The T-shirt design pictured here, though it’s been out awhile now, is (I think) becoming more rather than less popular. Based on the people I’ve seen wearing it and the people who think that it’s cool, the point of wearing the T-shirt seems to be that people are trying assert that Calvinism and Arminianism are really two ways of looking at one truth. Notice, however, that the shirt is actually making an argument for Arminianism (to say that “this shirt chose me” is ridiculous). Notice, also, that this T-shirt is appropriate-

ONLY IF-

1. You are very Man-centered
2. You believe God is as impersonal and impotent as a T-shirt

It’s a work in progress, I know.  But I thought this might provide a little historical perspective and why SBF exists today.  To download a PDF of my research go here. 

This project is ongong, so if you have any information, articles, or research that could help fill in any gaps in my chronology, please let me know.  And those of you who take a look at it, let me know what you think.

Thanks.

As I have written before, there are many important ways in which Dr. Nelson L. Price has positively impacted the state of Georgia and the world for the cause of Jesus Christ. [If anyone doubts this fact, I would strongly encourage you to read the introduction to the post just linked before commenting here.] Regrettably, however, Dr. Price has established himself as an opponent of reformation within the Southern Baptist Convention. I say “reformation” and not simply “reformed theology” because among the articles at his website (www.nelsonprice.com), there is material not only arguing against the “five points of Calvinism,” but also calling into question the doctrines of biblical eldership and biblical church discipline. Though there are also many articles on his website with which we would heartily agree, those that are written in opposition to reformation are of such a serious nature and Dr. Price himself is such an influential figure within Southern Baptist life that I am beginning a category to respond to some of his articles here on Strange BaptistFire.

First, I would like to address his article titled “Elders,” which concludes with the following paragraph:

In general Southern Baptist Churches have not used an “elder” form of governance as has the Presbyterian Church. Of late some have begun using it. Changing the form of church governance can be traumatic for a congregation. If a church has one that works in place it is a good one and need not be change simply because of a current trend. (more…)

On June 12-13 I plan to attend the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, as a messenger from my congregation, Kosmosdale Baptist Church. (I actually plan to be there on June 11 to attend a portion of the pastor’s conference before the convention begins.) Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to do some live-blogging for Strange BaptistFire from the convention floor. In preparation for the convention, I am taking a class here at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary specifically focused on the SBC annual meeing. This class is taught by Dr. Russell Moore, Dean of the SBTS School of Theology. This past Tuesday, in a meeting for this class, Dean Moore informed us of a number of issues that will likely be addressed at this year’s SBC: (more…)

We at SBF want express our condolences to the Falwell family, Thomas Road Baptist Church, and Liberty University in the passing of Dr. Jerry Falwell. Though we have strongly disagreed on certain theological points, we have an even stronger confidence that our brother is beholding the face of our Savior. May God grant comforting grace and strength to those grieving and celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Falwell.

What others are saying . . .

Television Evangelist Falwell Dies at 73 (Associated Press)

Dr. Albert Mohler in The Washington Post The Legacy of Dr. Jerry Falwell

Billy Graham Jerry Falwell: Man of God

SBC Leaders Voice Appreciation for Falwell

Tom Ascol Jerry Falwell, 1933-2007

Tim Challies Jerry Falwell (1933-2007)

Jason Robertson Falwell: He Lived What He Preached

Ben Cole Farewell Falwell

David Wayne On the Death of Jerry Falwell

Baptist Press Jerry Falwell Dead at 73

Rev. Jerry Falwell Passes Away (Blogger News Network)

World Mag’s Gay Group to Stage Falwell Anti-Memorial

UPDATE: centuri0n A Thought to Think

About Jerry Fallwell (from his website):

At the age of 22, having just graduated from college in June of 1956, Jerry Falwell returned to his hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia and started Thomas Road Baptist Church with 35 members. The offering that first Sunday totaled $135. Falwell often says about the first collection, “we thought we had conquered the world”. Today Thomas Road Church has 24,000 members and the total annual revenues of all the Jerry Falwell ministries total over $200 million.

Within weeks of founding his new church in 1956, Falwell began the Old-Time Gospel Hour, a daily local radio ministry and a weekly local television ministry. Nearly five decades later, this Old-Time Gospel Hour is now seen and heard in every American home and on every continent except Antarctica. Through the years, over three million persons have communicated to the Falwell ministries that they received Christ as Lord and Savior as a result of this radio and television ministry.

In 1967, Falwell implemented his vision to build a Christian educational system for evangelical youth. He began with the creation of Lynchburg Christian Academy, a Christ-centered, academically excellent, fully accredited Christian day school providing kindergarten, elementary and high school. In 1971, Liberty University was founded. Today, over 21,500 students from 50 states and 80 nations attend this accredited, liberal arts Christian university. Falwell’s dream has become a reality. A pre-school child can now enter the school system at age 3, and 20 or more years later, leave the same campus with a Ph.D., without ever sitting in a classroom where the teacher was not a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Falwell is also publisher of the National Liberty Journal, a monthly newspaper which is read by over 200,000 pastors and Christian workers, and the Falwell Confidential, a weekly e-mail newsletter to over 500,000 pastors and Christian activists.

In June 1979, Falwell organized the Moral Majority, a conservative political lobbying movement which the press soon dubbed the “Religious Right.” During the first two years of its existence, the Moral Majority attracted over 100,000 pastors, priests, and rabbis and nearly seven million religious conservatives who mobilized as a pro-life, pro-family, pro-Israel, and pro-strong national defense lobbying organization. The Moral Majority chose California Governor Ronald Reagan as “their candidate” for President in 1980, registered millions of new voters, and set about to inform and activate a sleeping giant - 80 million Americans committed to faith, family, and Judeo-Christian values.

With the impetus of the newly organized Moral Majority, millions of people of faith voted for the first time in 1980 and helped elect Ronald Reagan and many conservative congressmen and senators. Since 1979, about 30% of the American electorate has been identified by media polls as the “Religious Right”. Most recent major media surveys have acknowledged that these “faith and values” voters re-elected George W. Bush in November 2004.

Though perhaps better known outside Lynchburg for political activism, Jerry Falwell’s personal schedule confirms his passion for being a pastor and a Christian educator. He often states that his heartbeat is for training young people for every walk of life.

Falwell and his wife of 49 years, Macel, have three grown children and eight grandchildren.

Last week was finals week here at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, so I didn’t have the chance to do much at all except study like crazy. During a study break, however, I read some of Pastor John MacArthur’s newest book, The Truth War. The following section that I read seemed particularly appropriate for Strange BaptistFire in light of the conversation currently taking place with Barry in the comment thread of Nathan’s recent post:

Many Christians today are weary of the long war over truth. They are uneasy about whether doctrinal disagreements and divisions are a blight on the spiritual unity of the church and therefore a poor testimony to the world. These and similar questions are constantly heard nowadays: “Isn’t it time to set aside our differences and love one another?” “Rather than battling people with whom we disagree over various points of doctrine, why not stage a cordial dialogue with them and listen to their ideas?” “Can’t we have a friendly conversation rather than a bitter clash?” “Shouldn’t we be congenial rather than contentious?” “Does the current generation really need to perpetuate the fight over beliefs and ideologies? Or can we at last declare peace and set aside all the debates over doctrine?”

Of course, there is a legitimate concern in the tone of such questions. Scripture commands us: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). “Pursue peace with all people” (Hebrews 12:14). “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Taken together, these passages make it clear that what the Scripture demands of us is the polar opposite of a cantankerous attitude. No one who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit can possible take delight in conflict. So it should be plain that the call to contend for the faith is not a license for pugnacious spirits to promote strife deliberately over insignificant matters. Even when conflict proves unavoidable, we are not to adopt a mean spirit.

But conflict is not always avoidable. That is Jude’s whole point in writing his epistle [see Jude 1]. To remain faithful to the truth, sometimes it is even necessary to wage “civil war” within the church [see Revelation 2:14-16]– especially when enemies of truth posing as brethren and believers are smuggling dangerous heresy in by stealth. (73-74)

While we at Strange BaptistFire certainly don’t wish this blog to become regularly entertainment-focused, I have occassionally addressed some specific entertainment items that I thought might be of particular interest to SBF readers. For this reason, when a character on the T.V. show House made some comments about ‘free-will,’ I took the opportunity to use those comments in order to make a point about how ‘free-will’ (in the libertarian sense) is really an illusion. [BTW- My wife and I no longer watch House due to the pervasive lewdness that has come to characterize that show.]

I have also previously linked my review of Facing the Giants, evaluating the content (or lack of content) in the Gospel message in that movie, as it was produced by a Baptist church, and I knew many churches would be using it as a kind of Gospel presentation.

Having seen Christian enthusiasm over movies such as The Passion of the Christ, The Nativity Story, etc, Hollywood has increasingly tried to market to Christians- issuing statements that make entirely secular films sound as if they have some vital Gospel connection. This has been especially evident in comments made from the directors and producers of Superman Returns and Rocky Balboa prior to the release of those movies (both of which I saw and enjoyed, but I did NOT consider forming a series of Sunday School lessons around them).

Currently, the #1 film is Spider-Man 3, and there has been a great deal of buzz over the Internet about themes of redemption and forgiveness in the Spider-Man films. I’m posting today simply to alert SBF readers that Pyromaniacs blogger Dan Phillips has recently posted a well-written spoiler-free review of Spider-Man 3, which gives an even-handed evaluation of the film while successfully contrasting the world’s ideas of forgiveness- present in the movie- from the biblical teaching on forgiveness- entirely absent from the movie, of course.

His conclusion is basically see the movie and enjoy the movie, but don’t do a sermon series based on the movie.

While scanning the blogs and reading about the huge controversy surrounding Francis Beckwith’s ‘conversion’ back to Roman Catholicism, I came across a blog entry where a Roman Catholic was explaining her abandonment of Protestant Calvinism. Apparently, this young lady was convinced of the doctrines of grace (Calvinism) through reading some John Piper material and such, but she has now left those beliefs altogether and has embraced Roman Catholicism. Explaining why she was attracted to and at one time embraced Calvinism, she said the following:

“When I prayed I heard no answer, and I didn’t think God answered my prayers because bad things continued to happen to me and my friends. Calvinism appealed to me because God seemed more distant in the Calvinist system. Calvinism also taught that God uses all things for the salvation of those who are chosen. I could only hope that God was using my sufferings to bring me to Him. I saw my inability to let go of God as a sign of my election and salvation. I had tried to be an atheist but couldn’t, and Calvinism explained why.”

I would like to briefly address the few sentences above because I believe there is much contained within from which we can learn and grow. Specifically, I would like to identify four warning signs of unbelief that can be and often are common in the lives of many professing, Calvinist, Christians: 1) a lack of prayer, 2) a distant communion with God, 3) a lack of true conviction of God’s sovereignty when things go wrong, 4) and a deceitful assurance of faith without the proper fruit that comes from abiding in the true Vine.

“When I prayed I heard no answer, and I didn’t think God answered my prayers because bad things continued to happen to me and my friends.”

**For the rest of this entry, see my original post HERE**

I’m not going to blast all megachurches here, after all there have been some good ones, at least . . . a few good ones. But I’ve noticed that some of the most popular of these mega-pastors could use some theological proofreaders. What’s needed is somebody with theological consistency, almost any Calvinist would do, as would an Arminian who is committed to remaining thoroughly consistent with his beliefs.

Dave Hunt should not apply for this proofreading job. I say that because I get his Berean Call newsletter and I’m always amused at how Calvinism is taken to the cleaners in it, and then in the same newsletter there are materials for sale in his bookstore which include things written by Calvinists.  Go figure.

But the kind of thing that needs to be theologically proofread include this book by Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel line of churches; the book is called The Gospel According To Grace, and you will find it online. 

Here are the parts of Chuck Smith’s book that I don’t understand.  I mean, I do understand them, but . . . I don’t understand why they would be together in the same book:

In Section 9 entitled "Chosen" Chuck Smith writes:

"… salvation stands by election alone and not by works. God calls and elects whomever He wishes. I can’t honestly look at myself and say that God elected me because I’m so good. God simply acted on the basis of His own divine sovereignty. The fact that God chose to elect me thrills me …"

The Calvinists in the audience stand up and cheer. But wait, there is something for everybody. Here’s what Chuck Smith says a few pages later in Section 10:

"If you confess Him and believe in Him, He’ll save you, because He keeps His word. ‘But what if I’m not predestined?’ You’ll be saved anyhow. … [a few sentences later]: All men are equal in His eyes."

He explains this obvious contradiction by saying:

"We discussed the sovereignty of God in the last chapter. Now we come to the matter of human responsibility. Here the truth finds balance."

Chuck Smith is not alone in his odd theological balancing act, a while ago Alan over at Calvinist GadFly wrote about the
similar contradictions of Rick Warren found in Saddleback’s literature.

So often contradictory ideas like this are explained-away as a "paradox" in scripture that man can not resolve. In
this video clip however, Robert Reymond is quoted as he explains that such a "paradox" would be indistinguishable from an actual contradiction.  All of us, including the mega-pastors above, would be quick to say that there are no contradictions in the bible, and with that in mind Reymond’s words should be something that we all try to get a grasp of, before we misuse this term “paradox”.

Recently, SBF blogger Nathan White has begun a much-anticipated series [at least by me!] on the Regulative Principle of Worship, demonstrating a Reformed understanding of what the Bible teaches concerning how we praise the Lord, give for His kingdom, learn from His Word, and serve on another to the glory of God in a corporate setting. Previous to this post, Nathan had written an article on the practical ramifications of limited atonement– how what a Reformed understanding of what the Bible teaches concerning the perfect work of Christ on our behalf affects our daily Christian walk. Thinking on what the Bible says about the death of Christ on our behalf, I was driven once again to think about Dr. Jerry Vines’ sermon from last year at First Baptist Church Woodstock in which he, among other things, tried to refute the doctrine of limited atonement. Having dealt briefly with how Dr. Vines’ handled the Scripture in an earlier post, I wanted to take this opportunity to address one of his statements, one which I didn’t sufficiently address before, and the like of which I hear over and over again from the anti-Reformed faction of the Southern Baptist Convention: (more…)