Yet Again . . . God Help Us

As we were sharing prayer requests this morning in Sunday School, someone requested prayer for a couple who just recently graduated from Southern who took an Associate Pastor position with a church in Haynesville, AL. What was painful for this request was that he and his pastor were yet another brothers who were kicked out of their church by a few families who found out they were Reformed. From what I understand, the church recently became registered with the Founder's Movement in the SBC, and the families constructed the famous "straw man" of Calvinism and appropriated it to these men who ministered to them. This couple, with a child on its way, had been with this church for only three months - long enough I assume for the power hungry to reveal who really is in control of their church (which is not God of course). My instant reaction is outright indignation because of the baseless and unbiblical ousting of men called by God. But later I was filled with broken-heartedness for these men and others (of whom their train is increasing weekly) who are victims of churches who are bound to tradition and not to God's Word. Why don't SBC leaders come out and condemn these actions? Although SBC churches autonomous, are they not accountable to the SBC? In some sense they are, for some [churches] have been removed [from SBC or local association] for women in the pastorate, homosexual endoresement, and the like. Why can't these ungodly and unjustified actions of such churches be held accountable to the sister churches in their association and convention? My guess is that when BaptistFire finds out about it, they will have it on their frontpage as they have done in the past and gloat over the recent "victory" over Calvinism. Other churches will find precedent to remove their pastor or staff member the same way this church has done. You know, before we begin to talk about baptizing millions or fundraising for our oversized church buildings, maybe the best thing we can do is figure out this thing called "Church" and work to get it right. If not, the next glitzy sign over the next church building might as well have "ICOBOD" written over it.