Kevin Bauder in Salt Lake City - Foundations Conference

Reporting from a Days Inn in Salt Lake City …

Tonight at Grace Baptist Church in SLC, I had the opportunity to meet Kevin Bauder for the first time (and the first time to hear him speak). He doesn’t remind me at all of a stuffy academic (chuckling).

He tells “Three Stooges” jokes.

I thoroughly enjoyed his first session tonight on biblical inerrancy - covering the last 40 years of American evangelical history.

This is a fundamental battle that we face every day.

thinking of heart issues,

et

Discussion

Matt Johnson’s church here in Salt Lake City has an Arctic Circle just down the road. It is like a dream come true.

On a serious note, Bauder finished his second session before lunch on the relationship of Fundamentalists and Conservative Evangelicals. It has some interesting wrinkles thrown into the lecture that I did not hear in a previous audio presented by SI.

Bauder was strong and forceful on his position concerning Billy Graham (and similar attitudes today), the KJV issue, and the music debate, etc.

Arctic Circle will kill you Todd,

We will post the audio of Kevin on or church website and then put a link here on Sharperiron. I will agree with Todd, that there are a few nuances that I have not heard Dr. B preach before. Listening to Dr. B lecture on Contemporary Issues Facing the New Testament Church is truly like trying to drink from a fire hose. It is such a broad topic.

I am looking forward to the last session tonight.

My parents are at the conference Todd. Tell ‘em hi for me if you see them! :-) They said Bauder’s doing a really good job!

Matt, I do try to limit my intake to a “kid’s meal” portion. I am contextualizing the gospel by evangelizing at Arctic Circle. What do you think? :)

Joseph, I enjoyed the fellowship with your parents. They are fine folks.

Bauder’s last session on “Church Government and Elders” is not exactly where I am at. His concluding lecture reminded me of the classic textbook example of A. H. Strong:

“The N. T. example, while it permits the multiplication of assistant pastors according to need, does not require a plural eldership in every case; nor does it render this eldership, where it exists, of coordinate authority with the church. There are indications, moreover, that, at least in certain churches, the pastor was one, while the deacons were more than one, in number” (Systematic Theology, p. 916).

But I appreciated Bauder’s closing prayer where we brothers can differ and yet still accept one another in love on this particular issue.

There is no bigger mission-field than Arctic Circle my brother.

I appreciated that Kevin Bauder explained how he arrived at his conclusion more than the conclusion itself. I always appreciate when someone explains themselves rather than just “telling it like it is.” So Todd, do you ascribe then to the necessity of plurality of elders? Just wondering, because I hardly think it is an issue worth panicking about.

1. I think that a plurality of elders with the plurality of deacons provides full government for the church body. Plurality of elders should be more than just pragmatism, it should be a priority to press toward. I desire to know the Baptist church government before A. H. Strong.

2. Another issue — and yet where I desire to dig earlier back in church history in regards to church government, I am ok with some pop culture in regards to church music (Majesty Music Hymnal, etc.). :) Go figure.

Thanks for hosting the conference, Matt. It was a real blessing.

And I would drive down to SLC to hear Kevin again anytime.

et