Association of Reformed Baptist Churches

Hello GB ,
Thank you for your response.
you asked;

The prophets when functioning as prophets received a word from God and had to deliver the message as God spoke it to them. Many times the message was one of judgement to come, or of the need for repentance.
So I see the prophets as unique,as the Apostles were unique.

The link to the article was from the church web site. The Pastor will respond to you if you have a specific question as time permits.
In the meantime GB if you could so i could get to understand your concerns better and seek to address them, if time permits, could you list 5or ten verses, or teachings that you see where you think the "reformed" have not understood correctly. Thank You

 

he did right here on page two,slow down and take time to read and see the verses.
I think you are not understanding what you are reading on page 11.

 

GB....I like that term "Religious Polotician" that puts definition to allot of people I know....not a good one I might add.

 

Touche'

GB....I would assume sir that our Ruiz has the better of you

 

Well GB.....your certainly not like allot of the pompous loud mouths I'm used to!

However Im no preacher & so unless there is an opportunity to make a disciple I'm not going out of my way.

 

When the 'reformation' movement broke out, what they were trying to do was to reform the Catholic church. The problem with this, was that the old RCC could not be reformed, as it was rotten from its inception-her foundation was sand-you can't rebuild a structure built on a bad foundation. Luther never meant to even leave the RCC, but to fix it-which he found couldn't be done.

The problem with 'reformed' churches, is that they each brought a little of mother out with them, which to this day continues to fester in them, and is inexorably drawing them back in.

True Christianity never died, and never needed reforming-people just needed to get out of the false practices, completely, and begin to follow it again.

Sorry, but even Calvin acted like a pope in his personal kingdom, using civil powers to keep the followers in line, punishing severely those who didn't conform to his way of thinking. I have no use for a man's narrow view and neat, tidy doctrines that try to encapsulate the eternal things of God. Calvinism and Arminianism are just man's ways to try and make sense of that which they cannot completely comprehend, and I have little use for either. I'll follow the One that died for me and can take me to heaven.

 

I do not know what point you are trying to make. If you feel insecure because I attacked the idea that you have read little of my side and know little about us, then this does not combat me at one point. Also, if we want to compare academically vigorous material we have read to try to see who is studying more, a debate I think is fruitless, then just remember that on August 20 I completed my third Masters degree. With about 140 post-graduate hours, you are barking up the wrong tree. However, that is not the point I am making nor wish to get into. If you want to compare how many non-reformed books I have read and how many reformed books you have read (I am not sure how many you have there) that is not the point either. Note, my 3rd Masters is from a non-reformed school, I do not think we read very many reformed authors.

Finally, I do not know all these books and you did not list the authors. However, some of these books and authors I know personally, studied under, and would sit down over a cup of coffee to discuss theology. One of your authors was majorly influential in my life and whose discussions helped transform me to become reformed. While he was not reformed, our discussions were enlightening and led me with a greater appreciation for theology and reformed theology.

Could I list all the books I have read? Probably as I have 3 months of vigorous academic work I could call upon. Yet, that is not the purpose. The purpose was combating your ad-hominem attacks, your lack of understanding of reformed theology, and your straw men argumentation. We can get into a "mine is bigger than yours" but that does not prove anything.

Good dialogue void of these attacks is the solution, not how many books you may have read.

 

Oh my....wouldn't it be tragic if either one or both of you dropped dead & left all that studying in the dirt (literally). Then who would pay off all the student loans....hmmmm

 

I took very few student loans for all my years of schooling, most were from my undergraduate work. My last Masters had loans but I was reimbursed after finishing the course, so I really didn't borrow the money for too long.

Except for a small debt that we will eliminate (hopefully soon), I am debt free. My wife has said, "I don't mind you getting degrees as long as we don't go into debt." Well, that is what we have done.

I want to get a Doctorate in Leadership and another in Theology. I would also love to get another Masters in Education and then a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. I doubt I will get all these degrees, but I will get one more.

I love to learn. So, I consider academics a hobby.

 

Get a doctorate, get a job on Wall Street & your fortunes made. Well you will have to make one compromise...ha, ha:thumbs:

 

There was a laddie at college named Breeze,
Weighed down with BA's and BD's,
Said the doctor, "It's plain."
"You are killing yourself by degrees."

Cheers,

Jim

 

Few (not "MANY") ARBCA churches are also SBC.
I was glad to see "church planting" being promoted on its website.
That is certainly more ethical than the "let's just take over existing Baptist churches" tactic often employed by the "Reformed".

 

The "takeover SBC churches" belongs to the IFBs. I can name a dozens in several states...just in the past few years. Reformed folks don't do this. They are more apt to start their own churches.

 

I can name two prominent churches where reformed pastors came in and forcefully tried to move the church in a reformed direction to the determent of the church. Not saying it is a trend as it used to be with IBF's but it is not uncommon.