The Memphis Declaration

Sounds like they are throwing in the towel to me. Compare that to IITim.4:1-7

 

Hello Art,
I am a member of a conservative SBC church, and I read sbcoutpost all the time.
But I am not sure what to make of the Declaration.
It has been signed by a group of people who seem to be young, energetic, passionate, blog a lot, and want to steer the SBC in certain directions.
They know how to use the internet to get a voice.

Hard to know from just sitting in the pew whether or not some of their concerns are as valid as they think. I think the SBC, by and large, has been led by godly people. But there have been some things done wrong, intentionally by some, or unintentionally. Many would dispute that things are in as sweepingly bad shape as the Declaration seems to imply.

Karen

 

This is a document that is long overdue. Maybe this will be the first of many such documents whose aim is to restore authentic Spirit leadership in our great convention, and affirm the Spirit leadership already in place.

 

Interview with Benjamin Cole

What is this isolationism to which they refer? To my knowledge, Southern Baptists tend to be very neo-conservative in their ideology and in their practice. Most Southern Baptists I know supported and celebrated the liberation of Afganistan and Iraq. Southern Baptists have been at the forefront of humanitarian aid all over the world, including the tsunami, Darfur, Katrina and Rita, and other places as well. Southern Baptists are some of the most evangelistic people I know...so much so that they have been in the past, blasted for sharing the Gospel and targeting certain non-Christian groups for evangelism (Mormons and Jews). What in the world is this person referring to when they talk about Southern Baptist Isolationism?

Are they referring to the exclusive doctrines of the five solas?

I, personally, find the message of this statement to be more relevant and helpful for the convention today. Yes, there has to be balance, lest we fall into an unbiblical extreme. But, I think the trend in our Churches has been for way too long to be too open to the things of the world in order to be "relevant" to the culture instead of clinging to the Bible. I think we need to reverse that trend.

Joseph Botwinick

 

bump

 

Can you accuse others of venom without being venomous yourself?

This declaration is a jumble of good stuff and weaselisms.

 

Joseph,

Since I know a coupple of the signees, I believe can speak to their motives. I understand their concerns of "isolationism" to refer to ecclesiastical isolationism represented by many whose actions seem to indicate a view of the Kingdom that extends no further than the SBC.

Do they wish to include Mormons and JWs as "Great Commission Partners"? Hardly. Are they referring to the five solas as being too restrictive? Most likely not, since Tom Ascol and Roy Hargrove both helped to draft the statement.

Ironically, there are many who ascribe to all five solas and the T4G statement with whom many SBs would not now cooperate in evangelism and church planting. A most recent example is the missionary family who almost lost their appointment after partnering with CMA missionaries in country that is less than 1% evangelized. That is the sort of isolationist mindset to which they refer, I presume.

Still, I tend to agree with pipedude. The statement itself is a mixed bag.