Well, the Founders Ministries (Calvinistic Southern Baptists) has put out a short trailer for their upcoming film "By What Standard?" against the Woke Church that probably did more damage to their cause than their enemies ever could have. Now that I've seen the trailer, I sure won't see the finished film.
First, several pastors came out with statements that they were blindsided by the interviews. They thought they were talking about one thing, and then snippets were cut out about another subject. Basically, people were recorded for purposes for which they did not give consent to. If you want to talk about "justice" - you've got to at least act justly while filming about it. "Danny Akin, Jason Keith Allen, Albert Mohler and Adam Greenway featured in a video published by Founders Ministries, have expressed concerns that the edited footage does not accurately portray their views or the views of other Southern Baptists" says the Biblical Recorder.
Second, Founders and ARBCA have had a close relationship.
Third, they posted images of Rachel Denhollander as if she is part of liberal women preachers or were sent by the devil attacking the Church. Lots of people recognized her immediately from the blurred image.
ReligionNews covers this here: https://religionnews.com/2019/07/23...es-merritt-to-trojan-horse-of-social-justice/
"Owen Strachan, associate professor of theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and former president of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, also appears in the video, arguing that “liberal Christianity” is invading the evangelical church and a spiritual battle is underway.
“We are always having the principalities and powers exert pressure on us,” said Strachan.
An image that appears to be of Rachael Denhollander, an abuse activist who spoke at the SBC’s annual meeting, is intercut with Longshore’s comments.
That angered Jacob Denhollander, Rachael’s husband.
He told Ascol and Founders Ministries on Twitter that their use of “my wife’s image in your video and the insinuation that she is part of the principalities and powers attacking the church is cowardly, grossly dishonest, and bearing false witness.”
“Please apologize and stop,” he said."
Then, fourth, when people began to object, numerous folks such as Doug Wilson the heretic and Marcus Pittman (who may have helped film and so has a dog in the fight) responded that not liking the trailer was evidence you were an egalitarian or that you sided with Woke Christianity. Not liking the trailer = you are an SJW. I.e. they were digging in their heels to cover for their shoddy work.
Then, fifth, they finally took out the images of Rachel Denhollander and said it was just an innocent mistake. As if it just fell into that spot in the trailer. Now, most film editors take HOURS to edit even 10 minutes of film. Their excuses just cause me to have more distrust of them.
People often apologize because they are caught; not because they think they are wrong.
Pastor Tom Ascol also recently wrote an article entitled, Southern Baptists, Sexual Abuse, and a far more Serious Problem." In this article, Ascol shifts the argument from the problem of sexual abuse to the problem of unregenerate church membership. This article rubbed me the wrong way.
In the midst of a sexual abuse scandal, the writer changes the topic.
He says, sexual abuse is bad, but even worse is unregenerate church membership and lack of church discipline. We need to discipline more church members.
And then many Reformed Baptists then reshare this blog and say amen. Several folks have reposted this article and then a discussion ensued about how bad the doctrine of most Baptists are.
But, I'd like to point out - in many cases it was perfectly orthodox ministers who were abusing children or tolerating abuse in their churches. And then other pastors covering for him, THAT is, indeed, a doctrinal problem.
What is more, Ascol pushes for more church discipline, but it is not just the members of these churches so much that need to receive more church discipline, as the blog states…it is the leaders! These are largely pastors and youth pastors committing these sexual abuse crimes and covering them up. I am sure all of these abusers can voice very orthodox beliefs and defend their doctrine from the bible. They probably attend church regularly. But they are still abusers.
It is not that the members need to receive harsher discipline, it is that the pastors are often an untouchable elite that do not have to answer for their crimes. They merely hide it and cover for one another as the abusive pastor takes a new church.
The article is a change of subject that diminishes the heinousness of the sexual abuses that have been uncovered in many baptist churches. It's a tone-deaf "whataboutism" at its worst.
CONCLUSION:
The video is bad (at least the trailer).....it is like they are TRYING to make enemies.
I despise the “Wokeism” of the church and affirm that Critical Race Theory is fundamentally Marxist at its core and needs to be fought. As Voddie Baucham said, It is "Ethnic Gnosticism."
BUT,
(1) We need better champions to fight this battle. These guys are flubbing it.
We need men who are not tone-deaf and who have not aligned themselves with dubious pastors who have forsaken justice.
I just don't think the Founders and Tom Ascol are the people to successfully champion this fight.
(2) We need to make sure that addressing sexual abuse in the churches is not lumped into this same “Woke Christianity” that they are fighting against. We must fight for true biblical justice, which means that we address these #churchtoo cases of abuse in churches. Fighting against abuse in churches should NOT be included as part of "Woke Christianity" or women preachers.
This is NOT how to win a war. We need better champions.
First, several pastors came out with statements that they were blindsided by the interviews. They thought they were talking about one thing, and then snippets were cut out about another subject. Basically, people were recorded for purposes for which they did not give consent to. If you want to talk about "justice" - you've got to at least act justly while filming about it. "Danny Akin, Jason Keith Allen, Albert Mohler and Adam Greenway featured in a video published by Founders Ministries, have expressed concerns that the edited footage does not accurately portray their views or the views of other Southern Baptists" says the Biblical Recorder.
Second, Founders and ARBCA have had a close relationship.
Third, they posted images of Rachel Denhollander as if she is part of liberal women preachers or were sent by the devil attacking the Church. Lots of people recognized her immediately from the blurred image.
ReligionNews covers this here: https://religionnews.com/2019/07/23...es-merritt-to-trojan-horse-of-social-justice/
"Owen Strachan, associate professor of theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and former president of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, also appears in the video, arguing that “liberal Christianity” is invading the evangelical church and a spiritual battle is underway.
“We are always having the principalities and powers exert pressure on us,” said Strachan.
An image that appears to be of Rachael Denhollander, an abuse activist who spoke at the SBC’s annual meeting, is intercut with Longshore’s comments.
That angered Jacob Denhollander, Rachael’s husband.
He told Ascol and Founders Ministries on Twitter that their use of “my wife’s image in your video and the insinuation that she is part of the principalities and powers attacking the church is cowardly, grossly dishonest, and bearing false witness.”
“Please apologize and stop,” he said."
Then, fourth, when people began to object, numerous folks such as Doug Wilson the heretic and Marcus Pittman (who may have helped film and so has a dog in the fight) responded that not liking the trailer was evidence you were an egalitarian or that you sided with Woke Christianity. Not liking the trailer = you are an SJW. I.e. they were digging in their heels to cover for their shoddy work.
Then, fifth, they finally took out the images of Rachel Denhollander and said it was just an innocent mistake. As if it just fell into that spot in the trailer. Now, most film editors take HOURS to edit even 10 minutes of film. Their excuses just cause me to have more distrust of them.
People often apologize because they are caught; not because they think they are wrong.
Pastor Tom Ascol also recently wrote an article entitled, Southern Baptists, Sexual Abuse, and a far more Serious Problem." In this article, Ascol shifts the argument from the problem of sexual abuse to the problem of unregenerate church membership. This article rubbed me the wrong way.
In the midst of a sexual abuse scandal, the writer changes the topic.
He says, sexual abuse is bad, but even worse is unregenerate church membership and lack of church discipline. We need to discipline more church members.
And then many Reformed Baptists then reshare this blog and say amen. Several folks have reposted this article and then a discussion ensued about how bad the doctrine of most Baptists are.
But, I'd like to point out - in many cases it was perfectly orthodox ministers who were abusing children or tolerating abuse in their churches. And then other pastors covering for him, THAT is, indeed, a doctrinal problem.
What is more, Ascol pushes for more church discipline, but it is not just the members of these churches so much that need to receive more church discipline, as the blog states…it is the leaders! These are largely pastors and youth pastors committing these sexual abuse crimes and covering them up. I am sure all of these abusers can voice very orthodox beliefs and defend their doctrine from the bible. They probably attend church regularly. But they are still abusers.
It is not that the members need to receive harsher discipline, it is that the pastors are often an untouchable elite that do not have to answer for their crimes. They merely hide it and cover for one another as the abusive pastor takes a new church.
The article is a change of subject that diminishes the heinousness of the sexual abuses that have been uncovered in many baptist churches. It's a tone-deaf "whataboutism" at its worst.
CONCLUSION:
The video is bad (at least the trailer).....it is like they are TRYING to make enemies.
I despise the “Wokeism” of the church and affirm that Critical Race Theory is fundamentally Marxist at its core and needs to be fought. As Voddie Baucham said, It is "Ethnic Gnosticism."
BUT,
(1) We need better champions to fight this battle. These guys are flubbing it.
We need men who are not tone-deaf and who have not aligned themselves with dubious pastors who have forsaken justice.
I just don't think the Founders and Tom Ascol are the people to successfully champion this fight.
(2) We need to make sure that addressing sexual abuse in the churches is not lumped into this same “Woke Christianity” that they are fighting against. We must fight for true biblical justice, which means that we address these #churchtoo cases of abuse in churches. Fighting against abuse in churches should NOT be included as part of "Woke Christianity" or women preachers.
This is NOT how to win a war. We need better champions.
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