What is "Old Time Religion"

Bob, thank you for your posts, a breath of fresh air in this stuffy thread.

Here is the account of the Fisk Jubilee Singers' visit to the Metropolitan Tabernacle during Spurgeon's pastorate:

Yet there is room!

Quite a Sunday evening service.
Wouldn't you love to have been a fly on the wall!

The Fisk Jubilee Singers' "This Old Time Religion", from The Jubilee Singers in Great Britain:

 

Again - don't be obtuse. You yourself stated that you didn't receive the expected responses. I don't have to "prove" anything; you've proven it yourself.

----- edited to add:
Luke, your exact statement was: "I expected a vigorous debate and some of our fundy brethren vehemently defending the ideas...." Where, in this thread, did you see your "fundy brethren" vehemently defending those ideas?

You also stated: "I expected some of our IFBers to rant and rave...." Where, in this thread, did you see IFBers ranting and raving?

You started this thread with an expectation; unless I've missed something somewhere, that expectation hasn't been fulfilled. Thus, your expectation ("hypothesis") was apparently flawed.

Please, by all means, prove me wrong.

 

Look, in today's churches, you have a mixed bag of worship styles. You have acapella, bluegrass gospel, CCM, hip-hop christian, christian rap, heavy metal christian, etc. Whatever your church does, is none of my business. I was flipping through the channels a whiles back, and one of the christian channels had a church that was blaring the song "If you like, then you should have put a ring on it", by Beyonce?!?!?!

The churches nowadays are swaying towards more worldly modes to try to "win" souls for the Lord. This sure doesn't seem like "OTR" to me. And I want no part of using "worldly" methods to "win" souls for Christ. I preach the gospel(when God pours His blessing on me), and if that doesn't win them, then nothing will.

There may not be "OTR" as some have purported, but there is only one way to worship. IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!! If you sway from that, it doesn't matter how "old" or "new" your religion is.

"Give me that old time salvation, give me that old time salvation, give me that old time salvation, it's good enough for me!!"

People can have "religion", I want, and have, SALVATION!!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

I mean "worldy" ways of trying to "win" souls. Using christain rap to gain the "ganstas", heavy metal christian to gain "hard rockers", etc. Here's an example.

A friend of mine and I were talking one night, and we both were agreeing that men wearing earrings aren't okay, and that the Holy Ghost would convict them if they were still wearing them. All of a sudden, on of the nurses comes walking around the corner, and overheard what we were talking about, and she went on a rant!! Not that we were even talking to her, she just "barked" when neither one of us "pulled her chain." She wnet on to sya that her husband was a christian and that he has both his ears pierced and that he dresses like a biker, and that by him being this was, he might gain their trust, and "convert" some of them...IOW, he could relate to them, and be on their level. That's the problem with the churches today. Nothing needs to be added to the Word. The Word is all the world needs in order to be saved. This scenario I just gave you seems to give the notion the the Word conforms to the world, when in reality, the Word conforms the world to It.

When the Spirit moves upon someone, and they begin rejoicing in the Lord. It may be verbal shouting, or rejoicing in the Lord in their heart....only they and the Lord know it. I, for one, shout, cry, clap my hands etc. when the Spirit pours out on me. I used to shout at sporting events, I can shout for the Lord.

Yes, I am a very outgoing person. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, so to speak. Old time salvation is what the saved people get. The blood of Jesus poured out on the soul of man, cleaning it up, making it white, without spot, or blemish. Sorry if you feel like I am preaching at you...I will also try to cut down on these(!!!!). LOL

I do not know what you mean by this statement. Don't congratulate me, but rather, give God the glory for saving a vile, wretched sinner such as I was.

 

I don't deserve one "iota" of praise for Him saving me. None of us have that right. God gave me the gift of salvation, by allowing His Son to die on the cross for my sins.

Look, the four gospels are chocked full of people who reached out to Jesus after He came by them. Look at Zaccheus for instance. He heard that Jesus was coming his way, and what did he do. He went and climbed up a tree to see Him, because he was small instature. If he hadn't done this, Jesus wouldn't have came to his house, and Zaccheus wouldn't have been saved.

The woman with the 12 years issue of blood, if she hadn't pressed through the crowd and touched His clothing, she wouldn't have been healed.

Legion, when he saw Jesus, if he hadn't ran to Jesus, the demons would have never been cast into the swine.

The father who had the son with the demon that cast him into the fire, and then into the water. When the Disciples could do nothing with him, what did Jesus say to the father? All things are possible to him who believeth. The father then stated, "Lord I believe. Help my unbelief. Then Jesus cast the demon out of him.

The Prodical Son, if he had never left the "hog lot" after he came to himself, he would have never made it back to his father house, if he never left there.

The father who sent one of his servants to bring Jesus to heal his daughter. If he had not sent the servant, his daughter would have never been healed.

All these are prime examples of repentance. This is what Jesus said about repentance:

Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

When God reveals Himself to someone, it is up to that person to repent. God will not repent for them. So man has to do "something", and that is "repent, believe, and be baptized."

Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Now, the "be baptized", is referring to the baptism of the Holy Ghost that was to come on the believers after Jesus' final ascension to the Father.

Man does not have the means in himself to save himself, but mankind must repent of their sins.....God does not do their repenting for them.

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

I guess it has more to do with personal preference, Bro. Luke. If someone like the hip hop christian music, christian rap, heavy metal rap, etc, that's their personal choice. I know that "personal preference" has nothing to do with "OTR".

No.

If I didn't, I might around "stankin'"....LOL

Again, I guess it all boils down to personal preference...which has nothing to do with "OTR".

I agree with everything here. Very well stated.

Like I said twice, personal preference,that has nothing to do with "OTR". This thread has got me to really thinking. I guess it just brings back fond memories of our earlier days, and how I heard dad say that when he was a kid, church would last till 3:00 in the afternoon, and then they would gather at someone's house and have a fellowship meal. Nowadays, churches want to get on a schedule, and be done with by no later than 12:30. I am not saying that having church until 3:00 pm made them any better, but they worked hard all week, and church was their only day off from hard labor, and they used that day to worship the Lord....again that doesn't make them any better.....

 

You're not making any sense, Luke. Please specifically identify what "hypothesis" I keep repeating, and then I'll provide you the proof.

If you're talking about the part of my post that said something about deriding independent fundamental baptists, I provided that proof in the same post by quoting your words.

 

Good post brother....you nailed it! :thumbs:

 

No, I do not define old time religion by various renderings of the spiritual Old Time Religion. But I do receive a glimpse of old time religion when I listen to the music clips I inserted in my post # 55 of this thread.

The fact is, I have an interest in genealogy and I have been on a personal quest of my own to learn more about the religion of my ancestors from the 1700s and early 1800s. I am not just interested in what is in a book or museum. I am interested in how my ancestors practiced their religion, as well as the spiritual atmosphere of the frontier meeting houses of the late 1700s and early 1800s.

I have found there are paths to spiritually experience the religion of my ancestors.

One path is the services of United Baptist, Primitive Baptist, and Old Regular Baptist churches in the geographical areas my ancestors lived--Appalachia. And a historical fact that most people do not know is most of the pioneers who settled the Midwestern and eventually the Western states of our nation passed through the mountain gaps of the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Therefore the old time religion sought after in many areas of our nation and the world may have originated with the early meeting houses of Appalachia. I believe I am able to spiritually experience the old time religion of my ancestors through the services, music, and doctrine of these Baptist churches. My ancestors came to the American colonies in 1722 from Edinburgh Scotland and I find the Scottish traditions continuing in Appalachia feed my soul--if you know what I mean.

Another path, I believe, can be found in the worship services of Africian American Baptist churches. Many Africian American Christians believe their religious practices and spirituality go back many centuries, some say even to the early centuries of the Christian church in African regions such as Ethiopia. I have visited and participated in one Africian American church in my area and do agree some portions of their service exude an ancient and primitive form of Christianity that definitely feeds my soul. The spiritual atmosphere of these churches, in my opinion, should be experienced by anyone wanting to experience old time religion. And if you examine the hymn books and written doctrinal statements of African American primitive churches, you will find many similarities with those of Baptist churches attended by other ethnic and cultural populations.

Thus, some Appalachian Baptist churches and African American churches, in my opinion, offer more than glimpses of old time religion.

There are, as to be expected, many differences in the two worship styles. One obvious difference is the role of instrumental music vs A Capella music (no instruments). I must say that I find the Scottish traditions practiced in Appalachian Baptist churches feed my Scottish soul--and their descendant churches that have spread across adjoining regions of our nation as people migrated out of Appalachia, keeping as much as possible the spiritual and religious traditions of these churches in Appalachia.

This thread really should be edited by the moderators and placed in the Baptist History section. The negative statements made about worshiping congregation and worship leadership should be removed. And those of us who posted such comments should get on our knees and ask forgiveness. Pride about how we turn a phrase or get someone's goat is a sin, in my humble opinion. And I include myself in that fallen crowd.

Have I found the religion of my 1700s and early 1800s ancestors in Appalachian Baptist churches. I think so.

...Bob

 

I just want to make sure I get it right.....The Arminian position is that salvation is accomplished through the combined efforts of God (who takes the initiative) and man (who must respond) & its man's response that is the determining factor.

so to conclude the Arminian position ....human decision making holds a center place in salvation & the result is a theology that is not exclusively God-centered but focused in the direction of the self.

Do I have that correct?