An attitude of humble repentance seems more important then ever today in light of the recent events that have taken place between my own school and church that I love. The Georgia Baptist Convention has voted to sever ties with Mercer University. I have grown up as part of the GBC, my father is a Baptist minister. I am a graduate of Mercer and a current graduate student at Mercer’s Theology School. No matter who is right or wrong in this situation just as in a divorce, the children are the ones who get hurt.
As a Georgia Baptist I would like to apologize to all the students who will ultimately be affected by this decision. All the money that the GBC gives to Mercer is used as scholarships for students from Georgia Baptist Churches. I could not have gone to Mercer if I had not been given this scholarship. As a Mercer student I would greatly appreciate to see an apology from the GBC for this sad and regretful situation. It seems that we will forever have something from which to repent. May we be ever thankful for the grace and love of God that provides us with the opportunity to do so.
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About Me
- blairology
- Blair is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, GA. Where he earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication and Theatre Arts and a minor in Christianity. Blair earned his M. Div. from the McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta. Blair is currently pursuing the Blairology Global Project. Blair is an Eagle Scout.
7 comments:
This seems to be a trend nationwide. The Kentucky Baptist Association voted this week to sever ties with Georgetown College.
What's Mars Hill?
Rob Bell's church in Grand Rapids
I don't know exactly how you feel, but while I was at OBU, something similar to this was up in the air. You described the feelings I had perfectly. ellen
But don't Baptist's have to take a stand somewhere. If a school allows things on its campus that do not measure up with what the GBC believes then I believe they have the right (and are right) to pull it's funding. I would hope others would do the same. Belmont University is facing the same thing, but rightfully so. The warnings have been there for a while, and I'm sure the GBC doesn't want an institution with the tag "liberal" tied to it.
By the way, Rob Bell is a great communicator and speaker, but he has some messed up Doctirne. In his book "Velvet Elvis" he pretty much says that the virgin birth is unnessessary. WOW! He also believes doctrine and theology must be everchanging. I don't know if the doctrine of Christ should ever change...do you?
Just some thoughts from another pastor
Well maybe your right, Baptists do have to take a stand somewhere. As a Baptist I believe in the authority of scripture, not a hierarchical system with the GBC telling me what I have to believe. So while it is sad that the GBC is leaving Mercer, maybe it is for the best. And if they don’t want to be tied to an institution with a “liberal” label then they probably don’t need to be affiliated with any school. Since education is in fact a Liberal Art.
As far as Rob Bell goes I am sure he would enjoy the complements about being a great communicator and speaker (which I totally agree with you on that one). He is one of the best teachers of the Bible I have ever heard.
I would ask this though, why is a literal virgin birth necessary? Is our faith based on that? If it is then we have missed the point. As most of us have.
Also doctrine and theology, again is no place to base one’s faith (just ask the Pharisees). Therefore if it changes which indeed it has since God created the world, then we are all the better for it. That is the process called “growth”. If you are alive then you grow.
Sadly many of us never grow and are therefore dead.
But again this whole line of thinking completely misses the point. (Which I have definitely done and may well continue to do.)
I am thankful that God gives me the grace to continue to follow Jesus my Lord and be a part of the kingdom despite my shortcomings. With this in mind the least I can do is offer a measure of the same grace to everyone else whether, liberals, conservatives, saints or sinners, heterosexual or homosexual for we are all one in Christ called to show love to all.
You have great thoughts, but Mercer must believe in the same hierarchical structure, because they seem to not want them to pull out at all, it must be the money for the GBC students.
That is a misunderstanding of "liberal arts" as well. That term simply means literary, artistic, and historical subjects as a course of study...it has nothing to do with the course Mercer has taken. It's a focus of study rather than a shift from the teachings of the Holy (inerrant) Scripture.
And I'm glad you brought up the authority of Scripture. Isn't that what the GBC is trying to do anyway?...Support the authority of Scripture. And I know we are to love, love, love. I am in favor of that wholeheartedly. But I can love someone and not stand for their actions. I can love someone and not support (financially) their lifestyle.
Now to the virgin birth. If you support the authority of scripture, then you must believe in a literal virgin birth. Unless you believe in it's authority and not its inerrancy. Unless you believe in it's authority without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The virgin birth leads to a deeper understanding of the deity of Jesus Christ. I don't believe it because it's necessary, I believe it because I believe in authority of the Scripture.
I know you will respond with something clever; however, I will not. I will simply continue to read and be bumfuzzled by your beliefs and the fact that you teach others.
I'm glad grace plays a big role in all of this.
Thoughts from a pastor who has fallen short as well.
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