Baptist DEBATE (baptist only)

[Rev. Lowery]

Originally posted by MikeinGhana:
If you are the spiritual leader of a congregation, and you have no regard for doctrine, what are you teaching your people then? Are you a cult leader?

I was offended when I first read this but lets look at the definition of cult

""cult ( P ) Pronunciation Key (klt)
n.

A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
The followers of such a religion or sect.
A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.

Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
The object of such devotion.
An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.""

I believe Jesus and his disciples fit that definition in there day and time.

So if you put me in that same category I praise God. Thats means I am getting through to at least a few people. "Mans doctrine" is not the doctrine I teach, preach, or minister. If your Doctrine does not imbrace the Gospel as a whole or if it contradicts the Word in anyway it is wrong. There is a doctrine I claim and thats the Gospel of Christ and the Word of God. Nothing I believe contradicts Gods Word. It goes against conventional thinking and people dont like that, but God loves it and tells us to praise him when that happens.

The Bible has one interpretation and many meanings. That doesnt mean that your right and I am wrong or I am right and you are wrong. If your beliefs can be backed up 100% by the Word and in no way contradict the Word then your beliefs will never fail you.

Test my beliefs and my convictions. You will se Christ in my life, His Word in my heart, and my thoughts are on the Kingdom of Heaven. Salvation is Mind, Body, and Soul. Once Christ lives, really lives in you then He will lead you and you will never go wrong.
Beware Satans influence he can cause you to misinterpret the Word and lead you astray.
Pray for wisdom and understanding with a sefless heart and open mind to Gods will.

We have division in our beliefs because of Satans influence. Ask yourself if this is in your church, home, and in your life if so pray. Pray always and never stop praying. Do you stand on The Word of God, does your doctrine, if we mislead even one soul we will be held accountable. If we Preachers, Teachers, Elders, or Deacons, mislead we will surely know Gods wrath.
Revelation 2:23 (King James Version)
23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Rev. Jerry D. Lowery

 

[MikeinGhana]

There is no private inrepretation of scripture. Too many people want a single chapter and verse for every pet doctrine they are trying to espouse. I believe the principles taught in the Word of God are just as binding on the believer as the commandments and prohibitions. Would you agree? I would also say that too many are willing to ignore these principles in order to indulge their flesh. Would you agree? Taking your example of drinking wine or alcohol, the Bible says abstain from every apearance of evil. It also says woe unto to the man who gives his neighbor drink. Do you agree?

 

[MikeinGhana]

Rev. Lowery

You hardly qualify as a weaker brother, so that you are offended over my statement. Your very words in previous statements drew me to debate them in this thread. You hinted we Baptists are too hung up on doctrine. Those are your words. not mine.


As Christian leaders we are to be neither authoritarian nor obseessive. We are to humble, easily entreated, kind, and comassionate, while standing all the Word of God, not just those portions that fit our pet peeves.

 

[Claudia_T]

The Seventh Day Adventist Church is accused by some as being a "Cult". And honestly, I think many Christians just use that term to label a church so as to make it easier to discredit them (or at least try to) so that they dont have to go through the trouble of proving their doctrines to be unbiblical. People can make the word "Cult" mean whatever they want it to mean.

But I believe the surest sign of a real Cult is when a church doesnt allow it's members to see, read, etc... other people's views about things. Als it is when a Church wont allow other people to challenge their own views on things. Like let's say there's a "Baptist Room Only"... and Baptists can go there and talk, etc... but nobody else is allowed to go there, because the Baptists "must have a place where they can feel secure" or whatever. Well to me it is just protecting them from having any challenges of any kind.

On the Seventh Day Adventist Boards I have been to, I have never seen them have "Seventh Day Adventist Room Only". To me it would make me feel uncomfortable and it WOULD make me view the SDA Church as a Cult.

The Jehovah's Witnesses, for instance, strongly discourage their members from going on the internet. Well why? It is because the leaders are so afraid that their members might hear challenges of their beliefs and other points of view.

The Moonies Cult tries to keep their members isolated from others, why? Because of the same reason, so they dont have to take the chance of their members hearing where they are wrong in their beliefs... the members might leave then.

Im even afraid of being kicked off this board for even saying this (well not "afraid" actually, because I have God and pleasing Him is what matters).


At any rate, what I am trying to say is that it seems a little "Cultish" to me, the way that there are all these "Baptist Only" rooms.


It honestly makes me wonder what they are so afraid of. And it makes me think they are on the Cult-ey side of things.

One of the Moderators wrote to me once and accused my Church of being a Cult, so Im wondering if it is allright for me to do the same thing?


Claudia

 

[Claudia_T]

Also, I was threatened to be kicked off this forum for posting a link to a Seventh Day Adventist website, which basically just explained further the doctrine I was trying to explain.

And there were other people on here who also had links going to Seventh Day Adventist sites but apparently nothing was said to them.

Honestly that seemed a little on the "Cultish" side as well. I mean why arent people allowed to really see our point of view on things? People have brains and can read and think and make their own decisions.

To me that kinda goes along with the "Baptist Only" mentality.


Claudia

 

[Frogman]

Dear Claudia_T,
I don't think it is occultic for the posting rules to be as they are on the BB.

As you well know if Baptists were afraid of losing membership there would be no believers of any other groups permitted on BB at all.

As has been explained previously in this thread, this discussion board is privately owned.

That means first of all that it is not a Baptist church.

Indeed it could not be a 'Baptist' church.

Therefore your wondering whether the posting rules are occultic or not is without foundation.

Most people who do read and think and make their own decisions end up being Baptist, because it is those Baptist who has historically defended, suffered, and died for the personal soul liberty and liberty of Conscience you and I enjoy in this country.

It doesn't bother me for you to 'say' the word cultish in referring to this policy, because this just tells me you don't understand the Baptist belief of what the church is and what it is not.

May God Bless,
Bro. Dallas Eaton

 

[Rev. Lowery]

Originally posted by MikeinGhana:
Rev. Lowery

You hardly qualify as a weaker brother, so that you are offended over my statement. Your very words in previous statements drew me to debate them in this thread. You hinted we Baptists are too hung up on doctrine. Those are your words. not mine.


As Christian leaders we are to be neither authoritarian nor obseessive. We are to humble, easily entreated, kind, and comassionate, while standing all the Word of God, not just those portions that fit our pet peeves.

Yes I said baptist are hung up on doctrine and by that I mean there beliefs that contidict Gods word. Not all baptist think or believe the same. I know this and its not fair for me to say Baptist its more accurate to say Christians. I was offended for about 5 seconds. Then I looked at the definition and I was like well yea that is me in some aspects. I am only trying to get people to see that the Bible is fluid but solid. Kind of like a big tub of custard if you hurry over it quickly it will support you, but if you stop you will sink down in it. To many doctrines hurry over the word of God apply to there Doctrine what feels Good not whats Godly and right.

The second part of your statement is really a matter of perspective. What we see as normal Christian behavior someone else might see as obseesive.

I am still only human and I have emotions, needs, desires, and temptations. They get the better of me from time to time. I have never meet a person who that has not happened to.


Rev. Jerry D. Lowery

 

[Rev. Lowery]

I agree with Frogman on his statement thats above mine here.


Rev. Jerry D. Lowery

 

[riverm]

Originally posted by C4K:
We are in "his house" and therefore should play by his rules.

LOL, sounds like the Baptist Church and all it's legalistist and hypocritical talk I used to attend.