I think some in my denomination have lost their minds. Either that or the marbles are dribbling out of their ear lobes one by one. I can say this because I am a Baptist but not the type you may be used to. Here’s what I’m talking about in particular. A recent AP article out of San Antonio summarizes the mood of the Southern Baptist Convention’s feeling that speaking in tongues, a mostly Pentecostal tradition which is spreading across all denominational lines, should be denounced as a practice and that “seminaries and other agencies should set standards preventing the hiring of people who advocate speaking in tongues.” Clue #1. This position is a direct conradiction of I Corinthians 12:10.

So much for de-emphasing denominationalism and emphasing Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It’s exactly these types of irrelevant, inane and assinine, discussions that are the likely reasons people are leaving the Baptist church if it truly is an issue as the story claims. If population loss really is a problem then it’s these backwards attitudes about scripture that are the cause. On the other hand if your church is becoming more “Baptecostal”, then Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! By the way, this same ignorance mentioned in the AP story is spoken of in reference to prophecy and women preachers in the Baptist church. Maybe I’ll deal with that later though.

Anyway, the Bible makes it clear that all gifts are relevant and none of them were limited to a particular place, person or time period in history (Romans 12:6) which is what some Baptists seem to believe. Apparently some extremely hard core Baptists really can’t deal with the freedom that God actually offers to everyone to minister and yes, even pastor. Let’s also remember fellow Christians that I Corinthians 7:7 tells us that all gifts are relevant and no one believer is blessed by God to have them all. If it’s not yours, don’t worry about it! It doesn’t make it illegitimate just because the Good Lord hasn’t ingrained a particular thing into your spirit.

How in the world can you pretend to limit God’s gifts and say that they only served a limited purpose and time period anyway? Read all of I Corinthians chapter 12 for proper reference. Again, I say that some are going way overboard with doctrinal disputations. Sure, Paul spoke about pure doctrine to Timothy and Titus but he also wrote in Romans 14:1 about not getting hung up on disputable matters. When you look at things in total scriptural context I  think this qualifies as a childish, disputable matter.

Now, of course I grew up in a Baptist church that has had female preachers for more than thirty years. I got married in another Baptist church which has emphasized and encouraged all the fruits of the Spirit specifically because the Baptists have wrongfully de-emphasized and not taught fully and truthfully and properly about the Holy Spirit. We’re good on Father and Son, but the Holy Spirit is way too mystical and emotional for us brainy, too-darn-intelligent-for-our-own-spiritual good Baptists. So much for actually being true to the trinity.

Again, I’m qualified to criticize because I am one. But I’m only Baptist for the sake of familiarity not for some sense of doctrinal or denominational loyalty. I just know what to expect in a typical Baptist church and that’s good enough for me. My only doctrine is the Bible itself though. The fact that we parse the parts that we want to - specifically going against the scripture’s admonition not to add or subtract from it - invalidates the silly arguments.

So Baptists, when are you going to get over yourselves and let God move the way He wants too move and not only in the ways you feel like letting Him do it? I welcome comments from all Christians on this one but since I’ve hurled the accusation against the Baptists and thrown down the gauntlet against the conservative branch this one is for you. Give me a shout and let’s deal with it.

Martin