20th/21st March 2020 Debate on paedo-baptism coming up

[Pergamum]

To be perfectly frank, I always felt (now and as an RB) that much of the activity of Reformed Baptists over the past several decades has seemed like a massive effort to identify themselves over and against Presbyterians (even more specifically, in the model of the OPC).

The formation of ARBCA, the eagerness with which 1689 Federalism was embraced, even the sustained focus on the doctrines of God (which has produced some excellent fruit, I readily admit)... all appear like the outworking of a project, part theological, but perhaps a greater part psychological, to form a distinct identity. Even the now-defunct "Confessing Baptist Podcast" felt a little like it could be re-titled the "We're not Presbyterians and here's why" podcast.

I'm not saying any of these things are bad, necessarily. Only that was the impression I couldn't escape as an RB layman.

I may take some heat for saying this; and please, I'm not trying to cast aspersions on any, some of whom I greatly love and respect. But this impression always nagged at me a bit.

You wrote:

"To be perfectly frank, I always felt (now and as an RB) that much of the activity of Reformed Baptists over the past several decades has seemed like a massive effort to identify themselves over and against Presbyterians (even more specifically, in the model of the OPC)."

Bingo. I have been thinking exactly the same thing, especially in regards to covenant theology.

I just read that the OPC would allow credobaptists as church members (but not as teaching officers), but I don't think most RB churches would allow a paedobaptist into membership (I've seen some require their members to sign off on the 1689 and also a separate church covenant, which seems entirely too strict).

Part of my frustration has also been that I've been overseas working broadly for the Church (that is, the Universal Body of Christ from all denominations) and we focus on broad gospel issues that all true Christians can affirm. Then I return to the US and hear phrases such as, "that is not Reformed Baptist enough" and I see 2ndary doctrines emphasized instead of those broad Gospel themes and missions/evangelism. While I am trying to simply explain the gospel and recruit more workers, churches in the US are holding multiple conferences on very narrow and specific areas of doctrine such as impassibility. I see this as a misplaced priority.

I think many Reformed Baptist Churches are "inward focused" (on its own identity and doctrines and confessional boundaries) instead of being outward-focused (on the dying world).