Young Leader Looks to Be SBC President

[Jerome]

'The Summit' Pastor J.D. Greear will be nominated for the SBC presidency at this year's gathering in St. Louis. A generation younger than recent SBC presidents, Greear has a Ph.D. in Christian and Islamic Theology.


His church recently amped up its giving through the denomination's 'Cooperative Program':

http://www.bpnews.net/46414/jd-greear-to-be-sbc-president-nominee

the church "voted last year to give $390,000 to the Cooperative Program in 2016, making it one of the top CP giving churches in the state of North Carolina and the SBC." He noted this marks a 230 percent increase in The Summit's CP giving.

As of Jan. 1, 2016, The Summit began forwarding all its CP giving through the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC), the church said.

 

[Revmitchell]

Yea it seems when they want to run for the pres all of the sudden their churches ramp up their giving. I have no faith, confidence, or respect for all these young guys they are pushing.

 

[Jerome]

Greear's specialty is Christian-Islamic comparative theology. He was interviewed regarding this by The Gospel Coalition blogger Trevin Wax:

http://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org...ms-for-christ-a-conversation-with-j-d-greear/

Trevin Wax: You make the case that Muslims do worship the same God as Christians, although with obvious errors in understanding...
. . . . .
J.D. Greear: With Muslims, I would say that more often than not it is more helpful to use the Arabic name for God. They understand that to be the God of Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. That’s a good place to start. Then you can say, “This God you worship, here is what He is really like, according to the revelation.”

 

[nodak]

Give a quick read over at Wade Burleson's blog. The convoluted twisting done with the lady invited to speak sounds downright Muslim. Not for me.

 

[Greektim]

Yea it seems when they want to run for the pres all of the sudden their churches ramp up their giving. I have no faith, confidence, or respect for all these young guys they are pushing.

Roll my eyes... Well then, don't put your faith in these "young guys" but rather the Lord of these young guys. And I'm sure they care little about your respect, "reverend".

 

[Revmitchell]

Ok well when you just want to be offended but have nothing to offer go after the username. Save your offense for something real.

 

[Greektim]

Ok well when you just want to be offended but have nothing to offer go after the username. Save your offense for something real.

Who said I was offended? This is a facepalm, SMH situation.

And I was noting your hypocrisy of respect when you won't respect these youngins but you go by the title "reverend".

I'm not an offended millennial. I am an annoyed man noting someone looking down on someone for their age. Hey, I think Paul had something to say about that, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." If Paul can say that to Timothy (roughly the same age as J.D. at this point), then why do you get a pass in looking down on him?

 

[Revmitchell]

Who said I was offended? This is a facepalm, SMH situation.

And I was noting your hypocrisy of respect when you won't respect these youngins but you go by the title "reverend".

I'm not an offended millennial. I am an annoyed man noting someone looking down on someone for their age. Hey, I think Paul had something to say about that, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." If Paul can say that to Timothy (roughly the same age as J.D. at this point), then why do you get a pass in looking down on him?

You know it is funny how you guys try to make more out of my username than is intended when it suits your childish purposes..

And yes there is every indication that you are offended or we would not be having this silly conversation. When we start putting people in leadership just because they are young and nothing more so that we can attract more people to the convention then they do not get my respect.

We have a young guy leading the IMB who have never been an international missionary. For crying out loud what kind of thinking leads to that decision. We are losing our way for the sake of numbers. Jerry Ranking was the IMB President but he had spent 30 years in the field. That is wisdom. Not some young guy who ha never had to struggle in a tough ministry.

What have they done in ministry that would indicate they should lead this way? What actually ministry trenches have they been in. What spiritual wars have they fought? What let's me know they should be leaders of leaders.

Nothing.

 

[Greektim]

You know it is funny how you guys try to make more out of my username than is intended when it suits your childish purposes..

And yes there is every indication that you are offended or we would not be having this silly conversation. When we start putting people in leadership just because they are young and nothing more so that we can attract more people to the convention then they do not get my respect.

What have they done in ministry that would indicate they should lead this way? What actually ministry trenches have they been in. What spiritual wars have they fought? What let's me know they should be leaders of leaders.

Nothing.

Sounds like you are the one offended when people make something out of your moniker. So there's that...

And I don't see any indication that I'm offended. I'm seriously calling you out on the 2 fold hypocrisy here: (1) you don't respect some yet your name assumes respect & (2) the Bible tells us not to despise or look down on someone just b/c of their youth.

And if you want to know what J. D. Greear has been through, then I'm sure you can do some research and see he is not lightweight. He's a well published author, a noted preacher, and an elder of a very large church in Raleigh. I'd say he has done plenty to earn your respect.

I guess the question is, what criteria do you demand for such respect? Want him to walk on water?

Learn more about him here: http://www.jdgreear.com/about
I'm sure you research political candidates for presidents. I would advise doing the same for denom presidents.

 

[Revmitchell]

Sounds like you are the one offended when people make something out of your moniker.

And I rest my case on that issue.

And I don't see any indication that I'm offended.

Of course not.

I'm seriously calling you out on the 2 fold hypocrisy here

The only hypocrisy is in your mind.

: (1) you don't respect some yet your name assumes respect &

You can twist that all you wnat to.

(2) the Bible tells us not to despise or look down on someone just b/c of their youth.

It also says not to put novices in office.

And if you want to know what J. D. Greear has been through, then I'm sure you can do some research and see he is not lightweight. He's a well published author, a noted preacher, and an elder of a very large church in Raleigh. I'd say he has done plenty to earn your respect.

Uh no those things do not earn respect anyone can publish a book. None of those things tell us he is ready to be President of the convention.

I guess the question is, what criteria do you demand for such respect? Want him to walk on water?

I want to know that he has years of experience walking in the tough trenches of ministry and has some actual wisdom based on years of experience. I want to know that he knows what it is to take personal hits in ministry, have looked into the eyes of people who hate him for his stand on the word of God, has done battle with Satan, has walked for years with hurting and needy people in the lowest areas of the world, has spent some time in their struggles and know what it is to feel deeply lonely in ministry as well as on the mountain top.

These young guys are picked out early by the powers that be, prepped and helped to author books, find big churches and have never been through are hard days work in their lives.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Greektim]

Wow...

just wow.

What prevents one form accepting a rebuke? Pride? Immaturity? You decide.

PS: if you read just a little of the link I gave, J. D. did not find a big church. He took on a church of 300 and it grew to 10,000. He did his PhD at SEBTS, so I know he worked hard. And he has written numerous books that are well received. That doesn't just happen overnight or without work.

 

[Revmitchell]

Wow...

just wow.

What prevents one form accepting a rebuke? Pride? Immaturity? You decide.

Yea good question. Something you should give serious thought too.

PS: if you read just a little of the link I gave, J. D. did not find a big church. He took on a church of 300 and it grew to 10,000. He did his PhD at SEBTS, so I know he worked hard. And he has written numerous books that are well received. That doesn't just happen overnight or without work.

PHD's do not impress me. Academia does not impress me. I want to know what they have done in the actual trenches of ministry. Osteen has a big church. We have far too many pastors out there who rely on superficial things like writing books and academia but very few who know what it is to be in the trenches of ministry.

I would imagine anyone defending that hasn't either.

 

[Jerome]

http://www.christianpost.com/news/n...ts-a-sin-to-forbid-speaking-in-tongues-74184/

Greear noted that his denomination – the Southern Baptist Convention – has in many ways restricted speaking in tongues and believes "they are wrong and they are in sin for doing that."

Greear described his church as "charismatics with a seatbelt"

 

[Greektim]

Yea good question. Something you should give serious thought too.

PHD's do not impress me. Academia does not impress me. I want to know what they have done in the actual trenches of ministry. Osteen has a big church. We have far too many pastors out there who rely on superficial things like writing books and academia but very few who know what it is to be in the trenches of ministry.

I would imagine anyone defending that hasn't either.

Have you rebuked me? You accused me of being offended, to which I deny, but that isn't a rebuke. Nor is it wrong to be offended. So what would you like me to give serious thought to? I called you on hypocrisy. And.... silence on that.

I actually think your paragraph was quite cogent. I agree for the most part. But I mentioned his writings and his PhD b/c you said something to the effect that he hasn't worked very hard. His PhD and books in fact proves otherwise. I also mention his church and its growth to show you that he has been in the trenches. He didn't inherit a mega-church. But by God's grace, he was used as an instrument to grow one.

Everything you say seems to go against the Bible and conventional wisdom (no pun intended either): looking down on youth (he's not a novice), don't judge a book by its cover, don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes, etc... I'm at a loss how you can be so negative so quickly with so little information. I don't understand what drives your disdain and loathing.

Well... pearls and swine I suppose.

 

[preachinjesus]

I'm not terribly involved with the SBC these days, so I don't go out of my way to criticize unduly but do celebrate good things going on the convention.

I hope JD does well with his appointment. He's the first of a bevy of young leaders many of the establishment leaders would like to see lined up to captain the annual meetings and be the spokesmen for the convention for the next decade or so. Essentially the SBC is facing what many denominations are facing, increasing obscurity in a dramatically post-Christian society. While I doubt any major organizational changes will happen to correct things in the SBC, maybe a young face will help provide it some credibility and extend the reach of the Gospel.

There does seem to be some dissension building though, particularly among the small and middle sized churches about the continued parading of mega-church pastors in front of the convention. We'll see if there is a major challenge this year. Alas, I doubt the 1500-1800 messengers at the annual meeting will offer much to write about.

 

[JonC]

Greear's specialty is Christian-Islamic comparative theology. He was interviewed regarding this by The Gospel Coalition blogger Trevin Wax:

http://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org...ms-for-christ-a-conversation-with-j-d-greear/

I see his point. If Allah means "God" to Muslims then perhaps the difference to be highlighted is not the name itself but the characteristics of the god they worship compared to the God of the Bible. In that sense, they don't know "Allah".

Sent from my TARDIS

 

[Greektim]

Here ya go, Rev. Many of the things you dislike are addressed in this video.

However, I'm sure you'll object to the medium of a rap. But that gives it comedic value as well.

 

[Jerome]

IMB's Platt Denies Endorsing Greear

"The controversy emerged when Greear, pastor of the Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, and a leading member of Acts 29, a neo-Calvinist church planting network, began circulating a promotional video March 14 featuring a number of Southern Baptist personalities, including three SBC entity heads"

"Platt said it was only when he came back into the United States that he heard about Greear's use of his image and words for the electioneering piece."

"Platt also noted apparent disappointment with how Greear’s use of him in a campaign video had created an unnecessary distraction, saying 'It’s definitely frustrating to come back to issues like this after a couple of weeks overseas, seeing massive needs among unreached refugees who are suffering and dying, and spending concentrated time with our front line leaders around the world discussing how we can take the gospel to them.'"