Revival Day 3

We had our last revival service on last Friday. Min DeSean preached and LAGMWA Youth Choir sung. The service was good but long. Praise and worship went for about 20 minutes and 15 minutes of it was preaching from the worship leader. We didn't come ahead after expenses but I thank my friend Lamont Bradley for trying to help us is in reaching our goal.

This weekend I reflected over the three days of service and became a little offended by some of the comments that were made about our Baptist denomination. Statements like:

- "I'm tired of Baptist preachers not believing in women pastors."
- "If you want something done ask a woman and I'll get done."
- "Baptist denomination don't believe in bishops."
- "I'll say what I want and if don't get invited back so what."
- "The hell with what you think about me." This was said in the midst of a sermon.

The list can go on and on. I'm offended because many people who are not a part of the baptist denomination have no clue what we believe as a denomination. Many comments towards the baptist denomination are assumptions and not fact. So I thought it would be good idea to do a little apologetics in this blog to combat some of these comments:

- "I'm tired of Baptist preachers not believing in women pastors/preachers." - This statement is not new. It's been a statement of debate across the land for decades. When I first started my pastorate at First Goodwill, I preached a sermon of 1 Timothy chapter 2:11-15 which says - Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. I titled the message: "The Battle of the Sexes". The whole point of the message is that the fight over the role of women and men in the church is from a lack of understanding of God's design for man and woman. We must understand the equality of man and woman. In simple terms, man is not better than woman nor is a woman better than a man. Both are equal with two different roles, male headship and female helpship (yes, I made up a word). Understanding our roles in God's creative order will help us understand God's design in the church. Paul's point in this passage is to stress God's creative design for men and women in the church not who's better at a particular function in the church.

- "Baptist denomination don't believe in bishops." - I'm not sure where this comment came from in the opening statements of the preacher. He used 1 Timothy 3 verse 1 which says "If a man desires the office of bishop, he desires a good work." The preacher's statement during the revival was clearly that of scratching the surface without any detail study. Paul is not establishing a system of hiearchy in the church. The office of bishop is the office of pastor, elder, and shepherd. Hiearchy systems is denominational not biblical. I don't have a problem with a denominational practice of an hiearchy system, however, I do have a problem with everyone wanting to carry the title of bishop. Pastors/teachers are gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:11).

- "I'll say what I want and if I don't get invited back so what." - "The hell with what you think about me." - These two statements are nothing more than statements to twigger emotional outburst. It's what I call arousology (making a statement to arouse people's emotions). True biblical preaching does not demand fancy statements. Biblical preaching demands accurate interpretation of the text to challenge our thinking and lifestyles. Biblical preaching will twigger our emotions based on the truth of the text and nothing else. I also believe that there should reverance and respect during the preaching event and for the people to whom we preach. That's why I write a manuscript because it makes me think about I'm saying before I say it.

A friend of mine asked me a few years ago: "Are liberal or conservative in your theology?" I thought about it for a moment and responded; "I'm not sure." But now, I think, I'm more conservative because holding and preaching biblical truth makes you take a conservative position on important issues.