Emerging Pastor Agrees with Independent Baptist Leaders

Mark Batterson

Emerging pastor Mark Batterson, who has spoken in conferences with Paul Young of The Shack (which depicts God as a female), agrees with many independent Baptist leaders who are against “quibbling” and criticism on the basis of the “non-essentials.” In a 2011 blog Batterson says: “... few things bother me more than sideways energy in the kingdom of God. We end up infighting and forget who our very real enemy is. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we stopped throwing stones at each other. ... If something is heretical, that’s one thing. But we quibble over far too many things. ... I’m all for holding the fort of orthodoxy, but that strikes me as misidentifying the enemy. ... I've always subscribed to something Rupertus Meldenius said: ‘In the essentials, unity. In the non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.’ Obviously, it’s hard to know where to draw the line between essential and non-essentials. But let’s not major in minors” (Mark Batterson, “Straining Gnats: Swallowing Camels,” June 27, 2011). This statement reminds me of IFB leader Charles Keen’s book Thinking Outside the Box, in which he says, “I finally realized that not all truth is of equal value. ... Let’s decide who the enemies of the cross are and divide from them. Then let’s decide who the friends of grace are and tolerate them.” Batterson’s statement reminds me of Kevin Bauder, president of Central Baptist Seminary in Minnesota, who praises “conservative evangelicals” and promotes the “non-essential” philosophy (In the Nick of Time, Bauder’s blog, March 2010). Batterson’s statement reminds me of Calvary Baptist Seminary of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, which says, “We should grant each other the freedom to hold differing viewpoints and to refrain from caustic letter-writing campaigns to or about those with whom one might differ. ... in our zeal to earnestly contend for the faith, fundamentalism became more concerned about minor issues and less concerned about what the Bible clearly presents as the majors” (alumni mailing, Aug. 25, 2010). Calvary Baptist Seminary identifies “minor issues” as such things as which English translation to use, dress standards, musical styles, election, and baptism. We are told that such things should not determine fellowship. Batterson’s statement also reminds me of Clayton Reed, who co-authored Church Still Works with Paul Chappell. In his blog entitled “Ecclesiastical Separation,” Reed says, “... we ought to join every willing, warm-hearted Christian in advancing our Lord’s kingdom while it is day.” He says we should not separate over “non-fundamentals” and refers to John R. Rice’s principle that we should work with those who disagree with us on baptism, tongues, prophecy, election, and association with the Southern Baptist Convention. Those who hold the “in essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty” doctrine cannot show us where this principle was taught by Christ or Paul or any of the apostles. They cannot show from the clear teaching of Scripture how to identify a “non-essential” doctrine, nor can they show how a list of “non-essentials” can keep from growing larger with each generation as it has everywhere this principle has been accepted. At first only things like “music” or “dress” or “Bible versions” are considered “non-essentials,” but after awhile the list includes things like a woman’s call to preach and the interpretation of prophecy and the definition of God’s sovereignty in election and ecumenical evangelism and definitions of the atonement. And the list keeps growing. The biblical way is to reject the “essentials/non-essentials” philosophy and to respect the whole counsel of the New Testament faith (Jude 3). This does not mean that we consider all doctrine of equal importance. There are damnable heresies (2 Peter 2:1-2), which only the unregenerate hold, and lesser heresies, which even born again believers hold (1 Cor. 11:19). But every clearly-taught teaching of the Word of God should be honored and none despised. And we should be willing to defend whatever doctrine happens to be under attack at any given time.

(Friday Church News Notes, November 16, 2012, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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