tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post380032324291923396..comments2024-02-08T11:51:18.121-05:00Comments on Brian G. Hedges : Thoughts on Keeping the Gospel CentralBrian G. Hedgeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07484347615800136537noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-74900524008379218012008-04-20T07:34:00.000-04:002008-04-20T07:34:00.000-04:00Excellent post, and I enjoyed it despite being a C...Excellent post, and I enjoyed it despite being a Conservative Calvinistic Reformed Postmillennial Presbyterian.Sludgemeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14418337823417182938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-81103132879385724062008-02-08T14:23:00.000-05:002008-02-08T14:23:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.mwhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08202670246362616005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-54277905608251081772008-02-07T19:17:00.000-05:002008-02-07T19:17:00.000-05:00Great post!! It's so easy to let the basic stuff g...Great post!! It's so easy to let the basic stuff go. I tagged you for a seven random things meme that's being passed around the blogosphere. Hope you don't mind.CityStreamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920473275157073900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-62488380360650239982008-02-07T16:30:00.000-05:002008-02-07T16:30:00.000-05:00Well, Lionel, if you ever decide to move to South ...Well, Lionel, if you ever decide to move to South Carolina, let me know, and I can point you to those churches, so that you can experience them yourself.<BR/><BR/>It's not that these teaching pastors didn't have firm, personal convictions on these issues. Three of the four men had their Master of Divinity, and all of them had conservative credentials. Instead, all of them recognized that mwhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08202670246362616005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-88057739875228752732008-02-07T09:53:00.000-05:002008-02-07T09:53:00.000-05:00Hey MWH,You will make a terrific pastor. There are...Hey MWH,<BR/><BR/>You will make a terrific pastor. There are some things that I would draw lines in the sand on, like I stated not divide in Christian Fellowship , but I think preaching a pre-mill vs amill or charismatic vs cessasionist, or even paedo vs credo could get a chuch in a world of trouble. I would love to see how this was worked out in the church you mention. I would love to see that Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-85088347307601987152008-02-06T21:11:00.000-05:002008-02-06T21:11:00.000-05:00Here's one example of what i meant by the above st...Here's one example of what i meant by the above statement. Based on my current understanding of Scripture, I believe that only believers should be baptized. I believe this strongly enough that I could not in good conscience administer infant baptism. I have no hesitation sharing communion with paedo-baptists. But I could not myself administer infant baptism. This is an issue that impinges upon Brian G. Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07484347615800136537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-28158068821492854202008-02-06T17:05:00.000-05:002008-02-06T17:05:00.000-05:00Brother Woods, I appreciate your remarks, althoug...Brother Woods,<BR/><BR/> I appreciate your remarks, although I do think we take different tacts. If I have not misunderstood you, I would state your proposal like this: <I>Each individual, local church should hold clear, singular stances on secondary doctrinal issues as distinctives of that fellowship</I>. If I have misrepresented you please correct me. This is one approach to the problem, mwhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08202670246362616005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-50793985591478887572008-02-06T08:25:00.000-05:002008-02-06T08:25:00.000-05:00I think it was Augustine who first said, "In the e...I think it was Augustine who first said, "In the essentials let there be unity, in the non-essentials let there be liberty, and in all things let there be charity." It is probably in this sense that mwh speaks of liberty, and if so, then I agree with his use of the term. <BR/><BR/>While it is true that there is a distinction between areas of Christian liberty where Scripture is silent and areas Brian G. Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07484347615800136537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-19729381913018963672008-02-05T09:42:00.000-05:002008-02-05T09:42:00.000-05:00Can I add if possible Brian,I think this brother i...Can I add if possible Brian,<BR/><BR/>I think this brother is taking Christian "liberty" out of context. Say for example prayer language or tongues in the local fellowship. Though I will not divide with anyone on this issue as it relates to Christian fellowship, I by no means believe this is an issue of liberty. Correct me if I am wrong Brian, but we are not talking alcohol consumption or Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-78578670825249793432008-02-05T09:29:00.000-05:002008-02-05T09:29:00.000-05:00Well, on some issues I think the church can do tha...Well, on some issues I think the church can do that and many churches do. <BR/><BR/>But lots of things have to be considered - including the history and beliefs of the church and where they are. So for example, a pastor (let's use John Piper for an example) may be willing to allow much more latitude on the issue of baptism and even teach that, but the church he pastors is Baptist. So, the elders Brian G. Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07484347615800136537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-44350879929637752062008-02-05T09:15:00.000-05:002008-02-05T09:15:00.000-05:00Personally I don't see why the local church needs ...Personally I don't see why the local church needs to take a <I>singular</I>, clear stance at all on these issues. Your claim about avoiding distractions and fractures seems to be a self-defeating argument. So the Gospel and Christian charity are enough to cover the issues on the inter-church level but not the intra-church level? Why can't the leadership just teach the congregation that these mwhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08202670246362616005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-59138901719376700282008-02-05T00:24:00.000-05:002008-02-05T00:24:00.000-05:00That's an interesting question. I'm not sure what ...That's an interesting question. I'm not sure what the answer should be. I suppose it would depend on how significant the disagreement was and whether a person felt that they could not continue to worship and minister effectively within their current church's stance. <BR/><BR/>I don't mean to imply that there is no room for discussion about these issues within the local church. So, appeals on Brian G. Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07484347615800136537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-21240313867877313272008-02-04T16:06:00.000-05:002008-02-04T16:06:00.000-05:00Yes, I think the Gospel should be the central and ...Yes, I think the Gospel should be the central and main thing. I agree it's what we should say the loudest. I agree it's what we should say the most often. I agree it should be the point on which we unite. I agree it should be that upon which we build our identity.<BR/><BR/>But at the end of the day, your proposal seems only to work at the inter-church level, not the intra-church level. <BR/>mwhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08202670246362616005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-6969448985155819612008-02-04T11:40:00.000-05:002008-02-04T11:40:00.000-05:00I love this blog Pastor Brian. Thanks. I am going ...I love this blog Pastor Brian. Thanks. I am going to use the "reparing fences" paragraph comment for an upcoming post and use it as a quote. I think we are too busy knocking down bridges within the Christian community, while others are dying quicklyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15461403.post-7838953717867096392008-02-02T08:05:00.000-05:002008-02-02T08:05:00.000-05:00I'm reminded of a t-shirt I once got at a youth co...I'm reminded of a t-shirt I once got at a youth conference. It read, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."<BR/><BR/>I recently had a similar discussion with a friend/family member about Chist-centeredness and Gospel focus. I have grown in this area over the last several years - almost completely due to our attending FPBC (and God using means...). <BR/><BR/>Thanks for helping Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com