Some Good Stuff

Since I won’t have time to do any more blogging today, most likely, I thought I’d highlight some great posts.

• Many of you have probably not been following Kingdom Surge, my new team blog. If you haven’t you’ve missed out on a great series called Firstruits from the Nations. “Ambassador” has been exploring the glimpses of missions we see even in the OT. And the insights have been spiritually enriching and encouraging. You’ll be blessed by thinking through what the Queen of Sheba, the Gibeonites, Jonah, and Malachi have to teach us about Christ, His Church, and His mission.
• Nathan Pitchford, another friend of mine, posted a follow up to his well received Calvinism topical Scripture reference. This time he has a categorical list on dispensationalism. Not all of my readers will think it is necessarily good, but it is extensive. He doesn’t interact with all the latest evolutions of this system, but he specifically aims for the “revised” dispensationalism of Ryrie, Showers and others (see the discussion here). The Scriptures referenced on this list would be good for people on all sides of the issue to explore. And like most of Nathan’s writings, this list is well crafted.
• I should also note that the Baptism discussion wages on. This time Mark Dever (of 9 Marks Ministries, and their new blog Church Matters) weighs in. See my recent posts linking to the exchange between John Piper and Wayne Grudem: Baptism & Church Membership, and Baptism & Young Children.
• UPDATE: Aaron Menikoff also blogging at Church Matters, just posted the first part of a series on this issue entitled: “Historical Reflections on Baptism & Church Membership”. The first post focuses on John Bunyan and his arguments for open membership.

These next two are series of posts I’ve been meaning to point out for some time. Both intersect with fundamentalists head on, and would be worth the time to consider.

• Josh Gelatt has begun posting a series called Fractured Foundations: Areas in which Baptist Churches Need to Grow. He is focusing on many of the very things which make us Baptists — the things we would likely have a blind spot for. His latest post focuses on congregationalism gone wild, and points out that there is “no recorded vote in the New Testament on any issue save the selection of leaders”.
• Scot Kay, another ex-hyper fundamentalist, is all the way to part 6 in his series “Inside the Legalist Mindset“. His latest post contains links to the other 5, and stresses the tendency of legalists to define legalism very precisely (small enough to exclude themselves), and sin very broadly (big enough to include any who don’t adhere to there supra-Scriptural standards). His thoughts might be controversial, but no one should doubt that such legalists exist in great numbers. It is possible to be deceived and think legalism applies only to others. I know, because I was a legalist!
• On the heels of that series, I ran across a sobering post by my friend Nathan Pitchford. It examines the pharisees and has some harsh things to say about those who follow in their ways and actions. I believe his warning is as Scriptural as it is potentially stinging. All of us should pay heed to this article.