My Old Baptist forum

[Gord]

I have over the passed few years frequented a couple of Baptist forums. Initially to have contact with fellow Christians and perhaps learn in bible study. This prior to me discovering PB.

I quickly found out that as my doctrinal understanding grew, (as I faithfully iPod Sproul, Piper, and MacArther) every day, that there is just no reasoning with these folks.

When it's not in line with their theology, then it's ME who is not "rightly dividing the word". Yet my source of learning is from the Word, and their is over 100 years of theology experience from my 3 primary preachers, not to mention my extensive electronic library, Grudem, Pink, Spurgeon just to name a very few.

I have deleted the book marks to these sites, but my question is,

"Am I wrong in not defending my faith, surely not that I haven't tried?", as I have made cyber friends with a few of these folks.

[rbcbob]

Originally Posted by Gord

I have deleted the book marks to these sites, but my question is,

"Am I wrong in not defending my faith, surely not that I haven't tried?", as I have made cyber friends with a few of these folks.

Welcome Gord! You probably will have to balance the time and energy that you invest in dialogue with cyber discussions. Help where you can without unnecessary entanglements. If you chase every rabbit that runs down the trail you will overtax yourself.

May the Lord bless you my brother.

[christiana]

I too was involved for some years in 'baptist forum' sites and actively participated in some quite heated discussions there.(different name than here)
Like you I came to see that there was no willingness to explore scripture and to be willing to change when and if the scripture so demanded! They were stuck in their mode and had no interest in change, even when confronted with their error!
What we know now is that our Lord in His providence brought truth to our heart in our coming to learn the doctrines of grace and that we are so blessed that He did so! We now can pray that others also will come to experience the same eye opening, ear opening, heart softening receptive acceptance of His great truth! We have much to be thankful for that we are no longer in that place!!

[baron]

Hello Gord,

As you know we Baptist can be a strange lot at times. You can always keep your cyber friends and having nothing to do with posting. But i think that dealing with people who do not agree theological with you is a hinderance to you. Espically if you post and some one tears you up over it. Some people can do a good job of making fun of your beliefs on the internet. I have found that most of the time you just can't reason with them. So all you can hope for is to agree to disagree. Unless the Lord open's their eyes to the Doctrines of Grace they will be opposed to it. I heard a sermon on Hebrews 12:1-2 do not remember by who and one point they made was sometimes people can be a hinderance to you.

When I'm around certain people they always go out of their way, loudly, to make statement's as you follow John Calvin, you believe in Soverign Grace, and other remarks. I truly love these people, I pray for them but I can not have a decent discussion regarding the scriptures with them. My view and theirs differ quite a bit when I start from a position, that man is dead in sin and they think man is ok he just needs an example to follow. We hold to a higher view of God and a lower view of man, where they hold to a higher view of man and a lower view of God. So I would pray about it and see if you think you can be a help stay, if not I say go.

I will end with one example when I was saved I stopped going out to bars with my friends. We would go out seven nights a week. After I was saved I had no desire to go out any more. My friends were mad and they were still my friends, but we lost contact because we no longer had the same priorities in life. Sometimes we just have to move on.

Hope this has been of help.

[Reformed Thomist]

I have found myself turned off by much of 'Baptist culture', even as it is found among more or less soteriologically Calvinistic Baptist believers (learned 1689'ers, and the 'New Calvinists', I suppose, being exceptions). It's an unwarranted, illegitimate closed-mindedness or fundamentalist anti-intellectualism, which, as you say, can't be reasoned with. Bring up Aquinas's philosophy and automatically you're "in bed with Rome"; remind them that the principle of Sola Scriptura is not that the Bible is the only authority -- period -- for faith and practice (that, rather, it is that the Bible the only infallble authority), and you're some kind of heretic. This is a culture that I could do without.

[Semper Fidelis]

Depends upon what you mean by "defending the faith". The Scriptures don't require you to frequent Internet boards where the convinced exist.

I don't think there's a problem trying to go into other boards to do this but you can also defend the faith in person with the people you meet where you can interact with far fewer objections. The problem with boards that have no set standards for Christian orthodoxy is that anything goes including definitions and it is really hard to communicate when definitions are constantly being equivocated.

[Gord]

All good advice, Thank You.

[Southern Twang]

The current Baptist culture in the United States, at least in the south east region, is very much backwards. I was raised Southern Baptist and attended for a couple of years an Independent Baptist church. Looking back now, as a Reformed Presbyterian, the Baptist culture appears to be impotent with moralistic preaching, without addressing the disease: the utter depravity of man. Couple this with dispensational premillennialism and this is a recipe for disaster. A majority of Baptist churches continue to experience a hangover (to which they cling so dearly to) from the Finney era of incessant alter calls and coaching people into the kingdom.

I wouldn't engage Baptists on a Baptist forum. They'll just feed off each other's ignorance and pride. Face to face would probably yield better results. Both parties will have to willing search out the Scriptures.

[Rangerus]

my experience on the Baptist forum sites is they have such a hodge podge of beliefs it is hard to sort anything out. Half the time I don't even understand what they are talking about. Yes I am Southern Baptist, but hold to a reformed view. We are working on reforming as many SBCer's as time and God allows.

My advice is to not spend a great deal of time "defending your faith" with those who are dead set on error. Instead, let God lead you to divine appointments with the lost.

[Rich Koster]

I usually until I feel

[Grimmson]

Originally Posted by Southern Twang

The current Baptist culture in the United States, at least in the south east region, is very much backwards. I was raised Southern Baptist and attended for a couple of years an Independent Baptist church. Looking back now, as a Reformed Presbyterian, the Baptist culture appears to be impotent with moralistic preaching, without addressing the disease: the utter depravity of man. Couple this with dispensational premillennialism and this is a recipe for disaster. A majority of Baptist churches continue to experience a hangover (to which they cling so dearly to) from the Finney era of incessant alter calls and coaching people into the kingdom.

I wouldn't engage Baptists on a Baptist forum. They'll just feed off each other's ignorance and pride. Face to face would probably yield better results. Both parties will have to willing search out the Scriptures.

being a Baptist there a few things i like to say. First I like to remind people that Finney was a Presbyterian by confession, even though he was not in practice. Second, moralistic preaching is a problem in all denominations, not just baptist churches. This includes Presbyterian churches. When i was attending a Presbyterian church dispensationalism and dispensational premillennialism was actually taught there. So becareful how you lump baptist churches together because they are all over the map just like Presbyterian churches are.

Also am curious would you enage in a coversation with a Baptist in here or in a Baptist string?