a bit of wisdom for a fundamentalist mindset

Comments

1. Kent Brandenburg says

   10.27.12 at 10:51 pm

   One of the things that bothers me about fundamentalism, Don, and it has been this way since I’ve been pastoring for 25 years, is that, it seems, politics has a part in the practice of fundamentalist separation. Certain people become the sort-of golden boys, and they get away with more. Instead of operating based on principle, they make up the rules as they go alone. This is inconsistency, as I see it, comes because fundamentalism has always played this by ear. It’s the nature of fundamentalism. Is it the fundamentals? Is it more than the fundamentals? And so it becomes whatever is a particular norm that usually agrees with the biggest parachurch institutions, which are making their decisions based on what? Again, as I have witnessed it, it’s pragmatic. Often it is what they think will help them. I’d be glad to think otherwise, but this is what it has looked like. I’ve got firsthand testimony for it again and again. And I know others who have found it to be the same. It’s not something I had thought through when I was younger and in it. As I went along, preaching through the Bible, I found that you couldn’t stay in fundamentalism and obey what the Bible said.

   When I write what I’m writing here, know that this doesn’t mean that I think anyone will be completely consistent. However, what the Bible says is consistent. Someone can obey the Bible. That should be the standard. But I don’t see that as the case in fundamentalism. It’s impossible there. Many think the alternative then is just to go evangelical. That’s worse, which is why you’ll see me defending fundamentalism in many, many instances—then having people think that I am a fundamentalist, when I am not.

   • ox says

     10.28.12 at 12:55 am

     Hi Kent
     Well, I don’t agree that you can only obey the Bible by staying out of Fundamentalism.

     Probably it won’t be very fruitful to argue back and forth about it, but I think you have made too much of some doctrines with the result that you limit your fellowship outside the local church. I am not debating the truth/error of those doctrines, but I don’t believe fellowship with people who don’t agree on those points will materially harm your own church or testimony.

     I would agree that fellowship can harm the local church, can damage testimony, but it doesn’t have to. I can fellowship, for example, with KJO friends while at the same time have it well known that I don’t hold to KJO positions and oppose them in my local assembly. I don’t think my position affects my friends or their churches – we agree to disagree, we try not to step on each other’s toes, and we are able to work together in certain contexts.

     Ad for the charge of politics in fundamentalism… well, if you don’t like politics, get out of the polis. The fact is that wherever humans gather, you will have political activity. What one needs to evaluate is whether the political activity is consistent with the Bible, intended to further God’s kingdom, or only pushing the agenda of a man, or men.

     But… you probably anticipated most of that.

     God bless in your preaching this Sunday.

     Maranatha!
     Don Johnson
     Jer 33.3