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Baptist History Lesson 33 A Survey of Calvinistic Baptist History from 1950 forward We’re not the only Baptists who believe the Doctrines of Grace! 1. Contemporary history is difficult! •People have myopic vision •Participants are often still alive •All aspects of Reformed Baptist history are not particularly pretty Reformed Baptist history has probably been neglected because in some ways it can be very painful and awkward to pursue that subject very far –especially in attempting to draw conclusions about what has happened. Sadly, our modern history has included such painful, grieving things as: immorality, other unfaithfulness, and in some cases outright apostasy by leaders; divisions within local churches and between local churches; personality conflicts and possibly rivalries; pastors treating sheep and other churches abusively; perhaps in some cases people treating pastors abusively; etc. We could go on, but we certainly have our dirty laundry which is in many ways hard to face, and which in many regards should not be our focus – David Merck unpublished notes: Modern Church History-Module Six , p. 342 Pastor Stu “David, take a Chronicles view” 2. Reformed Baptists Churches (movement?) is/are so very small 74,000 + Baptist Churches 350 RB chs 3. But we will study because • It is our history • It has importance Condition of the Protestant Church in the mid 20th century 1. The Mainline denominations had all but lost the gospel 2. The largest evangelical denomination (SBC) could be characterized by “atheological pragmatism” and described as “programmatic” in its operation 3. Rise of Independent Fundamental Baptists Decisions, decisions, decisions! 4. All efforts by conservatives to reform the NBC failed resulting in the formation of the GARBC in 1933 and the CBC in 1947 5. New phenomena of the city wide crusade Could you find emphasis on grace anywhere? Rise or Revival of Reformed Theology 1. Writings of A.W. Pink 1918 “Sovereignty of God” I. C. Herendeen The Bible Truth Depot 1922 “Studies in Scripture” 2. Ministry of David Martin Lloyd-Jones D. Martin Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) Bethlehem Evangelical Church Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952) 3. Establishment of the Banner of Truth Trust 1955 First Issue of Banner of Truth magazine 1957 Formation of The Banner of Truth Trust “To republish Reformed literature in this country” Iain H. Murray (1931- 4. Other Christian publishers Jay Green and Sovereign Grace Publishers But what about the Baptists? Sovereign Grace Baptists Influence of Rolfe Barnard •Parents dedicated him to Jesus •Hardin Simmons College age 15! Pres of Infidel club •School teacher in West Texas •“the battle was fought out – God won! •SWBTS – W.T. Conner/sermons of B.H.Carroll •1946-1951 PBC 1950 Ashland Kentucky 1954 – Sovereign Grace Bible Conference in Ashland Sovereign Grace Baptist Churches South, Southwest, Ohio and Michigan Thoroughly Calvinist in soteriology Differ from RB in covenant theology, abiding nature of the Sabbath Many (most) remain pre-mil in eschatology; Landmark in ecclesiology No direct link from Sovereign Grace Baptists to present day Reformed Baptist Rolfe P Barnard (1904-1969) First distinctly Reformed Baptist Church: Grace Baptist, Carlisle, PA •Converted 1942 •Returned to Carlisle; began lay ministry •1951 Grace Chapel founded •Walter Chantry enters Dickenson College 1956 “A carpenter who has been my spiritual father and principle teacher in the faith” •1959 adopted 1689 Confession of Faith Ernie Reisinger (1919-2004) •1963 Walt becomes interim the full time pastor •1966 sponsored first Pastor’s Conference Carlisle’s contributions: •Passion to plant other churches •Home of Banner of Truth US office •Began Reformed Baptist Family Conference 1970 Pine Brook; Harvey Cedars; Massanetta Springs; Eagle Eyrie Lycoming College, Williamsport; Tuscarora Inn, Mt. Bethel, PA •Reformed Baptist Association - 1969 •Reformed Baptist Mission Service - 1985 Ernie with Walt Chantry Ca. 1996 24 chs in 1997 Ca. 75 today Other churches in the NE in the 1960’s – 1970’s •Paradise, PA Charles Barnhart •Grace Fellowship, Hazelton, PA Tedd Trip •Grace Baptist, Chambersburg, PA, •Faith RB, Media Wayne Mack/Bruce Ray •John Reisinger-Rochester/Webster: Bill Franklin Trinity Baptist Church – Montville, NJ Albert N. Martin Greatest influence •Trinity Pulpit tape ministry •Pastor Martin’s conference ministry •Trinity Ministerial Academy - 1977 •Trinity Pastors Conference - 1985 As a word of summary at this point, it is generally recognized that Walt Chantry has had a profound influence among and beyond Reformed Baptists especially through his writing, while Al Martin has had his most profound influence through his preaching not only through tapes of messages, but at many conferences and speaking engagements as well. Merck, pg 387 How about the rest of America? Reformed Baptist Churches are located in almost all 50 states 360 + congregations listed on Johnny Farese’s web site: http://www.farese.com/ Rise of Calvinism in other ‘movements’ “The Southern Baptist Conference on the Faith of our Founders” Memphis, July 1983 Our purpose is to encourage pastors, students and church leaders to recover the gospel of God's grace and work for the spiritual health and reformation of local churches. Our abiding concerns: We desire to be orthodox without being obnoxious. We want to be confessional, yet contemporary. We are Southern Baptist, though not sectarian. Our goal is to be doctrinally and devotionally balanced. Ernest Reisinger and distribution of Boyce’s Abstracts of Theology Rise of NEW CALVINISM in many evangelical denominations Collin Hansen Young, Restless, Reformed ‘the grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God endures forever!