The BP journalist appears to have directly spoken with only, Dr. Al Mohler, Dr. Danny Akin, and Marty King.  The rest of her sources were from written statements sent to her or blogs on the Internet.

Dr. Ed Stetzer’s blog is quoted in the BP article and he charges Harris with falling into the trap of using Calvinism as “the new Baptist bogeyman”

Marty King is quoted concerning the Gospel Project when he charges that Harris gave “false accusations without offering any evidence of their truthfulness.”

Mike Ebert, Vice President of Public Relations at NAMB, charges the Georgia Editor with “long on suspicion and innuendo but short on facts.” He goes on to relate Harris’ article with evoking the “McCarthyism of the 1950′s.”

Dr. Danny Akin is quoted that Harris, like all people, need revival from following his carnal heart in his assessment of Calvinism. Akin precludes that observation by saying; “I would respectfully disagree with him and others that evangelical Calvinism is a threat to the health and future of the SBC.”

Dr. Al Mohler took exception to the Georgia Editor’s analysis the New Calvinism coming out of SBTS was different from that of its founder James Betigru Boyce.  Mohler even appears to have moved the theological standard from scripture to a man-made confession in his response.  Mohler says;

“The theological standard at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is the Baptist Faith & Message and the Abstract of Principles, upon which the institution was founded, and on which the first signature is that of James Petigru Boyce.”

Well, it appears that those who so eagerly responded to Dr. Harris’ article may now begin penning their public apology.  Why? Enter Louisiana College (LC)!!

LC has clearly become the bastion for New Calvinism in their religion Department and The Caskey School of Divinity. According to Dr. Aguillard’s From the Presidents Pen Calvinism has become the theology advocated at LC. Just a few examples:

• Dr. Aguillard is not renewing a number of professor’s contracts and it appears it is due to their Calvinist theological positions.  While the President seemingly is taking a position against Calvinist doctrines there is one question that remains.  How did the Calvinists get in place at LC without the knowledge of the President? There have been numerous opportunities for Dr. Aguillard to see his theological faculty were Calvinists. If Dr. Aguillard were really as concerned about Calvinism as he claims then one phone call to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) would have stopped the hiring of Dr. Charles Quarles. Everyone knew Dr. Quarles was Calvinistic in his theology, but while at NOBTS he never was an evangelist for Calvinism. While I do not understand Dr. Aguillard’s naivety, it proves the T-U-L-I-P bulbs were planted that would allow Calvinism to run rampant under his administration.
• Dr. Jason Meyer, received his PhD. from SBTS under the tutelage of Dr. Thomas Schreiner, was Dean of Chapel and Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek at LC (2006-2009) He has succeeded John Piper as Teaching Pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, the bastion of New Calvinism.
• Dr. Kevin McFadden, Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Ph.D. There he was under the tutelage of Dr. Thomas Schreiner.
• Dr. Ryan Lister, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; M-Div., Ph. D, His Ph.D was under the tutelage of Dr. Thomas Schreiner and Dr. Bruce Ware.

Thus, the evidence is in; clearly New Calvinism has been grafted into the fabric of the Caskey Divinity School and the T-U-L-I-P bulbs grew into full bloom at a school whose funding comes from a non-Calvinist convention.

Many New Calvinists argue there is no desire to hurt the SBC and its various entities and this New Calvinism is not something about which we need to worry.  Well, it appears that New Calvinism has encroached into LC and the President claims ignorance until he heard LC was “Geneva on the Red.”

However, if one reads Dr. Aguillard’s interview one will find that he doesn’t know the difference in Hyper-Calvinism and Calvinism.  The President issued an open letter to all of the LC Community and stated:  “a fight over our College’s identity with respect to Calvinism” as one issue that has been the most challenging of his eight-year tenure. However, he proceeds to position himself after the theological stance of late Dr. Adrian Rogers concerning Calvinism. The President of LC says concerning Dr. Rogers’ booklet Predestined to Hell Absolutely Not! “This is the “certain sound” that continues to represent my position as President of Louisiana College regarding Calvinism.”[Emphasis in Original] Dr. Aguillard—that booklet is not about Hyper-Calvinism

To his credit Dr. Aguillard affirms his love for Calvinists but also affirms that “does not constitute our approval of its being advocated at Louisiana College.” Dr. Aguillard not only clearly sounds an alarm in his article, but he points to one who came before him in the Southern Baptist Convention that left no doubt where he stood on the issue of Calvinism—the late Dr. Adrian Rogers.

One more item of concern found in Dr. Aguillard’s open statement.  It seems that New Calvinism did not begin in the last couple of years as a source of concern for the LC community.

Back in 2005, according to the questions the Presidential Search Committee asked, New Calvinism began to creep into the life of the Louisiana Convention.  Certainly, many times we hear of questions that are asked certain candidates but to ask a question on “whether Regeneration comes before or after salvation?” It is clear from the question that LC Trustees were concerned they did not want their community to be inundated with Calvinism.  They desire, like the rest of the SBC desires, that New Calvinism not be an issue raised by Calvinism evangelists.

Non-Calvinists do not like footing the bills for a theology that is contrary to what they believe.  How does one raise the issue of New Calvinism in the SBC?  The same way it has become an issue at LC and that it is the purpose for the President’s open letter to the community–refusing to own the label of “Calvinist”.

Dr. Aguillard said in his interview:

“Every faculty that I have interviewed including every religious studies professor has affirmed to me that they do not accept the label of Calvinist, every one of them.”

It seems New Calvinism imbedded itself at LC the same way New Calvinist pastors imbed themselves in a non-Calvinist church—a stealth-like manner.  Anything that disagrees with the philosophy of Calvinism is labeled heresy. The New Calvinist pastor refuses to call himself a Calvinist, but pushes the “Reformed” position in such a way as to make it sound like it is the only Biblical theology. Just look at the push back from the New Calvinists over the Traditional Statement.  It isn’t that the statement is heretical and outside of orthodoxy, but that it is an understanding of guilt that falls outside of an Augustinian and Calvinistic system. Another example was Dr Al Mohler in a Gospel Coalition interview expressing Calvinism was the only theology that maintained the inerrancy of Scripture.

Don’t get me wrong these New Calvinists will not always use the term “Calvinist” because of its obvious twist.  The student defenders of New Calvinism at LC go as far to say they have never heard “Calvinism mentioned” in any religion class.  They may not have heard the term “Calvinism”, however, they have heard words like “Reformed” “Genevanism” and others that do not raise the eyebrows of unsuspecting people.

Baptists in general want to trust those we place in leadership.  Our default position should be that of trust.  However, when words and actions do not align it is time to begin asking questions and calling for answers. When answers are not given then the default position of most Baptists becomes one of suspicion. The only way to remove the suspicion is to sound clear clarion call and for a clear response to be given.

Dr. Aguillard, while I am not certain about his motives, has sounded an alarm and is leading Louisiana Baptists in taking this stand. This move by the LC President has given credence to others who have been sounding the call that New Calvinism is an issue in the SBC.

Now we eagerly await an apology to come to Dr. Gerald Harris from those that have stated there is not an issue with Calvinism in the convention.  Of course, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

When March comes around I look forward to attending this conference at North Metro First Baptist Church, Atlanta.  What a great line-up of speakers.  Notice the mix of young and older men of the faith.  Not only that but notice the scholarship that is representative.  One thing I appreciate about Dr. Vines conference’s is that he mixes scholarship with the passion of preaching.  Not one of these speakers will deliver “a talk”.  These speakers will be bringing the Word of God from a heart of passion for the Word they are delivering.

SBC Predictions–We have seen much in the past that really is shocking and some other things that is not so shocking.

• Fred Luter will be re-elected in Houston. I know that was easy but I have to start with something that is a sure thing.
• Dr. Al Mohler will either be the main author or a co-author of the statement that will come from the Page Commission on Calvinism.  Dr. Mohler will be the wordsmith of that document whether he is the the author or co-author.  His wording will be in such a way that double-speak will prevail.  Wordsmiths work in ways they can use one word that many believe it means one thing but the wordsmith is using it with his/her own meaning in mind.  Thus, it appears the wordsmith is saying what we believe but when one investigates it becomes apparent the wordsmith is saying something completely different.
• CJ Maheney and Sovereign Grace Ministries will become the church planting catalyst for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  While SGM has moved their headquarters to Louisville they will become tightly connected with SBTS.  How tightly connected? Their headquarters is less than eight (8) miles from the SBTS campus. However, Maheney first went to Capitol Hill Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. Mark Dever. After some time there, and during Dever’s tenure as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at SBTS, SGM moved the ministry to Louisville as Dr. Mohler publicly affirmed the ministry of Maheney who was under investigation.  Maheney announced that SBTS was one of the major reasons he moved SGM to Louisville.  Dr. Dever no longer serves on the Board of Trustees at SBTS but his Executive Pastor does.  Therefore, as 9Marks is the featured conference at SBTS this year it is only a matter of time before we see SGM becoming the church planting group affirmed, promoted, and aggressively connecting SBTS graduates.  Then NAMB will be within their parameters to say they are funding only Southern Baptist church planters.
• The SBC meeting in Houston will be a calm convention.  It is not as much that people are in agreement with what is happening but it is they are afraid to speak up about what they see happening.
• State Conventions will begin to pull away from the SBC.  I believe 2013 will be the year we start to see state conventions begin using more of their own networking resources to keep more funds in the state.  While many churches begin cutting back on their CP giving they will begin moving those funds to more locally based ministries.
• Dr. Russell Moore will be the candidate presented by the search committee as the next president of the ERLC. Dr. Moore is an excellent choice for this position and he certainly has the experience, academic vitae, and political connections to fill the position.  However, we will see the galvanizing of the SBC with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary model.  Dr. Mohler has become the Duke McCall of the conservative SBC.
• The Calvinist pendulum will begin to swing back from a Calvinist leaning theological perspective. We will begin to see the theological pendulum swing back to a more Baptist Theological perspective.  Being Baptist is more than just Baptizing by immersion and we will see this pendulum swing by watching leaders begin quoting non-Calvinists more than they quote hard-line Calvinists.

National Political Predictions

• We will run over the edge of the fiscal cliff. While they may find ways to kick the decision down the road, we will eventually run over the cliff.
• Obama will be impeached over the Benghazi issue.  We will see another issue like former President Clinton where the House of Representatives impeaches him but the Senate doesn’t.
• Boehner will not be re-elected as Speaker of the House. I will agree with you that this is a long shot.  However, from what I am seeing in the lay of the land he does not have the support of the House of Representatives.  He could not even get Plan “B” through his Republican controlled House.  This is a serious issue for the Speaker of the House.
• Right to Life and the Homosexual issue will be a battle ground for the Republican Party. Many Republicans are pushing for these to moral issues to be quieted among the Republicans.  This will be a huge battle that may end up splitting the party.

At Random Picks

• Dave Miller will be run for 1st Vice President.  Miller’s run for 2ndVP was orchestrated by the collaboration of denominational leaders and they may feel he will be another great patsy for them.
• C.B. Scott will move from being an Alabama Football fan to being a Georgia Bulldogs fan.  While he loves Sabanation his new position may cause heartburn for him as he visits Georgia churches.  One thing about Georgia Baptists, they do love the Lord Jesus Christ, but they also love football.
• Wes Kenney will be called up to the big leagues.  That is right he has worked many years in the minors and this is the year he gets noticed.
• Bart Barber will be nominated by Wade Burleson for 2nd Vice President in Houston.
• Emir Caner, current president of Truett-McConnell College, will shave then grow another beard, then shave, then grow another beard–during the month of January.
• Anthony Allen, current president of Hannibal-LaGrange University, will celebrate, all year long, Duke’s first bowl appearance since 1995.  Though Duke lost the Belk Bowl that will not deter Anthony’s celebration.  The last time Duke won a Bowl Game was the 1961 Cotton Bowl when Duke beat Arkansas.
• Bob Hadley will drive in the Daytona 500.  That is, he will be one of the drivers that drives the trucks that the Sprint Car drivers ride in the back of during Driver introductions.
• Robin Foster will leave Immanuel Baptist in Perkins, Oklahoma and begin a new ministry in his home state of Arkansas. I am cheating a little on this one because on 1/6/2013 Robin begins his new ministry at Russellville’s Second Baptist Church.

Well, there you have them.  Some serious, some not so serious and some just plain out guessing.  I do pray that 2013 will be a great year for Southern Baptists and I pray that God will pour out his blessings on all who read this article.

For Immediate Release: November 19, 2012
Media Contact: Emily Hardman, ehardman@becketfund.org, 202.349.7224

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, a federal court denied a request to halt enforcement of the abortion pill mandate which forces the Christian-owned-and-operated Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., to providethe “morning after pill” and “week after pill” in their health insurance plan, or face crippling fines up to $1.3 million dollars per day.

“We disagree with this decision and we will immediately appeal it,” says Kyle Duncan, General Counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.  “Every American, including family business owners like the Greens, should be free to live and do business according to their religious beliefs.  The Green family needs relief now and we will seek it immediately from the federal appeals court in Denver.”

The court did not question that the Green family has sincere religious beliefs forbidding them from participating in abortion.  The court ruled, however, that those beliefs were only “indirectly” burdened by the mandate’s requirement that they provide free coverage for specific, abortion-inducing drugs in Hobby Lobby’s self-funded insurance plan.

Founded in an Oklahoma City garage in 1972, the Green family has grown Hobby Lobby from one 300-square-foot retail space into more than 500 stores in 41 states.  “It is by God’s grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured,” said David Green, Founder and CEO.  “Therefore we seek to honor God by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles.”

Hobby Lobby is the largest and first non-Catholic-owned business to file a lawsuit against the HHS mandate.  The Green family has no moral objection to the use of preventive contraceptives and will continue covering preventive contraceptives for its employees. However, the Green family’s religious convictions prohibit them from providing or paying for the abortion-inducing drugs, the “morning after” and “week after” pills, which would violate their most deeply held religious belief that life begins at conception.

The business’s lawsuit acts to preserve its right to carry out its mission free from government coercion.

There are now 40 separate lawsuits challenging the HHS mandate, which is a regulation under the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”).  The Becket Fund led the charge against the unconstitutional HHS mandate, and along with Hobby Lobby represents: Wheaton College, East Texas Baptist University, Houston Baptist University, Belmont Abbey College, Colorado Christian University, the Eternal Word Television Network, and Ave Maria University.

While I am not interested in allowing a Donald Trump to make the decisions of the country, I feel we are witnessing a huge socialization of America.  If a company decides it is not going to provide a service for its employees let the public decide about the goods and services of the company.  It is funny that pro-choice leaders want to limit the choices of others.

A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO
By David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn’t much bigger than most people’s living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God’s word. From there,Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation’s largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.

We’re Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I’ve always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God’s laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that’s what we’ve tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week’s biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God’s grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We’ve not only added jobs in a weak economy, we’ve raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.

But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don’t pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don’t cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.

Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that’s raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It’s not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it’s the same for everybody. But that’s not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won’t exempt them for reasons of religious belief.

So, Hobby Lobby and my family are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don’t like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.

My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is goinmake that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that’s a choice no American and no American business should have to make.
The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.

Since you will not see this covered in any of the liberal media, pass this on to all your contacts.

Sincerely,
David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.”

The lawsuit filed by Hobby Lobby claims that it will cost $1.3 million per day if they do not comply with the federal regulations. How, you may ask, do those in the evangelical community respond to this stalwart leadership? Well, it seems that a group of pastors decided they needed to collect 80,000 signatures to present to Hobby Lobby asking the company to drop their lawsuit.  Instead of encouraging them for their stand, the very ones that should be encouraging them are discouraging the company.  And we wonder why we have the mess we have in America today.  It is because we have Pastors that will not heed Isaiah 5:19-21.  They are wolves in sheep clothing and they are calling evil good.

OKLAHOMA CITY — A Church of the Nazarene Reverend is speaking out against the Hobby Lobby lawsuit filed recently in protest of a new law requiring companies to provide coverage for controversial contraception prescriptions.

Church of the Nazarene Reverend Lance Schmitz was asked to leave the Hobby Lobby corporation headquarters campus Thursday as he was trying to deliver a packet of petition signatures.

Reverend Schmitz, and 80,000 other Americans, have signed a petition requesting Hobby Lobby drop the lawsuit they filed against the federal government earlier this month.

Petitioners are calling on the company to not use their Christian faith as an excuse to do harm to women’s health.

In their ongoing lawsuit Hobby Lobby has asked the federal government for an exception to the Affordable Health Care Act so that the $3 billion dollar arts and craft giant would not have to pay the $1.3 million a day fine for failing to provide coverage of two kinds of prescription contraception.

“We’re asking them to drop their lawsuit because they’re stating that this medication causes abortions, and the simple fact of the matter is that it does not. It’s contraceptive coverage. When you increase access to contraception you decrease abortions, and no one’s really against that.” said Reverend Schmitz.

Hobby Lobby owner David Green said has always provided daily contraception coverage for the company’s employees.

The Green family filed the lawsuit because they oppose a requirement to provide coverage for two controversial types of contraception: the morning after pill and the week after pill.

“Our family is now being forced to choose between following the laws of the land that we love or maintain the religious beliefs that have made our business successful.” said Hobby Lobby owner, David Green, during a conference call earlier in September.

Reverend Schmitz and 80,000 Americans who signed the petition believe allowing a religious exception for Hobby Lobby will erode valuable health care protection for  women.

“My decision to do this came to me after prayer and much reflection and discernment with friends and colleagues and ministers and doctors.” said Rev. Schmitz. //link

God help us when our Pastors believe they have the right to petition ungodly people to pressure someone that is following Scripture to violate his conscious.

Dr. Al Mohler is on record advocating the scriptures do not advocate abstinence.   Dr. Danny Akin has also advocated the scripture does not advocate abstinence to beverage alcohol, but makes a scriptural argument for abstinence based on wisdom. Dr. JD Grear also advocates the Bible does not prohibit the social use of beverage alcohol but takes the same abstinence position as Dr.Akin. The arguments for those who usually advocate the biblical allowance for the social use of beverage alcohol is a simple one. John the Baptist was one who was a teetotaler while Jesus was one that imbibed in the social use of beverage alcohol.

Enter the new laws passed in this past election concerning the use of cannabis–for recreational use in Colorado and Washington–for medicinal use in Massachusetts. Ed Gogek has an editorial in the New York Times that reveals interesting statistics concerning this “medical” use of cannabis. Gogek gives clear indication that “medical” cannabis is not used primarily for treating those with cancer to enable them to eat more, but to anyone that claims pain. Gogek elaborates:

Almost all marijuana cardholders claim they need it for various kinds of pain, but pain is easy to fake and almost impossible to disprove. In Oregon and Colorado, 94 percent of cardholders get their pot for pain. In Arizona, it’s 90 percent. Serious illnesses barely register.

We in North Carolina feel immune to such issues however, something that slid under the radar of many North Carolinian’s was the Democratic state party in June.  Fresh off defeat of the Democrat Party’s push to defeat a constitutional amendment to define marriage the Democratic party met in June, 2012 and placed a number of resolutions before the group.  There was a resolution to repeal the constitutional amendment but there was another resolution that really did not get that much coverage in North Carolina.  The other resolution that passed was one concerning medical cannabis.

With that presented we have warnings from an addiction psychiatrist and it brings us to a question that needs to be answered by those of our colleagues and friends that oppose abstinence to alcohol based on no clear prohibition of Scripture. The Bible does not contain a clear prohibition against the use of cannabis. Thus, are we able to use it in moderation? During many debates concerning abstinence to alcohol this argument was presented on various blogs.  The argument was presented as a non-sequitur. One such argument said it this way;

…the primary charge against “smok[ing] a little pot” in the American context is because it is illegal (and thus in violation of Romans 13) and not because of it’s physical effects. //link

As Christians we ARE supposed to follow the laws.  It seems that after two states have now voted to allow cannabis to be produced and distributed in retail outlets for recreational use it will not be long before it is legal in all 50 states. Using the wisdom argument will no longer be of any use. Why?

…research shows that teenagers who use it regularly do worse in school, are twice as likely to drop out and earn less as adults. Teenage use has been shown to permanently lower I.Q. //link

With the lowering of I.Q.’s we will no longer possess the wisdom needed to use the wisdom argument. However, it seems that we have another argument on the horizon whose foundation has already been laid. Our 2nd Vice President of the SBC has laid this foundation unaware that he was making such an argument.

If one believes that the Bible teaches against alcohol, he should not drink. But he should recognize that the biblical evidence on this issue is not clear enough to warrant a “thus saith the Lord” and he should not attempt to impose his convictions on others.

Therefore, according to our 2nd VP’s argument for beverage alcohol, if one does not believe the bible prohibits the use of cannabis as a recreational drug then they are free to use it in moderation.

With that disclosed I want to pass on to you the various articles I have followed and find the arguments interesting.  Peter Lumpkins was one that caught my attention on this matter. It was interesting to see Brother Peter agreeing with Dr. Ed Stetzer’s argument which disagreed with Dr. Bart Barber‘s argument which was in agreement with Dr. Dwight McKissic’s position.

After following these exchanges I began to contemplate the position that we should take as a convention.  I believe Brother Peter along with Dr. Stetzer gave us truth concerning the direction we need to be moving but I believe they concede too much. Brother Peter concedes the use of the term cult because of the nuanced language that is being used.  Dr. Stetzer concedes using the term for what seems to be pragmatic reasons.  However, elements from both Lumpkins and Stetzer should be taken into consideration as we move forward in this debate and ultimately as a convention. Dr. Stetzer presents us with foundational truths that are theologically pragmatic in his blog article. While Dr. Barber would agree with Stetzer concerning winning people to Christ and he would also caution against a softer, kinder, gentler language with dealing with false doctrine.

Having said that I spoke with Dr. Dwight McKissic concerning the 2013 convention in Houston.  It seems that a resolution would be the appropriate response to this in the convention.  Certainly no one would say that Mormonism and the Branch Davidians are the same.  However, they are still a cult. Thus, we need to clearly be on record expressing the heretical views of the Mormons but without lumping them in with the Cultist leaders of David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Charles Manson.

One thing, I am told, the legal system looks for is the deepest pockets.  Lawyers will identify those involved around various legal issues, not by looking at personal involvement, but looking at bank accounts.  If the bank account is deep enough then the personal involvement is looked at and determined if a link can be made. According to the following video Dr. Al Mohler is certainly involved with and supporting C.J. Mahaney.

Dr. Mohler is not just heaping praises but is in total support even after charges were leveled against C.J. Mahaney.  If it can be proven that Mahaney is making decisions based on counsel and the advice of Dr. Mohler then it is “Katie bar the door”.

If I were a trustee at SBTS I would start by bringing a motion before the trustees.  That motion would direct our President, through SBTS’s legal counsel, to contact Susan Burke informing her there was neither counsel nor connection with SGM. SBTS needs to get in front of this issue.  SGM moved its headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky in order to affiliate in some ways with SBTS. Notice the statement SGM made in their public announcement about their move:(link)

The proximity to Southern Seminary allows us to upgrade our academic offerings, including opportunities for collaboration and potential transfer credit toward a Masters degree….

As noted above, we are excited about opportunities this will afford us to collaborate with Southern Seminary, which will only enhance our program and facilitate further training for our students and pastors.  The Leadership Team will communicate more details in coming weeks…..

SGM has repeatedly denied the allegations being made but as the allegations continue to come forth it is time for SBTS to implement damage control.  SBTS needs to distance itself from Mahaney and SGM until this smoke settles. From the blog posts of former SGM board member and Covenant Life Church staff member, Brent Detwiler, the smoke will not settle because it it an indication of fire.  You can read the charges legally presented here.

If the allegations are proven true, then Dr. Mohler must be reprimanded by the Trustees for publicly defending Mahaney.  If the allegations are proven false, then we need to affirm Mahaney and publicly encourage him in his ministry.  However, until these charges are resolved, SBTS needs to do all she can to distance herself from SGM.

It seems that MBTS Presidential Search Committee chairman, Rev. Bill Bowyer, has now told Pastor Peter Lumpkins that no answers will be given until after the Trustees vote on the Presidential Candidate. Allow me to present some issues that I believe will hurt this nomination.

The over-exuberant endorsement of the Presidential Search Committee.  The endorsements of the candidate seems to be lacking in substance and it seems the committee is trying to make up the substance with exuberance.  Trustee Chairman, Kevin Strum, said the following:

“With the heart of a pastor, a mind of a scholar, and proven administrative and development skills, Jason Allen is well gifted to become the fifth President of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The entire Presidential Search Team is thrilled about the prospect of Dr. Allen leading MBTS to the next level of training a generation of highly effective ministers, church planters and missionaries.” [Emphasis Mine]

It is an issue such as this that I want to trust the trustees, but there is nothing to verify their position. Dr. Allen has the mind of a scholar and his dissertation is nothing more than 150 pages of quotes from other scholars with him explaining the quotes.  What takes the cake in the dissertation is the fact that he takes exception with Walter Kaiser’s hermeneutics.  Dr. Allen bases his challenge on the clear hermeneutic approach of mainline Presbyterians. Is it me, or do we see Baptist distinctives being removed before our eyes? Do not get me wrong, I am not a scholar and never claimed to be.  However, when one is presented as possessing the “mind of a scholar’ challenging Dr. Walter Kaiser in his approach to hermeneutics while using Presbyterian topical preachers to do it is not the best use of a scholar’s mind.

The outlandish statements of experience concerning the Presidential Candidate. Pastor Strum refers to the pastoral record of Dr. Allen in this part of the statement concerning the training of the next generation of pastors.

“With the heart of a pastor, a mind of a scholar, and proven administrative and development skills, Jason Allen is well gifted to become the fifth President of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The entire Presidential Search Team is thrilled about the prospect of Dr. Allen leading MBTS to the next level of training a generation of highly effective ministers, church planters and missionaries.“[Emphasis Mine]

Pastor Lumpkins reveals some troubling results in his first article on this Presidential selection. When one is pointing to training the next generation then the numbers of one in the field he has worked should be considered.  The statements concerning Dr. Allen “leading MBTS to the next level” is absolutely outlandish.  Dr. Allen is not qualified to take the seminary to the “next level” because he has proven by his record he is more comfortable in a church setting of 100.  If the search committee would have said this candidate represents the small church pastor these numbers would never be questioned.  However, by making this outlandish statement it opens the doors for ridicule.

Notice another outlandish statement made.  Dr. Allen has been over the SBTS development office since 2009 and he is presented as having “administrative and development skills”.  Two things that make those endorsing Dr. Allen sound outlandish is their expression of certain things but never presenting evidence that affirms the expression.  First, Dr. Albert Mohler expresses, concerning Dr. Allen; “He has the experience and the heart to be a great president for Midwestern Seminary. I am thankful for Jason’s years at Southern Seminary,”[Emphasis Mine]… I have only one question for Dr. Mohler,  How much new funds were added to Southern Seminary since 2009?  There doesn’t seem to be an adequate supply of finances at SBTS since they recently requested a $20 million loan approval from the EC in order to catch up “deferred maintenance”. Thus, there needs to be some figures concerning this “experience” of which Dr. Mohler speaks. Dr. Allen certainly has experience, but the experience to lead a seminary in the condition of MBTS?  Maybe Dr. Allen is known for a book written that is shaping the future of fund raising throughout the SBC?  It could be that Dr. Allen has made some ground breaking insight into the world of Development and recruiting.  Dr. Allen has spent his entire career at SBTS other than a brief period of time in Alabama.  Dr. Allen is reported by Dr. David Dockery as “understanding of institutional processes”.  Ok, please Dr. Dockery what “institution” has Dr. Allen been involved in order to understand the processes of institutional entities?

The obtuse insistence of the Presidential Search Committee concerning the Presidential Candidate. We now have a dilemma. The Presidential Search Committee has become demonstrably silent. Notice the response of Pastor Bowyer to Pastor Lumpkins:

“However, because the SBC has chosen to entrust the presidential search process to the institutions’ trustees, I would hope all Southern Baptists would trust the duly elected trustees to carry out that responsibility thoroughly, responsibly and prayerfully.”

They are going out of their way to make certain there is no comments from the search team. This statement seems to scream; “Hush your mouths and let us do the work for you.  After we get the person we will let you know.  We just need you to be quiet.” Pastor Bowyer’s obtuse statement reveals the duplicitous position the search committee is taking.  Pastor Bowyer responds to Pastor Lumpkins with an example of a Pastor Search Team (PST).  Certainly the PST does not give information and release details out into the community surrounding the church.  However, if a church member requests something of the PST and that team says it will be revealed only after the candidate is voted in as Pastor, it would be akin to splitting the church. This question was raised by a Southern Baptist pastor (church member) concerning the theological position of the person that is a candidate for the office of President (pastor).  The chairman of the PST has said, you must wait until the church votes him in before that answer can be revealed.

In closing let me say that Dr. Allen is a good man.  My heart breaks for him to be placed in this position.  His family should not have to go through this but the PST seems to continue in their silence.  Their silence is killing their nominee.  If Dr. Allen is their choice then they need to step up and say so and keep saying so.  The problem with this nomination and how the Presidential Search Committee handles it will play itself out in total embarrassment for the candidate and the seminary.

**

This statement is not an indictment against the Trustee System. The Trustee System works well. Peter Lumpkins has presented a post showing the differences in the Coppenger, Roberts, and Allen announcements. Dr. Coppenger made provocative statements and had position papers that were controversial during the time of his nomination. The Trustees of that time were trusted but they verified their trust by referencing them during the announcement. The Trustees today need to take note of how past trustees operated in their disclosure of things. It is the transparency of the past Trustees that made the Conservative Resurgence move forward. The Trustees did not back away from controversial issues and they never remained silent when confronted with the controversy. This “trust but verify” is certainly not anything new, but it seems that many of the trustees in leadership are not allowing for the transparency needed to foster a spirit of trust.