Birmingham site of first of four regional New Baptist Covenant meetings

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) -- Planners of a Jan. 31 gathering of diverse Baptist groups hope a national mood set by the election of America's first African-American president will spill over into renewed relationships between black and white Baptists.

"We are very excited in this time of a new atmosphere in the entire country to do some work to bring together a larger sense of the Baptist family," said Gary Furr, co-chairman of a steering committee planning the first of a series of regional gatherings of an interracial network known as the New Baptist Covenant.


The rest of the story is at http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3793&Itemid=53

 

Who or what is whitey? Last time I remember hearing that was years ago and it was a derogatory term with racial over tones used by a non-Christian.

From what I read at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/whitey it still seems to hold the same meaning.

 

It would be one thing if I told lies about the SBC but quite another when it is reported publically by them whuich you could very easily find for yourself. What you said is not so much of a matter of offense to me. The only way it is an offense to me is when I share my faith with non-Christians and they comment about someone who names the name of Christ using the same langauge as those who profane the name of Christ and use coarse language. I do not find that kind of language very becoming of a pastor. Course language should not be found among any Christian and especially a leader. If you use that kind of derogatory slang language in public what kind of talk do you use in private?

 

Do you care to know the truth?

 

Why would you encourage one who uses disparaging and offensive slang language?

 

What proof do you have of your statement?

 

Remember who thought they were God's people but Jesus knew better. They were the "conservative" group of the day. Being unbiblical is never good. However they have always been around. Jesus dealt with them. I pastored a church where there was a past history just before I came where some of the leaders (who were on the state SBC church growth board) and some of those same leaders of the church would invite the Mormon bishop to preach. Among liberal and conservative groups are those who would would not past the test of a genuine Christian. It would not take much effort to just go back a few years in Baptist history to realize that what many believed at one time we would just shake our heads at in disbelief at what was preached then.

 

I take the position that a liberal is one who does not believe the word of God. A real liberal is also a practical atheist who looks just like one who does not make disciples. I find them among pastors and leaders in so many different kinds of churches. They might preach the right stuff but are practical atheists. They do not fear God.

When I consider James 1:22 and compare that to the state of many churches and their leaders today, I find most deluded. That is an example of a true liberal/practical atheist. If you saw what I saw in some large businesses among some "conservative" customers who are leaders in churches you would claim they are not Christians. I had a man call me who is not a Christian asking me to finish building his home because another contractor cheated him. I had things about the contractor before. The owner showed me the proof. That contractor was a major leader in a conservative church. I told two of the pastor about it and not one thing was done about the issue. I found out later that one of the elders was cheated by the man and nothing was done. That is liberal.

 

It is not just about practicing what we preach. It is more than that. It is about practicing what God commands. It is hard to effectively preach something we are not doing. I do not believe for one minute that the real issue is intellectual liberalism verses intellectual conservatism. One man told me it is like this: they lie in the same bed just on opposite ends. In many ways they are just alike. The real issue is genuine Christianity. I really do not think the majority of Christians know what it is nor have they experienced it. Too much of Christianity has been made out to be coming to church and making others feel good. The proof of a theology is found in the practice of its followers. A few years ago Henry Blackaby spoke about theological conservatism and practical atheism being found in the same people. For many years now there have Baptists who have come forward and warned of this. The response to them has been little to nothing. When we have churches who are not keeping up with at least the population growth percentage that tells me the families are not even reaching their own children.

If one hides their faith (whether it be liberal or conservative) under a bushel what differences does that make? The real difference it makes is that young people who are serious do not want any part of it and see it as a poor example. Those who are not serious see it as people who are fooled into believing something that is not real or something people are following blindly and they do not have a brain. They realize that what they see is not "it". In my younger years by the time I reached 13 what I saw I concluded as religious nonsense. I was not even a Christian and used those terms to describe what I saw. When I became a Christian I still saw much of the same thing in another denomination/convention among those who claim to follow Christ. Yes there are those who are doing the job of making disciples and it is obvious. When was the last time you knew about a pastor search committee asking about the disciples a prospective pastor has made? We have a lot of good orators who were in pulpits recently and crashed. Out those how many of them were making disciples?

Personally I agree with little of what the religious politicians teach and preach. When I consider what James, Mt 28:19, 20, and Heb. 13:7 teaches I fail to see many of them doing what God requires in making disciples and living the Christian life. If we are not making disciples then we are making babies, keeping house, and cleaning a building. The proof of a leader's ministry is found in the disciples he makes. When I hear noise from leaders and do not see that person making disciples as an effective leader then I seriously question those who listen to them and their ability to lead as Jesus called them to lead.

Out of my ignorance in my younger years and struggling with learning to make disciples I asked some of the leaders I met what they were doing to make disciples. Almost everyone gave me the same answer. It was obvious that most were uncomfortable with me asking about that. Some were making disciples and it was great to be encouraged by them.

It is not about practicing what we preach. It is more than that. It is about practicing what God commands. It is hard to effectively preach something we are not doing. I do not believe for one minute that the real issue is intellectual liberalism verses intellectual conservatism. One man told me it is like this: they lie in the same bed just on opposite ends. In many ways they are just alike. The real issue is genuine Christianity. I really do not think the majority of Christians know what it is nor have they experienced it. Too much of Christianity has been made out to be coming to church and making others feel good. The proof of a theology is found in the practice of its followers. A few years ago Henry Blackaby spoke about theological conservatism and practical atheism being found in the same people. For many years now there have Baptists who have come forward and warned of this. The response to them has been little to nothing. When we have churches who are not keeping up with at least the population growth percentage that tells me the families are not even reaching their own children.

If one hides their faith (whether it be liberal or conservative) under a bushel what differences does that make? The real difference it makes is that young people who are serious do not want any part of it and see it as a poor example. Those who are not serious see it as people who are fooled into believing something that is not real or something people are following blindly and they do not have a brain. They realize that what they see is not "it". In my younger years by the time I reached 13 what I saw I concluded as religious nonsense. I was not even a Christian and used those terms to describe what I saw. When I became a Christian I still saw much of the same thing in another denomination/convention among those who claim to follow Christ. Yes there are those who are doing the job of making disciples and it is obvious. When was the last time you knew about a pastor search committee asking about the disciples a prospective pastor has made? We have a lot of good orators who were in pulpits recently and crashed. Out those how many of them were making disciples?

Personally I agree with little of what the religious politicians teach and preach. When I consider what James, Mt 28:19, 20, and Heb. 13:7 teaches I fail to see many of them doing what God requires in making disciples and living the Christian life. If we are not making disciples then we are making babies, keeping house, and cleaning a building. The proof of a leader's ministry is found in the disciples he makes. When I hear noise from leaders and do not see that person making disciples as an effective leader then I seriously question those who listen to them and their ability to lead as Jesus called them to lead.

Out of my ignorance in my younger years and struggling with learning to make disciples I asked some of the leaders I met what they were doing to make disciples. Almost everyone gave me the same answer. It was obvious that most were uncomfortable with me asking about that. Some were making disciples and it was great to be encouraged by them.