God At Work in the SBC?

Well, I've been writing on everyone else's blog about the issues going on at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with the semi-censoring of chapel speaker and SWBTS Trustee Dwight McKissic. So, I'd thought I'd write here. To catch you up, the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Dallas Morning News, and Ethics Daily have good summations of the event if you are not familiar with what happened (thanks Dorcas!).

Basically, Dr. McKissic, an African American pastor of a large baptist church in Texas, expressed a view that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues, are for today. Wade Burleson has the text of his sermon on his blog (8/30). After preaching this message, Paige Patterson, the president of Southwestern, gave instructions that it was not to be placed on the seminary website, as is the normal procedure. The SWBTS press release is HERE explaining why.  Marty Duren and Art Rogers both hosted Dr. McKissic's response.

The blogosphere erupted with this Tuesday afternoon, and I have little to add to the discussion that has not already been said. I mostly comment on SBC stuff elsewhere so that I can use my blog for other things, but I thought it was important to bring this up. Here's what I said over at Art Roger's blog:

O.K. I'm going to stake out a position here. I'm going to write it here and on other blogs. I'm going to post on it myself: This is beyond ridiculous, and I am not overreacting or ranting and raving. I am very calm.

We had a sitting trustee of a theological institution share his position on a disputable matter of scripture, of which there is much evidence to back his position. He has been effectively censored. We aren't talking heresy. We are talking about theological debate. Not only have we narrowed the parameters of cooperation, but we have silenced any debate whatsoever. We now can't even talk about a position that is different from the status quo.

Do you not see where we are? In my opinion, Southwestern, on this day, has ceased to be a learning instituion. Paige Patterson should be disciplined by the Board of Trustees, if not removed. We are not talking about a heretical position! We are talking about differing views that are not tolerated.

. . . .  Southwestern is not a local church. It is a seminary where we are to learn to study scripture and come to conclusions based on an honest wrestling with the Word of God. If you can't even have a discussion on an issue, then how is learning to take place?Again, we are not talking about liberalism.

We are talking about a difference in interpretation of the inerrant Word of God.

This is as dark a day as when the policies were adopted at the IMB. Darker even, because we have the flagship SBC seminary saying that we can't even talk about any view but the status quo.

They should have broadcast the message and Patterson could have answered. Or, they could have had a debate. At least then people could learn and make up their own minds. Wow. Just wow.

My personal view is that all the gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues, are for today. That is called the continualist position. Dr. Patterson at Southwestern holds the cessationist position, meaning some, if not all of the miraculous gifts have ceased. No matter your position, there should be room for both viewpoints in SBC life. To semi-censor someone and then to say that his views are dangerous for the churches, is very wrong in my opinion. They could have just put up a disclaimer that said that the SWBTS administration does not necessarily endorse all of the views presented. How can you learn if you are not allowed to have discussions and hear differing views? I am not talking about heretical or divergent views. Rather, I am talking about views on the Christian life and Scripture that have a great deal of Biblical basis. Dr. Patterson, obviously, would like to remove this perspective from Southern Baptist life. That is the goal of the trustees of the IMB as well. I don't think I'm going to go along with them on that one.

So, where do I see God at work? There's been more talk about the Holy Spirit in Baptist life over the past year than ever. People are talking and praying. People are stepping up to be involved and to say "no" to unbiblical behavior that stifles dissent. I think that God is using this to draw us closer to Him and to bring up things that have been holding us back for years. Believe it or not, I think that God is using this to expose what lies behind the motives of people. He's working.

The question is, "Will we work with Him, or get in the way?" We need to make sure that we conduct ourselves with Christian love, even when we are stating strong positions. We need to be full of faith that God can do anything. We need to be open to the working of His Spirit. Truth should be more important than personalities. Yeah, I'm confident that God is at work. Are you?

Comments

[John Stickley]

Am I confident that God is at work?

Do you want the one word answer, or the two word answer?

"Yes!", and "ABSOLUTELY YES!"

I appreciate the stand you've taken on this Alan.

[Bryan Riley]

Alan, sigh, my heart is breaking! I am thankful to God for you and your ministry. He is moving in you mightily and it is precious to see. Keep fixing your eyes on Him and don't sink into the waves and the sea. Of course gifts still exist. God is the same today as he was then. I see no limits to His power and am thankful that He is infinite and personal.

[Rob Slagle]

Alan,

I have benefitted and enjoyed your summer teaching series on the Person and Power of the Holy Spirit. I have learned more through that series and in other small groups this year about the Holy Spirit and I could only wish that I had sat under those teachings earlier in my walk with Christ. Keep on keeping on with your stance on this issue and others that narrow cooperation in our convention.

[Paul Burleson]

Alan,

You are rapidly becoming as clear a sound for sense and scripture as there is on the bloggs. You are being remembered regularly in prayer by many of us who read with relish what you say. Blessings.

Paul Burleson

[Bowden McElroy]

Alan,

Let me, just for grins, take a stab at an alternative perspective.
1) Dr. Patterson is under fire for dwindling enrollment of full-time students.
2) He took a stand that will increase his standing among a specific group within his target market.
3) He is able to sell lots of cd's of a sermon that would have otherwise been given away.
4) Therefore, what looks like brash and insensitive censorship is, in fact, a brilliant marketing strategy worthy of P.T. Barnum!

On a serious note, the most offense part of the SWBTS press release was the idea that he was protecting the masses from dangerous ideas. I wish I could believe that was simply rhetoric; but I suspect he really believes we can't think for ourselves and need protection. I'm far more offended by the paternalistic attitude than by "censorship".

[Bob Cleveland]

God at work?

He told Habakkuuk that HE was raising up Babylon to come visiting and exact a little corrective action in Israel's midst.

He swatted Ananias and Sapphira when they played games with the accounting system.

He sent an evil spirit to trouble King Saul when he got too big for his britches.

He gave Nebuchadnezzar an appetite for grass when he didn't want one.

This is no namby-pamby God we serve, and when He's had enough of some folly or other in the Body of Christ,, He's going to take some action.

I think the time is here.

[Paul]

Yes, Alan, God is at work. In Scripture the results of that work are often not what his people expected nor what they desired. The outcome of his work in the SBC is yet to be seen, which is why staying close to him during these times is vital. Thanks for your part in calling us to stick to him like flypaper!

[Phil Hoover]

So God the Holy Spirit has actually showed up at Southwestern Seminary...

Miracles do still happen!

Great blog by the way, brother!

[Phil Hoover]

Of course Alan, we can believe that "miracles" have ceased, indeed.

Until we need God to perform one on our behalf.

[Wayne(IN HIS NAME)]

Alan,
God is with you in a mighty way and I want to share this with you. I had wished to have Dorcas start a contest, of which Blogger showed the most Grace and Love for the Lord. There are many Bloggers that would qualify for this contest. I see the Heart's of many Bloggers, I don't see the Heart of some Bloggers. But you stand out in front of the many I have seen with the Love of the Lord and with wisdom that I know pleases the Lord. Now there is a lot of wisdom coming from fellow Bloggers and I think they would all agree. If not they can e-mail me or tell my Pastor that he has a nut in his congregation. I love all of you fellow Bloggers and especially Missionaries.
I am Praying for you and Yours.

A Brother in Christ for Truth

[Keith Lucas]

This is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. It amazes me that people of faith in general and especially people of faith in power can ever try to put limitations on God. Sure, there are many who have made this particular subject a hard one to discuss at best but again that is a man thing and we are talking about a God thing. God chooses to work as God chooses not as we choose to have him work. It doesn't matter if you believe or not whether all the gifts are at work. God is God regardless. Praise God it is not up to me. This appears once again to be another example of what we as Christians have decided the church and God must be. Again, God is God regardless of what we try to make the church. Thank you for your word Alan and stay focused on Christ. I appreciate your heart and love you and your family.

[Todd Nelson]

Alan, thanks for staking out such a biblical and wisely expressed position. I'm one of many who stand with you.

I'm a SWBTS grad (PhD in missiology, 1994; MDiv, 1986), and a reject of the IMB in 1994 because of alleged "Pentecostal" theology. But I'm right where you are, and Dwight McKissic is, in my openness to the Holy Spirit. Like Dwight, I do have a private prayer language. I asked for and received it from the Lord in 1993. But it's not something I advertise or make a big deal of.

Because of the current IMB stance against PPL and other spiritual gifts, I've been serving outside SBC circles since 1998. I'm more hopeful now, though, that this issue is coming to the forefront. I pray that the SBC will make room for the continualist position. I appreciate my SBC heritage (150+ years in my family line) which gave me a grounding in the Word and a passion for missions. It grieves me deeply to be on the "outside" looking in. But now I hope that my generation can also be open to the power of the Holy Spirit and expect Him to operate in the same ways He worked in the book of Acts. Don't we need all His gifts for missions and ministry, just like the first believers did? I know that I do here in Malaysia where I've seen the Lord heal people dramatically and where I've exercized his authority to cast out demons. I know SBC missionaries who have done the same but can't talk about it at home for fear of scandalizing the churches. Maybe that will change one day. Knowing the denominational powers-that-be, however, and reading some blog comments, I'm afraid it's going to be a long hard road. Nevertheless, with God all things are possible!

Blessings, brother,
Todd Nelson
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

[Alan Cross]

Thank you, Todd, and everyone else who commented. I have the same prayers. I pray that we will be open to God's work and not try and control things so that they fit within our perspective. We are limited. I pray that the things we read about in Scripture would not just be words on a page, but a living experience with which we bring glory to God. I believe that's how God intended it. I can work with others who do not have the same view, because my focus is always on Christ and His Cross. But, it seems that the cessationists are not willing to work with us. Therefore, this has, I guess, become a hill on which to die for me. I'll post on this again later in the week. I am thinking through the implications.