Comments on: Five Good Thoughts About Evangelicals http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals ...dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:47:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Samuel J. Howard http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-95203 Samuel J. Howard Sat, 02 Jun 2007 15:02:13 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-95203 "When we actually get ahold of it and don’t throw it out for the current menu of contemporary “worship” music, evangelicals have an unsurpassed heritage of worship music that expresses the best of Biblical theology and the best of human response to God. "If you think this is a small thing, go to your local Roman Catholic church and see what’s happened to worship music since Vatican II." That's really not fair. Your comparing the best of the Evangelical music (as you admit when you say "When we actually...") with the average Sunday at a Roman Catholic Church. “When we actually get ahold of it and don’t throw it out for the current menu of contemporary “worship” music, evangelicals have an unsurpassed heritage of worship music that expresses the best of Biblical theology and the best of human response to God.

“If you think this is a small thing, go to your local Roman Catholic church and see what’s happened to worship music since Vatican II.”

That’s really not fair.

Your comparing the best of the Evangelical music (as you admit when you say “When we actually…”) with the average Sunday at a Roman Catholic Church.

]]> By: Don Hendricks http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93305 Don Hendricks Sat, 26 May 2007 15:04:18 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93305 I can't believe you would be able to find a back pew empty after returning. Those pews are historically precious. Did you push someone out that is angry with you? Great post, and you describe why I am still in this Evangelical Church. Don I can’t believe you would be able to find a back pew empty after returning. Those pews are historically precious. Did you push someone out that is angry with you? Great post, and you describe why I am still in this Evangelical Church.

Don

]]> By: UberGoober http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93287 UberGoober Sat, 26 May 2007 13:00:58 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93287 Almost thou persuadest me to be an (enthusiastic) evangelical. Almost thou persuadest me to be an (enthusiastic) evangelical.

]]> By: Greg Laughery http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93249 Greg Laughery Sat, 26 May 2007 07:00:56 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93249 Thanks for these good thoughts on evangelicalism. Despite the generally woeful state of much evangelicalism, lamentable indeed, you highlight some helpful reminders that give cause for serious reflection. Thanks for these good thoughts on evangelicalism. Despite the generally woeful state of much evangelicalism, lamentable indeed, you highlight some helpful reminders that give cause for serious reflection.

]]> By: Joel http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93237 Joel Sat, 26 May 2007 03:48:29 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93237 Mike, I'm not an Evangelical anymore, but I was raised among them, and I've spent much of my time as a Catholic praising them for exactly the sort of things you just mentioned. Often I wish we were more like Evangelicals in those same areas. Mike, I’m not an Evangelical anymore, but I was raised among them, and I’ve spent much of my time as a Catholic praising them for exactly the sort of things you just mentioned. Often I wish we were more like Evangelicals in those same areas.

]]> By: One_SalientOversight http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93214 One_SalientOversight Sat, 26 May 2007 01:14:44 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93214 "For 7 years I’ve been chronicling what’s wrong with evangelicalism. There are many problems and things are not improving." That's your trademark Michael! “For 7 years I’ve been chronicling what’s wrong with evangelicalism. There are many problems and things are not improving.”

That’s your trademark Michael!

]]> By: One_SalientOversight http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93213 One_SalientOversight Sat, 26 May 2007 01:10:59 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93213 Michael, Check out the Barna links and examine the methodology. I'm no fan of Barna, but the questions asked in the survey are quite good. For starters they don't ask whether a person is "born again" or "evangelical", but whether they adhere to a certain set of beliefs. I find it quite compelling. 7% of Americans seem to be Evangelicals - a number that has not risen since 1994. Michael,

Check out the Barna links and examine the methodology. I’m no fan of Barna, but the questions asked in the survey are quite good. For starters they don’t ask whether a person is “born again” or “evangelical”, but whether they adhere to a certain set of beliefs. I find it quite compelling. 7% of Americans seem to be Evangelicals – a number that has not risen since 1994.

]]> By: Michael Spencer http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93212 Michael Spencer Sat, 26 May 2007 01:02:13 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93212 For 7 years I've been chronicling what's wrong with evangelicalism. There are many problems and things are not improving. That said, evangelicalism is more represented by men like Warren, Swindoll, Macarthur, and Driscoll than by Osteen. If you want to hear the Gospel, your best bet is a church that would be evangelical in some way. But you are correct that the situation is declining. I have no idea what unbelievers would say. That totally depends on whether they have a personal experience or are just exposed to information in the media. The media see evangelicals as primarily culture warriors and political activists. Those who are part of some exposure to evangelical churches would see a lot more than that, but too much of that. I wouldn't pay any attention to Barna. All that research shows is that many people aren't familar with the term evangelical, which is no surprise. For 7 years I’ve been chronicling what’s wrong with evangelicalism. There are many problems and things are not improving. That said, evangelicalism is more represented by men like Warren, Swindoll, Macarthur, and Driscoll than by Osteen. If you want to hear the Gospel, your best bet is a church that would be evangelical in some way. But you are correct that the situation is declining.

I have no idea what unbelievers would say. That totally depends on whether they have a personal experience or are just exposed to information in the media. The media see evangelicals as primarily culture warriors and political activists. Those who are part of some exposure to evangelical churches would see a lot more than that, but too much of that.

I wouldn’t pay any attention to Barna. All that research shows is that many people aren’t familar with the term evangelical, which is no surprise.

]]> By: One_SalientOversight http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93211 One_SalientOversight Sat, 26 May 2007 00:56:45 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93211 "Evangelicalism still understands and preaches the Gospel." As someone who lives thousands of Kilometres away from the USA and on the other side of the world, allow me to question you on this. * If this is true, then surely the mounds of popular Christian literature that are consumed by the American church should, in fact, not just contain the Gospel, but be driven by it? * What of the churches, movements and preachers that are considered to be the most influential in the US? Are they being driven by the Gospel? (Joel Osteen obviously comes to mind here) * When unbelievers are queried about evangelicalism, what would they say are the most salient points of evangelical belief as communicated to them? Is it the Gospel? Or is it Homosexuality / Abortion / Evolution? * Why is there a major disparity between the amount of "Born Again Christians" in America (35-40%) and the amount of "Evangelical Christians" (7%)? see: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=8 and http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=186 “Evangelicalism still understands and preaches the Gospel.”

As someone who lives thousands of Kilometres away from the USA and on the other side of the world, allow me to question you on this.

* If this is true, then surely the mounds of popular Christian literature that are consumed by the American church should, in fact, not just contain the Gospel, but be driven by it?

* What of the churches, movements and preachers that are considered to be the most influential in the US? Are they being driven by the Gospel? (Joel Osteen obviously comes to mind here)

* When unbelievers are queried about evangelicalism, what would they say are the most salient points of evangelical belief as communicated to them? Is it the Gospel? Or is it Homosexuality / Abortion / Evolution?

* Why is there a major disparity between the amount of “Born Again Christians” in America (35-40%) and the amount of “Evangelical Christians” (7%)? see: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=8 and http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=186

]]> By: Michael Spencer http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals/comment-page-1#comment-93194 Michael Spencer Fri, 25 May 2007 21:46:03 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/five-good-thoughts-about-evangelicals#comment-93194 Soul competency is one of the most misunderstood of historic Baptist distinctives. I'm not qualified to give a full answer. It does not mean that churches should not seek confessional unity, but it does recognize the limits of any form of external unity upon individuals. The Wikipedia description is deficient. The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message revision contained these sentences: ""Baptists cherish and defend religious liberty, and deny the right of any secular or religious authority to impose a confession of faith upon a church or body of churches. We honor the principles of soul competency and the priesthood of believers, affirming together both our liberty in Christ and our accountability to each other under the Word of God." To me, it simply stands against the Catholic view that the church is necessary for a believer to have sufficient truth. IOWs it is an expression of sola scriptura and religious liberty. Soul competency is one of the most misunderstood of historic Baptist distinctives. I’m not qualified to give a full answer. It does not mean that churches should not seek confessional unity, but it does recognize the limits of any form of external unity upon individuals.

The Wikipedia description is deficient.

The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message revision contained these sentences: “”Baptists cherish and defend religious liberty, and deny the right of any secular or religious authority to impose a confession of faith upon a church or body of churches. We honor the principles of soul competency and the priesthood of believers, affirming together both our liberty in Christ and our accountability to each other under the Word of God.”

To me, it simply stands against the Catholic view that the church is necessary for a believer to have sufficient truth. IOWs it is an expression of sola scriptura and religious liberty.

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