Are Most Southern Baptist Churches Doctrinally Deficient?

A couple of weeks ago, I commented on a blog post written by Dr. Eric Hankins of FBC Oxford, Ms. My comment reads:

Eric,

According to many leaders and scholars within the SBC and out, they surmise that most of the SBC is semi-pelagian. If that is so, how much weight should be behind “what most Baptists believe and think is a good idea for others to believe?” The fact is, most churches need more building up in orthodox doctrine than fine-tuning.

I honestly had no idea that such a comment would draw blood. I have heard and read from numerous people within the SBC that churches are by and large doctrinally deficient or “doctrinally anemic.”

Hankins replied:

[M]ost of the SBC is semi-pelagian? Most of the Southern Baptist Convention is heterodox? Does that include Southern Baptists like me? I think men like Adrian Rogers and W.A. Criswell represent where most Southern Baptists are in their soteriology. Do you think they were semi-pelagian? If you do, I wouldn’t go around saying it. I don’t think most churches need a “building up of orthodox doctrine” (which mainly means indoctrination into Calvinism).

Third, what leaders within the SBC are saying that most of the SBC is semi-pelagian? I don’t know of anyone outside the Founders group who is saying that. I guess there are some Presbyterians making that charge, but I don’t really think Presbyterians should be setting our theological agenda.

Source: http://sbctoday.com/2012/04/05/beyond-calvinism-and-arminianismtoward-a-baptist-soteriology/#comment-19934

So, Hankins labels comments regarding SBC churches being doctrinally deficient as agenda-driven and made by only a small group of SBC Calvinists who are merely attempting to indoctrinate others with Calvinism. I must say, these are pretty wild charges.

Two recent Southern Baptist leaders who have made comments about SBC churches being by and large doctrinally deficient include Dr. Charles Quarles of Louisiana College Caskey School of Divinity and Pastor Bill Harrell of Abilene Baptist Church, a former SBC Executive Committee chairman.

Quarles recently wrote in the Louisiana Baptist Message:

The claim that Baptists did not win the battle for the Bible will probably puzzle many readers. However, evidence to support this claim is plentiful.

For the last three years, Louisiana College has administered a newly-developed BASE (Belief Assessment of Spiritual Essentials) exam to incoming freshmen to determine how well they understand the essential doctrines of the Christian faith.

These are not the lofty doctrines that only erudite ivory-tower theologians discuss and debate in the back rooms of dusty libraries; these are essential gospel truths that a person must understand and believe to be considered truly Christian.

Such doctrines include humanity’s sinful and lost condition, Jesus’ identity as God, the necessity of faith in Jesus for salvation, and our Lord’s bodily resurrection.

Here are some of our discoveries:

• 78 percent believe that all people are basically good and have no real need for a Savior

• 65 percent cannot identify a simple definition of new birth in a multiple-choice question. They think that being “born again” means experiencing reincarnation or transmigration in which a person who has died returns to earth in another life form so that they can make up for the sins of the past.

• 54 percent think that faith in Jesus is unnecessary for salvation. In their view, as long as a person believes in a god and has fallen in love with him, her, or it, he is right with that god.

• 42 percent believe that people go to heaven because of their personal morality rather than because of Jesus’ sacrificial death.

• 32 percent do not know that Christianity affirms the Deity of Jesus Christ, even though the NT repeatedly insists that faith in Jesus as God is necessary for salvation.

• 25 percent do not know that Christianity claims that Jesus literally rose from the dead.

Overall, our freshman scored an 67 percent on the BASE exam, a failing grade, despite the fact that 90 percentpercent of the college’s incoming freshmen claim to be Christians and nearly 60 percent of them grew up in our own Louisiana Baptist churches!”

Source: Baptist Mesage – Southern Baptists must learn to ‘choose our battles wisely’ http://www.baptistmessage.com/node/7527

Last week, Pastor Harrell made these comments in a sermon at Abilene Baptist Church:

So, are most Southern Baptist churches doctrinally deficient? Well, it would appear so in Louisiana in light of the Louisiana College BASE exam. It seems Pastor Harrell has a pulse on the doctrinal anemia going on across SBC churches as well.

What say you? Do you believe the average SBC church is doctrinally deficient?

jimmy

Heaping coals again Josh?
- http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
  
  How so?
  - jimmy
    
    It’s just interesting that you managed to ‘draw blood’ without a needle. Even in critical analysis and examination the fires are easily stoked in this… ‘conflict’ within our convention.
    - http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
      
      Yeah, I agree. I just wanted to show that even non-Calvinists such as Harrell notice the SBC is facing major doctrinal anemia.
      
      To say the average SBC church is doctrinally deficient is not a ploy to “indoctrinate” others with your theology.
http://www.facebook.com/Rhuiden Tom Shelton

How much do you think that the emphasis on unity in the local congregations plays into this doctrinal deficiency? By that I mean that some (maybe many?) SBC churches are afraid that if they address the doctrinal issues and debates occur it may be detrimental to the congregations unity.
- http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
  
  Tom,
  
  I would suspect this sense of “unity” is behind much of the absence of doctrinal teaching in the average SBC church. Though, much of the doctrinal absence is around non-debatable doctrines such as justification, the Trinity, etc.
  
  I believe this type of “unity” is not helpful. Churches should be made up of believers who share the same doctrinal beliefs. To simply not discuss depravity because you have different viewpoints sitting in the pews is not the answer.
  - http://www.facebook.com/Rhuiden Tom Shelton
    
    Joshua,
    
    I agree….now how do we convince those in the pews to agree with us? I think we must start with the youth and work toward the future. I am not suggesting we ignore the older people because we need to bring thing along also but I am suggesting that we work with the future in mind.
    - http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
      
      Tom,
      
      Yeah, moving forward is the tricky part. Starting with the youth is a great point. However, that still leaves the majority of your church yet to reach.
      Perhaps a church-wide SS curriculum that is doctrine based would help.
Nathaniel

In a conversation with my pastor on the issue of doctrinal anemia I was told that “they” (the congregation) wouldn’t hear doctrinal teaching. That these were simple country folk and wouldn’t understand all that deep stuff. When I suggested that it was his job to teach the truth regardless and even more to teach them the value of those truths. I was told that I would understand after I finish seminary.
- http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
  
  Nathaniel,
  
  Wow! That is troubling stuff. This type of mindset will only further the problem. The Holy Spirit leads all men into knowledge, even the heavy stuff.
Alfordg

Excellent article Josh…

The truth is that many non-Calvinist pastors in the SBC simply do not see teaching doctrine to there members in the pews as something that is all that important. And I’m not talking about teaching college level course in theology, I’m talking about the basic teachings of the BFM2000.

When I first went to FBC Ponce de Leon, Fl. Some 12 years ago I ask the congregation for a show of hands of those who had read the BFM before… Not one hand went up… Not One! Needles to say I set aside everything I had planned to preach and began to teach/preach through the BFM2000. And can I just say that many, many eyes were opened as to what is, and is not, Southern Baptist doctrine.

Grace for the journey
- http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
  
  Greg,
  
  Thanks for the comment! It would be an interesting study for LifeWay and Ed to do: Have you read the BF&M 2000?
  
  I imagine your diligence in going through our confessionnal statement was a great blessing to the congregation!
http://www.sbcissues.com/ Bob Hadley

Joshua

One more question… (from SBC Voices) you wrote… that you believe Pelagianism to be heresy. You believe most Southern Baptists are S-P (so since S-P and P are the same where conversion is concerned) I asked if you believe most Southern Baptists are preaching heresy. You answered, “There is a distinction to be made between someone willfully holding to damnable heresy and someone unknowingly being in error and holding to an unorthodox or heretical doctrine.

I do not think most Southern Baptists are “heretics.”

If I am reading WHAT you said correctly, are you saying the distinguishing factor on who is and is not preaching heresy, whether they know what they are doing?

I mean if two guys are preaching the same message, in this case S-P as you suggest, and one KNOWS exactly what he is doing, he is preaching heresy but the other who preaches the same basic message does not know what he is doing and he is not preaching heresy?

I really am interested in what you mean here.

Thanks!

><>”
- http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
  
  Bob,
  
  No, I am distinguishing the factor of someone being a “heretic” as I originally stated: willful rejection of the truth and unknowingly holding to error. Two major differences. Pelagius is historically known as a heretic. Why? Because he willfully rejected the Bible’s teachings on man.
  
  At the end of the day, error is error. Heresy is heresy. However, I do not believe that most SBC pastors are unorthodox in their doctrine of man.
  
  Hope that helps!
http://www.rondall-reynoso.com/ Rondall Reynoso

I’m much more Armenian in my theology but I would agree that most SBC churches are theologically anemic. from my perspective it has very little to do with the issue of Calvinism which I think should not be the huge issue it is within the SBC. I personally would put most of the blame on topical rather than expository preaching styles. Additionally, I think that most Christian’s perspective on spiritual maturity has more to do with the ability to maintain prolonged spiritual highs rather than an improved confrontation with and relationship to the Truth.

I will say though that as troubling as the results of the Base exam are that last time i looked at it there was a problem with the question relating to Chuck’s first point. I mentioned it to him but I do not know that it has ever been corrected. Do you happen to have access to the test?
- http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland
  
  Rondall,
  
  I agree with you that topical preaching probably has the tendency to lead to doctrinal anemia. The “spiritual high” Christianity is also an issue that the SBC will needs to address and deal with as “charismania” continues to seep into the SBC.
  
  I will ask Dr. Quarles about the BASE exam’s first question. I do not currently have access to the exam.
  
  I am encouraged that you, as a non-Calvinist, do not think Calvinism should be a big issue in SBC life. I believe the majority of Southern Baptists feel the same way.
http://www.thedailybleat.com/ Joshua Breland

Your astonishment is mine.
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Are Most Southern Baptist Churches Doctrinally Deficient?

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