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Teaching systematic theology in church

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by evangelist6589, Aug 30, 2015.

  1. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Should churches teach this, or should they rather teach bible books and biblical theology? Perhaps most Reformed churches would teach systematic theology. I volunteered to teach a intro to systematic theology in SS but the pastor rejected my request. I would use A lay level Wayne Grudem and RC sproul book to aide me. The topics I said I would teach have nothing to do with Calvinism as I said I could teach on the Holy Spirit or the trinity and I would even use non Cal John Walvoord as a source.

    So sad on the pastor doing this, but even he and the entire church avoid systematic theology.
     
    #1 evangelist6589, Aug 30, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 30, 2015
  2. Rolfe

    Rolfe Well-Known Member
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    Evan, I thought that you were looking for a different church.

    Have you given your Pastor reason to trust you with a Sunday School class?
     
  3. blessedwife318

    blessedwife318 Well-Known Member
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    You publicly bad mouth your church on a regular basis yet you are surprised that the pastor doesn't trust you to teach? Your pastor is showing common sense, given that you show on a regular basis not to care about the church or its members, or you would not bad mouth it all the time in public.
     
  4. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    John, I don't think entire churches avoid studying topics in systems. It's how I study privately a lot and while I have used it in Sunday School, I mostly do not - but not because I don't like that type of study.

    I say this with humility and brotherly/sisterly love - are you sure the pastor is rejecting the systematic study of a bible topic or is he not wanting you to teach Sunday School?

    You said that you have taught before that he asked you to step down.

    I do so wish that you could find a church that you could be happy in.

    This church - for the good or for the bad [that's only for God to judge] - isn't going to bend towards your beliefs. I wish you - even without your wife attending with you - could find peace at another church.
     
  5. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    Calvinism is systematic theology. So is Arminianism.

     
  6. wpe3bql

    wpe3bql Member

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    The church to which I was a member, Faith Baptist Church in Sellersville, PA ( www.faithatsellersville.org ) used to operate what was called Faith Baptist Bible Institute (FBBI).

    It was a non-accredited educational ministry of the church that met maybe once or twice every weekday evening. Enrollment was strictly voluntary, plus each student had to pay for his copies of the course notes as well as other textbook-related materials.

    I registered as a student from its fall term in 1969 until its spring term in 1972.

    FBBI's theology track divided its courses into the main divisions of theology, e.g., Christology, Peumatology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, Eschatology. It also had a separate course on Missions & Evangelism and one on Ethics.

    While I was enrolled at FBBI, it also offered a four-term course in Church History as well as a two-term course entitled "Analysis of Romans," and another one-term course entitled "Separation & Contemporary Religious Thought." Finally, it offered a one-term course called "Seminar" for which each student was required to write a full-scale, documented term paper on some Bible-related subject that had to be approved by the class's instructor.

    During that time frame, Faith Baptist Church was pastored by the late David C. Auckland (1933-2002). He was a graduate of Faith Theological Seminary, Elkins Park, PA.

    He was a strong advocate of having a church congregation being as educated as they could be, and this was evident in his love of expository preaching in which he'd usually always preach on a different book or Bible character in his Sunday AM, Sunday PM, and Wednesday PM services.

    Although it's been over 40 years since I was a member of Faith Baptist Church, I still remember some of those wonderful messages he preached.

    The faculty of FBBI included pastor Auckland as well as some of the associate pastors and one or two deacons. Having graduated from a Bible College myself, most all the classes in which I was enrolled were at least as rigorous as the ones I had in Bible college.

    That fact alone was quite helpful to me because I'd only been born-again for only six years prior to enrolling in Bible college. Had I not had the six terms at FBBI, there's no telling how I would have survived Bible college for very long.

    Pastor David Auckland resigned his pastorate at Faith BC sometime in the mid to late 1980's due to physical health reasons. He then moved to the Watertown, WI, area to assume an instructorship position at what then was called Maranatha Baptist Bible College (The college changed its name from "College" to "University" a couple years ago.)

    While at Maranatha, he pastored Fellowship BC in Watertown, WI. Due to increasing physical health issues, he resigned as Fellowship's pastor in 1989, & as an instructor at Maranatha in 1998.

    When pastor Auckland left Faith BC his son Paul, who was already an associate pastor at Faith BC, assumed the senior pastorate.

    Apparently, FBBI no longer exists. I suppose that pastoring a relatively large church for that area's population, as well as being president of Faith Christian Academy, tends to take a lot of work--even with a staff of seven associate pastors.

    If you do want to find out about the now-defunct FBBI, I guess the best thing to do would be to e-mail Faith BC at [email protected]

    Should you wish to pursue teaching systematic theology to a church congregation, one resource I recommend would be Paul P. Enns The Moody Handbook of Theology that Moody Bible Institute publishes (ISBN 0-8024-3428-2).
     
    #6 wpe3bql, Aug 30, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 30, 2015
  7. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    I have that book and its a good resource. I wish I could use it for more than just personal use.
     
  8. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Yes in one SS I referred to Joel Osteen as a false teacher and a certain member had a fit, and then told me privately some time later that he did not like me and would complain about me. The pastor mentioned 2 complaints he received and that was one of them. Strange why the other complainer never came to me as Matt 18 teaches.
     
  9. wpe3bql

    wpe3bql Member

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    Just curious, but what is keeping you from using this very highly regarded resource for teaching others?

    Some 15 or so years ago, I used this book to teach a one semester class for the teachers at the Christian day school who needed a 3 credit hour systematic theology class to complete the theology requirement for their securing a teaching certificate from the Tennessee Association of Christian Schools (TACS).

    Since they were directly involved with primarily teaching elementary level children, I tried to focus on applying the theological principles one finds in the Bible to help them relate to what happens in their daily classroom activities.

    Most of the children they taught were from families that were not only faithful members of sound Bible-teaching churches, but also ones that had devotions for their children in their own homes. Consequently, these 6-11 YO children already had been exposed to sound Bible principles.

    One of the signs of a good teacher is to be able to effectively take what in some sense is a lot of theory in the minds of these young people and lead them to see how God actually operates in their daily lives.

    For example, if they can see that disobeying God's principles will ultimately result in negative consequences for them, more than likely they'll be somewhat more apt to try to obey what His Word tells them to do.

    Most Christian parents will tell you that this isn't something a child at that age will fully grasp over night, but as Isaiah 28:9-13 indicates, if a parent, or in this case, a teacher consistently plants the seed of God's Word in their hearts and minds ("line upon line, precept upon precept"), over time they most likely will come to realize that the truths one reads in Deuteronomy 10:12-14 still apply to them today just as much as they did to God's People some 3,000 or more years ago.
     
  10. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Lack of opportunity would be one.
     
  11. wpe3bql

    wpe3bql Member

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    Again, just curious, but what lack of opportunity is it that keeps you from using Enns' book as a textbook?
     
  12. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    No opportunity to teach in my church because the pastor does not agree with My views on Calvinism and bible translations. I have offered to conform for teaching purposes, but he wants someone KJVO and anti-Calvinist of which I never will be.
     
  13. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    And besides its not like most in my church would be interested in a systematic theology coarse.
     
  14. blessedwife318

    blessedwife318 Well-Known Member
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    You may be surprised what they are interested in if you stop insulting them and your church publicly.
     
  15. wpe3bql

    wpe3bql Member

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    Amen to that!! :thumbsup:

    Maybe Evan needs to find another sound Baptist Church that might be more receptive to the gifts of teaching and/or evangelism where he can more fully use these gifts.
     
  16. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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  17. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    The phrase "burned your bridges" comes to mind.
     
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