“Differences in Perspective”

I am an admirer of Dr. Charles Phelps and have greatly appreciated his preaching for several years. Consequently, I have mentioned him a number of times here, sometimes featuring his sermons or messages from Maranatha Baptist Bible College chapels. Over the past week (or so) I started to notice an alarming amount of search traffic to our site as a result of  queries for “Chuck Phelps leaving MBBC”, “Charles Phelps resignation” and “Chuck Phelps resigns”. (Those statements apparently reflect a combination of words that appear somewhere within this blog.) At that point I began to assume something was happening that had not yet been publicized. Today, the news broke.

One could not help but note this report comes at a moment of endless wrangling over Calvinism and the role it will play in the future of the fundamentalist movement. It is a debate in which Dr. Phelps has not participated (to my awareness), though his name had been mentioned more than once during initial skirmishes. That has given me cause for concern as  I reach for my mouse, ready to visit all the popular flame-throwing blogs.

I fear some authors, curious to a fault, will begin digging or even speculating. Call me suspicious only after you see the other Dr. Phelps searches that have resulted in a visit here!

It is important that men of God are above reproach when it comes to reporting on incidents for which they are not involved. While sleazy newspaper reporters may have no problem dealing in realms of innuendo and suspicion, Christians (especially those in leadership), should have no part in it.

Today I am praying for Dr. Phelps, his family and the entire MBBC student body, faculty and staff. Though our family has no involvement with the school apart from a simple admiration and enjoyment of their sermon podcast, I somehow feel connected with them. I hope to meet Dr. Phelps one day and express my appreciation in person. If I know anything of his heart for ministry I can see him heading back to New England – a very needy mission field – to pastor, plant a church or any number of other things. Praise the Lord!

I truly hope I am the one doing all the speculating today, and expect I will look back on this post and laugh, realizing I had nothing to be concerned about. Wrestling over matters of doctrine and opinion, in the fundamentalism I know, stop well before degrading into personal attack. I pray this is the stripe of fundamentalism that will display itself all over the internet in coming days!

Bauder Weighs In

Today Kevin Bauder addresses the Dan Sweatt message I referenced in my last post. He makes a point I have been making with friends and colleauges for years.

Bauder on Sharper Iron today:

I am grateful to have been reared in a version of fundamentalism that was led by men who refused to become “giants.” You have probably never heard their names, because they were not trying to create or control empires. They were willing to stand up to bullies, however, and in some cases they were savaged by the very “giants” whom Pastor Sweatt identifies.

Missionary Broadcasting.com on April 10, 2008:

There are some fantastic fundamentalist ministers around today. They are found at small Bible colleges, medium sized churches, and remote mission fields all over the world. Their teachings are more difficult to find, I understand, but the power of God shines through their every word. They give testimony of simple faith, consistent Bible teaching, and love for people.

Bauder is focusing on Fundamentalist leaders from the past, while I reference their paralells today. Either way, we are making the same point. The finest men of God in Christianity did not (and do not) lead vast movements or write best-selling books!

I would contend the “giants” Sweatt references (on both sides of the issue) are the chief problem. Every time questions are raised about the doctrine or methodology - beliefs and convictions, not personalities – of current or former “big name preachers”, things start to get ugly. They got ugly when Pastor Sweatt mentioned some of his heroes, and they get just as ugly every time the names Piper, Keller, Dever, Mahaney, Driscoll or even Calvin himself are put forward.

People that are sycophants in either camp disregard the merits of any criticism on belief and/or methodology, choosing instead to enter ”defense mode”. In short, the men engaged in the argument have the identical problem – and it is a huge problem. They focus on men, fellowships and movements of the day instead of focusing on individual issues, doctrines and specific discussions. The sad part is that neither side seems to realize their failure.

If someone (anyone) writes, preaches or behaves wrongly they ought to be called on it. Let’s stop jumping on every opportunity to defend our favorite authors and teachers! Some have been proven categorically to be wrong, yet their actions and beliefs are still being justified, excused, defended, dismissed and forgotten. If he’s one of our favorites he “has a different style”, but if we don’t like him he is “harmful to the cause of Christ”. Ridiculous. Wrong is wrong is wrong, and it’s about time someone stood up and said so. But then…I guess I just have.

Exodus 32:21-22

“And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.” Aaron was perfectly accurate in his description of the people. It seems from their behavior that they were indeed set on mischief. The problem with his statement is that it shifts the blame. Aaron chose immediately to give in to the requests of the people. He expressed no hesitation, gave no commentary, and only contributed to the activity by insisting that his molten calf had been responsible for the deliverance of Israel! All indications are that Aaron was equally set on mischief, holding even more responsibility as the leader in Moses’ stead. He had a typical human problem; recognizing the sin of others, while failing to acknowledge or offering justification for his own. Those trusted with the responsibility of leading others should be the first to take note of Aaron’s folly. Our prayer ought to be for strength to follow Christ even when we are pressured by one or many to do otherwise.

Exodus 18:21

“If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.” Jethro had just provided Moses with a sound piece of advice regarding ministry methodology. Taking Moses’ own personal health into consideration, Jethro advised that he divide his responsibilities with other Godly and capable men. Up until this point in the story, it is difficult to determine whether or not this advice is right for Moses. God had indeed placed the responsibility for leadership on his shoulders. Should he not then bear the burden on his own? This verse is pivotal in finding the answer. It causes us to believe that Jethro is concerned that Moses not simply do what seems good, but rather that which is acceptable to the Lord. A combination of factors lead us to this conclusion, including Jethro’s genuine concern for Moses, his care in recommending only men that fear God, and his stipulation here: “if God commands”. All spiritual advice will have similar ingredients, pointing us toward God’s best. While pragmatic consideration of facts has its place, our desire should be to please the Savior.

Not Naming Names

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to read some fundamentalist blogs without becoming fatigued with the almost constant quotation of three particular evangelical pundits. I have read, listened to, and reviewed the ministries of each of these men in an attempt to give them a fair shake. To be honest, they are obviously intelligent and seemingly Godly people. Still they reject, sometimes mock, and often readily oppose the beliefs of many I consider to be the finest Biblical thinkers of our day. While they are pragmatic, generally [generally] conservative evangelicals, they almost universally reject what they have decided are “old” methods of outreach and (often stridently) denounce personal and ecclesiastical separation.

During a day in which access to the teaching of truly great Biblical scholars is more available than ever, these lesser men gain continuing acclaim. I wonder at, and am dismayed by this seemingly new phenomenon, fearing it is a result of our perhaps being lesser men ourselves; we young fundamentalists. Thus, one question arises daily: what would our fore-bearers in the fundamentalist movement make of this habit of embracing, promoting and praising those that actively oppose the principles they spent a lifetime fighting for? Many of us have lost all understanding of their fight, having spent more time analyzing their faults and seeking so desperately not to repeat them that we have betrayed both the heart and principle of their struggle.

Am I making too much of all this? Perhaps one day in the past I would have said yes, but the problem has become too obvious. It has left me wishing I could say more, but too well aware that reckless negativity could be the result. That is why I am deliberately avoiding the “whom” and “what” of the story until (if ever) I am able to express it with the grace and tact it deserves.

Joshua 3:7

“And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.” Joshua was about to gain the confidence of Israel. They would need it for the challenges that lay ahead. He and Caleb failed to convince their parents to obey forty years earlier, but this new generation had no fear of giants. They were ready to follow the leader God had chosen. It was not Joshua’s personality or leadership style that persuaded them. The Lord was at work all along preparing both leader and followers. We are never successful in carrying out spiritual work without God’s enabling. He chose to use Joshua, just as he had chosen to use Moses years before. He was not ready to complete his mission until he encountered the burning bush. This was a similar moment for Joshua. It was the day His Father had chosen to begin His process of magnification in the sight of Israel. None of it was done for the glory of men. Today we instead praise the Lord for keeping His promises to Israel; just as He intended when He said these words.

Genesis 41:39-40

“And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.” The action of this all-powerful leader may seem impulsive and reckless at first reading. He is choosing to elevate to the second most powerful position in his administration a man who is not only of foreign origin, but also a former slave and prisoner. The potential ramifications of this decision, if it were wrong, could have been monumental. A man that were secretly set against Pharaoh could have supplanted and destroyed him, by wielding the very power he had yielded to them. No leader would have willingly opened himself to these possibilities without the intervention of God. That is clearly what we see occurring here. God has intervened in this situation to provide blessing for Joseph, in fulfillment of His plan. No person can manufacture this type of development in life. Our only hope lies in following our Savior down His path of leading. We will not know where our path will finally lead, but we know for certain that God works together for our good. Let us look to Joseph as a delightful example of this truth.