Comments on: On The GCR Declaration, Part 4 http://betweenthetimes.com/2009/06/18/on-the-gcr-declaration-part-4/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:09:49 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Nathan Finn http://betweenthetimes.com/2009/06/18/on-the-gcr-declaration-part-4/comment-page-1/#comment-872 Nathan Finn Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:29:16 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=837#comment-872 Nathan Petty, I also suspect many Southern Baptist churches are filled with unregenerate members, at bare minimum among the "inactive members" (and likely among the active members as well, in many cases). But I think a growing number of churches are recognizing some of the bad habits among us and, by God's grace, seeing some change. There is a renewed commitment to regenerate church membership growing in our ranks, and as that continues I think related issues (like baptism practice, church discipline, and the nature of gospel proclamation) will continue to improve as well. I am very hopeful concerning these matters. Thanks for the comment. NAF Nathan Petty,

I also suspect many Southern Baptist churches are filled with unregenerate members, at bare minimum among the “inactive members” (and likely among the active members as well, in many cases). But I think a growing number of churches are recognizing some of the bad habits among us and, by God’s grace, seeing some change. There is a renewed commitment to regenerate church membership growing in our ranks, and as that continues I think related issues (like baptism practice, church discipline, and the nature of gospel proclamation) will continue to improve as well. I am very hopeful concerning these matters.

Thanks for the comment.

NAF

]]> By: Posts about Holy Spirit as of June 18, 2009 | PRAYtheREVOLUTION http://betweenthetimes.com/2009/06/18/on-the-gcr-declaration-part-4/comment-page-1/#comment-864 Posts about Holy Spirit as of June 18, 2009 | PRAYtheREVOLUTION Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:22:10 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=837#comment-864 [...] reading list. Works of fiction, faith, history, or self-help were enthusiastically recommended On The GCR Declaration, Part 4 – betweenthetimes.com 06/18/2009 Lord willing, over the next few days I will be blogging [...] [...] reading list. Works of fiction, faith, history, or self-help were enthusiastically recommended On The GCR Declaration, Part 4 – betweenthetimes.com 06/18/2009 Lord willing, over the next few days I will be blogging [...]

]]> By: Nathan Petty http://betweenthetimes.com/2009/06/18/on-the-gcr-declaration-part-4/comment-page-1/#comment-862 Nathan Petty Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:45:15 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=837#comment-862 I appreciate your comments on the GCR. I must say that, as a co-laborer in a small California SBC church who at age 56 is considered “young”, the GCR itself, along with the convention, is almost totally irrelevant to our church. I am supportive of the aims of the GCR, but wonder how many thousands of churches similar to mine have no real connection to anything which will happen in Louisville this month? Will the GCR become just another flavor of the month of interest to a few thousand sincere, committed bloggers, seminarians (and their instructors), pastors and denominational leaders? I pray not. The motivation which inspired Dr. Akin and others cannot be questioned, and I pray for the discussion to yield some meaningful fruit to the glory of God and the benefit of His Body. I would like to comment on one of your points. You state that sin in the biggest reason that the SBC is not more evangelistic. Likely so, but I would also draw a connection to the call in Article VI for “a more responsible baptismal policy". Due to decades of irresponsible and unbiblical evangelistic techniques directed towards millions of Sunday School members (including me), I believe many SBC churches are full of unregenerate members. Unregenerate members do not fulfill the great commission - which is why most SBC "churches hardly ever baptize anyone who isn’t in elementary school or an adult Methodist who wants to become a Baptist." Unregenerate church members do not live holy, distinctively Christ-like lives, and churches filled with such members are unlikely to corporately express the will and purpose of God to their community. Last week the only SBC megachurch in our area baptized dozens of "converts" between the ages of 5 and 11 following a week of splendidly organized VBS. I pray these children are really converted. I fear many have simply been inoculated against the Gospel as I was many years ago. I wonder if God will bless the work of the SBC if it never seriously confronts the problem of unregenerate church membership. I don’t know if the SBC will be used by God to recover the indwelling fullness of the Gospel which empowers us to fulfill the great commission. I do know that every Christian has an opportunity and an obligation, in whatever church they attend, to pray that God would infuse the power of an incarnational Gospel into every nook and cranny of their lives, personal and corporate. Thank you again for your edifying comments. I appreciate your comments on the GCR. I must say that, as a co-laborer in a small California SBC church who at age 56 is considered “young”, the GCR itself, along with the convention, is almost totally irrelevant to our church. I am supportive of the aims of the GCR, but wonder how many thousands of churches similar to mine have no real connection to anything which will happen in Louisville this month? Will the GCR become just another flavor of the month of interest to a few thousand sincere, committed bloggers, seminarians (and their instructors), pastors and denominational leaders? I pray not. The motivation which inspired Dr. Akin and others cannot be questioned, and I pray for the discussion to yield some meaningful fruit to the glory of God and the benefit of His Body.

I would like to comment on one of your points. You state that sin in the biggest reason that the SBC is not more evangelistic. Likely so, but I would also draw a connection to the call in Article VI for “a more responsible baptismal policy”. Due to decades of irresponsible and unbiblical evangelistic techniques directed towards millions of Sunday School members (including me), I believe many SBC churches are full of unregenerate members. Unregenerate members do not fulfill the great commission – which is why most SBC “churches hardly ever baptize anyone who isn’t in elementary school or an adult Methodist who wants to become a Baptist.” Unregenerate church members do not live holy, distinctively Christ-like lives, and churches filled with such members are unlikely to corporately express the will and purpose of God to their community.

Last week the only SBC megachurch in our area baptized dozens of “converts” between the ages of 5 and 11 following a week of splendidly organized VBS. I pray these children are really converted. I fear many have simply been inoculated against the Gospel as I was many years ago. I wonder if God will bless the work of the SBC if it never seriously confronts the problem of unregenerate church membership.

I don’t know if the SBC will be used by God to recover the indwelling fullness of the Gospel which empowers us to fulfill the great commission. I do know that every Christian has an opportunity and an obligation, in whatever church they attend, to pray that God would infuse the power of an incarnational Gospel into every nook and cranny of their lives, personal and corporate.

Thank you again for your edifying comments.

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