Wow.
And then there’s this:
There’s a great Hebrew word for this…
Published
"Am I therefore your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" Gal.4:16
"Am I therefore your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" Gal.4:16
Wow.
And then there’s this:
The Baptist Blogger 
He had some interesting omissions throughout this speech. I could tell he was certainly passionate, it was certainly long. It certainly left me bewildered.
Some Observations:
1) He ignored the vast changes in technology, culture, and the world situation in the 100 years to which he referred. A lot of “unprecedented” changes have occurred-not just in the SBC. His personal world is too small. As far asnthw IMB and NAMB goes, they must realize that technology changes everything. People can be in “Christian community” and be nourished in the Word of God anywhere at any time without having to enter brick & mortar churches with bloated staffs. This must be considered in planning. Kelley can’t comprehend this.
2) He blamed the entire #Metoo movement on the influence of “2 homosexual activists”- thereby totally ignoring and denigrating the many victims, both female and young males, of sexual predators in SBC churches. This problem continues and will get worse until protection and coverups of these gross sinners are stopped and they are turned over to secular judicial systems for their crimes.
3) His solution to all problems is to: “go to the Word and go to
Work”. He completely left out these vital steps which Lord Jesus taught and exemplified:
A)Seek God’s face in humility
B) Pray for Holy Spirit guidance
Sadly, it is evident that Paige’s brother-in-law does not see the true world in which he lives. He is stuck in the past.
I will have some more comments as I listen but one GLARING OMISSION — the SBC began in 1845 because a Georgia slave owner could not be approved as a missionary. Kind of an important omission, Chuckles.
Second and third glaring omission, Chuckles — (2) the SBC presidential election was a landslide. It was not simply a Calvinism issue and to make it so is a disservice to those who voted. (3) Baptisms have been down in the SBC since the Conservative Resurgence won … correlation much?
He seemed to gloss around a couple of things. First, what is GOD up to, in what’s been going on? My personal opinion: He is cleaning up the Bride for the Great Wedding Ceremony.
Second, the GC is to make disciples, not to evangelize. The SBC churches seem to have focused on outreach, indrag, the invitation, the sinner’s prayer and the membership card. AS opposed to making disciples. Education learners.
(The day of Pentecost, 3,000 got saved. What was happening that day that’s not, today?)
Oh. He seems unaware of what all really happened at SWBTS.
Absolutely agree with this statement. If we focused on an actual relationship with the prospective convert, then we could be sure that true repentance occurs and the person truly is committing to follow Christ. Then a personal discipleship program can begin with an individual mentor. This “assembly line”method of evangelism and delegated discipline simply results in weak, carnal Christians, if they are truly converted at all.
Churches must equip members to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus and teach them how to pray and discern the Holy Spirit’s leading through the Word and life. We must disciple each convert carefully and personally, then we would see the fruit of the transformation of the soul by the Holy Spirit in the life lived. Then, the world can truly be changed for the Lord-one soul at a time- with the love of Jesus topmost in mind. Compassion for individuals is vital.
The Hebrew/Yiddish word that came to my mind was Chutzpah.
Perhaps the 17-year decline means we needed some unprecedented stuff? What a dark and gloomy outlook. If I were a new student at NOBTS and heard this as an opening chapel message, I think I’d drop out and go sell shoes.
I watched your video of Dr Kelley this morning. Found it very upsetting and crazy. Dr Kelley definitely misused his platform to defend his sister and brother in law. His text for the day was not the inerrant Word of God but his personal and emotional journal venting about how his sister and brother-in-law were treated. A very poor example to his students and to any other preacher. He complains about evangelism and baptisms dropping the last 20 years—same time period where he and his brother-in-law Paige have been in charge of 1/3 of the SBC seminaries–where is his fault in it? Mystery to why the IMB laid off missionaries? Terrible financial mismanagement for decades. Was Kelley at his executive level not aware of it? I am sure he was. #MeToo movement led the charge at SWBTS? Not at all what the Exec Board said. An Exec board who were all hand picked by Dr Kelley’s brother-in-law. I’m sure Dr Bart Barber would be deeply offended to hear Kelley accusation 2 gay activists determined Dr Barber’s decision making about PP. Where was the empathy, compassion and mercy for the precious victims involved at SWBTS, SEBTS & IMB?
Calvinist and Traditionalists peacefully co-existing? Not at SWBTS where PP hunted down and kicked out any profs who were Calvinists. Very sad to see the resignations and moral failing of the SBC leaders he mentioned but I see it as God preparing and pruning us for the future. This message was a sad and embarrassing moment for a senior leader preparing for retirement.
Amen and well-said. Perhaps all baptists should fall on their faces before God, asking His mercy, seeking direction. We are not producing holy men and women of God if there are so many horrible true stories of sexual and spiritual abuse coming public. Change must happen and all those who covered up or excused, or just passed on these “problem”staff members to other churches need to be held accountable. They should step out of ministry until they show true fruits of repentance, we know who they are…just track the abuser’s past church involvements.
No witch hunts, just calls for true repentance, and a some form of accountability council set up/ possibly even retraining for current pastors should be required.
Don’t all licensed professionals have to fulfill Continuing Education requirements each year?
What’s happening in the SBC?
It is dying. It has lost its relevance.
It is slowly, yet surely, becoming a relic of a bygone era.
The SBC is Dean Martin and Foster Brooks in an era of Jim Gaffigan and James Corden.
The SBC is the hat-making profession after JFK.
The SBC is roller rinks and drive-in theaters after in-home entertainment systems and ubiquitous home air conditioning.
The SBC is Sears, JCPenney, and K-Mart after Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
The SBC is 8-track tapes after cassettes, cassettes after CDs, and CDs after iTunes.
The SBC is Paige Patterson after the #MeToo movement.
The SBC is Joseph R. McCarthy after Joseph N. Welch. (Too harsh?)
The SBC is pay phones after cell phones.
The SBC is Billy Graham Crusades after Trinity Broadcasting and the PTL Network.
In marketplace terms: The SBC can repackage its product, train and motivate its sales force, and put on the best advertising campaigns known to man. But if fewer and fewer new customers see any value in the product, and if existing customers have no use for the old-school product inside the new packaging, then all those efforts and expense will be for naught. New customers and former customers are getting their needs and wants fulfilled somewhere else, at lower cost, greater convenience, and without the smell of grandma’s closet and worn-out pews lingering in the air.
That’s what I think, anyway.
That is the feeling I had watching SWBTS’ convocation this morning. Felt very dated. Reminded me of the Old Time Gospel Hour, but with cowboy hats and better organ music.
Dr. Kelley referred to Paige Patterson’s retirement. Not sure if he is speaking euphemistically or, as a family member, is making an announcement that PP has ridden in his last rodeo.
What was in the edit at the 39:07 mark? The video jumps. They cut something out.
Dr. Kelly:
Says we SBC members should stay. Personally, he did not convince me to stay. I’ve not recognized the SBC since around 1979.
What is this man talking about? He kept saying, it has never happened before in the SBC. Sounds just like some of the old guard in my church who balk at change to reach an ever changing world. Does he realize that the convention was founded over slavery? What a pitiful speech.