Associationalism
Kevin T. Bauder This weekend I am traveling to Lake Benton, Minnesota, to address the southwestern fellowship of the Minnesota Baptist Association (MBA). The MBA… Read More »Associationalism
polity
Thoughts on Baptists and Independence
Sometimes things that look alike are actually quite different. One mushroom cooks up into a delectable repast, while another that appears almost identical can kill.… Read More »Thoughts on Baptists and Independence
Pastors, Deacons, and Whatsits
The New Testament specifies two offices for the local church. The apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 3, told his young protégé that he was writing… Read More »Pastors, Deacons, and Whatsits
Subtractions and Additions
The Gospel of Matthew 20:29-34 records an event that happened as Jesus was leaving Jericho. Two blind men began to call upon Him, begging for… Read More »Subtractions and Additions
Tilting to the Other
Under Christ, the local church of the New Testament operates with dual authority. The congregation selects its own servants and calls them into account. It… Read More »Tilting to the Other
Tilting to One Side
According to the New Testament, Christian churches ought to operate with dual authority. Ultimate authority for making decisions rests with the congregation. The church itself… Read More »Tilting to One Side
What’s a Pastor to Do?
Through His authoritative apostles, Christ revealed how He wished His churches to operate. They were to be led by pastors (the name is interchangeable with… Read More »What’s a Pastor to Do?
Changing Doctrine
When I was a sophomore in high school my father was a student in Bible college. One Sunday he was sent to preach at a… Read More »Changing Doctrine
The Teaching Office
The clear prescription of the New Testament is that pastors are teachers of churches. To put it more precisely, pastors are the teachers of their… Read More »The Teaching Office
Reprove, Rebuke, Exhort
Pastors who want to lead biblically find themselves caught in a bit of a paradox. One side of the paradox is that biblical pastors must… Read More »Reprove, Rebuke, Exhort
Pastors As Teachers
Pastors (that is to say, bishops or elders) are supposed to rule. That proposition is hardly controversial, for the New Testament repeatedly depicts the office… Read More »Pastors As Teachers
Pastoral Example As Pastoral Authority
Pastors have authority—real authority, given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ. They have a duty to exert their authority and to employ it as… Read More »Pastoral Example As Pastoral Authority
The Crisis of Pastoral Authority
Over the past few weeks I have spent a good bit of time writing about congregational authority. I have tried to show how the New… Read More »The Crisis of Pastoral Authority
Bishops and Fathers
Debates over congregationalism and elder rule usually end up, sooner or later, at 1 Timothy 3:4-5. In these verses, Paul states that a bishop must… Read More »Bishops and Fathers
Acts 6 and Church Decisions
Some people believe that church government, and particularly church decisions, ought to be in the hands of one or more elders rather than the congregation.… Read More »Acts 6 and Church Decisions
Elders Rule! But Congregations Decide
Those who think that churches should be governed by a self-perpetuating boards of elders have two main arguments. The first is that the sheep (i.e.,… Read More »Elders Rule! But Congregations Decide
Belly Laugh: A Brief Digression
Every now and then comes an unexpected gift. Not a gift like a check in the mail with lots of numbers before the decimal point,… Read More »Belly Laugh: A Brief Digression
Who Selected Elders?
Years ago I saw a book of trivia in which could be found the assertion that the United States has never
Did They Vote?
The name Baptist stands for a set of principles and practices. Those who use the name are attempting to copy the order of the New… Read More »Did They Vote?