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Midwestern's Presidential Search Team encouraged to abandon their policy of silence

UPDATE below

After Presidential Search Team Chairman, Bill Bowyer, made public Midwestern's search team's policy of silence on its proposed presidential candidate, Jason K. Allen, more are calling on the search team to recognize the feeling multitudes of Southern Baptists have that we're not in Kansas any more, Toto. Far too many agendas and behind-the-curtain deals have gone down for a simplistic "just trust us" appeal to ring any truer than a hollow clang.¹   >>>

No answers about Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary presidential candidate Jason K. Allen's theology until after trustees vote by Peter Lumpkins

Below is the content of an email response I received courtesy of Dr. Bill Bowyer, Senior Pastor of the Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC, and Chairman of the Presidential Search Committee for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to an inquiry I made to him pertaining to presidential nominee, Dr. Jason K. Allen.  Even though I have deep reservations concerning the "hush-hush" approach taken by the search committee concerning Dr. Allen's theology (and will undoubtedly offer my reasons later), we nonetheless extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Bowyer for his gracious, speedy, and open reply.¹   >>>

Courting Disaster: The Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: Part I by Peter Lumpkins

Established in 1957, the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) became the latest of six stateside Southern Baptist theological institutions we support through the Cooperative Program. But will it be the first to belly up? Or, to put the query in more palatable terms, will MBTS perhaps be strategically absorbed into another Southern Baptist institution as a satellite campus?¹  >>>

David Allen sets the record straight: Limited Atonement is biblically bankrupt, theologically insipient, and ethically unpreachable by Peter Lumpkins

Founders Ministries put together several theological worthies to write its latest apology for strict Calvinism, Whomever He Wills   >>>

Whomever He Wills: a brief discussion on Dr. Andrew Davis' chapter--"Unconditional Election" by Peter Lumpkins

Below is the first review video in a short series on "Unconditional Election" in Whomever He Wills, the latest book on Calvinism from Founders Press. "Unconditional Election" is chapter three in the book and was written by Dr. Andrew Davis, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church, Durham, North Carolina   >>>

A brief discussion on Dr. Mark Devine's chapter--"Total Depravity" Part 3 by Peter Lumpkins

We continue below with Part 3 in a series on Dr. Mark DeVine's chapter in Whomever He Wills¹   >>>

A brief discussion on Dr. Mark Devine's chapter--"Total Depravity" Part 2 by Peter Lumpkins

We continue with Dr. Mark DeVine's chapter in Whomever He Wills   >>>

Whomever He Wills: a brief discussion on Dr. Mark Devine's chapter--"Total Depravity" by Peter Lumpkins

  Below begins a series of my initial thoughts on the chapter concerning total depravity written by Dr. Mark DeVine in Whomever He Wills¹. I hope my commentary is helpful and the video format useful²...   >>>

Response to Whomever He Wills: Part II by David Allen

UPDATE: Note: four parts are now available. Check out the links at the bottom of the post...

We linked to Dr. David Allen's introductory remarks concerning the newest release by Founders Press, Whomever He Wills, edited by Drs. Matthew Barrett and Thomas J. Nettles. Since Allen's opening remarks were posted, Dr. Fred Zaspel, author of the book's Preface which Allen critically engaged in his introductory remarks, has offered a brief response to Dr. Allen   >>>

Whomever He Wills: a scholar's review by Peter Lumpkins

  Perhaps you’ve considered my thoughts concerning Founders Press’ latest release, Whomever He Wills: a Surprising Display of Sovereign Mercy, edited by Drs. Matthew Barrett and Thomas J. Nettles.¹ My thoughts began with a short video presentation (I also mentioned one issue within the volume here). I plan another video book-note presentation shortly on Mark DeVine’s chapter entitled “Total Depravity”   >>>

New Resource: articles from Baptist media sources concerning Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

I just put up a new resource--a page containing articles from Southern Baptist media sources concerning the subject of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. Sources will include Baptist Press and all available state papers. No commentary is offered. Nor is the resource intended as a polemical tool. If the article was published by a Southern Baptist news venue, it qualified for the resource.

Check out the page (click here or look on the sidebar for a link there). It obviously is only a beginning. When it is finished, I hope it will be thorough even if not exhaustive. If you know of an article which would qualify, leave it in the comment thread and I'll add it.

Preaching "Regeneration precedes faith" deadly for Baptists in the Mississippi Valley in the 19th century by Peter Lumpkins

   In Whomever He Wills,  Dr. Matthew Barrett writes in his chapter entitled, "The Scriptural Affirmation of Monergism" concerning the doctrinal significance of what has become known as regeneration precedes faith--or, in short, monergism. He writes:

Whomever He Wills: a brief introduction by Peter Lumpkins

  I spoke with a friend on my way to Indy last week. He mentioned the amazing success he's had doing video book-notes posted on his site. I decided to give it a try. While I won't bind myself using this form of media, I hope to add it to the writing I do on SBC Tomorrow. It's actually a lot quicker than pecking out my thoughts on the keyboard. Whatever the case, I intend to continue communicating mainly through the written word  >>>

Former Calvinist speaks about his journey away from the "doctrines of grace" by Peter Lumpkins

   Ronnie Rogers is pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Norman, OK. In Reflections of a Disenchanted Calvinist, Rogers speaks as no stranger to his subject. Indeed for years he embraced Calvinism but through systematic exposition of Scripture, he came to view the Reformed hermeneutical template a hindrance to understanding biblical revelation rather than a help   >>>

                                                                                                                            click the book icon to go to Amazon.com¹

Tom Nettles concerning Calvinists "drinking from the same water fountain" as do Traditionalists by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Tom Nettles, Professor of Historical Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, spoke at the Founders Breakfast held during the 2012 Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans.  The racial overtones indicative of a brief section in his address are surely unacceptable to Southern Baptists. And, if Dr. Richard Land's censure by trustees for his inappropriate racial remarks remains an adequate measure, shouldn't Southern Baptist Theological Seminary trustees also consider the analogy Dr. Nettles employed concerning the Calvinist divide in the Southern Baptist Convention worthy of at least some type of censure?   Listen to the short clip below¹ and you be the judge:  >>>