Thanks for the drive-by ad-hominem. What have I said about Johnny Hunt as a person and a minister that has not been but positive? Thou speakest of what thou knowest not.

Regarding Hunt’s record on Calvinism, I have a 25 page chronological listing of all the rants/attacks/caricatures against Calvinism made by Southern Baptists, not the least of which has been Hunt himself. The public record is clear on this, and while I am encouraged to see that he has softened on his approach and stopped the unhelpful rhetoric, he has a record that follows him nonetheless. I look forward to, Lord willing, supporting Hunt as the new president of the SBC.

Speaking of acting victimized, you speak ill against Founders as though you yourself are a victim. No evidence, no substantiation. Just a broad-based, ambiguous slur. Is that how a grown-up is supposed to act? But I digress.

Before you feel compelled to rant on someone’s blog, I suggest that you reconsider the merits of your claims and spare yourself from committing the very act you accuse others of doing.

And for the record, I have a very loose administrative policy when it comes to moderating comments. I want everyone to have the opportunity to share their thoughts on the matter; however, repeated ad-hominems and rants of this nature unfortunately will not be tolerated. Should you choose to interact in the future, I ask that you choose another method of engagement. Thanks.

Plus, Johnny hunt is not anti-calvinist. He may not believe Calvinism is biblical. But he is not anti-calvinist. If anything my experience has been that founders is anti-noncalvinist. That has proven to be far worse. God only knows how many churches have been destoyed by the founder-friendly folks, including the church I now pastor.

“The resolution on regenerate church membership drew two amendments that encouraged churches to tighten membership definitions. The original resolution called for “churches to maintain a regenerate membership by acknowledging the necessity of spiritual regeneration of Christ’s lordship for all members” and urged churches to “maintain accurate membership rolls for the purpose of fostering ministry and accountability.”

It also urged churches to “restore wayward members.”

After much discussion, messengers adopted two amendments. The first, offered by Malcolm Yarnell, a professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, added to the definition of New Testament church. The original included the definition “composed only of those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the word, becoming disciples of Jesus Christ, the local church’s only Lord, by grace through faith.” The amendment added as further definition: “which church practices believers only baptism by immersion, (Math 28:16-20,) the Lords’ Supper (Matt. 26:26-30) and church discipline. (Matt. 18:15-20)

Messengers adopted an amendment by Tom Ascol, prominent in the Calvinist Founder’s Movement in the Southern Baptist Convention, urging “the churches of the SBC to repent of any failure among us to live up to our professed commitment to regenerate church membership and any failure to obey Jesus Christ in lovingly correcting wayward church members.”

The amendment encouraged “denominational servants to support and encourage any church’s efforts to recover and implement this discipline of our Lord Jesus Christ …even if such efforts result in a reduction in the number of members that are recorded in those churches.”

Source: http://www.baptiststandard.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8102&Itemid=53

Gotta love how denominational papers refer to people . . .

Tom Ascol, “prominent in the Calvinist Founders movement . . .”

Why not Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Cape Coral, FL?

Try doing that to Johnny Hunt (Johnny Hunt, prominent in the anti-Calvinist movement in the SBC . . .) Nope – would not fly.

“The Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution on regenerate church membership. This has been a much-debated issue in recent convention years. But it seems the steadfast labors of pastors and servants like Tom Ascol and Malcolm Yarnell have paid off . Ascol explains what happened. Pray that resolution results in genuine resolve so that the Lord’s bride may be beautified in all her ways.”

Source: http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2008/06/all-in-favor-sbc-passes-resolution-on.html

“At the heart of the issue is the problem between analyzing spiritual growth versus numerical growth. Southern Baptists have long been evaluating progress according to nickels and noses, when Jesus made it abundantly clear that the true measure of a church is discipleship. Yes, Jesus commanded His church to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, the instruction to make them disciples was the heart of the issue.

Membership in a church means more than just having your name on the roll. Membership means you are in covenant with that local body of baptized believers – to serve, to give, to minister, to enhance. The problem within our convention is that we have 16 million members, with only 6 million participating every weekend. Where are the other 10 million? The inflation of membership numbers among Southern Baptists is an integrity issue. More importantly, it is a spiritual issue.”

Source: http://crosspointchurch.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/the-southern-baptist-convention/

“I am happy to report that the resolution on regenerate church membership passed today. It was amended a bit, but it passed with what I believe is the one of the more important items and that is a call for repentance. It will be interesting to see how this resolution will impact the local church. I was telling a friend of mine that trying to purge a church roll is harder (is this possible?) than changing the color of the carpet. I pray that the Lord would use this resolution to bring integrity back to our local churches. I truly believe that if we cannot be honest with our church roll, then how are we to expect the world to trust us? I wonder if Jesus was talking about this kind of thing when He said, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much” (Lk 16:10)?”

Source: http://sbtsstudent.blogspot.com/2008/06/3-12-hours-at-dentist.html

“Tom Ascol’s resolution calling for integrity, purity of church membership and the biblical practice of church discipline among Southern Baptist’s made the floor of the Southern Baptist Convention today. After some dialogue and clarification, and by the grace of God, the resolution passed. Praise God! . . . What is amazing is that not only did it reach the floor, but it passed. Now may God give to churches the conviction necessary to actually implement the resolution and pursue regenerate church membership.”

Source: http://epangelia.blogspot.com/2008/06/great-resolution-passes-for-southern.html

“First, I think Tom Ascol, Bart Barber and Malcolm Yarnell deserve cooperative effort of the year in regards to SBC politics in order to get the convention to hear, understand, think through and ultimately pass a resolution on regenerate church membership. Tom Ascol should feel proud of his perennial efforts to get the convention to embrace the New Testament concept of a believer’s church. I also thank the Lord for such men such as Dr. Malcolm Yarnell and Dr. Bart Barber who have continually championed thoughtful, doctrinally-rich initiatives, proposals and works reminding Southern Baptists of the New Testament principals that drew free churchmen together in the wake of the Reformation. I am proud of our convention for embracing this basic free-church distinctive.”

Source: http://seminaryblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/sbc-2008.html

“On Tuesday, the convention passed a resolution “On regenerate church membership.” Why? For one, our convention leadership has, for years, touted the fact that we are 16 million strong. However, on any given Sunday, only 6 million or so show up for church. Where are the other ten? Are they wandering with the lost tribes? Who knows. The thing is, more than reflecting numbers of a convention, they reflect the state of churches, like my own, who have scores (sometimes hundreds) of names on a roll and we can’t even find them. My church calls them non-resident. What we are actually saying is that we don’t really care enough to try and find and encourage these “believers” to come back or find another place of worship.

[ . . .] I think this (resolution) is extremely significant. But only if churches in general and pastors specifically take this problem seriously. I am certainly praying about how I as a shepherd can do a better job than I have in keeping track of the sheep. Pray for me as I do.”

Source: http://jafloyd.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/southern-baptist-convention-08/

“For the past two years I’ve watched in frustration as our national Convention has been denied the opportunity to vote on one of the most important resolutions proposed to our denomination. Finally the frustration is over. . . . When I told my wife she said “Praise the Lord” and I couldn’t agree more. This is one of, if not the, most healthy moves made by our Convention in the past decade. Again, praise the Lord.”

Source: http://jeffwright.exaltchrist.com/?p=397