One Outlaw's Opinion Blog

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The Polity of the Church

Part 3

of 

A 3- Part Series on Church Organizational Government and Politics

What the church should know

In the past two articles we have discussed what Church Polity is, its definition and how Southern Baptist in particular...

Tags: church governement, church politics, church polity, southern baptist convention, southern baptist name change

A 3- Part Series on Church Organizational Government and Politics

Over the past several years, the term "POLITY" has been used among Southern Baptist with increased frequency.

In some cases it has been used correctly but all too often, it has been used with uncertainty and incorrectly.

For many of us, as Southern Baptist, "POLITY" has always been something for someone else. In fact, for the majority the meaning isn't even known.

Until recent events surrounding our conventions decision to amend our constitution for qualifying member representatives as eligible and active voting members, our churches' understanding of "POLITY" was almost unintelligible.

But when former and inactive members, attorneys, other pastors and denominational leaders all begin making comment on such action and...

Tags: church governement, church politics, church polity, southern baptist convention, southern baptist name change

A 3- Part Series on Church Organizational Government and Politics

Part 1

A little background

Make no mistake about it, Church Polity is a topic few people know anything about and even fewer are interested in. This writer however is not in that category.

In fact, without sounding arrogant and solely from knowledge and experience, I can state with confidence and unequivocally that I am indeed an authority on the subject.

Due to the content of this blog, SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) denominational leaders would do well to read this article carefully as would every minister of every denomination but especially SBC pastors.  Southern Baptist Church members and leaders should also read carefully.

Let me begin by giving a little background on my involvement in and about Church Polity.

In one of my previous churches, this pastor was forced to learn quickly what church polity is all about.  The denomination attempted on...

Tags: church governement, church politics, church polity, southern baptist convention, southern baptist name change

Have you ever gone into an employment interview and had the question ask of you, “Where do you see yourself in five years”?

Well, we all have wonderful expectations of where we hope we will be.  From the very beginning of the utilization of this process of questioning I remember being on both sides thinking, “Where will I be”? How many kids will I have? Will I be successful in ministry (which I am still trying to figure out after 8 full-time pastorates and 21 associate positions what a successful ministry is)?

I never thought I would be sitting in a restaurant in deep South Texas one minute and end up in the ER the next to find out I was an epileptic! That surely wasn’t in my plan.  But praise God, I found out I had actually had it all my life and it just finally caught up with me.  So now I...

Tags: the church in five years, the church in trouble, the declining church

Whoever said knowing God's will was easy?

Recently, while waiting in line to be checked out at the supermarket, I overheard two ladies (who I assumed were Christians) discussing the various aspects of finding, knowing and accepting God's will. Quite frankly, for a little while I thought I was listening to a pretty good sermon. Suddenly, one woman boldly stated, "Honey, if you don't know what God's will is, then you just ain't saved . . . just  ain't  NO  doubt  about  it." . Well there went the sermon.

Unfortunately, there continues within certain venues of Christianity what I like to call the "Super Spiritual Syndrome".  This is the contemporary version of the problem the Apostle Paul encountered in the days of the New Testament, of which we often refer to as 'LEGALISM". It is the idea that, I got it, I know it, I'm doing it and if you're not, then you couldn't possibly be saved.  Well, it just isn’t so.  Most BELIEVERS, including pastors, evangelist, and the Old and New Testament saints STRUGGLED constantly with finding, knowing, accepting and actually DOING the will of God.

The TRUTH is, unless you are seeking God's...

Tags: genuine christianity, knowing gods will, super spiritual, the will of god