The Assault on Baptism
When I first heard about it, I blew it off. I thought it was just a few fringe churches, and that it would not amount to anything. However, over the last few years I have noticed a growing movement that has disturbed me greatly. There is an assault on Believer's Baptism, and it is coming from all sides.
As a Baptist, I am shocked that it is happening. I mean, come-on, we are called Baptists. We got our name because our founders believed that immersion after one confesses their faith in Christ is true Baptism. Thus, we would not allow a person to be a member of a church that hasn't been properly Baptized. I am sad to say, this isn't the case anymore.
Believer's Baptism is being attacked on three different sides. One of those sides should not surprise anyone. However, the other two are disturbing, and we need to make certain that our associations take action if their teachings creep in.
The first group that is falling away from Believer's Baptism is the theological liberals. I saw this in college and in seminary. It did not bother me, because I never thought much of these churches to begin with. The reason the left has moved away from Believers' Baptism is due to the fact they don't want to tell anyone they are wrong.
When I was in college, a Pastor from a country seat church came to teach a theology class. He was a liberal, and after sitting through his class, I would be surprised if he really believed in anything. He told our class about a problem he was having in his church. He was trying to get his church to accept members from a Methodist church. They were baptized as infants, and did not see the need to be immersed. The Pastor agreed, and he did all that he could to convince his church to accept them. He was successful, and in my opinion he now pastors a non-Baptist church.
The second group of people that are falling away are from the church growth movement. I truly like most of these people. They have the right heart. However, they take methods more seriously than they take truth. The church growth movement is into growing churches. Thus, if it gets butts in the pews, it is OK with them. Many in the Church growth movement stay completely away from doctrine and covenants. They believe doctrine scares people. Thus, many of their sermons are light, fluffy, and easy on the ears.
The church growth movement struggles with believer's baptism because it might cause someone not to come to their church. Remember, Church growth is all that matters. Thus, if believer's baptism gets in the way of church growth; it then must be done away with.
The final group that has begun falling away is from the reformed movement. Calvinists, for the most part, embrace covenantal theology. Covanentalism teaches that Baptism is equivalent to Jewish circumcision. Thus, infant Baptism makes since to those who fall within reformed theology.
Some Baptists, who our Calvinists, spend a lot of time reading and studying the reformers. When all your heroes teach Pedobaptism, you begin questioning your views. Calvinists must be careful not to fall into one sided thought.
I am a believer in the autonomy of the local church. If a church decides to not Baptize by immersion, that is up to them. However, they need not call themselves Baptist. I find it a shame that we can no longer trust other Baptist churches to hold to the historical doctrines of our faith. I can no longer accept a member from another Baptist church unless I investigate their Baptism. This is sad, but a necessity if we are going to hold to Baptist orthodoxy.
I know that I am way out in front of most on this issue. I have not read anything written about this issue in Baptist circles. However, if we don't jump on this quickly it will become a problem. We must deal with this now, or it will cause us terrible problems in the future.
As a Baptist, I am shocked that it is happening. I mean, come-on, we are called Baptists. We got our name because our founders believed that immersion after one confesses their faith in Christ is true Baptism. Thus, we would not allow a person to be a member of a church that hasn't been properly Baptized. I am sad to say, this isn't the case anymore.
Believer's Baptism is being attacked on three different sides. One of those sides should not surprise anyone. However, the other two are disturbing, and we need to make certain that our associations take action if their teachings creep in.
The first group that is falling away from Believer's Baptism is the theological liberals. I saw this in college and in seminary. It did not bother me, because I never thought much of these churches to begin with. The reason the left has moved away from Believers' Baptism is due to the fact they don't want to tell anyone they are wrong.
When I was in college, a Pastor from a country seat church came to teach a theology class. He was a liberal, and after sitting through his class, I would be surprised if he really believed in anything. He told our class about a problem he was having in his church. He was trying to get his church to accept members from a Methodist church. They were baptized as infants, and did not see the need to be immersed. The Pastor agreed, and he did all that he could to convince his church to accept them. He was successful, and in my opinion he now pastors a non-Baptist church.
The second group of people that are falling away are from the church growth movement. I truly like most of these people. They have the right heart. However, they take methods more seriously than they take truth. The church growth movement is into growing churches. Thus, if it gets butts in the pews, it is OK with them. Many in the Church growth movement stay completely away from doctrine and covenants. They believe doctrine scares people. Thus, many of their sermons are light, fluffy, and easy on the ears.
The church growth movement struggles with believer's baptism because it might cause someone not to come to their church. Remember, Church growth is all that matters. Thus, if believer's baptism gets in the way of church growth; it then must be done away with.
The final group that has begun falling away is from the reformed movement. Calvinists, for the most part, embrace covenantal theology. Covanentalism teaches that Baptism is equivalent to Jewish circumcision. Thus, infant Baptism makes since to those who fall within reformed theology.
Some Baptists, who our Calvinists, spend a lot of time reading and studying the reformers. When all your heroes teach Pedobaptism, you begin questioning your views. Calvinists must be careful not to fall into one sided thought.
I am a believer in the autonomy of the local church. If a church decides to not Baptize by immersion, that is up to them. However, they need not call themselves Baptist. I find it a shame that we can no longer trust other Baptist churches to hold to the historical doctrines of our faith. I can no longer accept a member from another Baptist church unless I investigate their Baptism. This is sad, but a necessity if we are going to hold to Baptist orthodoxy.
I know that I am way out in front of most on this issue. I have not read anything written about this issue in Baptist circles. However, if we don't jump on this quickly it will become a problem. We must deal with this now, or it will cause us terrible problems in the future.
posted by Foundes Community Church @ 9:36 AM
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