The rise of Calvinism among the 16 million Southern Baptists in the country shed light on existing divides within the denomination, prompting greater efforts for cooperation.
Hundreds of Southern Baptists joined together last week for what was said to be a historic meeting on Calvinism. As leaders pushed for understanding and "building bridges" during the three-day conference, many recognized a broad range of beliefs increasingly influencing Southern Baptist life.
"We cannot say there is one stream that has made us," David Dockery, president of Union University in Jackson, Tenn., told some 550 Southern Baptists at the LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina. "We find ourselves shaped by fundamentalists, by revivalists, by evangelicals, and by Calvinists.
"We are at a time when we need to understand who we are, where we have been and where we are going. By and large, we don’t understand our heritage."
Dockery’s comments come at a time when an increasing number of SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) seminary graduates are affirming Calvinism, according to LifeWay Research director and missiologist Ed Stetzer.
The majority of Southern Baptists have not been consistent with the five major points of Calvinism – total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saint – Dockery noted, and many have concerns about its rising influence.
In an effort to break stereotypes hindering dialogue on Calvinism, or Reformed theology, and push for cooperative unity, Founders Ministries and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary co-sponsored the meeting aptly titled "Building Bridges: Southern Baptists and Calvinism."
One of the myths argued against was that Calvinism is a threat to evangelism. Nathan Finn, instructor of church history at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest N.C., noted that the lack of evangelistic activity among Southern Baptist Calvinists is similar to the little evangelism seen among other churches in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Stetzer revealed from recent studies that the number of annual baptisms relative to total membership of Calvinistic churches is virtually identical to that of non-Calvinistic churches.
Some went farther to say the rise of Calvinism can help evangelistic activity.
"I believe that the doctrines of grace (Calvinism) will help us restore true evangelism," said Jeff Noblit, senior past or First Baptist church in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
"And perhaps to say that it will restore true evangelism is a shocking statement to many. After all, many have already declared that the rise in Calvinism will kill evangelism," he added. "You can't pin the deadness and lack of evangelism of roughly 10,000 Southern Baptists churches on the fact that Calvinism killed evangelism. It was dead already."
The number of baptisms in SBC churches declined for the second consecutive year in 2006.
Noblit noted that "probably" the most used and copied witnessing tool Southern Baptists have ever embraced is "Evangelism Explosion," developed by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy, a Presbyterian and five-point Calvinist.
At the same time, Noblit said he was not suggesting that Calvinists are "the perfect models."
Yet some Calvinists accuse non-Calvinists of being less than gospel preachers because they do not accept the five points of Calvinism. It's that very accusation that concerns non-Calvinists, said Charles Lawless – dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. - dispelling the stereotype that non-Calvinists do not like Calvinists. Continue >>
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calluver--you seem to misunderstand arminian understanding of salvation. It is not that one saves oneself. Rather it is that God offers us a choice in whether we accept or reject an offer of grace, forgiveness, mercy, and love. This is God pictured in Jesus' conversation with the Rich Young Ruler, grieving over the poor choice by one who is allowed to reject God's offer of something better.
Anyone who believes they determine their salvation need to go and read ex christians com. They can read the wreakage caused by Armininism. The amusing thing is that Arminians pray. Why would they pray for God to save anyone since the decision is not His. Could it be because they are hypocrites? Do they have the gall to tell God face to face that they praise themselves for the fact they responded? What arrogance. They claim that one believes b4 regeneration. Now believers believe so men make themselves believers before being born again. If this lie was true they would not have to be born again. Believers go to heaven,don't they? Shameless hypocrites.
It is interesting to me that many are surprised with the growth of Calvinism in SBC life, when the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 made big moves toward current SBC understandings of Calvinism, whereas before such definitions were open for dialogue between Arminian and Calvinistic points of view.
Try this on for size. There is one Bible and it teaches one truth. It is in no way ambiguous for if it was, it would not be the Word of God. Many wonderfully gifted and intelligent men have labored to comprehend its truths for centuries. And though most were probably sincerely seeking God's truth, we have many variations of that truth! - call them doctrines. A doctrine is God's truth plus man's interpretation of it. The way so many have come up with so many differing interpretations and applications, you would think that there were actually many gods, Paul and other Apostles wrote of this day when men would not tolerate the truth, but would seek after their own imagined applications of Scripture. Jesus said that in this day there would appear many christs...could that mean many perspectives on Jesus? Certainly the Mormans have their different Jesus, as do the Jehovah's Witnesses. To them the Jesus described in their Bible is quite different from my Jesus! Calvinists have a Jesus that only died for a few people's sins, while my Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (Of course if semantics comes into play, we must believe that since John the Baptist said that, and he didn't know anything about eskimos at the time...eskimos must be excluded! See how ridiculous that logic is?) I say that there are many gods today. I hope you seek after the true God with all your heart. If you do, He said that you would surely find Him.
By GOD's grace it would appear that there is a revival of Calvinism here in our country, having grown up in Assembly of God Church our have found Calvinism and reformed theology most refreshing and a wonderful boost to my faith and life.
The Westminster Confession and related Catechisms are the best tools for instruction in the Christian faith after the holy Bible.
A great DVD on this subject is The history and theology of Calvinism by the apologetics group easily obtainable in the USA.
God is love...
check out www.isaiahscry.blogspot.com.
specifically the articles "Where's the Love, part one" and "Where's the love, part two"
Has anyone commented yet on the history of the SBC? The SBC founders had a strongly Calvinistic confession. The truth of the doctrines of Grace (i.e. Calvinism) do not rest on John Calvin, his former Roman Catholic priesthood, or even his character. They rest on the authority of the Scripture. "World" does not always mean the entire human population of the world, for one thing. There are three greek words that are all translated as "world" - but the greek words have different meanings. We must look at context. Also, "All" does not always mean every human being on the planet. For instance, do you believe the Roman census directed by Caesar Augustus went out to China, the Australian aborigines, the South Pacific Islands, and Northern America and its natives? Of course not. The "..desires all men to be saved..." passage in second Peter comes directly after a command by Peter to pray for various sorts of people. The "all" simply means that God desires ALL those kinds of people to be saved - not just peasants, not just kings, not just Jews, and so on.
Yes, God is a God of love, but he also is sovereign over hearts. He is the Potter, we are the clay. We are still commanded to evangelize because God not only ordains the ENDS, but He ordains the MEANS also. Calvinism doesn't teach that we somehow "know" who the elect are. Only God does, and He does because he has worked out all things according to the counsel of His will. We are to show love and proclaim the Gospel to everyone. Read the passages of John 6, John 8, and John 10. In John 10, Jesus said the pharisees didn't believe because they were not His sheep, not the other way around. God's sovereign love and choice can be seen in John 6 and John 8 as well.
Two other things: 1)The Great Awakening was strongly Calvinistic. Sure, John Wesley (who broke from Calvinism) was part of it, but Edwards and Whitfield were staunch Calvinists and were major movers in that movement. 2) The number of baptisms should not be used as an indicator of success. The numbers game encourages light and shallow professions of faith and the numbers of baptized individuals who remain members of the church bear this out. Evangelism is successful if it is non-comprimising, preaches the full counsel of God, and is followed up by discipleship and growth.
I think the current discussion of Calvinism is a good thing.
Until we have appropriated the love of God in Christ Jesus, we can neither see God's kingdom nor His glorious attributes. Love is the door. That must be why Paul wrote "...but the greatest of these is love." John wrote, "...he that does not love does not know God, for God is love." For decades Billy Graham effectively spoke to millions about the love of God. The speech of believers is the language of love. Unless it is that, it lacks the power of the Spirit of God for the conversion of souls for God. We can spend long hours talking among ourselves about the glorious attributes of God. What really counts for the increase of His kingdom, however, is the language of love that has an eternal effect on the souls of men. We can not fully comprehend in this finite life the incomprehensible majesties of God. But even a child can understand that God loves him/her. That is why I say that, to humans, the love of God supercedes all of His other great attributes. It is His love that draws us to Him...the fact that He loved us while we were yet sinners. The fact that He offers us forgiveness through His great love gift, Jesus Christ, His Son...our Savior. You may try to convert someone based on the truths of God's sovereignty and majestic omnipotence, but if they haven't come to know Him by accepting the love he has offered, like Nicodemus, they won't be able to comprehend the first thing about the kingdom of God because they can't see it. His love is where the relationship starts, His throne is where it never ends.
Francis Schaeffer said this:
A loving God without holiness is compromise
A holy God without love is harsh
God is so much more than just Love that to me is far to simplistic a statement about an infinitely complex perfect being whose attributes are all in perfect measure to say that God is Love above all else. True He demonstrated His love to us through Jesus Christ's atonement but we tend to forget He will demonstrate His wrath to sinners with an eternity in the Lake of Fire, His Holiness in His judgment of both saints and those who are not found in the book of Life. He will demonstrate His mercy to the underserving sinner who is redeemed by Christ's blood. He will show His Sovereignty through His perfect plan for this world and the end that is to come. In my personal opinion preaching a God of Love above all else shows a one dimensional God and does not give full credit to all His other attributes.
PS - I don't disagree God is a God of love but in the same fashion He makes the following quotes:
Mal 3:6 "I the LORD do not change. - Therefore I can say - God is immutable above all else
1Pe 1:16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." - Therefore I can say God is Holy above all else
Re 6:10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" - God is Sovereign above all else or how about true?
I am just saying over emphasis of one attribute tends to make us see God in a one dimensional light rather than the whole counsel of God
So on and on and on and on it goes! There is a huge problem when Calvinists and Christians square off using Scripture verses to prove their points and counterpoints. The fact that there are 40+ "Christian?" denominations in America should tell us that you will not find common ground on such a merry-go-round. The same Scriptures simply mean different things within the context of different camps. One answer to such a dilema lies in deciding on the true nature of God as revealed to all in His Son, Jesus Christ. God is love. Though He is certainly much more than this, all of the other wonderful things He is mean nothing unless...above all else He is LOVE.
Any doctrine or idea or position taken by man that takes away from the fact that He is the lover of the souls of all men, regardless of whether they love Him back or not, comes from a mind that has not comprehended His awesome love and, therefore, does not know Him. Have you?
DRJ - Deception is a pretty strong word and is used only to silence discussion
THe response to any discussion against Calvinism here HAS been from an Arminian perspective so it is merited to respond that way
One of the greatest means of deception used by Calvinists is their quick-defense method of suggesting that anyone who disagrees with Calvinism does so from an Arminian position. I wonder if it has even occurred to them that there are more than two ideologies to reference. True Baptists are neither Arminian nor Calvinist.
A little more research by those in the Calvinist camp would prove most enlightening. It could be that many Calvinists do not know that there is an alternative to the Arminian persuasion and therefore feel they must choose Calvinism.. In fact, after years of personal research including interviews with long-time members of Presbyterian and Reformed Baptist churches, I have never met a layperson who believed in Limited Atonement! Quite the opposite, most were aghast at the idea that their clergymen believed such an awful thing! I challenge anyone who cares to find the truth to ask their friends who are members of Presbyterian or Reformed Baptist churches if they believe God created most humans for the sheer pleasure of sending them to a fiery, tortuous eternity. Don't be surprised if they say, "Of course not!".
If Calvinism (the Doctrines of Grace?) is such a wonderful set of principles, why are so many reformed clergymen hiding them from their congregations?
PS Tuprbabe to demonstrate my point I will use your arguments - nothing personal :)
Quote: Total Depravity says that man can not ever choose to follow God, despite all the verses in Scripture where God commands us to make a choice. Disproved by Mark 8:34.
Answer: Ro 3:11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
Quote: Unconditional Election says that it doesn't matter what we choose anyway, because God's already decided who He's going to save and who He's going to damn. Disproved by 2 Peter 3:9.
Answer: Romans 9:15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
Quote: Limited Atonement says that Jesus did not die for ALL sinners, only the ones on "the list". Disproved by 1 John 2:2.
Answer: Joh 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
Irresistible Grace says that even if you don't WANT to be saved, if you're on "the list," God's going to save you anyway. Disproved by Revelation 3:20.
Answer: Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Quote: Perseverance of the Saints says that even if you turn your back on God through willful sin and denial, you are still saved. Disproved by many verses, including 2 Timothy 2:11-13 and 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8.
Answer: Php 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Quote:Why evangelize, when God's already got His list together, and salvation isn't for everyone?
Answer: Calvinists believe Matthew 28 and Acts 1:8 to be Commands of God - no true Calvinism (except for the caricatured or hyper will deny evangelism)
Quote:I'll tell you why ... because the BIBLE (which proves Calvinism of all varieties to be heresy) commands us to!
Answer: If Calvinism is heresy then you have yet to make the case for that fact because I can point out just as many Scriptures countering your claims
The truth is that Calvinism is not understood by these comments
Those who make inflammatory statements about Calvinism not being Christian please do us all a favour and READ some information about Calvinism from a non-Arminian source. Getting all you need to know about Calvinism from those who are on the other side of the fence is the best way to stay uninformed.
All of the negative comments about Calvinism are based on what is called hyper-Calvinism or a caricature of Calvinism. Obviously there was little thought put into the criticism and honestly it is academically unsound.
Arminian doctrine and Calvinistic doctrine disagree deeply but I as a Calvinist would not say an Arminian is not a Christian. Overreaction is the best way to produce ignorance.
"The doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminian, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works..." -- C.H. Spurgeon
Doctrines of Grace (Calvinism)
http://polemos.net/Doctrines%20of%20Grace%20%20(Calvinism).html
Quotes- Arminianism
http://polemos.net/Quotes%20Arminianism.html