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A Rob Bell Remix: So, it’s O.K. to Yell “Heretic” if it’s Only Rob Bell, but not John Stott by Peter Lumpkins

Apparently, Justin Taylor and The Gospel Coalition team’s criticism of Rob Bell did not go so well. The thread in which I participated had about as many who questioned the rationale for criticizing a publisher’s book cover rather than engaging the author’s book. Taylor deferred explanations to questions for Kevin DeYoung to sort out—two questions in particular>>> The bottom line for DeYoung? Here it is: “Rob Bell is right about one thing: what you believe about heaven and hell says a lot about what you believe about God. That’s why... Read more →

Young, Southern Baptist...and Irrelevant? by Brad Whitt

The following are excerpts from a piece published today in South Carolina’s The Courier and also on Dr. Brad Whitt’s site (if you have not placed Whitt in your feed-reader, I suggest you do so asap). Brad writes>>> I’m not “young, restless and reformed.” I guess you’d say that I’m young, Southern Baptist and, it seems, increasingly irrelevant. You see, I’m just a pastor’s son who grew up with a love for my denomination — a Southern Baptist boy by birth and conviction… As I travel around the SBC, I... Read more →

On Rob Bell: Burn Heretic! Burn! by Peter Lumpkins

I’m hardly at ease with Rob Bell. Not because I’ve read all his stuff, judging it spiritually unsuitable. Nor am I among the 50K who downloaded his latest sermon this week. Rather for other reasons. Brett McCraken, in his celebrated book, hipster christianity, compares Bell with another controversial figure among Christian hipsters, Mark Driscoll: On the opposite end of the spectrum from Mark Driscoll is Rob Bell, who ironically pastors a church called Mars Hill (in Grand Rapids, Michigan). While Driscoll rails against a chick-ified Jesus and calls his congregants... Read more →

Real Apologetics: Dump Debate Sites, Endorse Recognized Scholarship by Peter Lumpkins

Over the last year, the intellectual inadequacy of debate-site apologetics has been explicitly revealed. Inevitably, the "apologetics" offered at these sites end up tearing down people rather than examining truth propositions. Those who've followed SBC Tomorrow are well aware of sites like Alpha & Omega Ministries, the "debate-site" of extreme Calvinist,* James White, who routinely aims his intellectual six-guns at critics themselves rather than the critics' arguments. Someone recently said to me>>> James White is a fairly good debater in formal settings. However, he spends the rest of his time... Read more →

"T.U.L.I.P.": Now Known Universally, Recently Not Known at All by Peter Lumpkins

Arminian theologian, Roger Olson, has an interesting teaser on a forthcoming book by Kenneth Stewart to be published by InterVarsity Press in March. Stewart, professor of theology at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA, entitles the volume Ten Myths about Calvinism: Recovering the Breadth of the Reformed Tradition>>> One nugget Dr. Olson mentions sparkled brightly before my eyes. Says Olson, One of the most interesting parts of the book (so far) is an exhaustive account of the history of the TULIP device. According to Stewart it cannot be found before... Read more →

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND--"James White & God's Love (or lack thereof) for All People" by Peter Lumpkins

I put up a video several months ago visually demonstrating extreme Calvinist*, James White, and his view on God's salvific love (or lack of it) for all people. It captured the essence of his view albeit cloaked in an admitted exaggerated genre. It continually keeps recording stats. People loved it! You will too... at least some of you will... With that, I am... Peter *some accomplished theologians insist White embraces what's known as historic Hyper-Calvinism Read more →

Does James White and Alpha & Omega Ministries Embrace Misogyny? by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: "Dr" James White has answered and completely refuted this post! I am sorry to inform all my friends, James White has answered my piece with the devastating critique below. Take a moment and read it in full: "The current spate of angry and vile (let alone loony and dishonest) attack being hosted by Peter Lumpkins seems to be related in large part to vengeance over the exposure of Ergun Caner." You see, my angry questioning of James White's misogynist language is shown to not only be vile, dishonest, and... Read more →

Debate Expert: "James White Driven by Emotion Rather than Reason" by Peter Lumpkins

I had almost forgotten about a little gem posted by a debate expert who holds a PhD (1998) in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas, with a focus in argumentation and debate. And, according to him, he also coached two Baylor University debate teams to national championships in 1987 and 1989. He logged onto SBC Tomorrow June, 2010 expressing not only his expert testimony concerning James White, but also his personal confidence in the man, James White. In fact, he initially wrote>>> "James White is in my opinion the... Read more →

James White on Peter Lumpkins: "Radical Synergistic Bigot!" by Peter Lumpkins

Having a thorough sense of humor remains a non-negotiable necessity to survive in today’s blog world. If you take yourself too seriously—or more significantly, the opinions others imagine of you too seriously—you’ll bleed out slowly and painfully I assure>>> I happen to have been the topic of conversation recently on the Dividing Line Broadcast of Alpha & Omega Ministries, the site of extreme Calvinist,* James White. The inspiration for my honor of being a part of White’s talk-show was a piece I recently posted which drew even Richard Pierce, White’s... Read more →

Free Church Press Releases New Volume

Free Church Press will release its second book in mid March. Check it out below and get in on the special pre-pub price!! Read more →

Bart Ehrman Honks James White's Nose by Peter Lumpkins

Internet apologetics is destroying conservative evangelicalism. It's only a matter of time. How do I know this? Take 10 minutes and listen to Bart Ehrman completely break down Reformed apologist, James White in cross-examination. I know little to nothing about textual criticism. But I do know when someone is bluffing with an answer. James White embarrassed evangelicals with this poor dialog with Ehrman. Ehrman walks away looking like an accomplished scholar. On the other hand, White crawls away like a whipped mongrel. Hear for yourself: Unfortunately the sound-bite I linked... Read more →

Free Will, Ignorance, and Reformed Internet Apologetics by Peter Lumpkins

I don’t know if it’s unintended ignorance or intentional intellectual laziness on the part of many Reformed apologists, but options for theological accuracy coming from some of the more well-known websites are fast disappearing. Alpha & Omega, the apologetic website of extreme Calvinist* James White, recently put up a piece on free will written by contributor, Alan Kurschner in which Kurschner flatly denied human responsibility implies the concept of “so-called free will.” I offered a brief critique, pointing out the obvious flaw in Kurschner’s reasoning (and most all strict Calvinists... Read more →

Free Church Press: Now it's More Than an Idea by Peter Lumpkins

For sometime now, the Lord has been dealing with me about the possibility of a publishing company which specifically fills the gap Southern Baptists lost since Lifeway's never-to-turn-back decision to cater to a broad, fuzzy evangelical constituency rather than remaining boldly biblical, boldly Baptist. So far as "denominational" publishing is concerned, Southern Baptists own and operate no such industry>>> With that conviction in mind, no longer am I sitting idly by while the heritage of Baptists--particularly the heritage of the Southern Baptist Convention--is swallowed up into a huge pot of... Read more →

Everything I Learned About Logic I Hope I Didn't Learn from Jamin Hubner by Peter Lumpkins

Jamin Hubner, a close affiliate with Calvinist* James White and Alpha & Omega Ministries, recently posted a piece entitled, “Lessons in Logic and Argumentation: Structures and Forms of Arguments – I.” It appears on both RealApologetics.org and the A&O website. My interest lies not in Hubner’s fondness for formal logic**; rather my interest is in Hubner’s logical guinea pig—me>>> I must say while I’m entirely flattered Hubner would choose yours truly as a public example of “bad argument” I’m a tad confused why he chose the post he did to... Read more →

Exciting New Book Just in Time for Sale at the 2011 SBC Pastors' Conference by Peter Lumpkins

Here you go! Just in time for the Pastors' Conference in Phoenix! With that, I am... Peter Read more →

Young Reformed Baptist Becomes Agnostic by Peter Lumpkins

I read a sad statement from a young man who frequented my site in the past (very often until a year or so ago). A convinced "Reformed" Baptist, a staunch, unrelenting Five-Point Calvinist, and one who, at least in my estimation, possessed tendencies toward Hyper-Calvinism (yes, he was a fan of James White and often placed links to White's position on issues I'd raise here). Yet he now has this unfortunate confession>>> "OK, everyone. I'm no longer Christian, and I'm tired of pretending and sorry for lying. I guess I... Read more →

Strict Calvinism's Absurd Denial of Moral Free Will by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: Alan Kurschner put up a response to this piece entitled, "Teachable Moment for Those Who Live in Lumpkins' World." So far as I can tell, nothing in it denies my teasing out of Kurschner's skewed moral norm I did in this piece. Instead he simply repeats his observations while flogging me for addressing the moral norm he himself insists is derived biblically. Apparently, Kurschner doesn't appreciate someone taking his interpretation and following the logic of it. Frankly, I don't blame him for wanting to forget about his "drunken teen"... Read more →