Bo said:
i have to respectfully disagree.....
I hold tenaciously to the Baptist Distictives, Priesthood of the Believer and Individual Soul Liberty.
We each have the right to interpret the Bible for ourselves. Disagreement is good and not bad.
Each of us must come to our own conclusions based upon the scriptures and not the platitudes of men.
Here is further explanation of two Baptist Distinctives.
The Baptist model of a church rests on the concept of the priesthood of believers. A church is made up of persons who have exercised their God-given competency by believing in Jesus as Savior and Lord and by voluntarily associating with a particular fellowship of believers.
Each believer priest in the fellowship is equal to all of the others. Therefore, no one is in authority over all. Thus decisions are made by the community of priests seeking to know the will of the head of the church, the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. They do this by prayer, Bible study, meditation, discussion and decision.
?Every man by nature possesses the right of private judgment in the interpretation of the Scriptures, and in all religious concerns; it is his privilege to read and explain the Bible for himself, without dictation from, or dependence on, any one, being responsible to God alone for his use of the sacred truth.
Every man has the right to hold such religious opinions as he believes the Bible teaches, without harm or hindrance from any one on that account, so long as he does not intrude upon, or interfere with, the rights of others by doing so.
All men have the right, not only to believe, but also to profess and openly declare, whatever religious opinions they may entertain, providing they be not contrary to common morality, and do no injustice to others. All men possess the common right to worship God according to the teachings of the Scriptures, as they understand them, without hindrance or molestation, so long as they do not injure or interfere with the rights of others by so doing.?
Soul liberty and responsibility is antithetical to rule by a pope like figure in the congregation who maintains a rigid authoritarian rule and does not lead by example, a dictator and not a shepherd. The following are some of the characteristics of this UN-Christlike leader.
Authoritarian non Baptist distinctives.
1. There is never any freedom to question the leader.
2. The leader often makes claims of having special insights from God, insights that the laity are unable to possess.
3. Disagreement with the leader is deemed a sign of the devil?s influence in one?s life.
4. Events are designed to bring attention and praise to the leader rather than equipping others to do the work of the ministry.
5. Any concept of equality is immediately labeled rebellion or the end result of a ?liberal? denial of the Bible.
6. Authoritarian leaders are only comfortable around like-minded leaders; thus, there is an unofficial ?speaking tour? where only imperial, authoritarian leaders share the platform with each other.
7. The measure of success becomes the number of people who follow the leader (?It must be of God! Look at how many come to hear me speak!?)
8. If a person leaves the community or church, the problem is always in the person who leaves, not the leadership.
9. Leaders who wrongly perceive themselves as those ?with authority? insulate their lives by demanding absolute loyalty through giving large financial benefits to their closest ?advisers.?
10. The ultimate end of this kind of Christian leadership is always more; more money, more power, more followers, more publicity, more, more, more?
