Most of you have seen the Big Orange Truck. It’s driven by a pastor who goes by ReglerJoe. He is still an Independent Fundamental Baptist, yet he is driving toward reform. He has been learning and studying and growing in his understanding of Scripture.
If he never leaves the IFB movement and if he never wholeheartedly embraces Reformed Theology or any other point I feel strongly on, at the end of the day I really don’t care. I’m just glad he is thinking and growing and studying. (For the record, the solution, for anyone struggling with things related to the IFB movement, is not necessarily or even not often, to jump ship.)
But he’s also moving. His blog abandanoed Blogger in favor of WordPress, and having done that myself, I’m sure the move will result in a better blog that’s easier for him to handle. He doesn’t always post every week, but when he posts, its worth your time.
So if you haven’t checked out the Big Orange Truck, please do. In fact, his latest post contains an expanded version of his initial “list” of problems within Independent Baptist Fundamentalism. Many of those problems have been addressed here, and also on his blog. So check out his blog, but beware of that orange truck. It’s big, and it’s barreling down the road and picking up speed!
Bob,
Would you say that some of this ‘reforming’ going on within fundamentalism can be seen on some blogs. The one blog I’m thinking of is SharperIron. Although I don’t post much over there anymore, there is a lot of interesting reading. And, there is a lot of struggles with the ‘cultural fundamentalism’ that has hamstrung the ‘movement’ into the corrupted form of Christianity it is today.
Exactly, in fact if you read Regler Joe, he’ll tell you a lot of his theological and Biblical growth has come from reading blogs.
Sharper Iron, and also The Reforming Baptist, for instance. And all the people on my Fundamental Reformers group feed. All of these are great reads for people wanting to think through all that is entailed in the word “reform”. It’s not the same for each and every person or situation. And it will look differently for me than for you, etc. But the main thing is recognizing that you haven’t arrived and you can actually improve things.
Gotta run…
Growth and improvement do not mean compromise. I believe that “fundamentalism” is wrought with problems. I don’t consider myself a fundamentalist and haven’t for most of my pastoring (20 years). I’ve never been concerned that I fit into it. I’ve grown and grown and grown and it has resulted in less compromise. I’m amazed when I see men who are “growing” and that means booze, more movies, dancing, rap music, a Bible with errors in it, women in pants, etc. That sounds like the “progressivenss” of the Democratic party. It is a kind of evolution in a naturalistic way, but it isn’t growth.
I am glad about ReglerJoe getting out from under the humanism of the Hyles movement. It is a breath of fresh air and a basking in the warmth of exegesis of Scripture, getting away from Baptist tradition to Bible sole authority for faith and practice. I fear for him if he gets into the Pyromaniac or your present, new brand of Christianity, Bob.
Thanks for another plug, Bob.
Kent, don’t worry about me. I don’t see me casting off the IFB label anytime soon.
IFB is a broad term, and it encompasses a large spectrum of theological persuasions.
I imagine many would still attach the x at the end of my IFB. That’s fine. I know I’m different, more Christ-centered and biblically minded now than I have ever been.
On the Baptist spectrum, I’m somewhere between Bob Hayton and Kent Brandenburg. 😉
About 8 years ago, I taught a 4-6 week SS class about some of the stuff going on in the Hyles movement. At the time, I thought that I was the only former Hyles student who thought this way, and was thankful for the work God had done in my life to bring me out of that movement.
So, I was pleasantly surprised to find, not only former students, but Hyles graduates (like Joe and others) who saw the light. Praise the Lord.
So, Kent, growth is measured by exteriors? Whatever happened to the weightier matters of the law?
Capt. HK,
I can’t measure growth by interiors. If someone isn’t coming to church, I don’t think he is growing spiritually. If someone is evangelizing less, I don’t think he is growing spiritually. Show me thy faith by thy works.
Have you noticed the reductionism of the Pharisees? By reducing their externals to a manageable number, they could keep the law. Jesus said that those who keep the least of His commandments are the greatest in His kingdom. The least of his internals?
Does keeping the weightier matters mean sinning in the lighter matters? That’s not the message there. A person who cares about the weightier matters will not forsake the lighter matters. It’s someone who keeps the lighter and misses the weightier that is the problem.
Pastor Kent,
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay TITHE of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Judgment, mercy and faith do demonstrate themselves by works, but not always in the form of the house rules of fundamentalists. Tithing was actually explicitly expected by Scripture, whereas, “booze, more movies, dancing, rap music, a Bible with errors in it, women in pants, etc.” are a little more debatable than folks of your persuasion are willing to admit.
Have a blessed Lord’s Day, Pastor. 🙂
Pastor Kent,
Women wearing pants…? Such regulations become legalistic when we judge others’ commitment to Christ if they do not follow man-made extra-biblical rules…
While I’m sure Deuteronomy 22:5 is clear that women should not wear clothing specifically made for men and men should not wear a “woman’s garment”. But who or what determines what is a men’s or ladies clothing? This is obviously determined by the culture and time we live in.
Obviously, because I’ve never seen IFB’s men wear robes and tunics…
It is misguided to take American Cultural Standards and make them a fundamental of the faith. It is a failure to recognize that while pants were once made for men and not women, that is not so today. Women’s pants are much different today… ask any seamstress.
1 Corinthians 4:6(NIV)
Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.
It is to go beyond the scriptures to teach the American Traditions of men as the commands of God. Stick to the Law if you wish to drive men to the Cross. It is sufficient to prick men’s consciences.
(NAS) Gal 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our (AO)tutor to lead us to Christ, so that (AP)we may be justified by faith.
No tunic? Then pants…
Gage Browning
Post Tenebras Lux
If I would choose to wear mens clothing, what would that be in our culture (USA) today? I would really like to know what would distinguish a man from a woman today?