Southern Baptist missions suffering under NAMB's leadership

Shannon, I am not directing this at you, I am making a general observation here.

Should not the NAMB and the IMB have standards for being a missionary? I have heard this complaint a lot from some IFB people I know. Out of one side of their mouth they are complaining that the liberal SBC has no standards, and then out of the other they are complaining that the mission boards have standards for their missionary appointees.
</font>[/QUOTE]I think when IFBer's talk about standards, they are referring to doctrinal standards and standards of morality, not academic standards. It is true that a theological education can help with this, but there is certainly no guarantee that an MDiv or a Masters in anything from even the most conservative Southern Baptist Seminary is going to translate to the candidate having Biblical or moral standards. Again, I think it would be wrong to confuse academic standards with doctrinal and moral standards.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Joseph, I understand that.

I have no problem with the IMB having academic, moral and doctrinal standards. I also see the need for their to be a balance. But it cannot turn into "anything goes".

I have never understood those who don't want to abide by the standards, and so they complain about them and do something else.

If I felt in my heart that God was calling me to go be a missionary with the IMB, then I would do whatever I needed to meet their standards so I could follow that calling. Lose weight, get a degree, pay off my debt....

 

I agree.

On the other hand, if you are not willing to do what it takes to be a missionary with the IMB, perhaps that is not really God's calling for your life.

Joseph Botwinick

 

That could be true as well.

 

Tater tot,

You just need to call some of these schools I mentioned and you'll find out that liberalism is alive and well.
I know by your posts that your a wonderful christian person who loves the Lord. Yet you and I just have philisophical differences when it comes to where our money goes.

The fact that you acknowledged just a little bit of what I said to may be true reveals the fact that you may be bothered by the fact that some of your money does go to some questionable things.

Just because you money goes to some good things as the ones you stated up above doesnt' mean that is okay to put up with the support of liberalism for the sake of the greater good.
Mercer University is a fine example of a liberal arts school that tore down the bible. For years their president was a died in the wool lib. He even wrote books about it. I think now Mercer has removed itself from being apart of the SBC.

How do you think the convention almost went into the liberal toliet? It was because the average laymen in SBC life didn't know what Johnny was being taught in the convention's seminaries until the grassroots movement of consevativism was started.

My question is this: Isn't God powerful enough and capable enought to keep CP giving going and at the same time cull out these liberal arts colleges at the state convention level that are still pushing liberal theology.
Compromise is compromise no matter how great or small. A little leaven messes up the whole loaf.

IF state conventions don't start cutting the money flow to liberal, undergrad, liberal arts schools the liberal SB folk would find a avenue to keep getting into the pulpits of SBC churches since they can't get into the seminaries.

Does it mean your a compromiser if you know CP giving goes to institutions like the ones I mentioned just for the sake of the greater good of the convention and all the good it does otherwise? Well I don't know? I can only answer for myself personally.

I know it bothered men like Criswell, Patterson, Vines, and Adrian Rogers. Rogers says in his book if he didn't believe the ole ship was worth saving he would not have given the nod to those who wanted him to run for conv. pres.

In theology as well as in politics liberalism is not to be tolerated it is to be obliviated period.

 

Gb,

Your right. This is why I do not plan on returning to the SBC. Politics. I just like to discuss the issues. My mom and dad attend a wonderful Southern baptist church (insert shameless plug here) Biltmore Baptist Church "The Light of the Mountains" is their whatever you call it. If your ever in the Asheville,NC. area stop in. It is a great church that God is blessing mightily. They are on the web as well.
In 12 or so years they have went from about 800 to close to 5000 on Sunday mornings. It is an amazing church.

 

My point exactly. If your parents and the other church members there followed your logic and went elsewhere b/c some of their money might go to a liberal, then they wouldnt have grown and wouldnt be the wonderful church you said they are.

I understand what you are saying, and I know that there is politicking behind the scenes in the SBC. But I still see it as the best organization there is.

 

There are politics anywhere there are people gathered, including in IFB churches. This is not just a problem that takes place in national conventions.

 

A bit of information which may be useful. Of every Cooperative Program dollar given by Kentucky Baptist churches, the state convention rakes off 64% and sends the rest to Nashville.

You can find the percentages for each state convention going back 80 years

 

But what if the standards keep changing?

 

See the attached article from Baptist Press - sounds like Bob Reccord has a good plan, I applaud the steps he is taking

http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=22715