Been a while

Well it's been some time since I last posted on this blog. I've had a lot going on the last several months, and time has been a premium. Of late, I've been posting comments on several other blogs having to do with some issues facing my home church. One of the main concerns of mine and some others is the PDC, PDL, seeker senstive movement. I have to admit I was surprised a couple of years ago, when the pastor of my church led us as a congregation through the 40 days of Purpose of the PDL book. At the time many churches across my city, and indeed across the nation were jumping on board with the PDL program. The thing I found particularly surprising in that is the seeming ecumenical nature of the program. What I mean is, how could a book by an SBC pastor have such appeal across denominational lines? I'm talking Baptists, Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Presbyterians, Independents....the whole gamut. The conclusion that I came to is...there couldn't be much that is doctrinally distinctive in it's contents. Upon examining the book I noticed that the author used some 15 different translations of the scriptures to support his thesis...some of which are very loose paraphrases. Maybe I'm just picky, but that alone is suspect to me...it smacks of an eisogetical approach to the scriptures...coming up with a thesis then turning to scripture to pull, out of context, passages...or only parts of passages (partial verses in some cases) to support the thesis. Not very sound in my view. But sound or not, it has obviously gained a foothold in evangelicalism..and in particular the SBC. It is way more than just another program...it is a worldwide movement. While no one I think would criticize the motive (reaching lost souls), methods do matter...because doctrine matters. Anytime we start tinkering with methods, we run the risk of compromising doctrine. No matter how well intended at the start...the temptation to begin to tinker with Biblical doctrine...in order to acheive the desired outcome, will inevitably come into play...which in the end, has just the opposite effect than what was originally intended. The whole idea of "seekers" to begin with is unbiblical. Rom. 3:10-12 makes this clear: "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God (italics mine). All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.'" So then what is the answer to this dilemma? As the scriptures ask ..."can a leopard change his spots?" No it cannot...nor can a sinner who seeks not God change his own disposition. Nor can any methodology, cajoling, or emotional/psychological manipulation open blind eyes, and deaf ears to hear the truth. It is a work of God. Our mandate is to faithfully preach the gospel of Christ as revealed in Holy Scripture to every man....only God can convert a soul. Am I straining at gnats? Consider this....faithful exposition of the Word=sound doctrine=solid conversions=right belief=right practice=God being glorified in His church. Make sense to you?....comments welcome.