Jim Smith, editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, has released a transcript of a Q & A session between Baptist state paper editors and Jerry Rankin. The question of “private prayer language” and the new IMB policy came up and Rankin responded with refreshing candor. The new baptism guideline…
The Georgia Baptist’s Christian Index published today a very straightforward critique of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). The folks at NAMB have responded with charges that the article is biased and misrepresents its work. Both of these articles are worth reading, particularly for those who are thinking seriously…
The Florida Baptist Witness has just released a report that states that the Executive Committee of the IMB trustees are proposing that the full board withdraw their motion for the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, NC to remove Wade Burleson from his duties as a trustee. This is…
The comments about the process of electing the president of the Southern Baptist Convention (as well as the suggestions about who would make good candidates) have been very informative. After reflecting on them I want to set out some further thoughts in hopes of extending the dialogue. Some have…
According to this blog, Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia, will be nominated to be president of the SBC in Greensboro, NC this summer. The announcement, reportedly made by Jerry Vines as he was flanked by Paige Patterson, Paul Pressler and Bailey Smith, raises questions…
Tony Cartledge, editor of the Baptist Recorder, has blogged about his experience with Calvinism in the SBC. He has also included articles that report on John Piper’s ministry at their Evangelism and Church Growth Conference. Cartledge does not agree with what he understands Calvinism to teach and does not…
Gene Bridges informed me of a refutation of my use of Keach and Booth as examples of Baptist leaders whose testimonies stands against the new IMB guidelines on baptism. Both men were baptized in Arminian churches and later became Calvinist Baptist pastors. Here is a comment by Ben Stratton…
The Philadelphia Association was established in 1707 as the first association of Baptist churches in America. That does not mean that everything they did or believed was right but it does make their records of great value for shedding light on the historic principles and practices of Baptists in…
The claim that the new IMB guidelines on baptism are nothing more than “what Baptists have always believed” is simply not true. There is ample evidence to the contrary. The historical record indicates that the influential Philadelphia Baptist Association did not require “rebaptism” of those who had been baptized…
Herschael York has weighed in on the IMB controversy, decidedly defending the trustees’ decision to require baptism in a Southern Baptist church or at least a church that practices only believers’ baptism and also believes in eternal security. York, teaches preaching at Southern Seminary and serves as pastor of…