We have an advocate

We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. — 1 John 2:1 

"Advocacy may fail for two reasons: 1. the incompetency of the advocate; or 2. the badness of the cause. But there are no such hindrances to the success of the advocacy of Christ." -- J. C. Philpot

Americans’ Perception of Pastors, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Americans’ Perception of Pastors Is a Mixed Bag -- "And while pastors may have an image problem, personal contact seemingly counteracts negative perceptions. Among those who know a pastor personally, 64 percent regard pastors very positively.
• Continuationism is not a non-essential doctrinal issue -- "I am becoming convinced more and more every day that continuationism is not just a non-essential doctrinal issue for Christians."
• How To Close Abortion Facilities From The Inside Out -- "When former abortion workers speak out in public about what they did in their clinics, what they saw happening, and the disrespect consistently shown women, hearts and mind change, and abortion facilities close."
• Immigration Links -- "My posts on the topic of immigration, and links I've viewed on immigration."
• Letter to Oklahoma University President David Boren and the OU Board of Regents -- "...Kirk Humphreys, evangelical Christian and former Mayor of Oklahoma City, “resigned” from the Board of Regents at the University of Oklahoma [because of his] biblical stance on the issue of homosexuality."
• Martin Luther King and Robert E. Lee, and Why We Triggered You This MLK Day -- "History doesn’t change because of 21st Century cognitive retardation."
• Mennonite Church USA's Largest Conference Leaves Denomination Over Homosexuality -- "In 2015, Mennonite Church USA adopted a resolution calling on those within the Mennonite Conference USA to ‘offer grace, love and forbearance toward conferences, congregations and pastors in our body’ who conduct same-sex marriages."
• The Christian Character of General Robert E. Lee -- "He had lived, as he died, with this supreme trust in an overruling and merciful Providence; and this sentiment, pervading his whole being, was the origin of that august calmness with which he greeted the most crushing disasters of his military career."
• The Holy Bible: arranged so as to give as far as possible the accuracy, precision and certainty of the original Hebrew and Greek scriptures on the pages of the Authorized version -- "The Englishman's Bible, by Thomas Newberry"
• Why Churches Should Excommunicate Longstanding Non-Attenders -- "...pursuing longstanding non-attenders—those who have been wholly absent for months or even years—and excommunicating those they can’t find is a mark of a healthy church."
• 10 Things Only Preachers Can Understand About Preaching -- "Nobody I know wants to preach just for the crowd, but we catch it when the congregation doesn’t seem to be with us."
• 5 Myths of Higher Education and Peer Review -- "The mainstream peer review process has failed on numerous occasions, and has even left many mainstream scientists skeptical of its use and effectiveness."

Work Earn Spend Save Give

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Earn diligently

• Colossians 3:23 and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
• Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
• Proverbs 14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
• Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Spend wisely

• Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
• Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
• Proverbs 24:27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
• Proverbs 21:5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Save routinely

• Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
• Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
• Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

Give weekly

• 1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
• Proverbs 3:9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
• Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
• Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Lazarus the author?

Some posts (below) deal with a topic I had never heard before -- that Lazarus might the author of the fourth gospel! Who knew?

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved -- "In this case, since the fourth gospel’s author identified himself in terms of Jesus’ love for him, it makes sense to see who scripture says had this relationship with Jesus."
Was Lazarus the Beloved Disciple? -- "Thus I submit that the theory that Lazarus was the Beloved Disciple and the author of most of the traditions in this Gospel is a theory which best clears up the conundrum of the end of the Appendix written after his death."

Background to the Study of John -- "From the list in 21:2 of those present, this disciple must have been one of the sons of Zebedee, or one of the two other unnamed disciples present."
Authorship of Fourth Gospel -- "It is not surprising that the external evidence for Johannine authorship of the Fourth Gospel is casually dismissed by critical scholars."
Authorship of John contd -- "A reader pointed me to Ben Witherington’s well-argued defense of the theory that John was written by Lazarus."

A Biblical Theology, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• A Biblical Theology of Church Discipline -- "...God’s discipline of his people is an integral part of the Bible’s entire storyline, from Eden to the new creation."
• Christian group's lawsuit against University of Iowa pits freedom of religion against gay rights -- "The Christian group said anyone can become a member, but the leaders must affirm a statement of faith that rebukes homosexuality, which is within their rights according to laws guaranteeing freedom of religion."
• How Their Refusal To Tolerate Dissent Is Creating A Global Backlash Against LGBT People -- "...extreme LGBT ideologues do not accept reality. As the Masterpiece Cakeshop Supreme Court case shows, their goal, domestically and globally, is to impose social acceptance of homosexuality and transgenderism even on those unwilling to celebrate it."
• Let us Worship God -- "To worship is to bow, stoop, or fall prostrate.  Essentially it is bowing to the sovereign will of God."
• Moody Bible Institute Facing Unprecedented Crisis. Please Pray! -- "In addition to a dramatic financial downturn, which caused the institute to close its Spokane campus and cut nearly one-third of its faculty, MBI leaders are now dealing with allegations that they have betrayed the institute’s mission."
• Moody Bible President and COO Both Resign, Provost Retires -- "Yesterday, Moody Radio host Julie Roys—who recently detailed allegations against the school’s administration on her blog—revealed that she had been fired."
• Nathan Bedford Forrest: Instead of statue demolition, why not turn the tables on racists? -- "Ripping down statues and removing busts is motion, not action. Focus instead should be on Forrest’s change of heart, his General Order No. 1, and the personal respect about which he spoke later in his short (56 years) life."
• Search engine exposes the "dark web" -- "The internet is much, much bigger than people think. By some estimates Google, Microsoft Bing, and Yahoo only give us access to around 5% of the content on the Web. That leaves a lot of room for bad actors to operate freely in the shadows."
• The Dumbing Down of Christianity -- "We have replaced rich, robust theology in the church with emotional music and constant reminders that “God is love and loves you and He’s your personal Savior and loves your soul…”"
• Why James Damore’s Lawsuit Will Be A Public Relations Nightmare For Google -- "During discovery, the plaintiffs will have the ability to request every document, email, and text concerning politics involving Google’s decision-makers."
• Why Oprah's Golden Globes speech stands for the hope, hypocrisy and hubris of Hollywood -- "It’s all very well for the rich and powerful to sit and applaud as one of their own attacks the rich and powerful. But does it really change anything?"
• Why repentant pastors should be forgiven but not restored to the pulpit -- "Christians struggle with this question because Christianity centers on the idea of forgiveness."
• You Should Never, Ever Argue With Anyone on Facebook, According to Science -- "We respond very differently to what people write than to what they say--even if those things are exactly the same."
• 6 Preaching Methods Jesus Used That You Should Too -- "I think we can all agree that Jesus is the greatest preacher to ever walk the face of the Earth."

Religious Freedom Day

President Donald J. Trump Proclaims January 16, 2018, as Religious Freedom Day -- "Our forefathers, seeking refuge from religious persecution, believed in the eternal truth that freedom is not a gift from the government, but a sacred right from Almighty God."

Religious Freedom Day -- "Each year, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day, and calls upon Americans to 'observe this day through appropriate events and activities in homes, schools, and places of worship.' The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom."

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom -- "...to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical..."

Diatessaron

In a forum frequented by some of my more liberal Baptist brethren, I’ve encountered some discussion of the possible discrepancies between the early birth and life of Jesus narratives in Matthew 2 and Luke 2. This included some mention of the “harmony of the gospels” and even brought up the early Christian teacher named Tatian and his “Harmony of Four (Gospels)”. Because of that, I decided to include the following information here on my blog.

The Diatessaron[i] is an early (probably first) harmony of the four Christian gospels, compiled by Tatian,[ii] a disciple of Justin Martyr. Tatian combined the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John into a single narrative. The work was compiled circa AD 150 – 175. The Greek title means “Through Four” (i.e., Composed of Four, Harmony of Four).[iii] I do not know the intended purpose of Tatian’s Diatessaron, but its existence suggests that he accepted the historicity of these accounts.[iv]

The Roberson-Donaldson introduction tells us that “In its present form the Harmony draws from all the four canonical gospels, and from very little else.” According to the New World Encyclopedia, “Only fifty-six verses in the canonical Gospels do not have a counterpart in the Diatessaron, mostly the genealogies and the pericope adulterae” [i.e., John 7:53 - 8:11, rlv]. It is an early witness of the longer ending of the gospel of Mark.

Tatian produced the several works, two of which survive. The other is Tatian’s Address to the Greeks.

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[i] The Roberts-Donaldson English Translation

[ii] Greek, Tatianos.

[iii] Dia – through, for the sake of, because of; Tessaron, tessares– four.

[iv] Those who deny its historicity have no reason to concern themselves with “harmonizing” the Gospels. On the other hand, skeptics often propose supposed contradictions to disprove (to their satisfaction) that the Gospels are historically accurate.

Diligence in prayer, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify if possible.)

"Diligence in prayer is the better half of study." -- Martin Luther

"[The theologian] who prays diligently has completed half of his studies." -- attributed to Johann Gerhard

"Pious prayer offered in faith is familiar conversation with God." --  Johann Gerhard

"No one worth calling a man allows his moods to change his convictions; but it is by moods that we understand other men's convictions. The bigot is not he who knows he is right; every sane man knows he is right. The bigot is he whose emotions and imagination are too cold and weak to feel how it is that other men go wrong." -- G. K. Chesterton

"O how hard it is to be shallow enough for a polite audience!" -- John Wesley, from his Journal 1771 [The quote followed these words: "Many of them were gay, genteel people: so I spake on the first elements of the Gospel. But it was still out of their depth."]

"God uses flawed people to accomplish his sovereign purposes." -- Copied

"Do we see the oak starting up in all its gigantic proportions in one day? Is not a tiny acorn committed to the ground; and is not the giant oak, whose huge limbs we admire, the growth of a century? Men and women are years growing up to their full stature." -- J. C. Philpot

"The wallet is a great window to the soul." -- Chris Brown

"Don’t condemn what God condones or condone what God condemns." -- Wesley Briggman

"Love is not always nice, kindness is not always indulgent, and tolerance is not always a virtue. “No” is often the most loving thing a parent or pastor or church can say." -- Bobby Jamieson

Selective outrage?

It is interesting how folks pick and choose their moral outrage. If it is Bill Clinton having sex in the White House with an intern, Republicans are outraged and Democrats give him a pass. If it is Donald Trump groping Cassandra Searles at the Miss USA pageant, Democrats are outraged and Republican give him a pass. If it is Martin Luther King, Jr., almost everyone gives him a pass.

In Why You Shouldn’t Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr this MLK Day J. D. Hall writes, “If you can’t celebrate Judge Roy Moore, you can’t celebrate Martin Luther King.” This piece asks points out that the long-known indiscretions of Martin Luther King, Jr. are now exposed with the release of the “JFK Files”  last year and “King’s gross sexual sins entered into official government documentation.” The file on King that was completely withheld from the public by the Assassination Records Review Board in 1994. “According to the Act, all records previously withheld either in part or in full should be released on October 26, 2017, unless authorized for further withholding by the President of the United States.” The President did not authorize further withholding, so now these documents, including the file of Martin Luther King, became public last year.

The file may be viewed HERE. “Claims that this document is an attempt by J. Edgar Hoover to slander King are entirely foolish, considering that this was an internal report that was sealed from the public.”

Prone to Wander

1. Come, thou Fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount, O fix me on it!

Mount of God’s redeeming love.

2. Here I’ll raise mine Ebenezer;

Hither by thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed his precious blood.

3. Oh, to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to thee:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it;

Seal it for thy courts above.

4. O that Day when freed from sinning,

I shall see thy lovely Face;

Cloth-ed then in blood-washed linen

How I’ll sing thy sovereign grace;

Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,

Take my ransom’d soul away;

Send thine angels now to carry

Me to realms of endless day.

This hymn was written in 1757 and first published in 1759. It is presented here as I know it. I did not find the original printing.

Robert Robinson, the author of “Come, Thou fount of every blessing,” and “Mighty God, while angels bless Thee,” was born at Swaffham, in Norfolk, on Sept. 27, 1735. He died June 9, 1790 and was buried at the Dissenters’ Burial Ground at Birmingham, West Midlands, England. On the radio I heard the following (similar) story about Robinson and his hymn “Come, Thou fount of every blessing.” I have been unable to verify whether the story is true or apocryphal. Here it is:

In a back-slidden condition, Robinson was traveling in a stage coach one day through the English countryside. His companion in the coach was a young woman. They did not know one another. In the providence of God, and not realizing who it was she spoke with, the woman quoted from his hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” – saying what a blessing it had been to her. Though he tried, Robinson could not get her to change the subject. Finally, he said, with tears in his eyes, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn, many years ago. And I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I then had!” The young lady replied, “Sir, the ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing.” He was deeply touched by that. The very words he had penned had been returned to him, by the grace and providence of God, to first wound and then heal his heart.

Another Confirmation, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Another Confirmation of Biblical History Uncovered in Holy Land of Israel -- "While we can’t be certain whether the recently discovered governor’s seal belonged to Joshua or Maaseiah, we can be certain that we are dealing with real history."
• Can you be good without God? Boy Scouts face the question -- "Some say the exclusion of atheists boils down to a simple question: Whether you can be good without God."
• Church leader connected to sexual assault accusation against Andy Savage placed on leave -- "As a result of Jules' accusations, the church has put Cotton on a leave of absence while an investigation is conducted by a third-party."
• Diatessaron -- "In its present form the Harmony draws from all the four canonical gospels, and from very little else. Opinions differ as to whether it originally indicated the gospel from which any given piece was drawn..."
• Dirty College Secrets -- "...on many levels, mathematics itself operates as Whiteness."
• “God Made Me for China” — Eric Liddell Beyond Olympic Glory -- "It is rare indeed when a person has the good fortune to meet a saint, but he came as close to it as anyone I have ever known."
• Jonathan Haidt: “Intersectionality aims for… an inflaming of tribal suspicions and hatreds” -- "Anything that a group has that is good or valued is seen as a kind of privilege, which causes a kind of oppression in those who don’t have it."
• Poll: 33% of NFL fans 'purposely stopped watching' this season -- "Throughout this 2017 NFL season, television ratings have declined and fans, TV pundits, and reporters have speculated as to the biggest cause...To be sure, poll results come with a healthy grain of salt"
• Teacher questioned the superintendent's raise at a meeting. She left in handcuffs, video shows -- "News of the chaotic exit quickly made the rounds on social media."
• The Bible Museum: Problems, Riches, and Heartbreak -- "I do recommend going if you can. You won’t be able to see it all in one day."
• The Anti-Christ Message of Steve Chalke -- "Jesus Christ has given us his Gospel and this Baptist preacher (much to the disgust of most Baptists I know) was directly attacking the Christ of Scripture (the only Christ that exists!)."
• The Chalke Response -- "It’s almost as though he is the Dawkins of liberal Christianity – only prepared to dialogue with those who agree with him or those who would look on his CV!"

Ice Music, and other music links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Ice Music: Building Instruments Out Of Water -- "Terje Isungset is a Norwegian musician who makes his own instruments — out of ice."
• Lee Family Sacred Harp Workshop, March 2, 1996 -- "Tape 1, South Georgia Folklife Project: Sacred Harp Collection. Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections."
• Lee Family Sacred Harp Workshop -- "Tape 2, South Georgia Folklife Project: Sacred Harp Collection. Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections."
• Musical Frontier -- "Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association spotlights state’s lyrical poets."
• Shape-Note Singing in Mississippi: a Preliminary History -- "When Mississippi became a state in 1817, white settlement was confined to the Gulf Coast and the lower Mississippi Valley. There is little information on singing in this early period..."
• Singers.com, Primarily A Cappella -- "Primarily A Cappella is an independent music company specializing in vocal music with an emphasis on vocal harmony, that carries a wide selection of material of interest to singers including arrangements, instructional material, CD recordings and DVDs."
• Tuned Up in the Spirit: the Old Regular Baptists and the Joyful Sound -- "There are more than ten thousand members of Old Regular Baptist churches today, and perhaps ten thousand more who haven’t yet joined as members but regularly attend..."
• Want Your Church to Sing? Then Train Them As Children! -- "...one thing is almost universally missing from what are otherwise excellent lists of suggestions and remedies: the role of the church in actually teaching people how to sing, in actually teaching some of the mechanics and skills of singing."
• What I’ve Learned from My Sacred Harp Elders -- "...when I sing the songs that have been sung by so many generations before me, I feel a sense of place, of belonging, on the timeline of Sacred Harp history."
• Why the Decline of Congregational Singing Matters -- "When you turn the lights off and you have theatrical lighting on stage, you’re suggesting to the congregation they are here to watch something rather than participate."
• 6 Lessons from Luther on Congregational Singing -- "In The Whole Church Sings: Congregational Singing in Luther’s Wittenberg, Robin Leaver documents how Luther spearheaded this reformation of song."

Branding faith?

Branding faith? Churches in Frisco and Dallas in legal fight over naming rights

“Two North Texas faith leaders are locked in a legal battle over the naming rights of their churches.” To my way of thinking this is a sinful and silly case that demonstrates how far from the mark of the simplicity of “New Testament Church” we have fallen. One pastor won a trademark for a body she founded about two years ago in West Dallas.  Another pastor has “invested tens of thousands of dollars…in establishing a (compelling) brand in our city” (which is north of Dallas). Now the two are locked in a legal battle over the name – Lift Church![i]

Who knew we needed trademarked church names – and lawsuits over them – in order to preach the gospel to the world!

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[i] LIFT Community Church (affiliation unknown, possibly UMC) and Lift Frisco (affiliated with Converge, formerly the Baptist General Conference)

Sandy Valley - A little slack on the discipline

Reverend Nebbish Peacock, the current preacher at Sandy Valley, followed Elder Milton Matthews as pastor. Last time we mentioned that Elder Matthews was perhaps still peeved with the Sandy Valley body of Christ for putting him out to pasture. Elder Matthews had a pleasant and productive stay at Sandy Valley; well, at least until a prank turned the body of Christ sour on him. It all happened like this.

Elder Milton Matthews was a fiery fire and brimstone preacher. No matter how hot it was, he always wore his coat and never came out of it. Well, he sure could work up a sweat; he kept a handkerchief rucked and ready in his coat pocket, to wipe away the fluid flood that flowed from his brow. On this occasion Elder Matthews had his shotgun loaded, his sights set on the sinners, and was about to unload with both barrels, when, haplessly he yanked forth his handkerchief with a flourish. Not only did his handkerchief obey, but a deck of cards flew forward landing on the floor, scattered before the front benches. A few innocent children rushed toward them, before mothers snatched them back to reality. Elder Matthews apologized for the unknown occurrence and sheepishly concluded his communication. 

The body of Christ immediately appointed a committee to investigate (playing cards was among the sinful exploits prohibited by the church decorum). The preponderance of opinion agreed that Elder Matthews’s teenage boys had pranked him (though a few doubted Matthew’s piety). The dear pastor stood somewhat exonerated until calling time – when it was aptly pointed out that he was probably not guilty of playing cards, but he surely was a little slack on child discipline! The call to Elder Milton Matthews was not renewed.

5 steps, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 5 Steps for Finding the Point of Any Passage in Scripture -- "...there are a handful of things that you can try to find in your text, no matter where you are in the Bible, that will help you find the point."
• 9 Worst Kinds Of Hilariously Trendy Church Names -- "...I conducted an informal social media survey, and was overwhelmed by the responses...I’ve pared down the list and broken these church names into nine handy categories."
• 17 Things You Should do to Every Blog Post Before + After You Hit Publish -- "...if you’re going to put so much effort into writing your post, why not take a few extra minutes to make sure it’s at the top of its game?"
• Blind Loyalty – Why Civil Discourse is Dead -- "We, both sides, have become so tied to our ideals that we cannot have a rational discussion about anything that goes against them."
• Business As Ministry -- "For the Christian, life and work is not primarily about the self — self-achievement, self-accolades, or even self-wealth, or a surplus of monetary rewards."
• Christmas Timeline of the Biblical Account -- "The Christmas timeline of the biblical account is called into question by many skeptics."
• Kids don't need a cellphone; they need a digital diet -- "A media diet is just like a regular diet. If you’re not consistent in the first few weeks and months, you will fail."
• Reciting Other People's Poetry: A Dusty Relic or Powerful Teaching Tool? -- "English teachers say that memorizing and reciting aren’t dusty relics, but powerful levers that help them impart key skills to students..."
• Reflections on the Advent of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship -- "Several Bishops and pastors departed from FGBCF, because of the insistence of Bishop Morton holding all Bishops and pastors accountable to speak in tongues and leading their memberships to do the same."
• Unfair Texas law is not going away -- "At least four bills in the 85th regular session of the Texas Legislature that would have addressed an unfair law in the Lone Star State failed to go much of anywhere."
• What is a Reformed Baptist -- "What is it that makes a “Reformed Baptist” distinct from other kinds of Baptists and Reformed folks?"
• Words and Phrases Christians Need to Abandon -- "Humans are humans, and angels are angels."

Baptist Views of the Origin of the Church

In May of 2013 I posted on Seeking the Old Paths The Origin of the Church. This is a discussion of various and conflicting views that Baptists hold concerning when the Church first began. Intending to pass it along to someone, I noticed some formatting problems and other errors. In (hopefully) fixing them, I have decided to post it again. I have added new links and fixed broken ones.

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In his book The Doctrine of the Church, Kenneth Good divides the different origin of the church theories into three main categories.[i] These are:

1. Covenant view. The church begins with Abraham, or some even go back to Adam.
2. Dispensational view. The church begins with the ministry of Christ, either before or at Pentecost.
3. Ultra-dispensational view. The church does not begin until the ministry of Paul.

Covenant view

Reformed/Covenant Theology teaches (with some variation in details) that the church is made up of the elect of all ages, and therefore the church must have begun with the first person who was saved. This is the common view, although some begin the church with the nation Israel.

Dispensational view

1. The Church began with John the Baptist or at some time during the Lord’s earthly ministry.
2. The Church began on the day of Pentecost, specifically on the first Pentecost after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

Ultra-Dispensational view

The Church began after Pentecost (some say in Acts 13 and others in Acts 28).

In his book Churches and The Church, John R. Rice divides the theories of the origin of the church in a different way than Good. He sees “three principal and important theories.”[ii]

1. At Pentecost.
2. In the lifetime of Jesus.
3. When the first soul was saved.

It is simpler and more representative of various views to divide the theories chronologically rather than theologically, as does Good. This in needful because some, such as Rice, hold an early chronological origin of “the church” while approaching the Bible generally from a pre-tribulational pre-millennial interpretation rather than Covenant Theology. Such an approach can yield five principal theories.

• When the first soul was saved.
• With the Abrahamic covenant.
• In the earthly ministry of Jesus.
• On the first Pentecost after Jesus crucifixion.
• Under the apostolic ministry of Paul.

When the first soul was saved

After relegating other views’ origins to “a misunderstanding of the word church,” Rice writes:

“When, then, did this body, this household of God, this holy temple which is now growing by the addition of every convert—when did this body, the church, begin?
“I suppose it would be when the first living stone was laid on the foundation. And that first stone, I suppose, was Adam who, cast out of the Garden of Eden for his sin, surely looked to God for mercy. Does not that coat of skin, which God made to hide Adam’s nakedness and Eve’s, picture the righteousness of God which covers the poor, naked sinner? If so, then Adam was saved, and became the first living stone built upon Christ, the foundation stone. Or if it were not Adam, then perhaps it was righteous Abel...”[iii]

C. H. Spurgeon’s view agrees with Rice, though he approaches the subject and arrives at his conclusion differently. Noting there is “Only One Covenant of Grace” Spurgeon writes:

“Surely, beloved brethren, you ought not to stumble at the anachronism of comprising Abraham, David and others, in the fellowship of the Church! If you can understand how we, who live under the present economy and, unlike those Jews, have never been circumcised, are nevertheless accounted the true circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and not in the flesh, you can have very little difficulty in perceiving that those Old Testament saints, who were participators in the faith of Christ’s death and resurrection, were verily baptized into Him according to the Spirit. Neither time nor circumcision founded the faith of Abraham. He rejoiced to see Messiah’s day; and he saw it and was glad. He believed in God who ‘Calleth those things that be not as though they were.’ It were well for us to walk in the footsteps of the same faith.”[iv]

With the Abrahamic covenant

Beginning the church with the Abrahamic covenant is a common part of Protestant “Covenant Theology.” I have not found Baptists who move within Covenant Theology – which posits continuity between the covenants and “churches” of the Old Testament and New Testament – make a clear statement on when the church began.[v] But this idea of continuity possibly puts them in the camp of believing the church starts with God’s promise to Abraham. They would acknowledge themselves as the true heirs of the “Old Testament church” since the people of God are essentially one. Consider the statement of Richard C. Barcellos:

“The Reformed Credos then say, ‘Now let us look at our New Testaments. What we should see is the inauguration of the same New Covenant promised in the Old Testament, one New Covenant community (not Israel and the Church but a transformed or New Israel, which consists of those only who know the Lord) and New Covenant privileges given to New Covenant citizens only.’ In others words, the Reformed Credos say that the Old Testament doctrine of the New Covenant prophetically rescinds automatic infant inclusion and the New Testament bears the fruit of that by reserving New Covenant ordinances to New Covenant citizens, that is, believers, those who are of faith, the seed of Abraham, all who know the Lord...It is interesting to note that in Paul’s argument in Romans 9-11, he makes a distinction between Israels (Romans 9:6). In other words, within Old Covenant Israel there were two groups: believers and unbelievers. All of the Israelites considered here by Paul were covenant members, however, the majority were cut off after Christ inaugurated the New Covenant. Why? Because of their unbelief. Why were others (Gentiles) grafted in? Because of their belief. Here we see both covenantal continuity and discontinuity. The believing Jews went from being Old Covenant citizens to New Covenant citizens—continuity; and the unbelieving Jews went from being Old Covenant citizens to those who were cut off—discontinuity.”[vi]

In the earthly ministry of Jesus

Ben Bogard and B. H. Carroll represent Baptists who believe the church started sometime within the ministry of Jesus Christ while on earth. All “before Pentecost” theorists may not pinpoint the beginning exactly the same as another, but they nevertheless agree on a beginning in this period and before the day of Pentecost.

“When our Lord established His church He declared He would build it up, edify it, enlarge it, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it. (Matt. 16:18) The Greek word ‘oikodomeso,’ in Matt. 16:18, translated ‘will build’ means ‘will build up,’ ‘enlarge,’ ‘edify.’  His church was already in existence when He uttered these words, as can be proved by numerous passages, hence we are forced to so under this passage.”[vii]

“Was the church instituted, established, or organized on this Pentecost? There is not a syllable on that in Acts 2. Christ instituted the church. He established it in the days of his flesh. The church was this day accredited – received its credentials. It was a house complete, but empty. It then received its Inhabitant, but the church was not instituted, nor established, nor organized on this Pentecost.”[viii]

On the first Pentecost after Jesus’ crucifixion

Billy Graham’s comment summarizes an origins view that is held by many Baptists:

“To summarize, it is my belief that Pentecost instituted the Church. Then all that remained was for Samaritans, Gentiles and ‘belated believers’ to be brought into the Church representatively. This occurred in Acts 8 for Samaritans, Acts 10 for Gentiles (according to Acts 11:15), and Acts 19 for belated believers from John’s baptism. Once this representative baptism with the Spirit had occurred, the normal pattern applied—baptism with the Spirit at the time each person (of whatever background) believed on Jesus Christ.”[ix]

“We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the church which is the body and bride of Christ, which began at Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel. Its members are constituted as such regardless of membership or non-membership in the organized churches of earth. We believe that by the same Spirit all believers in this age are baptized into, and thus become, one body that is Christ’s, whether Jews or Gentiles, and having become members one of another, are under solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart fervently.”[x]

The House Mountain Church’s Doctrinal Statement above provides further detail, while H. C. Thiessen succinctly states:

“The Church was born in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost with 3,000 converts.”[xi]

Under the apostolic ministry of Paul

I have not yet found any Baptists who believe what some consider the “ultra-dispensational” view of the origin of the church, such as held by Charles Baker or E. W. Bullinger.[xii] Perhaps such a view leads one away from Baptist ecclesiology and does not exist among Baptists.

Multiple dates

For others, the date of the origin of the church may not distinctly matter. Or, in some cases, an individual may posit different origins for different “churches”. In other words, one might think the New Testament church (congregation as an organization) begins in the Gospels, while holding that the church as a body of redeemed persons began in the Old Testament or on the day of Pentecost. Notice David F. Reagan sees one origin for the local church, and another for the universal church:

“When did the Church Begin?...it depends on what you mean by the church. The institution of the local church obviously existed during the ministry of Christ, else how could He give the advice to "tell it unto the church" (Matthew 18:17)? However, if you refer to the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) that includes all believers in heaven and in earth, this probably began after Christ left this world and sent the Comforter—the Holy Ghost—for it is the Spirit that places us into the body of Christ as per 1 Corinthians 12:13.”[xiii]

Conclusion

Baptists disagree on when the church originated. Some of this emanates from a disagreement on what the church is. Their theories of church origins can be helpfully understood within the five categories discussed above, to sort and clarify their understandings. These points and quotes above do not exhaust the possibilities of beliefs that Baptists hold on the time of the origin of the church. Nevertheless, these categories listed above address the major viewpoints.

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[i] The Doctrine of the Church, Kenneth Good, pp. 37-38

[ii] Churches and the Church: a Convincing, Scriptural Study, John R. Rice, p. 23

[iii] Churches and the Church, John R. Rice, pp. 23-24

[iv] “Old Testament Saints: Members of the Church,” From Sword and Trowel, March, 1867. Since the answer to the paper’s correspondent contains no signature, the response is presumably by the editor, C. H. Spurgeon. Concerning dispensations, he says, “…however various they may have been, His covenant has endured the same through them all. It is a mere truism that Abel was not circumcised, that Noah did not observe the Passover, and Abraham was not baptized.” [Accessed 8 January 2018]

[v] This certainly does not mean they do not exist.

[vi] Paedoism or Credoism? A Reformed Baptist Argument for Believers’ Baptism Based on Covenant Theology, Richard C. Barcellos, a pastor at Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Palmdale, CA

[vii] The Baptist Way-Book, Ben M. Bogard, p. 30

[viii] An Interpretation of the English Bible, Volume 12, Acts, B. H. Carroll [Accessed 8 January 2018]

[ix] The Holy Spirit, Billy Graham, Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1978

[x] Doctrinal Statement of House Mountain Baptist Church, Corryton, Tennessee [Accessed in March 2013, but that statement no longer appears online; I have since noticed this is the doctrinal statement on the church of the Dallas Theological Seminary. Another Baptist Church using this statement is Emmanuel Baptist Church in Laurel, Maryland (Accessed 8 Jan 2018).]

[xi] Introduction to the New Testament, H. C. Thiessen, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 1955, p. 136

[xii] This lack of knowledge does not mean they do not exist..

[xiii] When did the Church Begin? David F. Reagan, Antioch Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee [Accessed 27 March 2013]