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

The Gold's Up Higher

Psalms 119:127 KJV

Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

Our recent family vacation was spent in Winthrop, WA and the Methow Valley, the heart of Washington gold country. Even now hobbyists and more serious prospectors are bringing gold out of "them thar hills!"

Thanks to Bohannan, my oldest son, we got a small taste of gold prospecting while we were there. Placer gold is that which is scattered down a river stream by the current of the water. It's recovered either by panning or dredging the gold river's bottom and running it through a sluice to sift out the gold from other sediment.

Here's the applicable part for us; since the gold is scattered down the river through the current it stands to reason that the farther you get from the source, the smaller will be the pieces of gold. There are huge amounts of gold all the way down to the ocean, but it's so fine it is almost impossible to sift out. If you want the bigger pieces, you have to go up river, high into the mountains where the nuggets that are too heavy to be carried away in the current are deposited.

Of course, the higher in the mountains a person is, the greater are the hardships of being there.

The same is true in the spiritual life. The greatest treasures of Christianity can only be gleaned by being very close to the Lord. The problem is, it's a challenge to get there and once there you'll find that the world will bring hardships upon you.

Paul said any sufferings he endured in those higher elevations of the spiritual life could not be compared to the glory which would be revealed in him in heaven.

The gold that's available from a close walk with God is obvious worth the hardships of that spiritual life.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Vacation and Services

I didn't grow up going on a lot of vacations per se. My dad was a professional rodeo cowboy and we went somewhere almost every weekend. Often if we weren't staying in the camper at a rodeo arena we were camping in it at a lake, fishing trout in the early mornings.

In my earlier years of ministry I modeled my family off times more like how I grew up. We didn't ever take a vacation as in a week or two unplugged and away. We did travel almost every month to a preachers' fellowship meeting and we always turned some portion of that trip into an adventure for our kids. We also camped a lot as Oregon's largest state park is just outside of Astoria, where we lived in the earliest days of our ministry.

Things changed when we moved twelve years ago to Puyallup. Bible Baptist offered a vacation package as a part of my benefits so we began modeling our down time a little more like how my wife grew up.

The first year was two full weeks out camping. We decided that was much too long. The next year was a week long trip to Lake Louise, Canada. It was a bit hurried, but the most significant challenge was attending church. We attended a good church Sunday morning and headed into Canada thinking we could find a church to attend where ever we stopped for the night. We stopped early on purpose so we could get cleaned up from traveling in time for church. What we found was that no church in town held a Sunday night service. I was even willing to attend an Episcopalian service if necessary. No open church whatsoever.

The next several years were no better. We went on an Alaska cruise one year. The timing was such that we left after the morning service so we missed church that evening and there was not church in Skagway, where we spent Wednesday so we missed that service too. Apparently a lot of preachers have no problem missing services to go on a cruise because a lot of them recommend cruising.

Another year we planned to take a train from Seattle to New York and back. I made reservations for a sleeper car. The whole vacation was going to be the train. Just ride it to New York and back (taking different routes each way). My (by then) adult children and their wives drove us to the train station. On the way one asked where we would stop for church. It was not until then that I realized that we would not be able to attend a single church service the entire way. My kids tried to justify their parents' lack of church that week but by the time we arrived at the train station I had come to the conclusion that I could not set that example for my kids. I canceled our trip and ate the cost.

This year we secluded ourselves in the North Cascade Mountains no more than one and a half hours from four Baptist Churches of like faith and practice. Still trouble attending church. It turned out that 

• One is a church plant and does not yet have mid week services. 
• Another advertised just a children's outreach for the mid-week (turns out their web site needs a little updating. They did have a preaching service on Wednesday.) 
• Another held their mid week service on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. I know that many do Thursday instead.

Here is the thing, it's just about impossible to go on vacation and be faithful to worship in God's house. Oh, sure, almost every town has something that looks like a church but those with a little biblical discernment know that most things men call church are just that, called of men and not the Lord. Trouble is that some who have the Lord's authority are shirking their obligations. Church needs to be 

• On a consistent time
• Well advertised and 
• Faithfully executed

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Compromise Is Always Loss

I admit it; I have been a "gadget junky" ever since 1992, when I got my first computer. It wasn't that long after I got my first cell phone and, Brother, I was hooked. I resist buying the latest and greatest, and I avoid updating software like the plague. But still, I enjoy the gadgets and many times have found them to be helpful to my ministry. I had a PDA early on in their history and remember telling my wife not would be wonderful if the engineers would design and cell phone/PDA in one gadget. When the smart phone came out I was early on the bandwagon. And I learned very early that those smartphones could be used for other things, like reading books. In the early days I found books posted on a website and read them right off the Site. Not long after my phone had the capability to read books in pdf format. Very shortly thereafter my phone was capable of reading almost any electronic book. And I used it for that.

It was a natural then, for me to become interested in the electronic readers like Kindle and Ipad. The first Kindle I purchased was actually a gift for my oldest son. At the time I bought the second one for my second born son, I was still reading with my smartphone. Two more e-readers and my wife and one daughter in law were equipped. Me? Still using my phone. Then it was my turn. I purchased an Ipad which I have thoroughly enjoyed. But there have been new gadgets to explore. I watched the gadget world after the Kindle Fire came out until I was able to buy a refurbished one for a discounted price. It has become my typical nightstand reader, replacing first my phone and then my Ipad.

I now find myself packing not one but three electronic gadgets. My problem is that each of the three does something so much better than the other two that, to give up any one of the three would mean to compromise some functionality.

My smartphone does the most.

Frankly, it comes the closest to being the go to gadget of the three. If I could only have one it would be the phone. But it is just too small for Web research and reading for an extended period.

The Ipad is a good research tool.

However it has no phone capability and it would be a catastrophe to give it that function. Also it's virtual keyboard is clumsy to me. It's just a little too big for regular use. I much prefer the thumbs only virtual keyboard on my phone. The Ipad is also large enough that it becomes uncomfortable to read with it for any length of time.

My Kindle Fire is an ideal reader.

I do not like it as a Web research tool, I hate its virtual keyboard, but for reading books, especially in Kindle's proprietary format, it is hands down the machine I like to grab.

To do without any one of them would be to compromise.

Here is the problem; compromise in its basest form, is always a loss. I know our government glories in the art of compromise but compromise means something is always lost. Washington sacrifices pork spending to pass a bill that one side of the house believes is essential. In order to get the legislative, executive and judicial branches to cooperate, many times the thing they cooperate on has been so watered down with compromise that it is in effect, ineffective. Compromise always means loss.

And when that compromise happens with eternal things the loss is very often of eternal consequence. God's Word gives us no room for compromise.

• We are either saved God's way or we are hell bound
• We are either at peace with God or we are at enmity
• We are either preaching truth or we are preaching heresy
• We are either walking with the Lord or we are apostate

There is no reasonable compromise between the gospel of works and the gospel of grace. The only option the Bible believer has is to contend for the truth as he sees it in the Word of God. He may stand alone. His might be few in number. But to compromise to gain a larger following or more acceptance among the religious crowds is to suffer loss of doctrinal integrity.

Compromise always means loss.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Courageous

I guess I am behind the times a bit. I just watched the film "Courageous" for the first time. I can see why so many have spoken highly of it.

• The acting and production has improved dramatically from "Flywheel."
• The story is compelling and emotional
• The conclusion is powerful and convicting.

It was a pleasure to watch.

That said, there were some things in the show that a Christian ought to give second thought to. This show claims a Christian message. For that reason it must be held to a higher standard than other things a person might watch. As much as the "message" of the show is preached, so too are some more subtle "mini messages" that we might not even be aware were preached.

First there was the issue of allowing a nine year old daughter to attend a party where there would be dancing. The daughter wants Dad to teach her to dance and the clear message is that he should have done it. I understand that Baptists are about the only people in the world who are opposed to dancing. But we have good biblical reason.

• The music is sensual and worldly.
• The context of dancing is sexual in nature.
• Those dances that involve an embrace are in direct violation of the Bible[1]
• The atmosphere of the dance hall is wicked.
• The conclusion of a dance is nearly always (especially in the heart of the worldly male) to find someplace to consummate what was acted out on the floor

This film's not so subtle approval of Christians dancing is an enemy of the cross.

Second there is a prosperity theology message promoted in the film. I commend the film for encouraging men to work and I certainly commend the film for encouraging workers to be honest. But Javier's story is the opposite of the message of the Christian classic "In His Steps" by Charles Shelton where the character does the right thing and losses his job because of it. The message of this film is that if we will do the right thing, God will reward us with a promotion and more money. That flies in the face of those millions of Christians of the past who did the right thing and we're burned at the stake or torn to pieces by wild animals. Where was God for them?

It might seem like a trivial complaint but as a preacher I deal with the consequences of this false doctrine regularly. Americans have been led to believe that if they become Christians and obey the Bible they

• Will get raises at work
• Own the best houses and
• Raise the happiest families.

But that isn't the message of the Bible and years of reality have now led to a generation of people who do not trust Christianity because the (false) message of prosperity hasn't come to pass so they won't listen to the (true) message of salvation.

The movie is good. I do not deny that it is compelling and mostly clean. But the messages under the message are dangerous and Christians ought to take heed.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

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[1] 1 Corinthians 7:1

Hate Crimes

There has been much to do of late concerning the Fundamentalists' hatred of homosexuals. I want to go on record that I do not hate them.

• I do not wish anyone to be executed
• I do not wish anyone to be placed in prison
• I do not wish anyone to be persecuted

I will go on record as being appalled by the outlandish sentiments of those preachers recently cited as urging the above upon people in the homosexual community (I did note that among those cited were people of other than Independent Fundamental Baptists, though one of them was.)

I am certain there is much better preaching than the kind of preaching that incites people to hysteria over their pet peeves. It's pretty easy to get people stirred up over things that appeal to their sense of culture. Too much preaching serves no real purpose but to please the listener. To what value is it to preach to a room full of non homosexuals that you think that all homosexuals should be executed? Those in the room have no authority to practice your message and presumably have no need of repenting of the sin being preached against.

But it is not hateful to preach what the Bible says and the Bible does say that homosexuality is sin. The lifestyle is contrary to nature and to the purpose for which God has created us.

• To urge a congregation to practice the Word of God
• To encourage people to obey all of the Word of God
• To enlist a congregation to pray for those who are involved in a non biblical lifestyle

That is not hatred.

Those who have wrongly applied the Christian message have incited a different kind of hatred than against homosexuals; they have stirred up the hatred of those non Fundamentalist Christians against not just Fundamentalists but everyone they choose to label as Fundamentalists. Several articles and blog pieces have suggested that Fundamentalism will soon be illegal because of the kinds of sermons they have cited in the last few days. Here is the thing; Bible believing Christianity has been illegal for the better part of Christian history. To be sure, there has been a long history now of a particular form of Christianity that has wielded popularity and politic power, but a good part of those who have claimed to be Christians have always been

• Hated,
• Imprisoned
• Persecuted and even
• Executed

by both the non Christian and the established kind of Christian world. Such attacks upon Fundamentalism will not stop it or change it; it will just refine and define who in it really is Fundamental.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Only Church

I have a friend who is struggling in his work today and it is because, though his work is a ministry, it is a ministry that is necessarily outside of a local church and thus requires an organization other than a local church in which to function. Such organizations exist and in some cases, with good reason and I believe a degree of justification:

• Many missions fields are closed to those who are not a part of an agency
• Colleges, in order to provide a well rounded education, need teachers whose experience is beyond one local church (even those churches who have college ministries use pastors from other churches or at the very least, recruit students from other churches)
• Preachers need some means of fellowship among each other for encouragement, support and perhaps a work larger than themselves

But here is the problem and here is where my friend's trouble comes in, invariably these non church organizations begin applying Biblical mandates that have only Scriptural authority to the church upon those who are a part of their organization. They assume that what is true for the church is true for their organization too. They begin thinking of themselves as God thinks of His church. They begin making expectations of those who are in their organization that only their local church ought to expect.

And very frequently (and I think the worse thing about them is that ) these expectations create a conflict for their associates between their local church and the organization. The organization demands loyalty to it even above their local church. The non church organization begins to, in effect, usurp authority over that person's local church.

I do not believe the problem is answered in those ministries that are under the authority of a local church large enough to house a nationwide or worldwide effort because in every case, those ministries usurp authority over those smaller churches that cooperate with them, in effect creating something worse than a para church organization; an ecclesiastical hierarchy. The answer is a call to arms. the answer is a reminder that we are soldiers and our enemy is our own flesh. The answer is to constantly and continually mortify the tendency of self to demand loyalty to anything other than that thing God has created, which is the independent, local (and I am convinced) Baptist Church.

To expect and demand a Christian's loyalty to anything other is to pressure them into idolatry.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields