Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary recently held a panel discussion on the topic of the Generational Divide in the SBC. The panel consisted of Danny Akin, JD Greear, David Nelson, and Nathan Finn. This panel discussion covers some very important topics. This panel discussion may be seen as quite controversial, but it is a must view.
Some of the topics included:
- Alcohol
- Generational thoughts on worship
- Two diverging visions for the SBC
- The importance of theological triage, and the foolishness of saying it doesn’t exist
- Calvinism
- Acts29, why young guys should stay even though church planting through the SBC is sometimes frustrating
- The future of the SBC
- How some in SBC pulpits misunderstand the gospel
- The Great Commission Resurgence
- Why Summit chose Acts29
- Why JD Greear gets excited about planting with SBC’ers and not just Acts29
- The unfortunate reality that some want to separate over issues that should be second and third tier
- How rhetoric will cause further harm, on both sides of the Calvinism argument, such as, statements like, “a move toward a 5th point of Calvinism is a move from the gospel.”
- JD Greear covers what he labels good parachurchism and bad parachurchism and how it affects the SBC
Some of the questions posed:
1. How can young SBC’ers pursue holiness, while abstaining from alcohol, but at the same time not being legalists?
2. Why should young SBC’ers stay in the SBC, especially when it is frustrating to plant churches because of the red tape at the state and with NAMB, and there is less with an organization like Acts29?
3. What can young Calvinists in the SBC do when so many are being passed over by local churches because of their Calvinism, should they really commit to the SBC if they do not feel a part of the family?
4. What does the bible really say about homosexuality and how do we respond in a pastoral way?
5. What do you think is the heart of the issue of this intergenerational challenge, who are the stakeholders and what is at stake?