December 3, 2013

Al Mohler’s RAPPINT4G

On December 1st R. Albert Mohler posted an article under the title, “Thinking about Thinking about Rap — Unexpected Thoughts over Thanksgiving.”1 He wrote,
I do admire its [RAP’s] virtuosity…. I want that language taken for the cause of the Gospel…”
For those who have been objectively watching Al Mohler’s ecumenical compromises, and they are many,2 this article by him should have come with no surprise whatsoever. In fact, it should have been anticipated. Mark Dever, as I documented in 2011, was way out ahead of Al Mohler on RAP in the ministry of the church.3

The line is long since cemented on Al Mohler and the T4G/Gospel Coalition men. We have the, “I don’t care what Mohler (Dever, Mahaney, MacArthur, Piper, et. al.) does, he writes good books,” crowd. Those folks are essentially lost to the new wave of New Evangelicalism sweeping the Church of Jesus Christ. The greater concern many have in IFB circles is with the influence Al Mohler, Dever, Piper are having among some fundamental Baptist churches. Increasing the concern is that certain men who circulate in fundamental circles, most notably Dr. Kevin Bauder primarily and Dr. Dave Doran, are acting as apologists for these so-called “conservative” evangelicals, who are in fact the new wave of New Evangelicals among us.

Will this latest manifestation of Al Mohler’s misguided and worldly methodology give Drs. Bauder or Doran cause to rebuke him and/or warn believers to avoid him? Men who claim be “militant” separatists, loyal to the principles of authentic biblical separation certainly would have said something long before this.  There has been ample opportunity to rebuke Mohler and/or warn others about him. To date, however, there has been no level of aberrant doctrine, ecumenical compromises and cultural relativism coming from Al Mohler that has given either Bauder or Doran cause to publicly “rebuke” (2 Tim. 4:2), or warn the body of believers to “mark, avoid” (Rom. 16:17-18), to “withdraw from” (2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15) Mohler and his expanding foray into New Evangelicalism.

With history as our guide the reaction we can reasonably expect to Al Mohler’s RAPPIN’ for the Gospel will be either heaps of “lavish praise” for it, and/or be tolerated, allowed for, ignored or excused.

Finally, in light of Al Mohler’s vision of rappin’ “for the cause of the Gospel,” I would propose a revision of the T4G acronym to R4G, which is to say, “Rappin’ foda Gospel.” The kids will love it.


LM

Addendum (12/6/13)
See thread comment #3 for analysis and reaction to Kevin Bauders predictable Nick of Time article posited today.

For additional reading on Al Mohler and RAP please see Kent Brandenburgs What is Truth blog.

Footnotes:

2) Following are but a few examples of Al Mohlers egregious ecumenical compromise. There will be more.
What Does John Piper and Al Mohler Have in Common? Rick Warren!

3) Mark Dever’s affinity for RAP was ignored by Kevin Bauder and Dave Doran. The RAP on Mark Dever They participated in a cooperative ministry with Dever in the 2011 Advancing the Church conference at (the soon to be defunct) Calvary Baptist Seminary, Lansdale, PA. The Closure of CBS: Predictable and Repeatable

3 comments:

  1. Thanks Lou, for bringing this forward to the audience. It is tragic that there are those within fundamentalism that look on at these evangelicals with rose-colored glasses thinking that all is well with these men. These men continue in the vein that Graham started years ago, to go anywhere, be with anyone, use any means, so long as I can preach unfettered. Graham has shown us the downward progression that that attitude will produce.
    Thanks again.

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  2. Brian:

    In many cases I don't think those in fundamentalism are looking at Mohler or any of the T4G men with rose-colored glasses. Instead they (especially the angry fomer yf's) have become one of them. They are fully bought into the non-separatist New Evangelicalism of Mohler, Piper, Dever, et. al. You mention Bill Graham. I trust folks remember that in 2001 Al Mohler sat as chairman for the Louisville Bill Graham crusade. Mohler compromised the gospel when he signed the Manhattan Declaration. This year Mohler joined hands with the Mormon church. He is far from done with these kinds of ecumenical forays. Yet, we still have men like Kevin Bauder whose response to all of it has been to tolerate, ignore, excuse or give Mohler cover. I'm interested to see Bauder's next Nick article tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe this time, naaaah.


    Lou

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  3. Brian/All:

    Today at Kevin Bauder's Nick of Time blog he wrote, "Those are all topics I would like to discuss during December, but I am not going to address any them (at least not until later)."

    Among other persons/issues he referenced he includes this, "Al Mohler has disclosed a surprising inability to distinguish judgments from preferences."

    We are told Kevin has made "A Deliberate Choice" not to address Al Mohler or any of the other issues he referred to "at least until later," after December. Ok, the clock is running. Will Kevin Bauder tolerate, allow for, ignore or excuse Al Mohler once again? I think we have a very good indication.

    I suspect Kevin will choose to mention and dodge or ignore Al Mohler's RAP issue. Why do I suspect that? Because Bauder's pattern has been to-
    1)Ignore/side-step/excuse disconcerting issues with Al Mohler, and
    2) In his article he also wrote, "Over the past week much nonsense has been spouted over Christian Rap...and I’m not much interested in trying to wrestle with that muddy pig."

    The clock is running. We'll look in next year to see what if any reaction Kevin Bauder will have over Al Mohler's RAPPIN' T4G.


    LM

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