Posted on 02/04/2006 2:44:05 AM PST by WKB
ENID, Okla.
A Southern Baptist pastor being removed from a national board governing worldwide evangelism says he doesn't speak in tongues himself but is defending missionaries who do to keep the denomination "broad in our cooperation."
The Rev. Wade Burleson, the senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, said that the board of trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board wants him to be removed because of his criticism of a policy change enacted by the IMB in November 2005. It stated that any candidate speaking in tongues, even privately, "has eliminated himself or herself from being a representative of the IMB of the SBC."
In a statement, the International Mission Board says it wants him removed not because of the tongues issue, but because of "broken trust and resistance to accountability." Burleson's removal depends on a June vote of the entire Southern Baptist Convention, but the controversy is being watched beyond Baptist circles, largely because of the dispute over tongues, an issue that has rankled many religious groups.
Tongues is described in the Bible as a spiritual language used by early Christians, enabled by the Holy Spirit. The issue of whether it is still relevant, or appropriate, for modern times has divided many denominations.
Burleson says he is not most concerned about tongues, but a willingness to remove ministers who disagree with what he and others consider "nonessential doctrines." Since the changes in the mission board's policy were made official, Burleson has been writing open letters and explanations of his position on his blog, kerussocharis.blogspot.com.
He has repeatedly referred to those who wanted the policy changes as "crusading conservatives."
"Crusading conservatives seek to convince you that their interpretation of the Bible on nonessential doctrines must be accepted by all conservatives, and if someone chooses to not conform to their specific interpretation, then he/she is removed from service," Burleson said.
Burleson says he considers himself a "cooperating conservative," which he defines as a person who is in agreement on the major doctrines of the Bible but gives freedom in areas of interpretation regarding nonessential doctrines. The SBC has long considered the Reformation's rallying cries of faith alone, grace alone, Scripture alone and Christ alone as summing up the major doctrines of Scripture.
The use of the spiritual gift known as tongues or glossolalia would fall into the nonessential category. Southern Baptists have a policy that prohibits their ministers from using tongues in a public setting.
"I do not want people to lose sight of the real issue," Burleson said. "It is not about the new policies. It is the direction we seem to be moving as a convention that shuts out dissent and desires conformity in the interpretation of minor doctrines."
Burleson said he does not practice a "private prayer language," the phrase some use for speaking in tongues, nor does anyone he would consider a close friend or family member. The issue, he said, is one of principle and "is not personal."
Leon McBeth is a retired distinguished professor of church history at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He said that the SBC has a long-standing antipathy toward what some call the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.
"In my day, our concern over the tongues issue was a biblical one," McBeth said. "In the Bible, tongues is always associated with conflict. And tongues isn't exclusive to Christianity. The practice goes at least as far back as the Oracle at Delphi.
"Sometime in the 1970s, as a way of ameliorating opposition to tongues, some Southern Baptists began to talk about private prayer language. They believed it was less offensive than calling it tongues."
Lyle Story, a professor of biblical languages and New Testament at Regent University School of Divinity in Virginia Beach, Va., said that the Southern Baptist resistance to tongues is tied to their belief that all the miraculous gifts (healing, prophecy, tongues, miracles) ceased with the death of the original 12 apostles and the completion of the Bible.
Burleson said he is resistant to the policy change because so many Christian men and women throughout history would have violated it.
"Some of our greatest missionaries of all time had a private prayer language, including Miss Bertha Smith of China, who led thousands of people to Christ and died an ambassador of the Southern Baptist Convention at the age of 100," he said.
Jerry Rankin, the president of the International Mission Board, has acknowledged that he has practiced a private prayer language for 30 years.
"We have become so intolerant that everyone must now march in lockstep with us or we kick them out," McBeth said. "I believe this (the policy change) was part of a power play to force Rankin into retirement."
The IMB made the policy change non-retroactive, so Rankin's position as president will not be threatened.
The trustees of the IMB deny that Burleson's criticism of the policy changes had a bearing on their decision to work to remove him. In an official statement released Jan. 11, board chairman Tom Hatley said: "In taking this action, trustees addressed issues involving broken trust and resistance to accountability, not Burleson's opposition to policies recently enacted by the board."
Burleson will remain on the board until the Southern Baptist Convention meets in Greensboro in June. The convention must vote to remove him, as the IMB has no power to do so. Burleson said he remains a strong supporter of the SBC and IMB.
"The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention is doing the greatest work in our 161-year-old history," Burleson said. "I and my church support the IMB. We will continue to support the IMB."
As far as the NO part, I would have to refer you to my previous post to learn what I was taught in the SB church about "losing one salvation". Do you teach that in Sunday School too? ie post 238
I started with you just asking a question. You pushed it much farther than that and are continuing it. Just get over yourself.
Yes I do read my bible.
As far as the NO part, I would have to refer you to my previous post to learn what I was taught in the SB church about "losing one salvation". Do you teach that in Sunday School too? ie post 238
Hey moog read this and you can learn how to
"read in tongues" !!
What question? And how did I push it much further and you haven't? Get over myself???? How the heck have I even "promoted" myself. I just don't take myself so seriously as some people do and can actually poke fun at myself. Let's see you do it to yourself. Please elaborate.
Well, I know how to "type in tongues" already. To read in tongues? Let's see, what do you have on yours?:)
If you will notice.
The FR mail was posted on the forum
about 3 minutes after you got it.
Unlike you I DO make mistakes
from time to time.
That Freep mail just happen to be one of them.
Trust me I have nothing to say to you in private.
Post 216. Don't shot at a person when they ask you a question. Otherwise they will not shoot back.
Pontificate on this:
I did learn in the SBC church how you can blaspheme the Holy Spirit and still be saved.
I also learned you can lie ,cheat, steal, murder, rape,fornicate, have as many gods as you wish, all while your still saved.
I'm shaking in my house shoes.
Pontificate on this:
I'm not Catholic I thought you knew that.
And you misunderstood my previous post. When I explained it, then you went after me. I explained what my points were previously--which ones do you agree with (besides the last one)?
And yes, I'll admit, it was pretty dumb on both our parts to go after each other, especially me. But since you assumed I was Baptist and/or a preacher, you have gotten a few things wrong too (not to mention that I was not equating the Apostles at the Day of Pentecost with modern day missionaries using the "gift of tongues" to learn a new language).
LOL Ok, I see you have sidestepped it twice now. I will let it go. All though I will bring it up as a refresher every now and then.
As I've stated already, I do not believe in a 'prayer language' and I do not toe the line the Pentecostal movement preaches. Now, let me ask a hypotethical question: does anyone here seriously believe that when I get to heaven to be judged that God is going to say, 'you didn't believe in speaking in tongues. You go into the Go To Hell line.'
Not being evasive. Just Scriptual
2 Tim. 2:23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
2 Tim. 2:24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
Scriptual, now that your not asking the questions? LOL
2 Tim. 2:23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
2 Tim. 2:24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
HEHEHE Are you implying something, especially in that last verse? HEHEHE.
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