Santiago
Puritan Board Freshman
When my wife and were preparing to move to Vancouver, WA, I tried to find a Reformed Baptist congregation. I only found one, but it was very small and had virtually no children. We then tried a dispensational Baptist church but we were told we could not become members or ever hold positions because we are amillennial and could not sign their declaration of faith and state that we are in full agreement with its mandatory premillennial declaration (apparently not being a premillennial is heresy these days in most Baptist circles). We ended up joining a non-denominational (Baptist-light) dispensational congregation. My daughter loves it and its the first time she can’t wait to go to church each week (she’s now 5- my son is still a toddler). I spoke with the pastor early on and he said this difference did not involve essentials of Christian faith so we could just state our differences and still become full members. I was later asked to be the junior high Sunday School teacher. Then I was asked to be an elder. The committee selecting the elder candidates probed into my doctrinal beliefs and didn’t feel that it disqualified me to be a spiritual leader. But, I feel strongly about not causing dissension or confusion (it is a young church- 10 years old- and most of the congregation are very new in the faith and coming out of Catholicism so they are easily confused). The pastor is careful to agree that other eschatological views are valid in his teaching but doesn’t go into them (understandably). But, my students ask a lot of questions that are answered very differently from reformed vs. dispensational perspectives- particularly relating the OT and NT. I’m trying to respect the beliefs of their parents but feel a little guilty that I am planting reformed seeds of thought in my teaching. When I provide sermons to the congregation, I try very hard to stay on neutral ground. I am finding all of this exhausting. The pastor and fellow elders respect me and say that they have no doubt I did a lot of deep study over the years to be where I am now (since they know I was raised Dispensational) but never ask the “why” question. Should I continue this balancing act as a teacher or step down? Ironically, I don’t feel the same level of strain as an elder. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk