The New Reformers

My dear friend Bob Ross has reacted the same way that I have relative to a recent post in the "Founder's Journal" and its writer, Tom Ascol, and his remarks about "restoring" the gospel in Southern Baptist churches. I had intended to post my own rebuttal to those remarks and I notice that brother Ross beat me to the gun!

Brother Ross wrote:

"WHAT "GOSPEL" NEEDS TO BE "RECOVERED"?"

"I have been seeing comments for quite awhile by some of the Flounders, such as Tom Ascol, about "recovering the gospel." What "gospel" are they talking about? This kind of talk reminds me of some the past self-proclaimed "restorers," "reformers," and "recoverers" who propagandized in the same manner, and they eventually produced sects and cults. For instance -- Alexander Campbell talked about "restoring the gospel." So did Joe Smith and Herbert W. Armstrong. Now we have the Flounders talking along the same lines. I just wonder what they mean by the "gospel"? Are they talking about their little theological theoretical "system," or are they talking about the Gospel of salvation by faith in Christ, as expounded by the Lord in John 3:14-18?"

"If they are referring to the latter, then why are they wasting time and money on promoting anything other than that Gospel? It seems to me that they are more interested in promoting their theological "system" than in promoting the Gospel of Christ. They appear more interested in making proselytes to their theological "system" than they are interested in winning the lost by means of the Gospel of Christ."

"I believe that the best, surest, and most permanent way to fill a place of Worship is to Preach the Gospel, and to preach it in a natural, simple, interesting, earnest way. The gospel itself has a singularly fascinating power about it, and unless impeded by an unworthy delivery, or by some other great evil, it will win its own way. It certainly did so at the first, and what is to hinder it now?" (Emphasis mostly mine)

http://calvinistflyswatter.blogspot.com/

Amen! Bob has surely "hit the nail on the head" with his keen insight and observations.

Here is what Tom Ascol wrote:

"Those who believe the doctrines of grace have reason to be encouraged, and no reason to be complacent. There is a real recovery of the Gospel taking place. Those who are reformed are helping lead the way. We have many reasons to pray and to keep pressing forward in seeking the renewal of existing churches and the planting of new ones. I plan to write more about this in the weeks ahead." Tom

http://www.founders.org/blog/

I left this comment today on the blog. I will be anxious to see what response I get from Tom.

Dear Tom:

"What gospel needs to be "recovered"? Are Southern Baptists, who are not five point Calvinists, not preaching the gospel?

What do you say about what Brother Bob Ross has written about your "pre-faith regeneration" views and your comments here relative to the "reformers" working at "recovering" the gospel among Southern Baptists?

See his writing at the http://www.calvinistflyswatter.blogspot.com/

Mine also at http://www.baptistgadfly.blogspot.com/

Stephen Garrett"

Take it from someone who came out of Hyper Calvinism and Hardshellism, and who is still also a five point Calvinist, that Bob was absolutely correct about these "reformers" resembling the Campbellite, Hardshell, and other "movements" among the Baptists.

Their emphasis on "church planting" is the cover up word for proselyting, after the manner of the Hardshells, for it is their program and agenda to go into Arminian churches and lead off a number who are "converted" to "Calvinism" and who will then form a "church plant." This has been the Hardshell "method" for the past two hundred years and they call it "evangelism." Is this why Southern Seminary invited Hardshell Lasserre Bradley, Jr., to come and visit at the seminary? Is he learning about "church planting" from Bradley? Bradley did the same thing in the 1950's. He took over a Baptist church and began to promote his agenda and it soon led the church to split and Elder Bradley having a new church "planted." Elder Bradley then went to work and began to "plant" other churches in this same manner. Did Reisinger learn from Bradley and the Hardshells? Is Tom taking lessons from Bradley on "church planting"?