Church and Ministry

In the first part of this presentation, I suggested incorrectly that the issue that resulted in several churches pulling out of the IFBAM was Calvinism. The issue actually was something different. My apology to Dave Doran of Inter-City Baptist Church, the IFBAM, and anyone else that was hurt by that incorrect analysis. We’ll try to do better with “the facts.” Straight Ahead…..Joel

An Analysis of Type A, B, and C Fundamentalism

(My apology that this article has been slow in coming. I had hoped to publish this in late summer. We have been so busy here at Southeast Valley Baptist Church that I simply have not been able to take the time to finish this until now. Blessings on you as you read and think through the issues found here. Looking forward to future interaction here— regardless of what “type” you are. Straight Ahead! —Joel)

I have been gratified of late to hear of so many men and women discussing what exactly Fundamentalism is. The biggest recurring problem, however, is that while everyone seems to be talking about it, we have not been able to determine what exactly the “fundamentals” are. I do not believe that this question is as difficult as it may seem to be, although to a certain extent a multitude of counselors has made the discussion louder and more unclear.

Although the title of this article presents a negative connotation, my goal in writing it is one of encouragement.

To ask, “What is the biblical philosophy of Sunday school?” is a loaded question: the question is loaded with the assumption that the Sunday school should be there, and it is loaded with all our circumstantial preconceptions of the Sunday schools we’ve grown up attending. There is no “biblical philosophy” of Sunday school per se; no concordance search will locate the “Sunday school chapter” of the Bible, telling us how, or even that, God wants Sunday school conducted.

^{Note: Parts of this article came from the Labor Day 2006 sermon Pastor Joel preached at Southeast Valley Baptist Church (Gilbert AZ).}

A Call to the Higher Standard

In mentoring his son in the ministry, Paul challenged young Timothy with these words, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12, ESV). Throughout his Holy Spirit-inspired counsel to this young man in the ministry, Paul stressed the need for a transparent character, an excellent reputation, a humble integrity which would allow others to see Christ in and through him.

^{Note: This article was originally posted December 16, 2005.}