Baptist Heritage May Not Be What You Think

 One of my first experiences in church, once I became an adult was an issue over Baptist heritage. My friend, the man who brought me to a Baptist Church the first time, had loaned me a book by John R. Rice. Rice wasn't a strong Baptist though he was a strong Fundamentalist and thus accepted by the better part of those Fundamental Baptists I was aware of. Rice's book seemed to cast doubt on local church authority which led me to speak to my pastor. After a conversation with him, and reading The Trail of Blood, I became interested in Christian heritage and Baptist heritage in particular.

One of those lessons I learned is that Baptists don't agree on Baptist heritage.

• There are those who believe squarely that Baptists had their beginnings with John Smythe in England in the early 1600's and 
• There are those who believe (as did the author of the trail of Blood) that Baptists trace their roots through Anabaptists to John the Baptist

The two camps tend completely deny the veracity of the other's view. In truth there is some veracity to both schools of thought.

• It is undeniable that some Baptist congregations had their beginning with Smythe but 
• It is equally undeniable that others can trace their roots much further back. It is not an either or situation but a both situation

And herein lies one great rub amongst those who claim the broader title of  Baptists. We keep trying to tie our lineages together when in fact we are two separate systems of spiritual faith as diverse as  Methodists would have been to Presbyterians a century ago. These two schools, even if each claims to be fundamentalist, are unique, diverse, and in very many respects, incompatible.

Notice that I did not say un-christian. I am not advocating that we oppose one another but only that we acknowledge that we are not the same. The distinctives between us are, I believe, important enough to demand that we remain separated lest those distinctives be lost altogether.

• There are distinctives in the ordinances
• There are distinctives in heritage
• There are distinctives in doctrine 
• There are distinctives in emphasis

The melding of our respective camps, whether it be out of a desire to present unity in the world or a misunderstanding of our relationship given we claim the same name, has only served to create

• Confusion among the outside world
• Division within the Baptist community and 
• Compromise of important doctrines

I am thankful for those Baptists who, while being charitable, have begun to call Baptists to separate and identify their family of faith within the broader camp called Baptists.

Marvin McKenzie
In the fields

Less Important Doctrines

In Justin Taylor's blog entitled True Boldness For Christ he uses the term, "less important doctrines."

Honestly, I find this blog good reading. There are some sentiments that ought to be expressed and are helpful. Addressing Edwards warning of the desire to "seek distinction and singularity"is particularly helpful. The power of pride can be so blinding that we may move from the desire to be used of God to the desire to be known among men in a heartbeat, often not recognizing that it has happened and growing defensive when it is pointed out.

But I take exception to the concept that there is such a thing as "less important doctrines." H. Boyce Taylor, in his book, Why Be A Baptist, says, "The doctrines and teachings of the church were given by the Master. They are included in then"all things He commanded." I have no problem claiming that those doctrines that are not in the Bible are lesser doctrines.

• They are the doctrines of men and not of God.
• They then are not merely lesser doctrines but no doctrines at all do far as God's church is concerned.

And here is the gist of the real trouble; Protestants, Reformers, and Catholics compartmentalize doctrine. Some are considered important and cardinal. Some are considered of less importance, allowing for the opinion and doctrine of man to enter in to the church. The Baptist claim is that all things commanded in the Bible are of supreme importance and not one of them is to be set in a lesser position nor should any teaching that is beyond the Bible be viewed as church doctrine.

One could argue that every doctrine than those doctrines concerning our salvation are lesser doctrines." but the argument would be based purely on human reasoning and logic. It makes sense to a man that the most important thing is that a man is saved. But no where does the Word of God give us this leave. Doctrine in the Bible, all doctrine in the Bible, is placed on equal ground. When a man is saved, he is to be baptized, that makes the doctrine of that ordinance vital. After baptism he is to be instructed to observe all things Christ commanded. That makes those all things as important to the work of the church as the message of salvation.

H. Boyce Taylor said, "if you find it in the Bible, it is Baptist doctrine. If you can't find it in the Bible it isn't Baptist doctrine." Perhaps the strongest case in favor of that assertion is that we Baptists don't consider any doctrine of lesser importance.



Marvin McKenzie
In the field

The Surprising Subculture

The Christian (and otherwise) internet is all abuzz ollowing the expose' on 20/20 of the dangerous subculture of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches in America. The expose' was to say the least, biased and sensationalized. This sort of one sided reporting is typical of a media system whose purpose is as much about preaching their own irreligious religion as it is about making money. Little in the system could be considered journalism. They do not mean to tell a story, they mean to interpret it.

Still, that there was a story, speaks volumes that ought to be heard, especially among those who consider themselves to be Independent Fundamental Baptists. Some observations of my own:

As with any honest people, Independent Fundamental Baptists ought to police themselves.
The Scripture gives us instruction to do so. Fundamental Baptists are, like any other human being, human beings. We sin. We have some who do so to extremes. We should not shy away from discipline. The fact is, we are sorely lacking in accountability.

However, discipline was the very thing the expose' "exposed" and denounced.
The whole point was that it is abusive of a Baptist church to expect accountability among its membership. The fact is we could never put into place a system of accountability that is true to the Scripture and pleasing to the world.

As to the denigrating title of "subculture" so what?
Baptist people have always been the smallest number of those professing faith, while at the same time being among the most influential people in the planet. The Ana Baptists' writings and indeed very lives were all but wiped out during the dark ages. Still they kept reaching souls. Luther and Calvin were both influenced to some degree by the Baptists of their day. The bedrock of the faith rests not on the large denominational systems of Catholicism or Protestantism, but upon that almost unknown group of believers whose faith was so despised by the world in their day that they were forced to meet in secret places and were often hunted down in the effort to eradicate them.

I am not a fan of much that is found in Fundamentalism. I do not believe much of it is even Baptist (though it might wear the label). Still I am a believer in fundamental doctrines of the faith and I am convicted as a Baptist. This is the sort of thing that makes the faithful, well, faithful.

Marvin McKenzie
In the field

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