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Kehukee Baptist Association formed from stolen churches?

In 1765, the Kehukee Baptist Association met for the first time and was organized as an association. The Philadelphia Baptist Association had commissioned Peter Van Horn and Benjamin Miller as missionaries to go south into North Carolina to "visit the churches and preach the Gospel." Their mission was to churches, not to the masses moving into the southern Colonies. Specifically, the two missionaries visited General Baptist churches planted by Paul Palmer and other "Free-will" Baptists. According to Kehukee's historian, Through their instrumentality [Van Horn and Miller], many people were awakened;... Read more →

John Gano--an alternate description of an early American Calvinist missionary

John Gano (1727-1804) remains a hero among Baptist Calvinists for his role in evangelizing the heathen in mid-18th century. picture source For example, Baptist pastor and historian, Tom Ascol, highlights Gano's role as a gospel preacher commissioned by the Charleston Association to show how Regular (Particular) Baptists were "thoroughly evangelistic:" ...the [Charleston] association commissioned John Gano to preach the gospel at the Jersey Settlement on the banks of the Yadkin River—not far from Sandy Creek—in what is now North Carolina. Far from being a dividing point, Sandy Creek actually became... Read more →

Southern Baptist Convention presidential candidate J.D. Greear refuses interview with Louisiana Baptist state paper

What's up with Southern Baptist Convention presidential hopeful, J.D. Greear, refusing an interview with Will Hall, Editor of Louisiana's Baptist Message? According to Hall Despite making an appointment for a phone interview and after a substantive conversation, J.D. Greear declined to participate in a live question and answer session with the Louisiana Baptist Message about his run for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention. James David "J.D." Greear is lead pastor of The Summit Church, a mega-church in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Greear also is Visiting Fletcher... Read more →

North Carolina’s Friendship Baptist Association organized in 1861 as non-Calvinistic

On Oct. 25-26, 1861, a group of Baptist delegates from several churches met with the Valley Town Baptist Church on Valley River in North Carolina and organized the Friendship Baptist Association.1 Among the first orders of business was adoption of a confession of faith which all the churches forming the alliance could embrace. Below is the Confession of Faith originally adopted by the Friendship Baptist Association in 1861. 1. We believe in one only living and true God, and that there are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the... Read more →

Baptist Association birthed over election and predestination

Named after the French Broad River flowing 210 miles from Western North Carolina to East Tennessee, the French Broad Baptist Association organized in 1807 with six churches, three each from two existing associations—Holston Association and Broad River Association.1 The organizers immediately prepared for adoption both a Covenant and Rules of Decorum for the newly established association. The Covenant or confession of faith contained twelve articles, the first four of which are provided below: Article 1. We believe in the only living and true God, and that there are three persons... Read more →

Sandy Creek Baptists viewed Reformed doctrine of election "troubling"

Emir Caner, President of Truett-McConnell College, writes an informative piece on the Sandy Creek tradition in the latest volume of the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry published by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Contra the view of many Southern Baptist Calvinists who dismiss virtually all theological distinctions between the Sandy Creek Baptist tradition and the so-called Charleston Baptist tradition, Dr. Caner suggests that "The Reformed definition of election was particularly troubling to those birthed out of a Sandy Creek (Separatist) heritage." He then quotes from famed Baptist historian, George... Read more →

Southern Baptists not Reformed Baptists by Peter Lumpkins

Below is a document circulated in 1827 to Baptists in North Carolina. All our Southern Baptist brothers who love the "Reformed" moniker may want to consider this document before they so boldly testify, "I'm a Reformed Baptist" >>> In the Kehukee Association record, we find: 1827. This session of the Association was one of the most remarkable ever held by her. At this time came up for consideration the Declaration of Principles submitted at the last session to the churches for approval or rejection. And upon a full and fair... Read more →

Is “Reformed Baptist” an Oxymoron? (Final Part) by Peter Lumpkins

I should have closed this series a while back. However, too many irons which require some heat pushed closure for this issue well past the deadline. In fact, it is so far past, it almost is useless now to think we can pick up where we left off without a serious retooling of the argument that “Reformed Baptist” is an oxymoron, an argument which began here and continued here and here. Nonetheless, I owe at least a closing thought, and a closing thought is what you’ll get. I’ve offered a... Read more →

Being Bold About Being Baptist: Classic Preaching on Baptist Identity: Sermon #1, Part #2

"Distinctive Baptist Principles," a sermon preached by Rev. James. E. Carter, Editor of the "Western North Carolina Baptist", the Baptist state paper for the Western Baptist Convention (1845-1897), was delivered at the assembled Convention October 20, 1883. The text was Acts 5. 32: "We are witnesses of these things." Part one of this sermon may be read here. IV. Church Independency. No principle has more distinctly marked a difference between Baptists and other persuasions of Christians than that of the independency of the Churches. There can be no such thing... Read more →

Being Bold About Being Baptist: Classic Preaching on Baptist Identity: Sermon #1, Part #1

"Distinctive Baptist Principles: A Sermon" was delivered before the Western Baptist Convention of North Carolina, at the Enon Baptist Church, Transylvania County on October 20th, 1883. The preacher was Rev. Joseph E. Carter, who, though little is known about him, was founder and editor of the "Western North Carolina Baptist," the denominational paper for Baptists during the mere half century life of the Convention. The Western Convention began the same year as did the Southen Baptist Convention--1845. In 1897, due to excessive losses of associations, the convention voted to dissolve.... Read more →

Sandy Creek Revisited: A Critique: Final Chapter

Today I continue with the review of “Sandy Creek Revisited” the latest issue of Founders Journal. Dr. Tom Ascol, Founders Journal Editor, hailed this issue as a fresh new look at Sandy Creek and one that would offer some ground-breaking analysis for us to consider...>>> Before I begin, I want to say two things: first, I do not want this site to just deal with historical issues. For my part, history stands crucially significant for us as we sift through who we are as persons, as societies and, yes, even... Read more →

Sandy Creek Revisited: a Critique by Peter Lumpkins

For the next few posts, I intend to offer a brief critique of the latest Founders Journal entitled "Sandy Creek Revisited." Editor, Dr. Tom Ascol, writes of this issue that: "It analyzes aspects of the Sandy Creek tradition in fresh ways. Tom Nettles has an excellent article on Shubal Stearns that is taken from volume 2 of his work on The Baptists. Gene Bridges also has a ground-breaking article on the sociological differences between the "Charlestonians" and "Sandy Creekers." This is one issue that you will want to have on... Read more →