If you are a preacher in the SBC, then Scott Hart has a word for you. In fact, he has several contained in an open letter here.
Here are a few of Scott’s words, but go on over to his place where he talks about some specific results of this basic failure:
I look around the SBC and see, hear, and read about how the SBC is in decline. Resolutions come out saying regenerate membership must be our focus. Conferences are convened that decry the faults of various theological models of soteriology. Mission boards legislate instead of enable. This list could certainly be added to. What is really so remarkable about the question of SBC decline is not the decline itself, but rather the simple answer that is so obvious no one will talk about with any seriousness openly in the SBC. The cause of the decline of the SBC is – YOU!
If the last sentence made you squirm then I have been successful in setting a table for more discussion. If you are unphased, then you probably ought to be asking yourself why you are in even in the ministry. But that is another open letter for another time.That being said, why are you, the pastor, the cause of the decline of the SBC? Simply stated, you have failed to preach the full gospel message. And because of the failure you have led the churches of the SBC into spiritual paralysis.
emphasis in original.
hat tip to Mark.
Well, I think he’s absolutely right, particularly on the wealth issue. I don’t follow his logic on abortion and homosexuality. Of course they’re both prevalent issues, but he fails to mention exactly WHY it’s the pastor’s fault. Are there any examples? To say “you have not clearly preached the gospel” is a very vague implication, to my mind.
Hey Melody, thanks for stopping by and for commenting.
I tracked with the parallel to homosexuality, but I was lost on the abortion comparison as well. I do believe that a lot of preachers today are not preaching the full gospel and therefore the door is open to man worship, self worship and thing worship.
I think that if preachers really preached the God of the gospel in all of His glorious majestic sovereignty, then at least two things would happen. First most churches would initially shrink in number because people like to be comfortable in church and they wouldn’t be comfortable anymore. Second, I think the folks that remained would be on mission for God in every aspect of their lives. They wouldn’t be able to help it.
for the Gospel as it ought to be preached, check these two posts of mine.
http://bkingr.wordpress.com/writings/the-gospel/
http://bkingr.wordpress.com/writings/the-gospel/what-is-salvation/
the one thing that we cannot do is confess Jesus as Lord and then continue to live however we want to live. II Cor. 3:18 says that we are being transformed into the image of God. We will not stay the same.
Keith