows the dichotomy that has crept into the SBC over the past few decades. PC is not only taking over our country, it appears to be taking over our denomination. Be afraid; be very afraid!
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The Race for 1st Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention on June 12. On June 12, the Southern Baptist Convention will convene in San Antonio, Texas and will elect a First Vice President. This year two men with very different doctrinal beliefs are running against each other. They are Jim Richards, the Executive Director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and David Rogers a Southern Baptist missionary in Madrid, Spain and the son of the late Adrian Rogers. While both men believe in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures and are actively involved in ministry, their views on the doctrine of the church are polar opposites. Below in their own words are their views of ecclesiology. Based on this I would encourages every Southern Baptist going to San Antonio to vote for Jim Richards. He believes in historic Baptist ecclesiology and will continue to hold the line for conservative Southern Baptists.
David Rogers' View of the Doctrine of the Church: "Regarding my own theological positions, it would be unwieldy to go into much depth here, though I believe the salient matters have been treated a bit more fully at one place or another on this blog throughout the course of the past months. In summary, I am in full agreement with the Baptist Faith & Message 2,000, with the exception of one statement in the section on baptism which would seem to advocate "closed communion." I am also convinced that the Scripture teaches a "continualist" approach to spiritual gifts, which includes the possibility of what many call a "private prayer language." While I certainly believe in the local church, I also see an emphasis on the Universal Church in the New Testament in places that I understand many Baptists see more of an emphasis on the local church. I also see no need to consider as invalid the immersion of a sincere believer due to concerns over the doctrinal position of the administrator of the baptism or the administrating church."
Jim Richard's View of the Doctrine of the Church:
"You see baptism is not a personal issue. It is not about “how I feel about my baptism.” It is not just the sincerity of the candidate. I t is about scriptural authority. The question is whether baptismal authority is individual or congregational. Jesus gave the commission to baptize to the local church. If the commission were given to every believer then any 9-year-old girl who was a Christian could baptize her convert in the backyard swimming pool. Jesus vested the authority to baptize in the church. The Baptist Faith and Message says baptism is a church ordinance. The local church is the custodian of the ordinances. Only a New Testament church can administer scriptural baptism. T here are a few identifying marks of a New Testament church. Are all Baptist churches, New Testament churches? Probably not! Are there New Testament churches that are not Baptist churches? Sure, because what makes a New Testament church is what it teaches, not the name over the door. By the way, one of the identifying marks is that a New Testament church will teach security of the believer."
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The Race for 1st Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention on June 12. On June 12, the Southern Baptist Convention will convene in San Antonio, Texas and will elect a First Vice President. This year two men with very different doctrinal beliefs are running against each other. They are Jim Richards, the Executive Director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and David Rogers a Southern Baptist missionary in Madrid, Spain and the son of the late Adrian Rogers. While both men believe in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures and are actively involved in ministry, their views on the doctrine of the church are polar opposites. Below in their own words are their views of ecclesiology. Based on this I would encourages every Southern Baptist going to San Antonio to vote for Jim Richards. He believes in historic Baptist ecclesiology and will continue to hold the line for conservative Southern Baptists.
David Rogers' View of the Doctrine of the Church: "Regarding my own theological positions, it would be unwieldy to go into much depth here, though I believe the salient matters have been treated a bit more fully at one place or another on this blog throughout the course of the past months. In summary, I am in full agreement with the Baptist Faith & Message 2,000, with the exception of one statement in the section on baptism which would seem to advocate "closed communion." I am also convinced that the Scripture teaches a "continualist" approach to spiritual gifts, which includes the possibility of what many call a "private prayer language." While I certainly believe in the local church, I also see an emphasis on the Universal Church in the New Testament in places that I understand many Baptists see more of an emphasis on the local church. I also see no need to consider as invalid the immersion of a sincere believer due to concerns over the doctrinal position of the administrator of the baptism or the administrating church."
Jim Richard's View of the Doctrine of the Church:
"You see baptism is not a personal issue. It is not about “how I feel about my baptism.” It is not just the sincerity of the candidate. I t is about scriptural authority. The question is whether baptismal authority is individual or congregational. Jesus gave the commission to baptize to the local church. If the commission were given to every believer then any 9-year-old girl who was a Christian could baptize her convert in the backyard swimming pool. Jesus vested the authority to baptize in the church. The Baptist Faith and Message says baptism is a church ordinance. The local church is the custodian of the ordinances. Only a New Testament church can administer scriptural baptism. T here are a few identifying marks of a New Testament church. Are all Baptist churches, New Testament churches? Probably not! Are there New Testament churches that are not Baptist churches? Sure, because what makes a New Testament church is what it teaches, not the name over the door. By the way, one of the identifying marks is that a New Testament church will teach security of the believer."
Labels: Baptist, Christian, Communion, Doctrine, Unity. Baptism
posted by The Preacher's Kid | 2:11 PM
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