Category Archives: Ecclesiology

When Is It Time to Quit?

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Every once in a while I do something that feels akin to beating my head against a wall. This article feels like that because my intention is to discuss how long preachers should preach. I have discussed this topic with enough preachers to know that preachers will preach as long as they want to preach. Certainly every preacher needs to be “convinced in his own mind” of what length of sermon is appropriate. I acknowledge this is an area where good men can disagree.

Unity Versus Purity

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The same conflict we saw in the Reformation can be seen in contemporary Christianity in North America and the rest of the world. Pastors in Baptist circles today (or heads of institutions or agencies) have choices to make when trying to expand and extend the influence of their church in the community or the constituency of their organizations. Aiming for unity (lowest common denominator of beliefs and/or holy living) will most often result in larger numbers of people, but it does not produce the fruit one might desire.

Toward Expository Preaching

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Preaching is at the heart of our fundamental Baptist churches. Our churches are blessed with many fine preachers, but there is always a need to issue the call again for excellence in expository preaching. In this issue of the Faith Pulpit, Dr. Daniel Brown, a veteran preacher and teacher of preachers at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa, reminds us of the nature of expository preaching and encourages us to hold to a high standard in preaching. In his second article he tackles the question of how long should a preacher preach.

Choosing Sunday School Curriculum

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Churches today have many choices for their Sunday School curriculum. What considerations should influence a church’s choice of its curriculum resources? Professor Don Anderson of Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa, believes that the key consideration is how well a curriculum helps teachers teach the Bible effectively and thoroughly. In the first article he examines three factors relating to curriculum development that bear upon effectiveness and thoroughness in Bible teaching. In the second article he presents an overview of Sunday School publishers.

An Overview of Sunday School Publishers

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In this article I overview twelve of the major curriculum publishers, especially Baptist publishers, that Faith Pulpit readers might be aware of, have questions about, or consider choosing for their church ministries. The websites linked to each publishing house are the basis for this overview. Visit these websites to find the scope and sequence of each curriculum. Answers Bible Curriculum Answers Bible Curriculum (ABC) is produced by Answers in Genesis (AiG) of Petersburg, Kentucky. AiG introduced this curriculum to churches in the summer of 2012.

United Families Dividing Churches: An Assessment of the Family Integrated Church Movement

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The Family Integrated Church Movement (FICM) is having a growing impact within fundamental Baptist churches—and unfortunately it is not all good. Since the mid-1990s an increasing number of families within fundamental churches have gravitated toward the family-integrated approach. In addition, families entrenched in the movement have been drawn to fundamental churches because of their emphasis on Biblical preaching and conservatism. At first glance the influence of the FICM might seem innocent and even beneficial for traditional churches, but instead it is proving to be problematic for many pastors and churches.

Faith Baptist Theological Seminary: Celebrating 25 Years of God’s Blessing

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In 2011 Faith Baptist Theological Seminary celebrated its 25th anniversary. From its modest beginning in 1986 FBTS has become a leader among fundamental Baptist seminaries. This article recounts the early history of FBTS and examines what distinguishes it from other seminaries. 2011 also marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of the Faith Pulpit. This edition of Faith Pulpit (number 230) gives a comprehensive index of the past 25 years of publication. The roots of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary go back to 1962 when the college, then known as Omaha Baptist Bible College, added a five-year Bachelor of Theology program to the standard four-year program.

Planning the Ordination Service

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If the Bible gives little information on how formal ordination took place in the early church, it tells even less about what a formal ordination service should contain. However, as previously demonstrated, ordination is a function of the local church. Whatever other elements may be included in an ordination service, at the least it provides an occasion for the church to take official action to ordain one of its members. Further, because this service is part of the normal activities of the gathered church,1 it should include the Biblically mandated elements of church gatherings, such as singing, praying, Scripture reading, and preaching.

The Ordination of Men to the Ministry

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Faith Baptist Theological Seminary is committed to preparing men to serve in the pastoral ministry. Each year churches call FBTS graduates to serve as pastors and assistant pastors. An important step after a man is called to a church is his ordination. In this article, Don Anderson, an ordained minister and adjunct professor at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, examines the Biblical teaching concerning ordination of men to the gospel ministry. In the accompanying article, Professor Anderson’s son, James, also an ordained minister, gives practical suggestions for planning the ordination service.

Let the Church Be the Church!

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If the church is not the church as God intends her to be, no amount of success or popularity will fill the hungry soul. It is time to let the church be the church. So writes Dr. Rick Shrader, pastor of Metro Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. In this article Dr. Shrader helps us answer our critics and challenges us to maintain purity and holiness in our churches. Fundamentalists have often been called legalists. The problem today is that the word “legalist” has been used so often to mean anyone who has rules of conduct that this has become its accepted meaning.1 But just because someone has said something repeatedly does not make it truthful.