Stetzer's Plan for SBC to Join National Association of Evangelicals Rebuffed

Leave it up to the churches -- seems a wise move, and consistent with past practice.

 

Hmm... I've never considered myself or anyone in the historical Baptist movement to be an "evangelical."

Evangelicalism was a term created to distinguish those from mainline churches who still believed in the fundamentals of the faith from the rest of the mainline churches. It had a better sound to the ear than "fundamentalist" since the name had been tarnished in the public mind as someone who is bitter and angry at those who are not in their faction.

Since the Baptist movement did not arise from mainline churches - it began in the Radical Reformation and was quite distinct from the mainline churches which were heirs of the Reformation - Baptists are not evangelicals. The historic Baptist distinctives are also often at odds with mainstream evangelicalism.

However, since the meaning of evangelical has slipped in the popular mind to mean "a conservative that is evangelistic," I can see why some Baptists think they are evangelical. However, I think they are mistaken in either their Baptist identity or evangelical identity.

 

OK, after looking at the member denominations, as a Southern Baptist I must say no thank you to joining the organization.

http://www.nae.net/denominations/

There are denominations in there with critical theological differences, as well as Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations that are really just a trap of the Enemy in terms of doctrine and "Gifts."

 

OK I must remind myself to not sin in my anger. The reason that strikes me as so terrible is that he is talking about denominations that hold onto doctrines that most southern baptists in church would have a very hard time ever accepting as having come from the bible if we brought it up in a small group.

 

I don't have any concerns about your reasoning here, but I think Baptist distinctives are contrary to much of what the NAE represents. I'm happy to find agreement where I can, but I don't like joining institutions where our core convictions are not congruent.