The Southern Baptist Convention                                                     Office of Convention Relations
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2006 SBC Pastors' Conference     14 Jun 2006

 

I was grieved for the Southern Baptist Convention and pondering what will happen next when I saw the speaker listing for the SBC Pastors’ Conference taking place in conjunction with the convention this year.  While I rejoiced to see Mark Dever and Albert Mohler, I cannot fathom why Rick Warren, Kerry Shook, Erwin McManus, or David Jeremiah were considered, much less featured.

 

Warren and Shook are culture driven, opposed to the Gospel of Christ in their methods and approach to preaching (no matter what their statements of faith may indicate).  Warren, McManus and Jeremiah are all embracing false teaching and false teachers on a variety of subjects including a new apostolic ethos, contemplative (occultist) prayer, mystical nonsense from “the desert fathers”, and the current slate of folks (Brian McClaren, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Richard Foster. et. al.) who practice and endorse such new age and pantheistic methods and ideas.

 

Mohler and Dever have been consistent in holding fast to the Word of God in matters of church order, organization, and practice.  These are more in-line with what I expect from the SBC – and, more importantly, what the church – including pastors - needs to hear. 

 

Too many lost folks are being pandered to by “purpose driven” churches and other man-centered programs which discard the scripture for measurable results that please men rather than God.  The mark of Schuler and Vincent Peale is evident in these churches, spread like cancer from Willow Creek and Saddleback.  The evidence is easy to find – these men attract attention and their recent books, programs, speaking engagements all point to a trend that lines up more with the Quakers than Biblically sound Southern Baptists.

 

While these misguided pastors might be high profile within the SBC, they do not represent Biblical methods or sound use of scripture in their teaching.  From such, turn away.  

 

Paul warns us of the great “falling away” that must precede the second coming of Christ.  The only comfort I can draw from seeing these false teachers “prosper” is knowing that God is sovereign and these folk are the fulfillment of His prophecy.  Such as heralded the first coming of the Lord Jesus.

 

With joy and sorrow,

 

 

 

Stuart L. Brogden