I originally wrote these remarks as a comment on another blog but have decided to make them a Post on this blogsite as well.
The emphasis of the New Testament Scriptures is the connectedness we all have to each other as the Body [Church] of Christ via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Each person making up that Body [Church] has been given the Great Commission. [Here after designated as the GC]
How we carry out that GC as we group together physically [local church] and what we call ourselves in those physical groups whether Baptist, Bible, Christian Missionary Alliance, Assembly of God, or a host of other brands is not the issue for fulfilling the GC. We may have unique methods and means for doing the GC together but to say, as some do, that a group of gathered believers is NOT a group of GC people because they differ with us on the non-essentials is not in keeping with the text of the New Testament Scriptures in my opinion.
The essentials [the gospel] ARE necessary for the connectedness and indwelling of the Holy Spirit referred to above, but, for goodness sake, the Body of Christ is bigger than Baptists. It is made up of all who name Jesus as Lord and they are my brothers/sisters and are to be called and seen as GC people as I'm to be.
I've chosen to physically identify with a southern baptist church and the SBC as a whole but the Body of Christ is bigger than the SBC and our calling as believers who affiliate with the Convention is to make disciples of CHRIST not SBC members.
Paul Burleson
13 comments:
Paul, welcome to the blog world. I have read your comments over at Wade's site. I grew up watching and hearing of you. We lived in OKC and knew well of your ministry. I do hope we can see the largesse of the Kingdom. Todd
Amen and amen, Pastor Burleson. The essential really is Romans 10:9-10. That does then incorporate what it means for Jesus to be Lord (fully God and fully human) and many other aspects of God's salvation for humankind, but generally speaking Christians are those called by His grace to the faith He's given them to believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Jesus from the dead. Then, we are known by the love of God that radiates through us as His children and we are called to love Him and to love others as ourselves.
Great Post. Thank you for your years of faithful ministry.
Brother Paul,
I want to Commend You and Yours for raising a SON in the likeness of OUR SAVIOR. Wade is such a BLESSING from the LORD. I look forward to what you have to share for GOD'S KINGDOM and THE GREAT COMMISSION. My first son was named ofter PAUL.
LOVE from a Brother in THE BODY of "CHRIST"
Welcome to the "Blogosphere!"
I look forward to everything you have to say.
Tim
It is great to find someone else who understands the Great Commission. We are commissioned to make disciples.
Welcome to the blogs, Mr. (Dr.?) Burleson. Thanks for the comments on my blog over the las tfew months. I look forward to reading what you have to say.
art
Hi Paul,
Welcome to the blogging world. I've only started reading the "Baptist bloggers" the last several months. It's quite a community and already beginning to change the way Baptists do business. Maybe the revolution after the resurgence won't take as long?
BTW, I was a member of Southcliff Baptist in Ft Worth after you were there. Hal Brooks was pastor when I came to seminary. I think Jack Taylor had just been interim pastor before that. In 1984-85 my wife and I taught a single adult SS class for a year before being called to be on staff over at Meadowbrook Baptist on the east side.
Anyway, welcome once again. Thanks for sharing. "Amen" to more cooperation with all Great Commission Christians, and less squabbling over the non-essentials.
Todd Nelson
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Paul,
You had a tremendous impact on my life as my pastor as I know you did a lot of others. Now that you are on the blogsphere I look forward to learning even more!
Welcome, welcome.
This has been a thrill to hear from people like savedandsure/bryan riley/70 year old bro./tim/cw/ Todd and Todd Arkansas razorbaptist/krm and the head guys Marty Duran and Art Rogers. The only thing better will be meeting all of you some for the first time and others for a fun renewal.I've got to tell you when Wade asked me if he could link to my blog and I said yes, I had in mind a reference on the side as a name only. It would give me time to master this thing of blogging since no one would notice. Then he wrote his post.
I'd better learn "how to" quick. Thanks to all of you for the welcome.
Paul B.
Paul:
You needn't post this, but I wanted to say it and don't have your email address.
You are blessed to have a son like Wade. There are lots of cute sayings which attribute that to how he was raised, but the best is simply that God told you to train up a child, and you did.
I rejoice with you in your message to Wade this morning on Grace and Truth to You. I say that, thinking back to the time my son was ordained a Deacon in our church.
I sat on the Ordination Council, although I did not question him directly. Several times during the questions & answers, he referred to "Dad always said ... " or "Dad always took us ..."; things like that. I never felt like I was doing a very good job, but his statements in that hour would have been more than enough, had I gotten no further "gumdrops from God".
God bless you in this ministry, by the way.
Oh yes ... I really DO know that the process of raising children is mostly the the consistent act of praying they'll turn out well ANYWAY.
Bob, I decided to post this anyway and I hope you feel it is appropriate. My reason is because of the LAST paragraph being so true,I'm sure,for most parents. But I KNOW it's true for the Burlesons as parents. Thanks for you kind remarks.
Paul B.
Paul:
No problem whatsoever. Thanks, in fact.
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