The Courage Of Your Faith – Page 2

Calvinist or Arminian…Particular or General…

While this new faith, derogatorily referred to as Baptist, found unity in persecution, its adherents soon began to take issue with each other. One of the first points of debate was whether salvation was a free choice or was it limited to those whom God chose. General Baptists held the former position; Particular Baptists the latter. This subject often led to heated debates. I wonder if these Baptists ever looked forward to the future time when Baptists would finally settle this matter. Surely time would clarify the waters!

In the late 1630’s, while Colonel John and Lady Lucy Hutchinson became Particular Baptists, many common folk were becoming General Baptists. Did you ever stop to ask yourself why the elite who converted to the Baptist way of thinking would tend toward Particular Baptist teachings while the common man would tend toward General?

Abstract of Systematic Theology by James Boyce

While today “the World” lies open at our fingertips, in 1979 our small town in Colorado was more concerned with local issues than problems outside of our community; denominational arguments did not concern our small Baptist church. When one retired member, who had gone to the mission field as a volunteer, wanted to attend the 1979 Convention in Houston, Texas, we all voted to send her; no one had ever asked to attend the Convention before. She wanted to go because of the rising debate over the literal interpretation of scripture. Even though she tried to explain the issues, most of us had no idea what was happening and really didn’t care much! That was the year conservatives in the Southern Baptist Convention organized and put into action a plan to placed conservatives into key positions within the denomination.

In 1993, our daughter and her husband attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. They arrived on campus at the very end of the conservative transition and saw the emotions that stirred those in the faculty affected by the changes. The period from 1979 until the early 90’s saw a big change in our denomination. In the early years, “The Abstract of Systematic Theology” by James Boyce was given out to students who would accept it. A conservative document, it swayed many of its readers. It is available on the Internet today.

Would You Die For The Bible?

In 1555, at the age of 19, William Hunter was burned at the stake for believing he had the right to determine what he believed to be true. In “The Martyrs,” he is given a copy of the Bible written in English, one that he can understand. It answers his questions and gives him the strength to face what will be coming. It became the most relevant book in shaping his life. Others thought the Word was only correctly understood by those who had been trained. How relevant is God’s Word to you? Would you be willing to give your life for a conviction that the Bible’s truths belong to you? You can view a PPT slide show here including pictures of a monument to William Hunter.

Believer Baptism–A Break From Tradition

In1608, a small group of English “non-conformists” went to the Netherlands to spend time discerning God’s will for their lives. After searching the scriptures, debating key issues, and discussing with other believers, this group, now led by Thomas Helwys, determined a list of basic beliefs. These were compiled into the Helwys Confession of 1611. One point addressed Baptism.

That baptism or washing with water is the outward manifestation of dying unto sin, and walking in newness of life. And therefore in to wise appertains to infants.

To state that Baptism was only to be performed on believers was a BIG break from tradition. And then, as a further affront to the establishment, the mode soon changed from sprinkling to immersion. Baptism, being the most outwardly visible manifestation of their new beliefs, became the focal point for persecution. Roger Richards in his book The History of Southern Baptists, mentions that “Baptists felt the heavy hand of persecution, not only from Anglicans but from other groups as well…” [p 20, ebook] In England, in the 1640’s, Colonel John Hutchinson and his wife Lucy, after reading Baptist literature, began to question infant baptism. The fact that she was with pregnant at the time raised the importance of that issue in her mind. Ultimately, they turned from tradition, choosing to follow Baptist teachings. They were rejected by friends; he lost his position and died in prison.

Have People Whispered as They Pass You?

When Sandy and I had the opportunity to visit Beijing, China, in 2009, how could we not take a side trip to Tengchow, in the Shantung province, where Lotti Moon was a missionary! The residents probably looked at us in much the same way as they did Lotti in the 1870’s. However, while we stayed but a day, she made that province her home.

As our cab driver drives us from the airport to Lotti’s church (his church), he shares with us his testimony. In his visor, he carries a tract. On the seat beside him sits a Bible. In the glove compartment is a hymnal. Bro. Wong listens to Christian tapes and sings in the church choir. He asks us to pray for his daughter who faces university level decisions that will impact her future…which we do. When we ask him if people in Tengchow still know who Lotti Moon was, he replies that EVERYONE in Tengchow knows her. He continues to talk of her as if she is an active member of their church.

As of 2009, Lotti’s church in Tengchow had 1000 members. This growing fellowship required construction of a new building next to the original. The pastor was at a conference where ministers from the area addressed how to handle the volume of converts. By some estimates China is experiencing 400000 converts each week. This equals their birthrate. Twelve thousand people are entering the ministry each year which presents an education issue.

Lotti Moon is still having quite an impact in Tengchow; her story is one of service, commitment, sacrifice, and exhortation to greater involvement in missions.

You can view and download pictures of our trip and Lotti’s life. This is web page in Power Point format. The PPT file can be downloaded. A shorter version can be found here.

Slavery Divides Baptists

In the Baptist Beacon, I found the following summary. “In 1785 the Baptist General Committee of Virginia pronounced slavery ‘contrary to the word of God.’ Two years later the Ketockton Association called it ‘a breach of divine law.’ In 1790 the General Committee of Virginia adopted a statement calling slavery ‘a violent deprivation of the rights of nature, and inconsistent with a republican government; and therefore (we) recommend it to our brethren to make use of every legal measure, to extirpate the horrid evil from the land.’ By 1840 Northern Baptists and Southern Baptists disagreed over the issue with the southerners supporting the institution of slavery. Virginia Baptists called Baptists of the south to a meeting in Georgia…. Since 1845 we were no longer just ‘Baptists’ but ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern Baptists’.”

Corporate views changed dramatically in the south during the first half of the 19th century. As Baptists in the south dealt with the issue of slavery, some no doubt wavered in their acceptance of the practice when confronted face to face with its reality. Can people be property? How would you have reacted to a socially accepted belief (some arguments for slavery can be found here) when your personal experience called it into question? The short story at “The Southern Baptists” addresses just such a personal dilemma.

So, what’s a Gowan Pamphlet?

“The Slaves” is the ninth segment in The Courage of Your Faith series. The historical setting for this study is Virginia after the Revolutionary War. While researching topics for this series, I came across an article that mentioned a Gowan Pamphet. Now, what was a Gowan Pamphlet, I wondered. It turns out it’s a “he.” Gowan Pamphlet was a black slave in Williamsburg who pastored its first Baptist church. It was made up of, by some estimates, 600 free and slave blacks. Under his leadership, the African Church (as it was known) was accepted into the Dover Association in 1783. While in Williamsburg, we spent some time tracking down one of the possible early sites for the church. You can find an online slide show including a possible location of “Raccoon Chase” here.

See more at “The Courage of Your Faith.” “The Courage of Your Faith” consists of 12 short stories from our history and 12 Bible Studies on issues as relevant today as they were in the past. Each study includes supplemental information and a Power Point slide presentation.

All documents can be downloaded at no charge from the web site. The short stories have been compiled into one eBook which is downloadable from both Barnes & Noble and Amazon for a small fee. A link now appears at the top of this email for those who wish to be added to this mailing list. Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might be interested. They can then add their name to receive future updates. Have fun.

Impact After the Revolution

“The Revolutionaries” is the seventh segment in The Courage of Your Faith series. What is meant by separation of church and state? What implications does that have today?

After the Revolutionary War, states faced the need to set up their own governments. Most leaders felt a Christian population was required for good government. Men like Patrick Henry wanted the new Virginia government to impose a tax that would be distributed to all teachers of the Christian religion. This bill would have passed had Baptists not opposed it, taking the stand that a separation of church and state was required.

This idea was so important to them that Baptist John Leland had a “secret” meeting with James Madison concerning the new Constitution of the United States. It was held east of the City of Orange. Baptists would not support the new Constitution unless there was an amendment guaranteeing separation of church and state. Without Baptist support, Madison would not be sent to the Constitutional Convention from Virginia. If Virginia had not voted to accept the Constitution, other states would have followed suit. And the United States would have never have been. A park commemorates this meeting. In the park is a monument to Leland and Madison. The words on the monument are here.

First Battle of the American Revolution

“The Separates” is the seventh segment in The Courage of Your Faith series. Alamance was a southern battle over taxes fought by mostly Baptist and Quaker farmers against the British supported governor. Unless you are from the south, you probably have not even heard about this battle or about the Regulators. In southern states in 1770, taxation was based on a set fee for land given to the settler. However, the governor could change it. And the tax collectors could extract more for themselves. Furthermore, taxes often had a way of disappearing once collected.

The Battle of Alamance (see pictures of the battlefield here) was fought in 1771 and is commemorated by a number of monuments in the field where, by some accounts, 3700 Regulators confronted Governor Tryon’s militia of 1500 men. The Regulators came to Alamance expecting the Governor to accede to their demands for fair taxation. When that did not happen and weapons were fired, most of the Quakers left; they hadn’t even brought guns. Baptists, on the other hand, came prepared for a hunt; they had guns but not enough rounds to finish a battle. In the end the Regulators lost. Dissatisfied and angry with England, farmers emigrated from the area, seeding the South with resentment toward the British and those that supported them.

See more at “The Courage of Your Faith,” this month featuring “The Separates.”

All documents can be downloaded at no charge from the web site. The short stories have been compiled into one eBook which is downloadable from both Barnes & Noble and Amazon for a small fee.

Impact of the First Great Awakening on Baptists

“The Evangelists” is the sixth segment in The Courage of Your Faith series. At the start of the 18^th century, Baptists were a minority in the New World. By 1750, they had grown to become a spiritual force of great influence. Why? Here is perhaps one reason. “The pioneer spirit combined with the movement of God’s Spirit in the first Great Awakening to produce massive growth of Baptists in New England, the Middle Colonies, and particularly the South.” [Nettles, Tom, The Baptists, Volume 2, p.49] Our Lord was doing something remarkable in the New World, and Baptists had become an integral part of it.

See more at “The Courage of Your Faith,” this month featuring “The Evangelists.”

The short stories have been compiled into one eBook which is downloadable from both Barnes & Noble and Amazon for a small fee.