Ed: William writes in part;
A"When I hear from the CBF a steady diet of "being the presence of God," I get that old feeling that authentic evangelism that includes lostness and salvation by grace through faith in Christ is not a priority. Maybe I'm wrong there as well. Again, I hope so. I don't hear Vestal speaking with the same fervor as 15 years ago. Maybe I'm wrong there as well.
Ed: And if you where really listing you would know that indeed there are many CBFers Around the world being the presence of God. come to our BFNE fall retreat n New Jersey in October and I will introduce you to some of them. Come early enough and we can run over to Metropolitan Baptist Church at the edge of Hells Kitchen. and Down to Restoration Baptist Church and their ministry to the subsidized apartments called the Albany projects, in Brooklyn. Meet Dr. Manor Tyson who's Waterbury Baptist Church rents space in a beautiful Presbyterian church building where they misters mostly to street people. Manor and his wife Ronie, both are Graduates of the Social Work School that was at SBTC until Al Mohler declared accredited social work programs incompatible with seminary education. And Randy Parks who is a CBF certified Chaplin at retirement facility in Jersey., You already Know Trudy and I. There will also be two of our couples who minister to students ,often international students and A lady Church planter from Main. There may also be a group there from MA. who attend Swansea Baptiat Church which was for a short time an SBC Church plant until their pastor got friendly with CBF and the HMB said that was un acceptable. when we came to the NE 6 years ago they had already been CBF for at least 6years they have members who have never been any type of baptist other than CBF.
And If you Talk to Danial he will tell you about the spiritual journey he has been on for several years now that had led him to work more in spiritual development than in dip em and drop em evangelism. It is not that he has lost the fervor he simply has rechanneled it. Talking to him in person over a couple meals in recent years I find an even more mature Dan Vestal than I first met several years ago. And he works at being an Executive Coordinator rather than CEO as you mistakenly labeled him n a post yesterday.
Wm:
B. With so few available CBF pulpits and so little CBF church planting, I still wonder where all the divinity school grads are going.
Ed: I am not sure that there as "so few available CBF pulpits as Sandy has pointed out a good number of the early CBF pastors have retired and more are reaching retirement age and there are many seminary students who are not interested in the pastorate some of those aspire to other staff positions. Also many are entering a wide variety of Chaplain positions some are coming to ABC-USA, some are black students who are met with welcome arms in traditional black churches. Surprising to me are the number of SBC churches that are recruiting through CBF Trudy had some conversation with a few of those before being called to Burnt Hills.
Wm:
C. But, the CBF can have some pretty good meetin's, do a lot of backslapping...just like the SBC.
Ed: William some folk who have never been to both post takeover SBC annual meetings and CBF Assemblies may buy that
"just like the SBC" , Hokum, but several of us on these boards have been to both and we know better.