A Growing Association Between Some “Fundamentalists” and “Conservative Evangelicals”

CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALS- (Friday Church News Notes, December 24, 2010 www.wayoflife.org)

There is a growing association toward between some “fundamentalists” and “conservative evangelicals.” Central Baptist Seminary of Minnesota, Calvary Baptist Seminary of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and Northland International University (formerly Northland Baptist Bible College) have all recently praised “evangelical conservatives” for their “vigorous commitment to and defense of the gospel.”* Northland invited Bruce Ware, Southern Baptist Seminary professor, in to conduct a seminar for pastors. Calvary Baptist Seminary invited Southern Baptist pastor Mark Dever as a speaker at their National Leadership Conference. And Kevin Bauder of Central Baptist has used his blog this year to praise “conservative evangelicals” such as Southern Baptist Seminary head Al Mohler. What is glaringly left out of this issue is the matter of separation.** Bauder claims that the “conservative evangelicals” aren’t New Evangelicals and he conveniently defines New Evangelicalism in a way that proves his point (whereas his predecessors at Central, Richard Clearwaters and Ernest Pickering, displayed greater wisdom in their understanding of New Evangelicalism). While there are many aspects of New Evangelicalism, the defining principle from its inception was a “repudiation of separatism.” That was the way that Harold Ockenga put it. That is Billy and Franklin Graham’s foundational working principle. And by that definition, every Southern Baptist conservative is a New Evangelical. That is evident by the simple fact that they remain in the SBC, which is an unholy organization that encompasses theological Liberalism, Charismaticism, Masonism, Billy Graham ecumenical evangelism, modern textual criticism, amillennialism, the rock & roll emerging philosophy, female preachers, psychoheresy, Catholic mysticism, and other errors and evils. The Southern Baptist Convention is filled with men who have the same unscriptural philosophy as Ed Young Jr., with his non-judgmental, downplay doctrine philosophy and his close association with heretics such as Pentecostal Word-Faith preacher Brian Houston of Sydney, Australia. Brian’s wife is his “co-pastor”; he preaches a prosperity gospel; he thinks vain muttering is “tongues speaking”; and his worship leader participates in Roman Catholic conferences. The “conservative” Southern Baptist Ed is fine with all that. If you think I am wrong on this, send me a book or a preaching series by a “conservative evangelical” on separation. Typically, the only thing they have to say about separation is ridicule for those who try to practice it. They refuse to be restrained by separation. They don’t have a heart for it. They want a big tent, but God’s Word doesn’t allow it. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

Courtesy Way of Life, Brother David Cloud. Reprinted by permission.

CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALS (Friday Church News Notes, December 24, 2010, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Site Publisher’s Notes:
*This “vigorous commitment to and defense of the gospel” that men like Kevin Bauder, Dave Doran, Lansdale and Northland International University's administration are heaping lavish praise upon evangelicals for is the Lordship Salvation interpretation of the Gospel. Lordship Salvation is the so-called “pure gospel” that self-described fundamental Baptist separatists are rallying to and converging around with evangelicals.

**In one of the closing parts of his Now, About Those Differences series Kevin Bauder mentions 2 Thessalonians. Then, however, he states, “my present purpose is not to expound these texts.” It was expected from the beginning of his series that he would never expound upon or give series attention to 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15 or Romans 16:17 when addressing the so-called “conservative” evangelicals. If Bauder did expound these texts honestly he IMO would have to throw out vast sections of his accolades for and defense of evangelicalism in his series. It is amazing that certain men with advanced academic training cry “sola Scriptura” with great passion, but then follow the same vein as the Reformers and rely on human reason and logic to tell us what the Scriptures really say. It becomes increasingly clear that Kevin Bauder’s Fundamentalism Worth Saving is one that casts off fidelity to the principles of God’s mandates for separatism by redefining applications to legitimize his influencing a convergence with evangelicalism and its star personalities. For related reading see, It Won’t Fly With Us Who Know … Conservative Evangelicalism’s Distortion of the Doctrine of Separation by Dr. Lance Ketchum … Excusing the Brother for the Sake of His Sister: Is This the New “Fresh Application” of Biblical Separation Principles?