Bible Believing Evangelical Analysis

Hell not only seems to be a very harsh reality, but this concept also clashes with the goodness of God. This extreme divine justice is incompatible with the idea of an all loving and perfectly good God. It is written in Chronicles that ‘He is good; his love endures for ever’. However the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in divine punishment for their wickedness, Gods participation in the Battle of Jericho and Noah and the flood all challenge the belief of Gods omnibenevolence and therefore his right to reward and punish.

This semester, as a class, we have peeled away the layers of what evangelicalism and fundamentalism means throughout history, especially in our Western culture. I am intrigued with them both and their very presence in many of our modern-day congregations, as well as the secular parts of our society. After visiting Grace Covenant Church of Austin, Texas, many of the attributes that have been emphasized in books such as Rediscovering an Evangelical Heritage by Donald Dayton and American Apocalypse by Matthew Sutton, I experienced while visiting Grace.

As we have peeled away the layers of what evangelicalism and fundamentalism means throughout history, especially in our Western culture I am intrigued as to both and their very intense presence in many of our modern-day congregations. “Yet, the vast majority of evangelicals around the world today hail from Holiness, Pentecostal, and charismatic congregations”. After visiting Grace Covenant Church of Austin Texas, much of those aforementioned ‘typical’ contributions that have been emphasized in books such as The American Evangelical Story by Douglas Sweeney and American Apocalypse by Matthew Sutton, I experienced ever present at Grace.

For Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." In my opinion, avoidable disjunctions over trivial matters harm the church and interrupt the fellowship of believers. For example, my former pastor caused worthless and unloving disunity in our church because he fervently adhered to his Reformed theology at the expense of others, despite no decisive evidence regarding this doctrine existing in the Bible. Sadly, several strong Christians left our Church and never returned. Nonsensical divisions such as this lead to the innumerable formations of denominations and alienation of believers. Instead of initiating these fruitless arguments, Christians need to focus on living lives holy and pleasing to

Hell seems to be like a place where people tend to just go with the motions. Only the people who truly want to leave will. In the book of Revelation, Hell is described as fiery lake of burning sulfur. This scripture lines up most with what I have been taught about Hell.

This paper will cover the topic of American Evangelicalism addressing the Twentieth Century ideologies. While viewing how Christianity interacted with the terms of the activities of evangelicals and the ecumenical movement. This paper will also cover how Christianity interacted with the terms of the activities of the Vatican II, religion, and politics and the global aspect of Christianity.

May 1, 2016, the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, located in Greenwood (S.C.) County will celebrate its 142nd church anniversary. Many years Mt. Olive have been a church that loved people, gave without limits and took great care of its members. The last five of those one hundred and forty-two years, I have been honored to serve as pastor of this great church. Although this is a great church, Mt. Olive and many churches like it are plagued with a disease that has slowly, but surely, causing the church to drift further away from God and fall deeper into the ways of the world. This epidemic is known as “tradition”. Churches that are bound by tradition and not led by the Holy Spirit will find themselves missing the mark of what God has called us to do. The bible is filled with instructions for the church, but as Christians and Disciples of Christ, Matthew 28 is the foundation upon which we should be operating on in the church as well as in our lives. The Great Commission challenges us to “go, teach and preach to all nations.” Traditional churches will allow church tradition to dictate biblical doctrine. It will allow the church to argue about who’s right instead of what’s right. Sadly, church success has been based on structure and finances rather than saving lost souls.

represent and uphold the standards of a given police department. Putting on a badge that

With this in mind, a critical element in determining whether a church is able to accomplish its stated mission is the average level of differentiation of a congregation. Differentiation decides how much of the church is affected by the reactions and complaints of key people in church as well as to what extent a church is influenced by social, cultural, political, or economic pressures (Ronald Richardson, 2005). “Differentiation is what allows us individually to fulfill our Christian calling more closely, to choose our principle, ethical and moral stances with clarity, and to act with courage in fulfilling them” (Richardson, 2005, p. 389). It allows for people to relate to others in a loving way, without taking part in the ‘party spirit’ Richardson (2005) suggests that destroys ministry and church life. Also, Richard (2005) suggests:

In The Next Christians, Gabe Lyons presents how the next generation of Christians turns the tide by bringing the truth of the Gospel to bear on our changing, secular society. While many Christians are worrying about the growing disregard for Christians and deviation from our faith, Gabe holds an optimistic attitude and believes now we are restorers, and Christianity’s best day are yet to come

No doubt, you are aware the Church is in decline—both in membership and in its influence in the world, for the past several decades. Several key elements are missing in the lives of most Christians, which are rarely addressed in our church pulpits or in the books we read. How We Christians Miss The Boat unabashedly addresses these issues, with dead-on solutions, which will change and revolutionize the lives’ of all its readers.

Comprised of fourteen chapters, the authors are explicit in readers comprehending this as a guide rather than a fix-all in turning around their churches. One chapter or section will not facilitate a change, rather a sequence of habits and efforts. Comprised of a large volume of statistical data, the facts remain constant; declining or plateaued churches can rebound. However, it will require change, change from the pulpit to the pews. Beginning with “0” or foundation, there are six criteria that should exist in all biblical churches, and are prominently and frequently mentioned in Scripture [2]: (1) Scriptural authority; (2) Biblical leadership; (3) Preaching and teaching; (4) Ordinances; (5) Covenant community; and (6) Mission. Additionally, the foundation emphasizes the need of becoming a

Evangelical Christians believe inspiration of scripture comes from God. Scripture declares that, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In addition, inerrancy declares that scripture remains truthful incessantly. Book of John states “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). Furthermore, the bible maintains authority because it’s from God. Scripture claims” Because the Bible is what it is, it can do what it does (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Additionally, inspiration comes from God, which makes the scripture truth, whiling obtain authority.

To properly label a Christian an evangelical Protestant, one must ask four basic questions and receive an answer that as a whole, evangelical Protestants accept as “correct”. The questions are: “[W]hat must a person do to be saved?[, W]here does religious authority lie?[, W]hat is the church?[,] and [W]hat is the essence of Christian living?” (“Evangelicalism”, Dictionary of Christianity in America) Through answering and receiving the “correct” responses, one should be able to define an evangelical Protestant.

In both the old times and modern time of Christianity, one of the main controversial topics has surrounded one single word. Hell. Some people hear it and thing noting of it. Others shutter at the name. But everyone has questions about it, whether hell is real or a fable, eternal or temporary, physical or spiritual. Being in the Baptist community since birth, I have believed in a hell since I can remember because “to believe in God and not in hell is ultimately to disbelieve in the reality of human choices.” (Ross Douthat). My definition of hell comes straight from the Bible. That there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mathew 13:42) and that God will say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil