A LifeWay report released today showed that overall SBC membership continues to decline—for the third straight year. Despite adding 162 churches across 42 state conventions, total membership slid from 16,228,438 in 2008 to 16,160,088 in 2009, a net loss of 68,350 members. The decline has occurred in spite of an increase of 7,539 baptisms year over year. The Annual Church profiles revealed a tiny (.36%) rise in total number of churches and a .37% increase … [Read More]
Baptism and the Great Commission
Southern Baptists have been discussing a Great Commission Resurgence for a couple of years now. One related discussion concerns the relationship of baptism to the Great Commission. Some Baptists at least tacitly downplay the role of baptism and instead cast the Great Commission as simply the advancement of the gospel to all nations. Other Baptists argue that baptism is a crucial component of the Great Commission, and without it, the gospel may indeed be advancing but the … [Read More]
Further Thoughts on the Marks of a True Church
This is a follow-up to my earlier article “On the Marks of a True Church: A Question.” Thanks to everyone who offered a comment. What follow are my own thoughts on this issue.
I first began to think deeply about this question during my doctoral studies. During my college and seminary days, I unhesitatingly embraced the so-called Reformation definition of a true church. But there was a problem: as a Baptist, I am honestly convinced that … [Read More]
On the Marks of a True Church: A Question
Ever since the Reformation era, it has been common to define a “true church” as a congregation where the gospel is rightly preached and the sacraments/ordinances are rightly administered. (Some would also include the practice of church discipline as a third mark.) Christians in a variety of traditions use this terminology all the time, but I suspect some have not thought through the implications of adopting this schema. Other Christians, however, have clearly thought through … [Read More]
Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Southern Baptists
First, note our new look at Between the Times–pretty snazzy, huh?
One of the ongoing debates in Southern Baptist life over the last four years or so is the relationship between baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Emphasizing the apparent New Testament pattern and ecclesiological consistency (among other things), some Southern Baptists argue that baptism is biblically prerequisite to the Lord’s Supper. Emphasizing Christian unity and ecclesiological charity (among other things), other Southern Baptists argue that any professing Christian who … [Read More]
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Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the Need for Gospel Consistency
Students of history know that there are two long-running debates among Baptist Christians that began in the mid-17th century and continue to the present day. The first debate has been common among many groups of Protestants: Calvinism versus Arminianism. The second debate is almost totally unique to Baptists: the relationship between baptism and the Lord’s Supper. This is a topic that I have written on in the past. While I do not believe this debate is the most important issue … [Read More]
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Identification with the Gospel: Believer’s Baptism by Immersion
This is the fourth article in a series that explores the relationship between the gospel and Baptist identity. I have previously argued that the foundational conviction of Baptist Christians is a commitment to regenerate church membership. Baptists believe that a local church is a voluntary community of individuals who have embraced the gospel and covenanted to walk together in pursuit of common gospel ends. Though most Baptists embrace the concept of the universal church, we … [Read More]
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