Perhaps I\u2019m wrong here, but I attribute much of fundamentalism\u2019s current weakness to the secondhand lions now heading up its institutions and fellowships. Are there any fundamentalist institutions that currently model what fundamentalism should be?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the question I would like to ask you, Don, since I believe you\u2019ll answer it partisanly but fairly. Fundamentalism as an idea is chic enough, but at some point it must take on a concrete expression. What in your opinion should a fully-dressed fundamentalism look like?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I agree with the observation.<\/p>\n
But what should fundamentalism look like?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Here are four areas of focus:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Fundamentalism should be unapologetically and enthusiastically evangelistic.<\/strong> The days of bus ministries and door to door evangelism may be methods finding less use or success in these times, but we should be no less actively involved in promoting the gospel of Christ. Many today are all about narcissism in church life or so preoccupied with theology that little evangelism is done. And some of us have a bad case of the fear of man. (That would be me, at times!) May the Lord change our hearts to really love our fellow man.<\/li>\n
- Fundamentalism should call men and women out of the world to faithful following Christ (once called \u2018discipleship\u2019).<\/strong> There is a little too much apologizing for being \u2018peculiar people\u2019. Let\u2019s rejoice in our distinctive unworldly Christian testimonies and call men and women to a life glorifying God by being unspotted from the world.<\/li>\n
- Fundamentalism should refuse to link hands in cooperation with men who won\u2019t maintain pure associations.<\/strong> That would be the so-called \u2018conservative\u2019 crowd. What are they conserving? They are conserving the strong words of the new evangelicals along with the mealy mouthed associations with compromisers and worse. Cooperation with men like these will erode fundamental distinctiveness such that fundamentalism will cease to exist.<\/li>\n
- Fundamentalism should remain ready to do battle royal with Christ-denying doctrines and those who espouse them.<\/strong> This is the fundamentalist distinctive above all. We have theologically correct worry-warts today who are unwilling to do battle with anyone except other fundamentalists. What kind of attitude is this?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
That\u2019s my take. Perhaps more could be added, but I think these four pretty much sum up what I think we should be about. Winning and making disciples and protecting them from worldliness, weakness and wickedness masquerading as Christianity.<\/p>\n
![\"don_sig2\"](\"http:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/don_sig213.png\" "\\"don_sig2\\"")
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- Fundamentalism should call men and women out of the world to faithful following Christ (once called \u2018discipleship\u2019).<\/strong> There is a little too much apologizing for being \u2018peculiar people\u2019. Let\u2019s rejoice in our distinctive unworldly Christian testimonies and call men and women to a life glorifying God by being unspotted from the world.<\/li>\n