Contemplative Spirituality & Prayer

[J.Wayne]

Is the SBC involved in Apostasy?

On another site, they are saying that the SBC is guilty of apostasy? What are your thoughts?

[Allan]

Originally Posted by J.Wayne

Is the SBC involved in Apostasy?

On another site, they are saying that the SBC is guilty of apostasy? What are your thoughts?

Being an SBC member, Pastor, and Church planter for the SBC, in what way(s) are we involved in apostasy?

If you want an answer I will state - No.

However I would like more info so as to better give a reasoned response.

[J.Wayne]

Just to be clear, I do not believe what is being said. Here is what they are basing their reasons on:

SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION... CROSSOVER ‘08


Apprising Ministries continues looking into Contemplative Mysticism In The Southern Baptist Convention. In that previous post I further shared my concerns that corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) developed in the antibiblical traditions of apostate Roman Catholicism has slithered from its den in Hell further into the supposedly evangelical “Protestant” Southern Baptist Convention of which I am still a part...for now. by Ken Silva

http://www.apprising.org/archives/20...ing_not_r.html





According to the news story “INDY: Fulfilling the Mission” in the Baptist Press (BP):

Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers -- bringing lost souls into God’s Kingdom -- will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention when it convenes June 10-11 at the Indiana Convention Center...

An intensified focus on prayer will be another feature of the convention. In addition to the prayer room, signs will be posted around the convention center to help messengers make a “prayer journey” for the annual meeting. A virtual prayerwalk will be available at www.crossover08.com for people who can’t attend the convention. Information for those interested in volunteering to intercede for the annual meeting is available on that site as well. (Online source)

So here in the words I have highlighted above we have what initially concerned me as one well-versed in the teachings of CSM, and we also have the confirmation that the website Crossover ’08—though maintained by the SCBI—is officially representing the national Southern Baptist Convention. And in another BP story we are told:

This year's prayer emphasis at the Southern Baptist Convention has been boosted by the efforts of Indianapolis-area pastors who have caught a vision of what can happen when people spend more time praying.

[Baptist Believer]

Originally Posted by J.Wayne

On another site, they are saying that the SBC is guilty of apostasy? What are your thoughts?

Since we have no idea what you are referring to, I don't think anyone can answer definitely. But let me say this, I disagree strongly with some of the positions the SBC has taken in recent years, but I haven't seen anything in the SBC that would come anywhere near apostasy.

[Baptist Believer]

Originally Posted by J.Wayne

Just to be clear, I do not believe what is being said.

That's good, because I suspect it is largely falsehood.

I don't know a lot about a number of the ministries (or frankly, the current day-to-day work of the SBC), so I can't comment much on the very specific criticisms he is making. However, I do know quite a bit about Dallas Willard, his writings, his lectures, and personal conversations with him over the past few years. This "ministry's" Web site has worked very hard to take his words out of context and out of the larger body of his teaching and try to make them mean something they do not mean. For instance, their foundational article on Willard completely misrepresents his emphasis and ignores the massive biblical foundation of his teaching on spiritual formation.

Instead of having respect for Willard's calling to minister to students in secular universities, this "ministry" misrepresents Walter Martin's position on higher education to try to make it sound like a bad thing that Willard is living and teaching the gospel in pagan centers of learning. Then for some reason the Web site finds fault with Willard's belief that Jesus calls the lost to be disciples (that's kind of a big thing in the gospels!). Then, the Web site tries to make Willard sound like he is opposed to the atonement, when he simply wants the Western church to consider all of the different ways that the atonement is explained in the New Testament, not just the substitutionary model.

That Web site is not worth anyone's time or consideration.

[Allan]

Originally Posted by J.Wayne

Just to be clear, I do not believe what is being said. Here is what they are basing their reasons on:

SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION... CROSSOVER ‘08


Apprising Ministries continues looking into Contemplative Mysticism In The Southern Baptist Convention. In that previous post I further shared my concerns that corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) developed in the antibiblical traditions of apostate Roman Catholicism has slithered from its den in Hell further into the supposedly evangelical “Protestant” Southern Baptist Convention of which I am still a part...for now. by Ken Silva

http://www.apprising.org/archives/20...ing_not_r.html





According to the news story “INDY: Fulfilling the Mission” in the Baptist Press (BP):

Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers -- bringing lost souls into God’s Kingdom -- will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention when it convenes June 10-11 at the Indiana Convention Center...

An intensified focus on prayer will be another feature of the convention. In addition to the prayer room, signs will be posted around the convention center to help messengers make a “prayer journey” for the annual meeting. A virtual prayerwalk will be available at www.crossover08.com for people who can’t attend the convention. Information for those interested in volunteering to intercede for the annual meeting is available on that site as well. (Online source)

So here in the words I have highlighted above we have what initially concerned me as one well-versed in the teachings of CSM, and we also have the confirmation that the website Crossover ’08—though maintained by the SCBI—is officially representing the national Southern Baptist Convention. And in another BP story we are told:

This year's prayer emphasis at the Southern Baptist Convention has been boosted by the efforts of Indianapolis-area pastors who have caught a vision of what can happen when people spend more time praying.

I went to the web site and did some reading. You need to leave that site alone is my first piece of advice. He doesn't even understand what much of what he is talking about. He accuses christian brothers of the emerging church movement (though I don't agree with it) to be speaking on behalf of satan (most specifically Brain McLaren). Saying James White is advocating mystisism, the list goes on and on of one who is apparently knows little but speaks much.

No, his information is not only inaccurate and misinformed but extreme and overly biased.

[J.Wayne]

I have no desire to look into that site any further, nor will I return to the so called Christian forum which I was on, and is preaching that the SBC is following and condoning Contemplative Spirituality and Prayer.

I had not seen this anywhere else and was only interested in what others thought about it.

[dan e.]

Originally Posted by J.Wayne

Just to be clear, I do not believe what is being said. Here is what they are basing their reasons on:

SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION... CROSSOVER ‘08


Apprising Ministries continues looking into Contemplative Mysticism In The Southern Baptist Convention. In that previous post I further shared my concerns that corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) developed in the antibiblical traditions of apostate Roman Catholicism has slithered from its den in Hell further into the supposedly evangelical “Protestant” Southern Baptist Convention of which I am still a part...for now. by Ken Silva

http://www.apprising.org/archives/20...ing_not_r.html





According to the news story “INDY: Fulfilling the Mission” in the Baptist Press (BP):

Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers -- bringing lost souls into God’s Kingdom -- will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention when it convenes June 10-11 at the Indiana Convention Center...

An intensified focus on prayer will be another feature of the convention. In addition to the prayer room, signs will be posted around the convention center to help messengers make a “prayer journey” for the annual meeting. A virtual prayerwalk will be available at www.crossover08.com for people who can’t attend the convention. Information for those interested in volunteering to intercede for the annual meeting is available on that site as well. (Online source)

So here in the words I have highlighted above we have what initially concerned me as one well-versed in the teachings of CSM, and we also have the confirmation that the website Crossover ’08—though maintained by the SCBI—is officially representing the national Southern Baptist Convention. And in another BP story we are told:

This year's prayer emphasis at the Southern Baptist Convention has been boosted by the efforts of Indianapolis-area pastors who have caught a vision of what can happen when people spend more time praying.

Oh man, I was a little curious until I saw the source. That site represents Jesus about as much as SFIC drinks alcohol....for those of you that have been familiar with the alcohol threads.

AM is a joke...and the guy on that site is hardly doing ministry IMHO.

[ReformedBaptist]

I think Mr. Silva's concern about Contemplative Spirituality within the SBC is valid.

[ReformedBaptist]

McLaren apparantly endorses the book Silva is criticizing (rightly so) by Steve Chalke in that article "Brian McLaren: Speaking for Satan"

Quoting something from the book, Silva writes,

"In my view, the real problem with penal substitution (a theory rooted in violence and retributive notions of justice) is its incompatibility, at least as currently taught and understood, with any authentically Christian understanding of the character of God or genuinely Christocentric worldview — given, for instance, Jesus own non-violent, ‘do not return evil for evil’, approach to life.”

Apparantly, Chalke views the theology of penal substitution in regards to God the Father as a 'cosmis child abuser.'

Much could be said, but I find no wrong in condemning with the utmost of disgust the kind of statement a Chalke here wrote/said or those who would endorse such heresy.