A friend is pastor of a large SBC church I’m familiar with, and a faction in the church is trying to end his ministry because, according to this group, Calvinists are the sum of all evil. Several friends have written and called for my views, so this post is a generic reply to them all.

My criticisms of the “truly Reformed” watchbloggers do not lessen my respect for the Founder’s Movement men I have known and their approach to ministry.

Larry,

Thanks so much for calling and updating me on the situation at church. I have to admit that all of this sounds very strange to me, but then these are strange times we are living in. Southern Baptists know less and less about who they are or what their churches are all about. Southern Baptists have become the absolute masters of generic evangelicalism, which really means they know less and less about who they are, what they believe or why they are Baptists at all. Pastor Dale is paying the price for that ignorance, though in the end, no matter what happens, the disease that afflicts the larger denomination and its individual churches far outweighs whatever momentary pastoral brouhaha has our attention.Continue reading “If You Have A Calvinist For A Pastor…”

The text for a sermon I heard this morning was I Corinthians 10:23ff.

1 Corinthians 10:23 – 11:1 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience- 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

This a text that every missional Christian needs to wrestle with. It opens up the entire discussion of personal liberty in view of the consciences of those who may be offended at some exercise of that liberty. With the SBC’s recent Resolution on Alcohol still being discussed- and likely to cause more controversy in the future- it would be good to get a good hold on exactly what Paul is talking about.Continue reading “Liberty, Conscience and the Glory of God”